California Lutheran University's Student Newspaper Since 1961

The Echo

California Lutheran University's Student Newspaper Since 1961

The Echo

California Lutheran University's Student Newspaper Since 1961

The Echo

The grass is always greener

Stoners are going to be a little more excited for Easter Sunday this year since it happens to fall on 4/20.

Although marijuana is illegal in 48 states, many people believe the law should be abolished due to its lack of direct harm.

The drug should be legalized because both the government and the citizens would benefit from the removal of the law.

If marijuana were to be legalized, the government would be able to tax the drug and potentially make money off of it.

In addition, legalizing marijuana might reduce the amount of people being arrested for non-violent crimes.

California Lutheran University senior Jess Infald believes that legalizing marijuana would be good for our country if the government could find a way to ensure the safety of the drug and limit its usage.

โ€œMarijuana should be legalized because there is a lot of crime involved with people in possession,โ€ Infald said. โ€œIf the drug were to be legalized, then Iโ€™m sure there will be more laws based on making it safe and controlled; similar to alcohol.โ€

Marijuana is also known to be very useful for medical issues. A lot of doctors and therapists, like Dr. Sanjay Gupta, neurosurgeon and assistant professor at Emory School of Medicine, seem to be recommending the drug.

Freshman Chris Dunn thinks legalizing weed should happen soon and that the country could make a lot of money from it.

Although he supports the legalization of the drug, Dunn also believes there could be a few negative effects along with it.

โ€œOverall productivity would go down just because more people would use it and I personally believe those who use marijuana are less motivated,โ€ Dunn said. โ€œMarijuana is also known to be a gateway drug and so if it were to be legalized, it could send people down the wrong path.โ€

There is not enough evidence to prove that the drug could lead to worse drugs, like cocaine, and there are also no facts to prove that marijuana can cause lung cancer.

Although it may seem as if smoking will harm your lungs, there is no hard evidence to prove that it does, according to the Drug Policy Alliance.

CLU professor Steven Hawkins, who has a doctorate in exercise physiology, understands that there are no proven facts that say marijuana is bad for you.

โ€œExperts donโ€™t agree that the evidence clearly says marijuana is bad for you or just suggested it may be,โ€ Hawkins said. โ€œIt certainly has some physiological and psychological properties that make it look like it might be bad for you but there is no real strong evidence.โ€

Hawkins explained how legalizing the drug could be both negative and positive for our society.

โ€œ[Marijuana] has some very clear impacts on motor control and impairing peopleโ€™s ability to drive as well as functioning at work could be more difficult,โ€ Hawkins said. โ€œBut then it would also remove the burden from the law enforcement, the burden from the penal system and it would also probably create a source of revenue.โ€

 

Ryan Perez
Staff Writer
Published April 16, 2014

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