I am a disabled veteran that suffers from PTSD, so I know all about the benefits of Cannabis, and the relief it can bring to a person who doesn't abuse it. The worst side effect of Cannabis in our current time is our own Government, and how they use Cannabis as a tool to produce profits.
Money has been made off this plant by our system by making the plant illegal which in return causes many users time in Prison. The United States has made a killing off of profits from locking innocent people up only because they had cannabis on them even though no crime was acted out besides not obeying the harsh laws put upon Cannabis by Uncle Sam.
It's more dangerous for a person to consume a Monster soft drink, or a Burger at a fast food chain, but nobody gets locked up for making themselves overweight because the health care system can profit from such activity.
Cannabis however causes medical benefits that our system wants control over, so they got this bright ideal to legalize it instead of decriminalizing it. No reason ever existed for Cannabis to be illegal to begin with besides the mass propaganda that was lobbied by the powers that be.
People hear the word legal, and they become completely blinded by this notion. They think yes I can finally use cannabis without the worry of going to Prison. What people fail to see is how our system is playing everything out. Our Government has slowly, but surely made Cannabis legal for them to have rights to grow, and sell while still making Cannabis illegal for the average Joe to grow, and sell.
The legislation of Cannabis hasn't, and will not produce a free market, but rather a market for our system to benifit from. They sell Cannabis which is very easy for the average Joe to grow for himself at prices that compete with our current pharmaceutical market. In some States they may allow people to grow a very small number of plants, but the average Joe isn't allowed to produce income from the fruits of his own labour.
How are we the people ever going to stand up, and take control over our system rather than our system take control over us? When are we going to stand up, and say this isn't right, and we are not going to take it anymore? We won't if our minds fall for the tricks that are played upon our minds by our current system. Most people think freedom of Cannabis when they hear of the legalization of the herb.
Our system is all about control... People often wonder why Tobacco, and Alcohol are legal while cannabis has been illegal for so long. The answer is simple... it has taken our system a longer time to get to where it is today with Cannabis, but it's clear that Uncle Sam will be in complete control over Cannabis, and no free market will ever exist for those who want to grow, and sell on their own.