My letter to the Massachusetts Joint Committee on Revenue regarding HB 2929

October 15, 2009 | East Lansing, Michigan | Vetting explained

Viewed 28 times
Last updated: October 15, 2009

iReport —

To the members of the Joint Committee on Revenue,

While I am a citizen of Michigan, I still hope you consider my opinion due to the serious nature of this bill. Thank you for taking the time to read my opinions/suggestions regarding the decision to pass or not pass Massachusetts House Bill 2929 and Senate Bill 1801, the bills to legalize and regulate marijuana similarly to alcohol.

As you have started debating HB 2929 and SB 1801 you are no doubt aware of the arguments already presented. I wish to present you with my take on the subject as well as possible benefits that would result as a passing of this bill.

The US (and Massachusetts) has a LOT to gain from the legalization and regulation of marijuana, the least being that destruction of national forests from illegal growth operations would stop and the most being that we could finally push the cartels all the way back to their bases of operations.

1) Environment - Like people brewed alcohol in forests, people grow marijuana there as well, using harmful pesticides as well as setting up traps to stop anyone from discovering their operation. And why would they stop? It's not like they're being inspected for clean standards.

Consider hemp. Well, what about it? Hemp is a viable source of every protein and amino acid that humans need. This is contained in the seeds of industrial hemp. Hemp is stronger, softer, and more durable than cotton. It doesn't even mildew. Hemp can be converted into bio fuel or bio diesel. An acre of hemp can produce as much paper as 3-4 acres of trees... and it takes 120 days for hemp to grow. Textiles, fuel, food... it's simply an incredibly useful plant. Studies have shown that the incredibly tiny amount of THC contained in hemp just isn't enough to cause the effects that marijuana has on a person. Current law allows the buying of hemp but bans farmers from growing it.

2) Crime & Punishment - 800,000 people a year are arrested for possession and sale of marijuana. It's comparable to speeding a mile or five miles per hour over the speed limit and being arrested for it. Yes, it is a crime under current law. But is it a crime that merits being arrested for? I agree that there are people arrested for possessing or selling marijuana that truly belong behind bars, but the vast majority does not.

Simply put, in the judicial system alone, there would be so much that would be freed up that law enforcement could focus their attention on kids using drugs instead of everyone; or to put this a different way, if marijuana were legalized, regulated and restricted to adults 21 years and older.

3) Health - Sounds dubious, right? But actually, making a clean marijuana product would be infinitely safer than current criminal supplies with unregulated products. If you want, think about it in this way: Which would be safer? A bottle of rum from the liquor store or a barrel of rum made god-knows-how? With a product, you have inspectors making sure you're following protocol on growth and production.

Don't forget also that marijuana has never caused an overdose in the history of the United States and that its addiction rate is smaller than caffeine. It's been proven to have no link to lung cancer. In fact, in a recent poll, many claimed that they'd rather consume marijuana than alcohol because of its lack of a hangover and health risks associated with alcohol.

4) Children - Normally, I flinch at discussions on "protecting our children" because it's generally propaganda. In this case however it's a discussion that's warranted. Kids find it easier to get access to pot than booze or tobacco. That should scare you. But why? Marijuana is illegal, and alcohol is legal! And yet kids have a harder time getting alcohol than marijuana. Puzzling until you consider that alcohol isn't brewed in bathtubs anymore (legal stuff, anyway). Where do you get alcohol, then? You get it at the liquor store where you are carded by the attendant instead of buying it on the street from a drug dealer who couldn't care how old you are.

5) The Cartels - They definitely do NOT want marijuana to be legal. It would kill their sales. A little known fact: Al Capone was one of the main proponents of (that is, he supported) Prohibition of alcohol. Because he was making money off it. It's a more known fact that cartels make about 70% of their profit margin off selling marijuana in the United States. These guys have established bases or links to gangs in over 250 American cities, some of them likely in Massachusetts.

While many counter this argument with the likely reaction of cartels when marijuana is legalized and regulated (that is, attempting to pressure government to repeal the law or setting up their illegal business as a legal one), both cases can be debunked. In the news, medical marijuana sales in California were having a marked impact on cartels and yet the cartels did not respond in violence. With the case of cartels setting themselves up as legal businesses, any legal business of that magnitude suddenly appearing out of nowhere would raise suspicions among the DEA and FBI to the point that the businesses in question could be investigated and stopped.

It's important to consider education as well. Such a bill requires effort with local companies not to push their product as has already happened with tobacco and alcohol. While you are merely considering this bill, it would help to also consider revisions that limit marijuana and alcohol advertising similar to tobacco advertising (highly restrained). Many health issues need to come to light about the use of marijuana and alcohol (such as alcohol increasing the chance of cancer to the liver, rectum, breast and upper digestive tract).

Finally, I'd like to leave you with the reason for my passion about this subject. There are indeed some marijuana activists who fight to legalize marijuana so that they're allowed to use it, but there are many of us whose concerns are much more far-reaching than that. We concern ourselves with this issue because it is a dilemma with a solution that helps people while fighting back against criminals, and we care for America's security and safety regarding this and other subjects.

Members of the Joint Committee of Revenue, again, thank you for reading my arguments and opinions on the subject. I wish you the best of luck on future deliberations and the health of the great state of Massachusetts. I can only hope that Michigan has the courage to follow your example of choosing to deliberate such a controversial issue.

Share this on:

del.icio.us

StumbleUpon

Comments

iReport welcomes a lively discussion, so comments on iReports are not pre-screened before they post. See the iReport community guidelines for details about content that is not welcome on iReport.

What is iReport?

Share

Tell a story, offer an opinion, say what's important to you.
Discuss

Join the conversation on the day's big issues.
Be heard

The best iReports get vetted and used on CNN platforms.

iReport is a user-generated section of CNN.com. The stories here come from users. CNN has vetted only the stories marked with the "CNN" badge. MORE...

CNN iReport