I've written favorably about the legalization of marijuana before. The war on drugs is a lost cause and the sooner we realize it, and stop wasting taxpayers money, the better. Yes it should be restricted, much like tobacco and alcohol. It would create badly needed jobs here at home and put a stop to some of the violence the drug trade is causing in neighboring countries such as Mexico. If you take the money out of the illegal drug trade by making it legal, the black market ceases to exist.
As for cocaine, which some are also advocating legalizing, I think it should only be legalized as a strictly controlled substance. Even then I believe it should only be used for medicinal purposes. What that might be, I have no idea, but I'm sure the R & D departments of some of the major pharmaceutical companies would welcome the chance to find out. At any rate, decriminalisation of currently illegal drugs would undoubtedly be a boon to tax revenues and jobs, and we could definitely use more of both. Although I think all tax revenues from legalization of marijuana and cocaine should be strictly set aside to pay off the national debt. Otherwise I believe tax and spend politicians would piddle away any revenues on pork barrel projects and special interest groups. While we would still benefit from a decrease in drug related crime and violence, why not put the money to good use by reducing the national debt.
I can't very well justify talking about legalizing drugs without some mention of tobacco. Currently I think the tobacco industry is the target of a modern day witch hunt, being blamed for untold deaths and diseases. Don't get me wrong, I quit smoking for health reasons in November of last year and I don't think anybody with any sense would argue that smoking is not bad for your health. However, it gets to be a little ridiculous when people can't even smoke outside (banning smoking in public parks etc.). I mean come on!!!! Do you really think someones cigarette smoke is any more detrimental to your health in a city like New York, where you're breathing in exhaust fumes from hundreds of thousands of automobiles every time you go outdoors? And what about the people who get on their high horses about smoking? Have they given up driving their cars so people won't have to breathe their exhaust fumes? Have they lost weight and gotten into shape so they're not causing a burden to taxpayers for weight related illnesses like cancer and heart disease, which they're so quick to point out are caused by cigarette smoking? I've never heard of cigarette smoking causing diabetes, but obesity has created an alarming upswing in diabetics in the U.S.. Are we going to carry on about tobacco use until we've created another black market to support the drug cartels? Wake up people, we have a lot worse problems than cigarettes.
Showing posts with label big tobacco. Show all posts
Showing posts with label big tobacco. Show all posts
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Monday, June 15, 2009
My Opinion of Legalizing Marijuana
I've been seeing a lot in the news lately about state governments wanting to legalize marijuana and other recreational drugs. They think by doing so, they will be able to generate tax revenue from sales of these drugs, as well as reduce spending for the battle against drug dealers. While I don't use any illegal drugs myself, I've always been for legalizing marijuana, for the same reasons politicians and others are now espousing. Additionally, I think it would stop a great deal of violence caused by the illicit drug market, by taking the profits away from drug dealers who fight with one another to control drug trade.
That being said, I do not see how our nations' politicians, state or federal, with any good conscience, can promote legalizing any type of illegal drugs, just to raise tax money. They have all but ruined the tobacco industry, through state lawsuits, extreme taxation, and most recently by putting them under the control of the FDA. I'm not arguing the case that any of these measures were bad, or unjustified. However, how could the same politicians argue for legalizing drugs, (many of which are much more harmful than tobacco products), just to raise money, when that is the very reason they vilified the tobacco industry. Basically what they are proposing to do is legalize several addictive drugs, whereby they would take advantage of the people who are addicted to them, to raise money to fund their pork barrel projects and promote their own political agendas. This is different from the tobacco companies, HOW?
The truth is, it is worse than what the tobacco companies did. The tobacco companies were run by business people trying to make a profit, not by elected "Public Servants." Take in to consideration too, that smoking one joint of marijuana has been compared to smoking a pack of cigarettes, as far as the damage it does to your lungs. If it were legalized and packaged like cigarettes, I have no doubts that some people would smoke a pack a day, which would roughly compare to a smoker smoking two cartons of cigarettes in one day. There are people now who will let their electricity be shut off, fail to pay rent or let their children go without basic necessities, just to buy their drugs. If they are legalized, how much worse will it be? Not to mention the long term health effects of over-indulgence in these type of recreational drugs.
While I do still support legalizing marijuana, to collect tax dollars, take the money away from drug dealers and to free up law enforcements time for more serious pursuits, I don't see any good way for this to happen. If the state or federal governments do pass such legislation, then in all good conscience, they should return all of the money they received from suing the major tobacco companies. If the government does not allow private business to take advantage of addicts and promote unhealthy or downright poisonous products, then why would they think it is O.K. for them to engage in such practices. Not to mention, who would they get to produce the stuff? Any company thinking about such a move would have to take in to consideration what has happened to big tobacco. They would surely be setting themselves up for major lawsuits, somewhere down the road. Doesn't sound like a very promising business going in.
So, before we jump in to legalizing a bunch of recreational drugs, to raise money to save our states, maybe we should look at the possibility of electing state and federal officials who are more responsible with the tax dollars they all ready collect.
That being said, I do not see how our nations' politicians, state or federal, with any good conscience, can promote legalizing any type of illegal drugs, just to raise tax money. They have all but ruined the tobacco industry, through state lawsuits, extreme taxation, and most recently by putting them under the control of the FDA. I'm not arguing the case that any of these measures were bad, or unjustified. However, how could the same politicians argue for legalizing drugs, (many of which are much more harmful than tobacco products), just to raise money, when that is the very reason they vilified the tobacco industry. Basically what they are proposing to do is legalize several addictive drugs, whereby they would take advantage of the people who are addicted to them, to raise money to fund their pork barrel projects and promote their own political agendas. This is different from the tobacco companies, HOW?
The truth is, it is worse than what the tobacco companies did. The tobacco companies were run by business people trying to make a profit, not by elected "Public Servants." Take in to consideration too, that smoking one joint of marijuana has been compared to smoking a pack of cigarettes, as far as the damage it does to your lungs. If it were legalized and packaged like cigarettes, I have no doubts that some people would smoke a pack a day, which would roughly compare to a smoker smoking two cartons of cigarettes in one day. There are people now who will let their electricity be shut off, fail to pay rent or let their children go without basic necessities, just to buy their drugs. If they are legalized, how much worse will it be? Not to mention the long term health effects of over-indulgence in these type of recreational drugs.
While I do still support legalizing marijuana, to collect tax dollars, take the money away from drug dealers and to free up law enforcements time for more serious pursuits, I don't see any good way for this to happen. If the state or federal governments do pass such legislation, then in all good conscience, they should return all of the money they received from suing the major tobacco companies. If the government does not allow private business to take advantage of addicts and promote unhealthy or downright poisonous products, then why would they think it is O.K. for them to engage in such practices. Not to mention, who would they get to produce the stuff? Any company thinking about such a move would have to take in to consideration what has happened to big tobacco. They would surely be setting themselves up for major lawsuits, somewhere down the road. Doesn't sound like a very promising business going in.
So, before we jump in to legalizing a bunch of recreational drugs, to raise money to save our states, maybe we should look at the possibility of electing state and federal officials who are more responsible with the tax dollars they all ready collect.
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