Cannabis for one, Cannabis for all; Sam Smathers 4th

Cannabis for one, Cannabis for all

“Marijuana and the Modern Lady”
by Emily Dufton from The Atlantic
Commentary by: Sam Smathers, fourth period  

            This article addressed the relationship the modern day adult working women has with marijuana and how this affects society and the government. One of the key points in the article related the image of what a “pot smoker” stereotypical looks like, a well of white guy who sits and smokes in his room all day, to show how women are discouraged to say that they smoke because it makes them appear to be trashy and lazy due to this stereotype. Emily pointed out that the only way to legalize cannabis in the United States would be for women to start actively coming out of the “cannabis closet” and demanding the legalization in the same fervor that their male counterparts proclaim in. This article also talked about the growing amount of women smoking after they realize the harmful effects of alcohol and the not so harmful effects of marijuana. In conclusion she pointed out some organizations of women who are pro legalization and reminded the reader of the overall positive response America would have to legalization from an economic and social standpoint.

            I am pro-legalization of marijuana. There is no need to use three million dollars in arrests annually arresting people for possession. Cannabis is less harmful than tobacco, but it is not legal while the later is. I think the government’s purpose is to keep chaos out and help their citizens live the happiest most successful life that they can. Their job is not to shove dogma down our throats or tell us who or what we can marry or smoke. Marijuana is not a drug that causes people to jump off buildings or start raves, it will not cause chaos, it will provide jobs and keep more people out of jail, the government has no reason to stop it’s legalization. The only thing keeping it from being legal is personal opinions and lack of knowledge about the drug. People that smoke now would be the same people that would smoke if it was legal, there wouldn’t be a huge rise in use, half of the thrill for most teenagers that engage in illegal practices, is the thrill of if they will be caught or not. Personally, I am not a fan of the whole putting some drug in your body that won’t leave for weeks and making my lungs breathe anything other than air, but I don’t think my personal opinion should stop legalization, and neither should the government’s personal opinion.