Marijuana_Should_Be_Legalized__a_Legal_Smoke_

Over 70% of Canadians approve of legalizing marijuana. Hemp has been banned in Canada since 1923. Until the 20th century, hemp produced most of the world’s paper, clothing, textiles, and ropes. In fact, it was once the largest agricultural crop in the world. Oddly enough, the first law to do with cannabis was telling farmers they must grow it. So, who in their right mind would make hemp illegal' It all started with articles in the U.S.A. claiming African-Americans and Mexicans smoked marijuana, played devil’s music, and disrespected white people. This led to having to buy stamps to legally grow hemp, but the American government did not give any out. After bringing the law into question over several years, different governments decided there should be no criminal penalty attached to marijuana. Nevertheless, marijuana still remains illegal. There are many reasons as to why marijuana should be legal. By legalizing marijuana, our government would take in more tax money, more materials could be made from hemp, and marijuana would be safer for users. Over $170 billion is how much money our Canadian government will gain if hemp is decriminalized. Let’s break that down. Cannabis business in BC alone is about $34 billion a year, street value, according to www.rxdirect2u.com. Tourist trade in the cannabis business in Canada adds up to about $90 billion per year. About 600 000 Canadian citizens have been indicted for personal use of marijuana and 30 000 arrests are made each year. That’s $500 million for annual drug law enforcement, another $500 million for legal fees, and $50 000 a year for each incarcerated offender. Additionally, we’ll save $6 billion by cutting capital expenditures in wood pulp production by three-four quarters. Quadruple the potential volume of cellulose fibre. With about $15-20 billion in annual exports of newsprint and wood pulp, that adds up to about $60 billion. Since it will not be in that much demand we’ll divide the present number by two and get $30 billion. Considering our resource will be virtually unlimited and we won’t need to spend all of our money on reforesting projects, our parks and woodlands will be saved and we’ll get an added bonus to the $90 billion in tourism. Moreover, the federal government receives about $5 billion annually just in tobacco tax payments. Generally, a joint of marijuana costs more than a cigarette and would be taxed heavily, adding a rounded $3.5 billion. Another $4-5 billion is tossed on the table for textile exports increasing, new businesses and jobs created, medical research, and exports. Adding these all up, our Canadian government will receive just over $170 billion per year from legalizing marijuana. Hemp is the strongest natural fibre on Earth. If hemp is legalized, many products can be made from it. Hemp plants grow back every 3-4 months and trees grow back every 20 years or so. One acre of hemp produces the same amount of cellulose fibre as 4.1 acres of trees. Www4.agr.gc.ca says one-fifth of pollution is caused by paper factories using wood pulp. Hemp produces paper at one-quarter the cost of wood pulp does and produces four times more methanol or gasohol from hemp stalks rather than corn stalks. Bio fuel can also be replaced by hemp. What we get out of this is that hemp is more eco-friendly to use. Whole hemp seeds contain 45% oil, 35% protein, and 10% carbohydrates and fibre. The oil in hemp seeds has potential health benefits for cancer, asthma rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, hypertension, and depression. The oil is 30% essential fatty acids (EFAs). This is an ideal combination of omega 6 and omega 3 fatty acids for long term use. If one does not receive enough EFAs, they may get chronic conditions like obesity, eczema, osteoporosis, and cardiovascular disease. The EFA in hemp oil is also ideal for rinse-off or leave-on products. Shampoos, conditioners, shaving products, soaps, lip balms, lotions and creams leave a smooth after-feel. Hemp is also one of two plants that contain both EFAs and gamma linolenic acid (GLA). GLA can help correct dyslexia, hyperactivity (ADHD) and dyspraxia, as well as lower cholesterol. Hemp seed oil can also be used for cooking, dietary supplements, lighting, spreads, paint, detergents, and medicinal preparation. Snack products, tortilla chips, frozen desserts, salad dressings, and pasta may contain both hemp seeds and oil. Beer, feed, sweets, non-dairy milk and cheese, dietary fibre, and baking are other uses of hemp seeds. Hemp fibre can be used for rope, paper and pulp, fabric, carpeting, insulation, automobile parts, paneling, animal bedding and mulch, and recycling additive. Furthermore, one hectare of hemp can produce about 800 kg of grain, which can be pressed into 200 litres of oil and 600 kg of meal, or 6 tonnes of straw which can be transformed into 1.5 tonnes of fibre. Hemp absorbs carbon dioxide five times more efficiently than the same acreage of forest. This plant is possibly the best plant on earth. The first time you smoke marijuana that is mixed with another drug, you could get addicted or even die from an overdose. With legalized marijuana, users can be assured that it is safe. Currently, people buying marijuana are unsure of what they are getting and where it’s been. Marijuana is unsafe because it is unregulated. Nobody is monitoring the quality of their marijuana. The government would be able to control the potency of distributed marijuana if legalized. Most drug dealers want a regular customer, so they mix harder drugs into their weed. This is called “laced marijuana.” Not only is laced marijuana more addictive and dangerous than organic marijuana, but those who get a more dramatic high tell their friends about it, if they are unaware of the marijuana being laced, of course. Now the dealer will gain more customers and money. Instead, the government could act as resellers, packaging and distributing organic marijuana across the country. This will reduce accidental overdoses and users will not have to take the chance of using laced marijuana. Customers will buy more legal marijuana because they can trust it is organic. Emergency rooms may not be as busy because there will not be as many overdoses, and fewer teenagers and young adults will die from overdoses. So, let’s keep our Canadians safe, and legalize marijuana. Legalizing marijuana has many benefits for the citizens and government of this country. The Canadian Medical Association has admitted that marijuana is not addictive, does not cause criminal behaviour, and occasional use is not harmful. In addition, growing hemp and producing its materials, cutting down pollution and deforestation, supporting research and developing hemp’s many uses will attract thousands of liberal-minded, well educated professionals to Canada’s industries, including healthcare and education. This will increase demand, production, and profitability. Overall, making hemp legal could possibly be the best change Canada’s government could ever make. Hopefully, we’ll see how it plays out in the near future.