Words @ War: Mary Benson

Drug legalization in the United States will not hinder our economy, but allow for prosperity and opportunity.

I wonder why the government has not jumped the gun on legalizing all types of currently-banned drugs to increase tax revenue. The federal government busts many illegal drug acts that ultimately cost the taxpayers.

There are always stories in the media about a grow house for marijuana or a meth lab that was discovered. These drugs already surround us and if you don’t want to be exposed, you don’t have to be. Everyone has that choice and I know the thought of legalizing drugs may scare us as it would be a leap in a direction we are not familiar with. You just have to start thinking about the possibilities.

Taxpayers help supply the funding for drug busts under current laws. Why not make the criminals pay for once? They can be the ones to pay to use the drugs instead of our tax dollars.

There obviously will still need to be laws on the use and dealing of these drugs. The legalization of marijuana has already been taken into the hands of some states. Granted, this is supposedly for medical use, but let’s be real. It seems rather easy to access a medical marijuana card. It is a work in progress, but in my opinion, it’s a step in the right direction.

I just think some people may be close-minded about the idea. I know I originally was, but once I thought about it I started to consider it differently. I don’t hear about a lot of crimes in Amsterdam where marijuana is legal in moderation. The United States could have a similar system and that way we know it could be possible.

Wouldn’t you rather have safe places for these drugs to be harvested instead of a neighbor next door? This would allow for better drug control. I don’t like the idea of drugs floating around my community; that’s why the idea of legalizing drugs could help. I don’t want to be exposed to meth, that’s just horrible.

If drugs were in the hands of the government it is one more element they could try to control. I think it could help cut down on the use and abuse by children also. I don’t want my future children to access these drugs just as much as the next parent.

I am not trying to push legalization of drugs to hinder the future of the youth but to help the economy. I would feel safer if the government had the drugs and not just a random person on the street. As an adult, you have the choice of what you put in your body and some are irresponsible, but it’s not me so I don’t care.

More money for our country and more freedom for people, isn’t that what we all want? I think of this as a chance for change. n