Marijuana V. Alcohol!

Source:Online
Universities

Marijuana Legalization Info Graphic!

Source: Online Degrees

How Marijuana can Stop the Recession and Stabilize the Economy

How Marijuana can Stop the Recession and Stabilize the Economy

The world is going through some tough times, and despite what you think the United States is hurting the most. The US imports 70 to 80 percent of essential goods and resources from other countries, and exports very few mainly because we barely have resources. Check your living room, check the majority of the items in your house, I can bet a dollar they were produced off US soil. Matter of fact, 68% of the main resource we live and die on, crude oil, we get from other countries. In laments terms we have “more money going out than coming in”, this is why I believe there is no absolute turn around from this recession.

However… There is one immensely popular plant that if legalized can be taxable and profitable, this crop has an estimated production value of more than $40 billion annually, which exceeds corn and wheat production combined, it can be produced on US soil at little or no cost to the economy, can reduce law enforcement spending by $29 billion, and save over a billion man hours annually. This cash crop is Marijuana! And yes, it may sound really retarded but it’s illegal.

There are two major areas in which Marijuana can stabilize the economy.

$ Generating Revenue $

Legalizing marijuana would inject into the economy roughly $10 billion in tax revenue alone, estimates show that sales would earn in the tens of billions. According to Bloomberg.com the government found that marijuana has been used by more American’s than residents of most other countries, despite our strict drug laws, so legalizing the drug wouldn’t essentially mean more people would pick up the habit. You can get marijuana as fast as you can get a cigarette these days so those who want to smoke, can! Or would have already.

Now, lets take the actual “drug money” into account, all around the country in warehouse’s, in walls, in attics, under beds, in duffel bags being shipped around or out the country, in any type of stash spot there are millions if not billions of dollars kept out of the economy. Legalizing the drug will, over time, force drug dealers to put that money back into circulation. Money accumulated through all of these means stated above could be used in other areas like improving education or working on a new energy policy to rid us of our dependence on foreign oil.

$$ Law Enforcement $$

By legalizing marijuana, the government could save an incredible sum on the war on drugs, cut back on police corruption, drug-related crimes, and will open up new jobs as marijuana farms will crop up throughout the U.S. In 2007 alone, more than 900,000 people were arrested for marijuana offenses and over 85% of these were for simple possession. That’s one marijuana arrest every minute. Every year, there are more marijuana arrests than for all violent crimes combined.

And a record 8,000,000 people, or one in every 34 American adults, are behind bars, on probation, or on parole. Drug offenders are responsible for over 50% of the growth in the total federal prison population. Almost 55% of all people in prison and some jail are serving time for nonviolent drug charges. There are thousands of people in prisons for 5, 10, and 50 years, in some cases life for possessing marijuana! The average rapist will be free after serving only 3 years in prison; the average murderer is set free after serving only 10 years in prison! We the taxpayer, pay over $39,000 for each inmate! And the result of all this prison time and all these drug-free commercials? Drug use has increased! Laws have not stopped me from using marijuana, and they never will!

**Check the statistics on the war on drugs link for more info**

Of course marijuana has some adverse effects, as is any drug. Matter of fact, there are two drugs that have proven themselves 10 times as deadly as marijuana. However they are legal and you can pick them up as soon as you hit 18 or 21. Tobacco and Alcohol, if someone was to compare the 3 I bet marijuana would be the least damaging. Well, I found someone who did…

Harmful Effects?

Drugs	Most Harmful Effects
Alcohol	Liver damage, birth defects, kills brain cells, intoxication, can induce violent behavior Addiction: As addicting as cocaine! Overdose: Possible. Deaths/year (U.S.): 100,000 (Not counting drunk driving or crimes caused while intoxicated.)
Tobacco	Lung, throat, and mouth cancer, emphysema, heart damage, premature aging of skin, underdeveloped newborn babies. Addiction: As addicting as heroin or cocaine! Overdose: Possible, but extremely unlikely. Deaths/year (U.S.): 400,000
Marijuana	Slight chance of bronchitis in some users. Possible minor sperm count reduction, but unproven. Lung cancer remotely possible with extremely heavy use, but unproven. Short-term memory loss only while intoxicated—not permanent! Addiction: less addicting than coffee, soda, meat, or sugar! Overdose: Impossible! Deaths/year (U.S.): 0 (Zero!)

Contents of Negative Space™ as a whole Copyright © 1994-2008 Jerry Stratton

And those are the “legal” drugs! That crazy right… Yes! we think so to…

Weedvolution is a group of Economist and Weed Lovers based on the East Coast promoting the legalization of marijuana. Over the past months we’ve built various connections and have a strong chance of proposing the policy change to Congress.

Anyone can help the chance the policy of marijuana. Here are 3 ways you can make a difference!