Lift the federal ban on cannabis
There are numerous reasons that cannabis must be made legal, from freedom of religion and personal freedoms to the economic advantages of a legal market, and it is essential that congress starts listening to the will of the people.
Many recent polls have found that between 56 and 60 percent of the population support the legalization of marijuana. Just four decades ago, only twelve percent of the population supported legalization. After so many years of waging a futile war on this drug, it is not surprising that people have begun to notice the downfalls of the current policies. Hundreds of thousands of lives are torn apart each year by long sentences for possession of cannabis; the illegal market has grown to thrive under the near monopolies that are created by the illegality of cannabis; children that suffer from sever seizures have been deprived of the medical benefits of marijuana; Hindus, Buddhists, and Rastafarians have been forced to give up important religious or cultural traditions. It is concerning that congress has not seriously considered this issue even after an adviser to Richard Nixon admitted that the war on drugs was a racist attempt to suppress the groups who did not support him (African Americans and members of the 1960s counterculture movement).
It is necessary that congress recognizes the overwhelming opinion of the American citizens on this topic and takes action to legalize marijuana. If congress continues to ignore the will of the people then our government can hardly claim to be a true democracy.
It is necessary that congress recognizes the overwhelming opinion of the American citizens on this topic and takes action to legalize marijuana. If congress continues to ignore the will of the people then our government can hardly claim to be a true democracy.
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