This document presents a history of marijuana legalization and argues for its legalization. It discusses how marijuana was made illegal in the 1930s and the myths around its dangers that are not supported by evidence. The document claims that prohibition has failed and legalizing marijuana could generate tax revenue while reducing crime. In summary, it advocates for legalizing, regulating, and taxing marijuana to generate billions for the government while decreasing criminal activity and prison populations.

1. Marijuana LegalizationA Report Presented By:David Nystrom

2. HistoryLargest agricultural crop in the worldHemp: Fabric, Medicines, Lighting Oil, PaperFun Fact: First 2 copies of the Declaration of Independence were written on hemp paperEarly 20th century yellow journalism surfaced (Reefer Madness)Depicted blacks and Mexicans as beasts who smoked Marijuana and played devils musicLead to 1937 Marijuana Tax Act

3. History/1937 Marijuana Tax ActBanned: Marijuana, Hemp, and Cannabis MedicineThis and Reefer Madness lead to the downfall of MarijuanaPopular Mechanics Magazine, was even coming out with an article entitled (New Billion Dollar Crop)If you wanted to buy Marijuana, you needed a stamp

4. History Cont…In WWII was legalized, then illegalized afterwardsQuestioned later on by CongressIllegal for wrong reasonNot violent but passiveMade it illegal for opposite reason as before

5. Big Business and ProhibitionB.C. Marijuana brings in $7 billion alone annually85% of that sold to U.S.“Prohibition has never worked” Senator Larry Campbell Former member of RCMP Drug Squad“Tree of Knowledge”

6. Myths“Dangers” of MarijuanaKills Brain CellsCancerPathway DrugO.D.

7. Dr. Heath/Tulane Study 1974Ronald Regan says the most reliable scientific sources proves it kills brain cellsMonkeys pumped with Marijuana 30 joints/day started to die after 90 days6 Years of requests for the study specifics30 joints/day for 1 year Vs. 63 columbian joints through a gas mask within 5 minutes over 3 months (Suffocated)

8. Dr. Heath Study Cont…2005 suggested that it stimulated brain cell growth(Xia Zhang University of Saskatchewan)Didn’t receive any attention

9. Marijuana and CancerGovernment funded program “May or Should”Not one case of lung cancer from MarijuanaModerate use, can paralyze cilia, non radioactiveInhaling smoke“Hasn’t been around that long”Recently found, no cancer

10. Deaths by SubstancesCigarettes killed more people than…AIDSHeroineCrackCocaineAlcoholCar AccidentsFireMurderCOMBINED

11. Death by Substances Cont…Cigarettes kill ~480,000 people/yearGovernment subsidiesGrown with radioactive fertilizerMore people die from caffeine and aspirin O.D.Not ONE death from Marijuana alone – Dr. Lest Grinspoon, MD (Professor Emeritus, Harvard Medical School)15,000 joints in 20 minutes to O.D. Good Luck

12. Marijuana and AddictionMore kids in rehab for addictionTaken to court and asked “Rehab or Jail”Rehab they consider you addictedDEA says look at all these kids3% of people in rehab are their voluntarilyNo addiction but can be habitual

13. Gateway DrugNever found anything in Marijuana that makes you want more - John Conroy, QC (Criminal Defense Lawyer)1/104 marijuana users use cocaine >1 use heroine. >1%

14. Useless to Society50 million smoke Marijuana in U.S.Steve Jobs (Apple) smoked Marijuana when making the computerTed Turner (CNN) developed CNN while usingMusiciansBILL CLINTONVirtually every presidential candidate admitted to trying it at least once

15. Crime and ViolenceNorm Stamper, PhD (Seattle Chief of Police, 1994-2000) – Ample evidence of the harm of Alcohol but none for MarijuanaDomestic Violence, Theft, etc…Where is a good example…Alcohol Prohibition

16. Alcohol Prohibition and MarijuanaEverything got worseGave birth to organized crime (Al Capone, Machine Gun Kelly, Lucky Luciano)Alcohol poisoning went up 600% during prohibitionMore violence with marijuana, criminal to sell itMarijuana oz. for oz. worth more than gold

17. Marijuana ProhibitionGrowers don’t want it legalized…hmmmmHurts their businessGrowers and GovernmentBut why…Oh, that’s right

18. So What Can We Do?Very Simple SolutionsRegulateTaxControl

19. OutcomeLower crime ratesBillions of dollars to be put into the governmentLess money spent on jails (1/6 in federal system for marijuana) ~5 Billion spent/yearAll I see are positives

20. DetailsGovernment should decide tax amountLicense, hard to get and easy to loseNo driving while high, work, etc…Money for schools, highways, hospitals, etc…