Lincoln County Issue

Lincoln County

Mekenna Phillips

Meeting #6

 Marijuana was legalized in Washington for recreational use in October of 2012. The reasons for the legalization are widespread, but the primary one is money. The state profited $14 million in taxes on marijuana buisiness in the year 2014. Over 700,000 people were jailed for marijuana possession in the United States in 2014, and this is a huge burden on tax payers. Legalizing marijuana in Washington has prevented 14,000 people from going to jail, and this has lifted the tax burden on the state.

 However, the legalization will affect our society negatively. Marijuana inhibits your senses and legalizing it creates a more widespread use of it. Large marijuana companies are starting to drive out smaller growers and many fear that they will become much like the big tobacco companies with a monopoly on marijuana. The smoke in marijuana contains %50 to %70 more cancer causing agents than cigaratte smoke. Because of that, second hand smoke is very dangerous for the people around it.

Legalization may benefit us for now, but in the long run it will cause harm in more ways than  one.