The laughing grass

Liking it or not, marijuana is now as common as dirt. And it is here to stay.
Unless you have been living under a rock, you should not be the least surprised to catch a whiff of Acapulco Gold, even in your own backyard.
To most people, the aroma of “broccoli” is now as familiar as the smell of garlic bread.

Nothing seems to be able to stop the ineluctable march forward of the Locoweed.
Its popularity is abundantly illustrated by the hundreds of slang terms alluding to it.

So since Wacky Weed is so popular, why is its sale still illegal?
There are many pros and cons regarding that question, but many people have come to realize that, like alcohol previously, the sale of Yerba Buena cannot be held back forever.
The question is not if but when the sale of cannabis is going to be legit.

Prohibition was an experiment that few people would care to repeat. It did not stop the consumption of alcohol and only benefited criminals.
Common wisdom is now starting to say, “If you cannot lick them, join them!” Instead of fighting an increasingly losing battle, it would seem much smarter for the authorities to join the fray and try to regulate the sale of cannabis.

In North America marijuana ranges from about $150 to $400 an ounce and according to statistics, there are at least 17 million users.
That’s a lot of moolah!

Instead of letting drug dealers be the sole beneficiaries of that commerce, let legislators regulate and tax the catnip. The extra income would go a long way to fund much needed social programs.

Both sides of this debate have valid arguments against and for the legalization of marijuana.
Although activists are claiming that smoking pot has no negative effects, some scientists believe otherwise. But there are no definitive answers.
As with alcohol, nobody denies that marijuana can impair vital cognitive functions.
Smoking and driving (or operate any kind of machinery) should be an absolute no-no punishable by stiff penalties.

But if marijuana can alleviate suffering in severely ill patients, they should be able to obtain it. And I surmise that it is probably less harmful than morphine.
In the same vein, if “puffing the dragon” can reduce the stress of overburdened citizens, so be it.
The key as always is moderation.

In my humble opinion, puffing on an occasional doobee is no major crime and should not be criminalized.

Alain

PS: Slaving on this little piece has exhausted me. I think that I might have a stress reducing session with Dona Juanita.