Recreational Marijuana
What is recreational marijuana?
California Proposition 64 is known as the California Marijuana Legalization Initiative. Supporters referred to this initiative as the Adult Use of Marijuana Act. This proposition was approved on November 8, 2016 in California. According to ballotpedia.org,
| "A "yes" vote on Proposition 64 supported legalizing recreational marijuana for persons aged 21 years or older under state law and establishing certain sales and cultivation taxes." |
There are many pros and cons to recreational marijuana. As someone who has been working in the cannabis industry for more than 3 years, I am against recreational marijuana/legalization of it and for medical marijuana instead. The cannabis industry itself took a big hit once the proposition became active. Most cannabis dispensaries and cannabis product manufacturers were shut down due to not having all their legal paperwork done.
Recreational marijuana completely stems off the whole picture of what medical marijuana should be viewed as. The access to recreational marijuana in California may not be as easy as we think. There are many medical patients who depend on marijuana and use marijuana as an alternative for medicine, as opposed to taking strong pain medications. With local dispensaries shutting down and popular products not being manufactured, some medical patients may have difficulty trying to access their actual medicine!
Sure, it might be cool to think that some people may have easy access to recreational marijuana in major cities like Los Angeles or San Bernardino. Once Prop 64 came into effect, taxes on recreational marijuana came into effect as well. This makes it extremely difficult for medical patients if they do not have the money for it. Cannabis products are as expensive as it is and with extreme taxes added on to it, some medical patients may not be able to afford their most reliable medication. There a lot more rules and regulations in the cannabis industry now than compared to when Prop 64 was not approved.
According to marijuana.procon.org, traffic accidents and deaths increase when marijuana is legalized. This is another major con because people make stupid decisions and think they can drive high. Police start to pay more attention to marijuana use while driving (which is not a bad thing). More DUIs can be given out to people and car accidents are hard to avoid when under the influence! Please do not drive high if you cannot do it, like regular users.
-That was a joke. Please do not drive under the influence of any substance, ever.
Ultimately, I chose this topic because again, I have been working in the cannabis industry for a very long time. Recreational marijuana affects the cannabis industry in so many ways. I understand that medical patients need this more than people like me, who just like to smoke for recreational purposes. No one likes a rise in prices for their favorite hobbies. People have this certain stereotype for marijuana, when in reality, the use of medical marijuana helps with many diseases such as chronic pain, insomnia, depression, bipolar disorder, cancer, and many more!
Advocates for medical marijuana:
"I believe in keeping marijuana medical for those who need it most."
"I dislike the new law in California involving cannabis. I believe it should stay medical. Too many money hungry companies are getting into cannabis, making it harder for people with illnesses to improve their health. The taxes are insane. Natural remedies or plants should not cost an arm and leg."
"Proposition 64 was implemented and has since caused chaos and confusion in the medical marijuana industry. It has greatly decreased the number of medical dispensaries available to the people who depend on its medical properties and benefiits. While I believe every individual has the right to access of this spiritually, emotionally, and physically healing plant, there needs to be a priority of maintaining accessibility for the people who truly depend on it for daily use."
References:
Should Recreational Marijuana Be Legal? (n.d.). Retrieved from https://ballotpedia.org/California_Proposition_64,_Marijuana_Legalization_(2016)
Staff, G. (2018, January 03). What happens to medical cannabis in California under legalization? Retrieved April 18, 2018, from http://www.greenstate.com/explained/happens-medical-cannabis-california-legalization/
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