Medicinal Marijuana

The US national government has decided to allow the use of Marijuana for medicinal purposes in several states. Many argue that this would lead to overuse or abuse and would be easily feasible for children to obtain. In reality children are more able to obtain it now than it would be if there were taxes placed on it and a medical ID for purchase. Legalizing a drug it is a very difficult thing to advocate, but when evaluating the pros and cons of the drug it seems less harmful than the legal use of alcohol. Alcohol causes poisoning of the body or disease of the liver which could lead to death. As far as I know there has never been marijuana related death unless it was a drug deal gone wrong.

In retrospect, yes, the drug cartel may increase its production and trafficking of the drug which it does already and many are more interested in the most profitable drug (cocaine).  Many will try and abuse the drug but as long as the government does what it can in eliminating that abuse it would likely not prove to be as major as that of the cocaine industry. The cause we should be focusing on the most dangerous drugs than a drug producing a lesser effect. The US has wasted millions of dollars on convicting those in possession of marijuana when the funds should be used on building more drug task forces to eliminate the trafficking of more dangerous and lethal drugs.  I find it extremely ridiculous to keep fighting the legalization of marijuana and placing criminal penalty on those caught with it for it is causing taxpayers too much money. To fight a cause that in reality doesn't lead to death, overdose, or poisoning of the body like many other legal drugs do is ridiculous. We should evaluate the positive effects of medicinal marijuana on pain in those with pianful illnesses and diseases. If it were the family of those protesting it, their outlook may be different.

Ms. Anderson