I'm not one to get political very often, but there are things here and there I believe are worth talking about.
On Nov. 4 voters in Massachusettes will decide whether or not marijuana can be legally cultivated, purchased, and possessed by those 21 or older.
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In states that have already legalized, such as Colorado, Washington, and Oregon, the effects of legal cannabis are not what those opposed to the initiative in Massachusetts want you to believe.
Colorado’s speaker of the House, Dickey Lee Hullinghorst, has described legalization in his state saying, "Everything seems to be working pretty well.” In Colorado, legalization has created thousands of new jobs and made $135 million for state use in the past year. It's expected to bring in between $143 and $187 million in 2016 as well. Dr. Larry Wolk, the top medical official in Colorado’s public health department, said since legalization there have been no large troubling public health trends, according to the Boston Globe.
In Washington, the state has collected nearly $83 million in marijuana tax revenues and has seen a decrease in violent crime, no increase in youth marijuana use or traffic fatalities, according to drugpolicy.org
Oregon, the most recent state to put legislation into place, is still working out the kinks. But since its regulations for retail have been instituted in January of this year, Oregon has made $14.9 million in tax revenues so far, according to Oregonlive.com
The tax revenue generated from sales in the states which have legalized is being used for the funding of the construction of new schools, law enforcement, and improving drug prevention programs.
Proposition four in Massachusetts includes a tax of only 3.75 percent with an optional 2 percent tax at the discretion of local municipalities . Although the tax figure is significantly less than that in other legal states, which range from 15 to 25 percent, the expected revenue is still substantial. Senator Jason Lewis expects $50 to 60 million in revenue annually. It will also no longer require using state money to enforce prohibition, which will net the state of Massachusetts around an additional $9 million, according to Harvard Political Review.
For Massachusetts, a state that's seen a growing opiate addiction problem, the legalization of marijuana aims to benefit those who struggle with opiate addiction. For example, Harvard Political Review focused on Sgt. Stephen Mandile of Uxbridge, Massachusetts. Mandile came home from his tour in Iraq with five ruptured discs from a Humvee accident. Since returning, he has been put on 57 different medications for pain, ten of which were opioids, including morphine, oxycodone, and Vicodin. The medication led him down a path of addiction and frequent thoughts of suicide. He told HPR, “the easiest thought that popped in my head was 'just end it. Just forget it.’ ”
Madile's wife, who had quit her job to watch after him, wanted her husband to try an alternative method of treatment. The alternate treatment was cannabis, and within five months he was off all other drugs. Madile still suffers from chronic pain, but his quality of life has much improved from the time he was using opiates. “Mental state-wise, I’m a whole different person,” he told HPR.
Legalization in Massachusetts would allow for millions suffering from side effects from prescription opiates to have the opportunity to ditch the harmful painkillers for a more natural medicine.
The biggest opposition to legalization in Massachusetts is big medicine. Partners HealthCare, the largest employer in the state, has contributed $100,000 to anti-legalization efforts. The Massachusetts Medical Society also threw in $10,000 in funding against legalization, according to wbur.org
It's hard to imagine why healthcare companies would be opposed to something that's been a substantial help to one of the biggest problems the state faces currently.
If marijuana has proven to be a safer form of pain medication opposed to opiates, everyone should be entitled to its use. It's a shame big medicine companies cannot put the lives of people suffering before their own paycheck. As long as they keep people addicted to opiates their wallet gets fatter and that's really all that matters.
