Post by Del Snavely on Nov 13, 2009 11:54:07 GMT -6
Legalize, regulate and tax cannabis
By Del Snavely, Grand Forks Herald
Published Sunday, July 06, 2008
CROSBY, N.D. — After educating North Dakotans on the science of cannabis for
almost two years, I've seen a majority agree that cannabis prohibition is
wrong. So, here are more facts about cannabis.
There are more than 600 medicinal and hundreds of hemp strains of cannabis.
Their uses range from curing cancer to making plastic and biofuel. They're
not going away.
When we decide to segregate the different strains and regulate cannabis as a
commodity (as we can), making it available legally in pharmacies, coffee
shops and liquor stores to adults older than 21, these are the headlines
that could result:
- "High taxes imposed on cannabis bringing in millions."
- "Cannabis cures cancer; millions being cured with only treatment that
protects healthy cells."
- "Cannabis black market reduced to nothing. Teen use down; police have time
for crimes with victims."
- "Thanks to cannabis, prescription drug overdoses down."
- "Reduced prison population means money for real drug treatment."
- "Teen dangerous drug use down."
- "Cannabis use no longer results in criminal records or scholarship denials
for students."
- "Cannabis removed from drug-test list for nondangerous jobs."
- "U.S. no longer boasts world's largest prison system."
- "Drunk driving deaths, domestic violence falls as cannabis proves safer
than alcohol."
Amazing things will happen when we again repeal prohibition. As
pharmaceutical companies would say, "The benefits far outweigh the risks."
Alcohol prohibition was repealed state by state before the Constitution did
the job. North Dakotans are compassionate and intelligent people. We can
remove the prohibition of cannabis/marijuana/hemp here and show the country
that we won't criminalize our population only to satisfy an out-of-control
federal government.
It is impossible to regulate anything that is not legal. It's time for
regulation and harm reduction.
Del Snavely
By Del Snavely, Grand Forks Herald
Published Sunday, July 06, 2008
CROSBY, N.D. — After educating North Dakotans on the science of cannabis for
almost two years, I've seen a majority agree that cannabis prohibition is
wrong. So, here are more facts about cannabis.
There are more than 600 medicinal and hundreds of hemp strains of cannabis.
Their uses range from curing cancer to making plastic and biofuel. They're
not going away.
When we decide to segregate the different strains and regulate cannabis as a
commodity (as we can), making it available legally in pharmacies, coffee
shops and liquor stores to adults older than 21, these are the headlines
that could result:
- "High taxes imposed on cannabis bringing in millions."
- "Cannabis cures cancer; millions being cured with only treatment that
protects healthy cells."
- "Cannabis black market reduced to nothing. Teen use down; police have time
for crimes with victims."
- "Thanks to cannabis, prescription drug overdoses down."
- "Reduced prison population means money for real drug treatment."
- "Teen dangerous drug use down."
- "Cannabis use no longer results in criminal records or scholarship denials
for students."
- "Cannabis removed from drug-test list for nondangerous jobs."
- "U.S. no longer boasts world's largest prison system."
- "Drunk driving deaths, domestic violence falls as cannabis proves safer
than alcohol."
Amazing things will happen when we again repeal prohibition. As
pharmaceutical companies would say, "The benefits far outweigh the risks."
Alcohol prohibition was repealed state by state before the Constitution did
the job. North Dakotans are compassionate and intelligent people. We can
remove the prohibition of cannabis/marijuana/hemp here and show the country
that we won't criminalize our population only to satisfy an out-of-control
federal government.
It is impossible to regulate anything that is not legal. It's time for
regulation and harm reduction.
Del Snavely
