Tony Anum,
The issue of the legalisation of marijuana is almost like one of those
“doomed-to-fail” debates in Ghana. Intermittently, when there is a call
by someone for the legalisation of the drug, that call is usually met
with stiff opposition. The same was the reaction when Kofi Annan
recently advocated for its legalisation.
People have taken entrenched positions on the issue without ever
devoting a second to think of it. As soon as someone declares “legalise
marijuana”, people, most of whom have not even seen the substance
before, just say “No!” The only reason such people usually have for
opposing the legalisation of marijuana is the belief that “marijuana
makes people go mad”; and probably because they were warned by their
parent never to dare know what marijuana is.
If you ask me, I am for the legalisation of the substance, not because I
smoke it. As a matter of fact, I do not smoke marijuana, never have,
and probably never will; but I do use it once a while. You, the reader,
also probably use it, maybe unknowingly. I know you might disagree with
me; or even be angered by my position on this issue but indulge me for a
minute.
First off, it has to be strongly stated that whether we legalise it or
not, people will still smoke marijuana. Aside the ghetto boys, I also
know respectable members of society such as medical doctors, police
officers, soldiers, teachers, professors, politicians, lawyers and so
many more who use this drug. So I ask: why don’t we accept this reality
and find a more sensible way of dealing with it rather than just saying
it is illegal?
Instead of putting in place proper legislation that would
control the use of such substances, we continue to claim they are
illegal, even though we know Ghanaians use them. The peak of hypocrisy!
Let us put all the rhetoric aside and let me give you very tangible
reasons why marijuana has to be legalised.
First, let me address the first and major concern: the (mental) health
of users. Let us assume it is actually true marijuana use makes people
go crazy. When the drug is legalised, people will not secretly smoke or
use it anymore; or even flatly deny using it. And therefore, if the use
of the drug is affecting them mentally, their friends and relatives can
easily notice it and tell them. Professional help could then be offered
them to make sure they do not get out of hand; unlike the current
situation where the person necessarily has to find himself/herself in a
mental facility before we try to help the person.
We all know sicknesses are better managed when they are discovered
early. Users of the drug could even be registered under the NHIS
programme so they can go for periodic medical screening to see if their
consumption of the drug is negatively affecting their brains, lungs,
kidneys, or any other vital human organ. Think about it, don’t just
condemn it; because, I will repeat it: whether we legalise it or not,
people will smoke it.
Secondly, the drug and its usage can be taxed heavily to generate
revenue for the government. As was revealed recently by our own Kofi
Annan, the state of Colorado in the USA generated over US$ 130 million
in 2015 from taxes on marijuana use, sale and licensing. Think of what
that money can do for Ghana. The heavy taxes may even serve as a means
of discouraging people from smoking it. If the drug is very costly to
obtain due to heavy government taxes, people will naturally cannot
afford it; and would thus not indulge in it.
Cigarettes and alcohol are
cheap to come by and that is why so many people patronise them. If
cocaine and other drugs were as cheap as alcohol and cigarettes, we
would have had as many cocaine addicts as we have alcohol addicts in
this country. Because cocaine for instance, is very costly, – the reason
it gets missing even from police strong rooms –, only a few people in
the country patronise it.
Thirdly, the revenue generated from the taxes on the drug could be used
to take medical care of users who might get out of hand as a result of
its abuse; probably due to their refusal to go for periodic medical
screening. Part of the revenue could be used to set up rehabilitation
centres for users and addicts who wish to quit. And part could be
channelled into intensive public education on the dangers of abusing the
substance.
This does not make sense to you?
Fourthly, with its legalisation, the cultivation and refining of the
herb could become a source of employment for people, just like how
running drinking spots and brewing all types of alcohol is the business
some people engage in. Or you do not think so?
I would not try to delve into the health benefits of marijuana. But it
is a fact that marijuana use has a number of health benefits. The most
shocking fact about Ghana’s lawmakers is that they believe alcohol and
cigarettes, which both have no or very few health benefits, needed to be
legal but marijuana, which has many health benefits needed to be
illegal. It’s amazing the kind of lawmakers we have in this country. I
wasn’t surprised when one of them threatened to leak the nude pictures
of a media personality who criticised him.
Maybe that should be the way
we respond to people who criticise us. Leak their naked pictures! The
joke that Ghana’s parliament is!
Before I say goodbye, let me say that, as a country, we need to discuss
issues objectively instead of sentimentally. Unless we learn to face
realities, our country is going to be undeveloped for a very long time.
Reminds me of some so-called astute politician, an MP or a former MP,
who alleged that the sad fatal accident at Kintampo which claimed about
70 lives was the handiwork of “blood thirsty” politicians. It is 2016
and even our lawmakers are still stuck in the stone age. What a pity!!
LEGALISE MARIJUANA NOW!!!
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