Marijuana is a plant whose flowers and leaves can be dried and consumed. It contains THC which causes intoxication when used. Over 100 million Americans have tried marijuana, and 14 million use it daily despite risks of legal prosecution. Marijuana has medical benefits and can treat conditions like cancer and glaucoma. Legalizing marijuana could generate tax revenue, reduce criminal activity of drug dealers and cartels, and free up law enforcement to focus on more dangerous drugs. The NORML organization advocates for marijuana law reform and educates the public on the benefits of legalizing marijuana.

1. Interesting Facts About Marijuanahttp://chapmannews.wordpress.com/2010/03/01/professors-research-sheds-new-light-on-medical-marijuana/

2. First of all, you need to know what exactly marijuana is. It is the female flowers and dried leaves of the hemp plant. Also known as cannabis sativa.http://www.amsterdammarijuanaseedbank.com/Growguides/general-marijuana-info/drying-marijuana.html

3. Marijuana contains THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, and is the main intoxicant that causes a person to “get high”. http://thehoneycombcollective.wordpress.com/2008/06/18/boston-celtics-x-lego-x-thc/

4. Hemp, or the tough, coarse fiber of the pot plant, can be used to make a variety of things including paper, rope, clothing, building supplies, food, fuel, and even cars.http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/ncnu02/v5-284.html

5. Did you know that over 100 million Americans have tried marijuana?http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90001/90782/90880/6739771.html

6. And that 14 million Americans use it daily despite the risk of prosecution?http://doc40.blogspot.com/2010/03/cash-crop.html

7. Did you know that there are many celebrities who indulge in marijuana and support legalization?http://www.chelseapants.com/ChelseaPantsInk/celebrities-who-smokehttp://mockingwords.blogspot.com/2010/04/willie-nelson-truther.htmlhttp://www.fannation.com/si_blogs/for_the_record/posts/49661-five-at-twelvehttp://www.420magazine.com/gallery/data/938/snoop.jpghttp://sticksandstoneslive.blogspot.com/2009/08/what-weed-is-best-fordisneyland.html

8. Many over the years have tried to keep marijuana illegal, based on fear, myths and exaggerations. Anti-pot ad campaigns were/are commonplace.http://snowyphils.blogspot.com/2007/12/marijuana-propaganda.htmlhttp://www.austinchronicle.com/gyrobase/Issue/section?issue=2007-06-29&name=Newshttp://www.bakedlife.com/2008/12/top-10-marijuana-myths.html

9. However, marijuana has been proven to be safer than alcohol and tobacco.http://phillybri.blogspot.com/2007_07_01_archive.htmlhttp://www.topnews.in/china-ban-tobacco-ads-2011-2200507

10. More interesting facts you should know concerning the alcohol/marijuana debate:Consuming large amounts of marijuana will not cause death as with alcohol. Withdrawal from alcohol can also cause death, but withdrawal from marijuana will not. Alcohol has been linked to birth defects when used by pregnant women, but no such effects have been proven to occur when using pot.According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, marijuana is one of the safest therapeutically active “foods” in its natural form to man.

11. The benefits of legalizing marijuana are…

12. Marijuana would be safer(regulated) and easily available for cancer patients…And easily available for sufferers of glaucoma and other maladies…http://www.examiner.com/x-8543-SF-Health-News-Examiner~y2009m8d11-Cannabis-smokers-face-LOWER-risk-of-head-and-neck-cancerhttp://planttheland.blogspot.com/2009_07_01_archive.html

13. The marijuana black market would disappear overnight, putting most dealers out of business. Organized crime would weaken due to the lack of money flow. Users would no longer be exposed to the criminal element to acquire pot.http://www.laprogressive.com/rankism/black-americas-double-dealing-on-drugs/

14. Law enforcement and courts would be freed up to concentrate on harder, violent criminals and be able to focus on eliminating dangerous drugs like crack cocaine, meth, and heroin. Jail and prison populations would decrease. http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/news/crime/blog/2009/02/drug_bust_hearing.htmlhttp://tvbythenumbers.com/2009/12/07/divorce-court-judge-alex-renewed-through-2011-12/35508

15. Marijuana could be taxed and thus increase federal revenues, possibly bringing the United States out of the recession.http://www.allfreelogo.com/rf-vector/12867870-bar-graph-with-growth-arrow-vector.htmlhttp://www.art.com/products/p10055084-sa-i881870/money.htm

16. Hemp could be a stronger, better, and cheaper replacement for cotton and timber, saving our forests and putting more farmers to work.http://cali9.com/2009/12/http://her-name-is-irina.blogspot.com/

17. NORML, or the National Organization for Marijuana Law Reform, was formed in 1970, and is considered to be the biggest pro-marijuana organization in the world. They provide a voice for Americans who oppose pot prohibition and want to end the practice of arresting marijuana users. http://www.nmnornl.net/

18. NORML is a non-profit public interest group that represent millions of Americans that use weed responsibly, and lead the fight to reform cannabis laws through voters and legislatures. http://www.tokeofthetown.com/2010/01/ballot_initiative_filed_to_legalize_marijuana_in_w.php

19. They have a main website along with their sister organization, the NORML Foundation. The foundation sponsors public ad campaigns to better educate the public about marijuana, and provides legal assistance to victims of current cannabis laws.http://blog.norml.org/2010/02/19/norml%E2%80%99s-weekly-legislative-update/

20. No matter what your feelings are about marijuana, you cannot ignore the facts. The benefits of legalization outweigh the drawbacks by far. I hope I have provided enough information so that you can make an informed decision for yourself. My opinion is…LEGALIZE IT!http://thefreshscent.com/tag/legalization/page/3/http://current.com/news/90085038_marijuana-takes-center-stage-medical-dispensaries-legalization-for-recreational-use-are-hot-topics.htmhttp://standupforamerica.wordpress.com/2010/05/04/the-case-for-legalizing-marijuana/

21. For more information about marijuana in general, or facts about legalization, go to the NORML website:http://www.norml.orghttp://norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=3374Thank you for listening with an open mind.

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