High Times

True, marijuana has harmful effects on the body.  It is approximately the equivalent of smoking four cigarettes, I am told (interestingly enough, it would be perfectly legal for you to tie an entire pack of cancer sticks together, stuff the entire contraption in your mouth, fire it up and go to town — I saw it in a magazine). 

I read a pamphlet about marijuana at a university health center.  It was filled with crude and outdated drawings, and some general information about the drug.  It should be noted that the pamphlet was filed next to similar brochures that contained information about narcotics, barbituates, and alcohol.  Each of them listed the harmful effects of using (and overdosing on) such drugs, and with the exception of marijuana they were all very grave and depressing.  Abusers were likely to die (even/especially when considering alcohol!).  Aside from the very obvious health risks associated with smoking (and the indirect effect of operating a motor vehicle under the influence, etc.), the only negative side-effect stated: "Overdose may cause some paranoia".  The quote stuck in my head for two reasons, one of which being the use of indirect language such as 'may' and 'some'.  Also, when equated with a legal (and widely abused) substance (alcohol), the effects seemed very similar in scope.

The government has issued numerous drugs available for prescription, only to find out afterward how truly harmful their side-effects are.  The sale of prescription drugs has become a lucrative business in America.  We are bombarded with commercials for new and improved prescription male enhancement and allergy medications, followed promptly by laundry lists of extremely unhealthy risks associated with taking these drugs.  Headaches, nose bleeds, insomnia, nausea, vomiting, back pain, increased risk of heart attacks and strokes, to name only a few.  I have not even begun to mention the dependency created by prescribing to such medications, etc. 

It doesn’t take a half-full coconut to realize that criminalization of marijuana (possession) is about two vibrations shy of Belleview.  It seems that people will find a way to do whatever it is that they would like to do, regardless of the law.  If marijuana were legal, the government could go a long way toward regulation of the quality and quantity of marijuana that reaches consumers. And doctors would be free to test its effects on diseases such as glaucoma (it has been said that marijuana could conceivably go a long way to treat this eye disease).

And let us not forget what is perhaps the most important reason marijuana should be legalized: The criminalization of such a substance undermines the very principle of FREE CHOICE, upon which our society is built, and around which our value systems are created.