 The majority of U.S. citizens believe marijuana should be legalized, mostly for medicinal use, and due to the fact that hemp is a sustainable and can be used in a plethora of manufactured products, thereby could boost our economy.
Meanwhile, Florida and Kentucky now require drug testing for public assistance. Unenlightened citizens who are not familiar with the public assistance system believe testing is a good idea. People with knowledge of how the public assistance system works, and does not work, understand that such drug testing is discriminatory. The testing is like kicking someone who is down.
Consider how much local businesses profit from the drug market? I'd never promote illegal drug sales! However, Kentucky is a well known marijuana growing state, and should be legalized so their economy could flourish and reach other regions too.
In addressing the problem of drug addiction, it must be understood that most detox and rehab entities do NOT accept Medicaid nor ANY other insurance, and cost over $300 a day, and some are so full that they only do rehab as "out-patient". Therefore, as we pass judgments on those are still “druggies”, we need to ensure the rehab places will serve them, and, there are jobs available to the people.
Some folks do become "dependent" on public assistance, but they are in no way near the majority. It often seems that way to others who don't understand how that system is flawed, e.g. once a parent gets on welfare, the rules and regulations make it extremely tough to get off of public assistance and into actual gainful employment, especially when there are enough jobs around the country.
History shows that Hearst and DuPont got marijuana criminalized for their personal benefits as opposed to the people and economies it helped. Our ancestors chose the mistake of legalizing the drug alcohol despite the danger and devastation it causes. The only statistics for alcohol and marijuana that have similarities is in the number of prisoners. Medically, certain alcohol used wisely and only occasionally can help prevent some medical problems. Marijuana does not cause any illnesses, it does bring relief to a plethora of suffering, and some cancer research has discovered some curing effects. It has a calming effect, whereas alcohol typically has affects which leads to aggression, crimes, violence, domestic abuse, and more. Alcohol causes many illnesses, while marijuana relieves much suffering, e.g. eliminates nausea so patients can eat properly.
Additionally, not every job requires drug testing, so it is unfair to drug test all non-workers. Most citizens feel that drug testing in work place is only necessary if an accident occurs. Every human has their own unique chemical composition and some individuals can actually do better work with the right medication. Many students do better with medication for attention deficit disorder. For some people, marijuana has the same effect on attention disorders. Many adults work harder, think more creatively, and are great assets to their company due to the affects of marijuana. This cannot be said about alcohol, other street drugs, and even medical prescriptions.
Drug testing has always been wrong because we do not classify them properly. For example, the most current “drug” problem involves bath salts, which is not considered a drug, yet is extremely dangerous. No one tests for nicotine addiction, and, it is the one drug there is no rehab for.
It would not be at surprising if there are more working while the under the influence of some type of chemical than there are poor people "on drugs". Job drug testing was hotly contested when it first began. In fact, even older women were against it because of the diet pills they took to keep working all day. A glass of wine or a beer can relieve stress from a day of hard work, and, a bit of marijuana does the same thing – without the potential bad effects from alcohol and other drugs. There is much truth in old saying “Use it, don’t abuse it”!
Currently, our nation has many problems and drug testing could exacerbate the situations. A person can get drunk on alcohol on a weekend and still pass a drug test at work. Yet, a person can smoke some marijuana one night, work fine for a nearly a month, and still fail a drug test. Few work sites test for over use of personal prescriptions. Therefore, it is all unfair.
Let us consider the following: how to provide more job opportunities; eliminating regulations in public assistance that deter recipients from getting ahead; making rehab more accessible for all people; providing health care for all people; and, of course, legalizing marijuana to make more room in prisons for real criminals. Meanwhile, for the sake of our great nation, hemp should replace many other fibers, et al, in manufacturing to thereby give our flailing economy the major boost that is currently needed. |
Article Details
