drugs could be made by the same companies who make such things as aspirin, so the quality would be assured -- no poisons or adulterants. Sterile hypodermic needles could be readily available at drug stores, thus curbing the spread of diseases such as AIDS, and hepatitis. These could be taxed densely because the user will be guaranteed of getting 'clean drugs'. Legalizing alcohol did not increase alcoholism, so why would legalizing drugs elevate drug abuse? Another argument as to why marijuana and other illicit substances should be legalized, is because medical professionals have found several applications for the hemp plant. Until 1937, marijuana was legal in the United State for all purposes. As of autumn 1995, only eight Americans were legally allowed to use marijuana as a medicine(Medicinal, 1995). Hemp is classified as a controlled class C substance. If someone is caught in possession of it, they can be fined and or jailed, depending on how much they possess. Even when the use of this substance could cure their illness or prolong their life(Medicinal, 1995,). Many people have been apprehended by authorities for growing marijuana even though it was for their own private medicinal use. A woman in New York was busted for growing a ten foot tall weed plant in her front yard. She was growing it for her son in Brooklyn who suffers from multiple sclerosis. Police arrived at her home and ripped the plant from the ground. After going to trial, she was placed on six months probation(Lukoski, 1994 p.94). This is by far not the only incident. For years people have been saying that marijuana should be a legal crop and that possession should be no more of a crime than the possession of alcohol. A recent Harvard survey of oncologist showed that almost half would prescribe marijuana if it were legal. Marijuana is one of the safest therapeutically active substance known. No one has ever died from an overdose, and it has a wide variety of applicatio...
