The Right To Choose

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Recommended: history of legalizing marijuana

Marijuana has been used for recreational and spiritual uses since around 3000 B.C. It has held ties as a crop for industrial use through hemp fabric, one of the most efficient and cheapest fabrics available today. It has been the focal point of many religions, and it may have even been seen as a religious sacrament to early Jews and Christians (Delorde). In today's society it is still used by religions as a focal point, one of which being the christian based religion of Rasta. It has had as colorful of a history for use as a fiber as it has for recreational use. When Jamestown was founded in 1619 it was mandatory for farmers to grow Indonesian hemp. At some points in Americas early history you could even pay your taxes in hemp because of its value. Marijuana was made illegal, in 1937, after many years of fallacies and propaganda were spread about the apparent "dangers" of this drug smoked by blacks and Mexicans. When the United States Government attempted to create a prohibition of alcohol, they failed. Crime spiked along with the sales of the now "illegal" substance. What were the justifications of prohibition? What were the benefits? The prohibition of marijuana is currently facing the same problems the prohibition of alcohol faced. What is the solution? The legalization of marijuana would greatly lower unnecessary crime, keep tax money from going into unnecessary government organizations and ensure freedoms given in the Bill of Rights.

Drugs and crime have always been linked together. Generally for good reasons. Many organized criminal groups are associated with the smuggling of hard drugs such as cocaine and heroin into the United States. Such groups are the Medellin Cartel and the Mafia are notorious for smuggling ha...

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...nments right and it should not be your neighbors right. In the end you should have the right to choose whether or not to use marijuana.

Works Cited

Delorde, Paul. "5 Religions You Didn't Know Used Marijuana." Web. 25 May 2010. http://www.sensibleseeds.com/article_religion.html.

"Iowa - NORML." Marijuana Law Reform - NORML. Web. 26 May 2010. http://norml.org/index.cfm?wtm_view=&Group_ID=4537.

Klein, Joe. "Why Legalizing Marijuana Makes Sense - TIME." Breaking News, Analysis, Politics, Blogs, News Photos, Video, Tech Reviews - TIME.com. 16 Apr. 2009. Web. 26 May 2010.

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Madison, James. The Bill of Rights. 1789.

"Pot Arrests For Year 2008 Second Highest Total Ever Reported - NORML." Marijuana Law Reform - NORML. 17 Sept. 2009. Web. 26 May 2010. http://norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=7977.

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