BY HERMAN M. LAGON
THE WAY marijuana is seen and controlled is changing worldwide. Legalization has been embraced by nations of different spiritual orientations, ideological persuasions, economic statuses, and cultural practices, all agreeing to minimize its related risks using a controlled market.
By learning from these precedents, our country can build a framework that maximizes the advantages of marijuana while addressing the stigma and handling possible issues. We may consider rethinking our classification of cannabis—not as a dangerous drug like cocaine or heroin, but rather as a substance that, under appropriate control, can be quite beneficial to society.
Additionally, punishing adults for using a substance empirically safer than alcohol, tobacco, and high-risk gambling seems not only unfair but also ineffective. The ban on marijuana squanders public funds better used elsewhere. For example, the taxes on cannabis sales in Washington State brought in $600 million just in 2020. For the Philippines, such income could transform, supporting vital services and lightening the load on taxpayers.
Moreover, the legalization of marijuana could assist in solving ingrained problems with social inequality. With underprivileged communities usually bearing the most of the criminal justice system, current laws are unfairly applied.
Legalizing and controlling cannabis will help start to undo these injustices and guarantee that every person is treated equally under the law.
One more issue deserving of thought is the effect of the medicinal herb’s prohibition on the surroundings. Illegal farming diverts water sources and employs forbidden pesticides, degrading the environment.
Legalizing and controlling the sector will help the government enforce environmental criteria, guaranteeing that marijuana farming is sustainable and does not damage national resources. Regulation of purity and potency would help lower the risk of contamination and guarantee that consumers could get safe goods.
In essence, even if conservative and rightist groups have reasonable worries, the advantages of allowing and controlling cannabis use are too sensible to overlook. This action would help the nation match world trends and solve some of our society’s most important problems.
The argument over the legalization of marijuana should be presented as a pragmatic choice that might enhance the quality of life for innumerable lives. Change is right here, promising a freer, healthier, and sounder future.
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Doc H fondly describes himself as a “student of and for life” who, like many others, aspires to a life-giving and why-driven world grounded in social justice and the pursuit of happiness. His views do not necessarily reflect those of the institutions he is employed or connected with./PN
