re: The Union: The Business Behind Getting High

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Can you imagine your local farmer's market if marijuana was legal?

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I don't buy into this logic.

I can grow my own tomatoes in my backyard much easier than weed but I still don't do it because it's much more convenient to head to the store.

Ive never smoked but am against the Drug War in general and think pot prosecution is a waste of time and a bit tyrannical.

That said, I don't have the time to watch a documentary. So sum it up for me...what's the urgency for legalizing it?
In general we are becoming less free by the day, but why should non pot-smokers care do much about this particular libertarian issue?

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I don't have the time to watch a documentary. So sum it up for me...

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I urge you to watch it, if even only in 5 to 10 minute spurts whenever you have the time. A summary will not convince you of anything; the documentary will show you the history of marijuana laws, provides an array of statistics, and testimony from all sorts of people from doctors, former cops, former professional growers, etc...

Basically, marijuana is a useful, natural plant that the government spends way too much time and resources trying to eradicate. It has medical benefits as well as practical benefits in the form of hemp - it's the strongest natural fiber yet it is illegal to grow in the US.

Big PHARMA, the prison industry, alcohol industry, cops, and irrational moralists are standing in the way of it being legalized. People in the justice department fight against the efforts to get it legalized instead of just enforcing the laws on the books.

Marijuana is the least dangerous drug out there, but it's classified as a schedule I drug. Smoke from marijuana is much less harmful than tobacco smoke, and the effects of marijuana are far less severe than alcohol. The marijuana industry provides tons of jobs and could be a great source of tax revenue. People are going to do it whether it's legal or illegal.

With marijuana being illegal, it's harder to keep out of the hands of kids. Stores would enforce age restrictions on sales unlike drug dealers.

This is a crude summary and I don't expect it to be convincing coming from someone who already supported legalization before I even watched the documentary. Again, it is a great, entertaining watch and worth your time.

edit: Also, since it must be kept underground with it being illegal, it breeds unnecessary violent crimes.