LEGALIZATION Essay, Research Paper
Legalization
Don?t you think that cannabis should be made legal? Well it is my opinion that
Cannabis should be made legal. It is also my opinion that Cannabis is the one and only
replacement for tobacco as a cash crop. It is undeniable that Cannabis is a great and
wonderful way to make life better for all of mankind.
The undeniable fact remains that Cannabis is probably the single most versatile and
beneficial agricultural product known to man. It’s direct applications and by-product
effects on the environment are well documented. Only an obsolete and narrow-minded
point of view stands between the general public and their enjoyment of it’s rewards.
Cannabis possesses many virtues in regards to industrial usage. Contrary to
popular belief, Cannabis fiber is not limited strictly to rough fabrics such as burlap. The
fiber of the Cannabis plant can produce a wide range of textiles, from the consistency of a
fine linen to that of a heavy sailcloth. Hemp fiber is softer than cotton, warmer than
cotton, more water absorbent than cotton, possesses three times the tensile strength of
cotton, and requires virtually no pesticides.
I bet you didn’t know that roughly half of all the pesticides used in the U.S. are
used on cotton. Also, Cannabis cultivation is not at all as detrimental to the soil as is
cotton production. As an added bonus, Cannabis fiber is great for paper production- the
first two copies of the Declaration of Independence and the Gutenberg Bible were both
printed on Cannabis paper. Additionally, production of Cannabis for paper requires only
one-fourth of the amount of land required of production of timber for the same use. Plus
there is not as heavy a reliance upon chemicals to prepare the fibers for paper production
as is the case with wood based paper. The seeds, which can be produced in abundance,
possess a high nutritional value, and if pressed for oil, that oil is of great value in the
production of all kinds of paints and varnishes, which could lessen our reliance upon
petroleum products in this area.
There are several other useful products which can be made from this plant. For
instance if one was very sick (i.e. cancer, HIV or other major illnesses) you could dry and
smoke Cannabis to relive pain. This is because of its psychological properties or THC
content.
Some people think that legalizing cannabis would make it easier for people to
misuse it. Or that it would make it more available to minors. But the fact remains that
cannabis is very easy to get right now. It is even easier to find than alcohol or cigarettes.
People even think that legalizing cannabis would increase the crime level. I think that if it
was made legal crime would decrease because it wouldn?t be illegal to purchase or
distribute cannabis, therefore people would not have to lie, cheat or steal to obtain
cannabis. And on these grounds alone it’s stupid to continue its prohibition .