Cannabis may not survive
in the frigid Alaskan north, but the use of this herb remains sunny
in the Final Frontier. In fact, southern parts of the state provide
the right climate for cultivation.
Over half of Alaskan
voters voted in favor of Ballot Measure 8, which legalized of the
drug in 1998. Like Oregon, Alaska is racing to become the third state
to legalize
marijuana
for recreational use this November. So far, it's a neck-to-neck race,
but it will all come down to who can formalize the legalization
first.
In a nutshell, Alaskan
proponents want to "regulate marijuana like alcohol,"
alluding to alcohol prohibition in the 1920s. During this time,
prohibition resulted in the opposite of its intended effects, i.e. a
spike in organized crime. Names like Al Capone, George "Bugsy"
Clarence, and Charles Luciano became big names in the nation's
history.
Fearing that marijuana
prohibition will produce the same effects, proponents have been
active in lobbying for its legalization. For one thing, they argue
that legalization can help bolster the local economy by providing
more jobs in terms of cannabis cultivation, processing, and
distribution. Another key point is that prohibition measures will
only cost the federal government an additional $40 billion a year.
No comments:
Post a Comment