Going Green – Why We Should Legalize It (Infographic

[kpete]

Going Green – Why We Should Legalize It (Infographic)
By Greg Voakes

Many issues in America faced an uphill battle at the turn of the century, and several unresolved ones still do. From gay marriage to medical marijuana, there are thousands of individuals pushing to change current legislation and fully progress into the new millennium. The infographic below actually outlines some of the reasons why America should go green – for marijuana legalization.

With a floundering economy, it’s hard to pass up the financial benefits of legalizing the green stuff. The number one cash crop in the United States – marijuana – is unregulated, untaxed, and prohibiting it costs the U.S. $7.7 billion each year. If we were to legalize it, we would not only save that $7.7 billion, but also gain $6.2 billion on marijuana tax revenues, and another $7 billion on a variety of cannabis shops, natural medical products, and more.

Since the war on drugs began in the 1960’s, it hasn’t made much of a long-term impact on drug use for teens and adolescents. Twelfth grade drug usage has hovered around 40% for decades, and teens between the ages of 12 and 17 say that it is easier to get marijuana than cigarettes, beer, or prescription drugs. A national study found that 40% of teens could get marijuana within a day, and 25% said they could get it within an hour. It seems like legal, regulated substances are a lot easier to control, and a lot harder to obtain, than illegal ones. Check out the infographic below for more details:


http://donklephant.com/2012/04/11/going-green-why-we-should-legalize-it-infographic/#more-22696