“I think it should be legalized tomorrow,” says junior Tom Nagy. “The government would make mad money from it.”
“It’s your own choice,” says senior Cara McGinley.
“There’s nothing wrong with it,” says VHS graduate Emma Wozny. “It should be legalized.”
Weed, pot, hash, dope, grass, marijuana: dare I speak these words in a school article?
Too late.
The conversation regarding the legalization of marijuana has been going on for years upon years, with the number of those in favor steadily increasing.
A new Gallup survey finds that a record 56% of Americans favor the legalization of the drug. That number is high enough to pass a new economic plan or elect a new president, but not to legalize pot.
Not yet at least.
Balancedpolitics.org discussed the issue revealing a number of pros and cons that would come with legalizing marijuana. The pros seem to outweigh the cons, but there is one negative that many people cannot overlook: marijuana use may lead to the use of other, harder drugs.
“That seems like a stretch,” says a VHS junior. “People are just looking for a reason not to legalize it.”
“I’ve smoked a number of times,” admits one senior. “I have never, and will never, try anything else.”
Many argue that marijuana is far healthier than legal tobacco products. “I think cigarettes are worse than smoking weed,” says senior Emily Aron. “They are proven to actually have really bad side effects.”
Every person asked seemed to feel the same way. “It’s better than cigarettes,” seems to be the sentiment of every high school student.
Even the National Institute on Drug Abuse struggles to find marijuana-related health hazards. The greatest threat to one’s health seems to be that from the smoke itself, not the drug. This can be avoided with access to “edibles,” THC-infused snacks that deliver a similar high.
“I’m not a fan of smoking,” says one senior. “I don’t have a problem with eating it though. There’s nothing wrong with it. I think it’s better than drinking.”
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention says, “Death directly from marijuana overdose is extremely rare. Between 1997 and 2007, the United States had 26 deaths with marijuana as an underlying cause.”
Most statistics say that it would take approximately 800 joints in a short period of time to actually overdose a person to the point of death. A person would be passed out or vomiting way before getting to this point.
Some people are worried about an increase in drug-related driving accidents. This is a valid concern. Alcohol, however, has been proven in multiple studies to be far more hazardous.
Senior Dan Banks feels that “marijuana use is not a big deal unless you take it too far. It shouldn’t run someone’s life.”
VHS graduate Emma Wozny agrees, adding, “It doesn’t make you a pothead or a deadbeat if you smoke weed. I go to one of the top 50 universities in the country. A lot of really successful people smoke.”
Politicians have been avidly fighting for or against marijuana legalization. Congressional candidate Andy Caffrey vows to smoke a joint on Capitol Hill if he wins the election this fall. The candidate has already “lit up” twice on the campaign trail. “I’m willing to get arrested to fight for our rights,” Caffrey said in an interview. “I want to draw national attention to what’s going on.”
Medicinal marijuana is currently legal in 17 states and DC. There are seven states with pending legislation. Pending legislation in New Jersey would reduce possession of small amounts of marijuana to something to a $100 ticket, making it more like a driving offense than a crime.
“You never really know what’s in it,” says senior Erin Smythe. “If it were legal, the government could monitor what it is you’re getting and they can limit what you can get.”
A new government survey shows more teens are now smoking pot than cigarettes.
Good or bad? That’s for you to decide.