s nerve disorders in multiple sclerosis patients. If it helps patients get extra quality time out of their lives, then attempts to decriminalize it should be supported. Legalizing marijuana for medical purposes, as California recently did, could provide answers about diseases and allow research to be conducted for future purposes. (Guideline #7)An area that does not gather too much publicity in the legalization issue is hemp production. Marijuana comes from the top leaves and flowers of the female hemp plant. The fiber from the top can be used to make clothing, paper, rope, and methanol fuel. Hemp is a plant that can be grown in poor soil, thus not taking up any valuable agricultural land. Hemp now grows in the U.S. because of its heavy production in the 18th and 19th centuries. Seventy-Five to Ninety percent of all paper used before 1883 was hemp paper, including the first two drafts of the Declaration of Independence. Hemp is safer for the environment. Hemp requires 40% fewer chemicals to produce paper, and, over twenty years, one acre of hemp can produce four times as much pulp as can an acre of trees. The production of hemp would save trees and clean up the air. (Guideline #7)With all of the information made available to society by past experiments, it should be easily seen that marijuana should be legalized. The benefit of its decriminalization would overshadow any of the detriments. However, I do realize that some time in the future, further tests and studies may prove that marijuana does cause harm to people. And if there is enough evidence that can show a good reason for pot to remain illegal, then I believe it shouldnt be legalized. However, until the time where this information will be shown, I still think that marijuana should be legal for all people of age to use (Guideline #8)...
