Marijuana legalization is fast becoming a trend in the world right now. There are plenty of reasons marijuana is gradually being accepted in global circles. There are clear, concrete benefits to its legalization, after all.
Greenlighting recreational and medical marijuana use leads to boosted taxes for the government. It also promotes further research into the substance’s medical purposes. With wider access to it, more people can benefit from marijuana’s healing properties, particularly in pain and stress management.
More Tax Revenues for the Government
As clearly seen in the states of Colorado, Washington, and California, the local government gets a significant boost in tax revenues when recreational marijuana is legalized. Already, Colorado has earned more than half a billion of revenues from taxing the substance since legalizing it back in 2014. The other states have posted gains in the millions as well.
More Jobs Generated in Various Industries
Marijuana legalization has created a lot of new jobs in the agricultural industry. Sales and retail jobs have also seen an upswing as a result of dispensaries and edibles stores popping everywhere.
As with any business boom, the complementary fields of law, accounting, and marketing have also seen an increase in marijuana-invested clientele. For example, ever since Colorado greenlighted marijuana, it has created around 18,000 jobs, directly and indirectly, because of the trade.
Increased Funding in Medical Marijuana Research
With marijuana legalized in certain parts of the globe, the stigma surrounding the substance is quickly fading. The medical community can now focus on properly studying the medicinal benefits of marijuana without fear of controversy or backlash. More people will be interested in funding medical marijuana research, in the hopes of finding cures for the most pressing diseases of the modern age.
Easier Access to Medical Marijuana
Marijuana is currently being used as a potent treatment for pain and stress. Arthritis inflammation can be reduced with certain extracts of marijuana. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) sufferers use marijuana as an effective relief method. More and more ailments are seeing a cure through marijuana or its by-products.
Proper Regulation of Marijuana Production
Now that the government is in charge of regulating marijuana, the resulting products can be produced with higher standards and safety in mind. Marijuana dispensaries can be easily shut down if they don’t pass safety and production standards.
For example, synthetic marijuana, called K2 or spice in street lingo, is lab made and can be spiked with more dangerous substances that can be fatal to the human body. Blood detox programs should be done if the THC levels in the body reach alarming or exceed acceptable levels. Without proper regulation, dangerous marijuana strains can never be truly eradicated.
Defunding Criminal Organizations
With the marijuana trade out in daylight as a legal enterprise, criminal and drug cartels don’t have the monopoly of the substance anymore. Now, with legal marijuana dispensaries properly taxed and regulated, the government and the common folk get to benefit from the trade.
Moving Forward
More and more parts of the world are accepting the recreational and medical uses of marijuana. If the growing trend in the US states is to be factored, it’s only a matter of time before a lot more countries follow suit. Marijuana legalization has more undeniable benefits to human society than its supposed disadvantages.
There are massive economic benefits that come hand in hand with a legalized, taxed marijuana trade. The substance also presents significant potential in the medical arena, as an effective treatment for rare diseases.
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- Benefits of Marijuana Legalization in Society - January 2, 2018
