The war on drugs and making marijuana illegal has not stopped millions of Americans from smoking pot on a daily basis. Are you aware just how it came to making marijuana illegal?
Why is Marijuana Illegal?
It all started in the 1930's when William Randolph Hearst, who was a big financial player in the timber industry, testified to congress on the evils of marijuana. He stated it makes people insane and committ acts of cannibalism and since many people at the time were not familiar with marijuana, congress made it illegal.
The truth is, at the time, many paper manufacturers were thinking about changing to hemp because it was cheaper, better for the environment, and easier to grow then trees. Hearst stood to lose millions if this happened so he used his influence and testimony to help get it made illegal in the U.S.
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Are There Benefits To Making It Legal?
So now that we know why it was made illegal, we can realize that making marijuana legal can stop smuggling it in and also save millions of trees from being cut down to be made into paper products.
The money that can be made from taxing it can be put to so many uses it is just foolish.
The fact of being legal would lower the crime that is committed in smuggling and distribution.
Are There Benefits To Making It Legal?
Hemp has many uses but because of it being illegal, we can not benefit from it.
During WWII hemp was used to help make uniforms, rope, and the rigging on parachutes.
Today, Marijuana is used to relieve pain and lessen the side effects of cancer treatment.
It has been shown to help with glaucoma and slow down the spreading of Alzheimer's. It can also help relieve the pain of migraine headaches.
Final Thoughts
But for whatever reason, mostly because big companies tend to lose money, it is still illegal in the United States.
I personally do not smoke pot, but cancer has effected my life tremendously. Watching people I love suffer and die from the horrible disease has me reading more and more about what hemp can do.
The attitude in the country has changed over the last 20 years, that eventually when the younger generation starts to get in position to be able to make change, the legalization of marijuana will become closer to being made a reality.