Marijuana Legalization? Asinine or Accurate?.
"Now what I contend is that my body is my own, at least I have always so regarded it. If I do harm through my experimenting with it, it is I who suffers, not the state." Many would be shocked that this quote came from the very man who wrote some of the most brilliant American literature in history, Mark Twain. This was his view of marijuana; many Americans have the same view on marijuana. The legalization of marijuana would lead to many opportunities and benefits that most Americans fail to realize. From our nations very beginning marijuana and hemp have played an integral role in America's development. From the many medical uses to the economic promise that marijuana will bring; legalization is the only way for pot to be accessible to the masses of Americans who need its benefits.
Over the years marijuana and its uses have been drastically misinterpreted and misunderstood. Marijuana has been used as a source of euphoria, relief, and income since ancient times; arriving in Europe as early as 500 A.D. Marijuana is a mixture of shredded green and gray flowers and leaves from the hemp plant Cannabis sativa. The hemp plant is extremely useful in many ways including making rope and using its flowers for marijuana. Pot products are usually smoked to achieve the "high". The open flame used to light the pot activates its main ingredient, THC. Marijuana is said to be more harmful to someone than cigarettes. What these anti-legalists fail to report is that pot can only be deadlier than cigarettes if smoked an equal amount of times as cigarettes. Most users only smoke a few times a week or at most a few times a day, making it highly unlikely that they put themselves at risk. .
"Make the most of the Indian Hemp Seed and sow it everywhere." This is what George Washington, the father of our country, said over 200 years ago. On his farm in Virginia he had acres of hemp plants growing and it was rumored a small amount of it was for purposes other than ropes or paper.