2. • Why legalise Marijuana?
• Recreational – It is argued that the possession of small
amounts of marijuana for personal use should be
decriminalised.
• There is a widely held belief that marijuana for
personal use is not harmful to the user or to society.
• Labelling it illegal has caused more problems than it
has solved. It has created a drug cartel and
• Alcohol and tobacco, both of which are legal worldwide
have created more social and economic problems than
marijuana
3. Medicinal - adults
• Marijuana has been proven effective in treating a
number of ailments including:
• Reducing the debilitating side effects of chemotherapy
• Shrinking tumours associated with cancer
• Relieving the symptom of AIDS and its related illnesses
especially muscle wastage.
• Relieving intraocular pressure in glaucoma and
reducing the incidence of blindness in those suffering
diabetes
• Reducing or eliminating muscle spasms in paraplegia,
quadriplegia, and multiple sclerosis.
• Relief for sufferers of Post -Traumatic Stress Syndrome
4. Medicinal - children
• Given in the form of oil – contain medicinal
properties without the side effect of being ‘high’
• Relieves pain in cancer sufferers
• Reduces nausea and side effects from
chemotherapy
• Reduces anxiety and stress associated with the
knowledge of having a terminal illness
• Stimulates the appetite for those suffering severe
illnesses and anorexia
• Positive results seen in the treatment of epilepsy,
autism, cerebral palsy and childhood muscular
dystrophy
5. Economic Impact
• Provides tax revenue for the state and federal
government.
Reduce the flow of money to organised crime
•
Legal and regulated use of marijuana will
generate revenue and reuce expenses associated
with the drug war
•
Allows law enforcement agencies to focus on
more dangerous illegal acts
• Introduces an industry of hemp farming
6. Social Impact
• Eliminates arrests and associated court costs to
prosecute casual users
• Cheaper to obtain without the black-market
influence
• Can be regulated and less available to underage
users
• Has less of an impact on the health system and
support services than obesity, alcohol and
tobacco
• Is not as toxic as tobacco
• Is not associated with violence or domestic abuse
7. Other uses for Marijuana
• The stems are useful in the production of industrial
fibres and ropes.
• Cannabis seed oil, plant pulp and fibres, are used in
the manufacture of cloth and paper
• One acre of hemp is more productive in producing
material to make paper than a similar field of trees.
• Does not require as intense chemical treatment as
timber in the manufacture of paper and fibre.
• Does not require chlorine bleach in product which
makes it more ecologically friendly than timber.
• Can easily replace the use of wood pulp in 70% of
paper products.
8. Countries that have legalised marijuana
• The Netherlands – allow use but not possession. Have
special bars and parlours for users.
• Some states in the USA – notably Colorado and
Washington. Medicinal use is legal in a number of states
and marijuana use is decriminalised in many more.
• Some Australian Territories - Decriminalized for personal
use in small amounts in the Australian Capital Territory,
South Australia and Northern Territory.
• India - Used during observance some Hindu rituals.
Government-owned shops sell cannabis in the form of
bhang.
• Uruguay – allows user to buy a small amount each month.
Users have to be 18 or older and be registered in a national
database to track their consumption.
