L
OPINION
Recreational marijuana legal in Colorado and Washington
BY JAMES ROWE
Staff Writer
It seems that each year a topic
comes up in politics over an issue the
government has been debating for the
last 50 years. It is the debate of whether
marijuana should be legalized.
Every time I hear someone talking
about marijuana or going out to smoke,
they seem so secretive about it.
In America, marijuana is illegal,
and people have to hide it when they
smoke.
But not for long. Recreational
marijuana use is now legal in Colorado
and Washington.
It was on election night, Nov. 6, when
the news came out that these states
legalized it. Lots of avid users became
ecstatic over the news. The governor
of Colorado said in an interview with
CNN that they were looking to respect
the will of the voters.
I myself was never really into using
marijuana for fun. I was really first
introduced to what weed was and the
whole culture of it when I came here.
I never saw anyone smoke it or ask me
to smoke it in high school. I saw what it
was like and I just don't care for weed.
But should it be illegal? God no!
"I think it should be legal. Really the
legality of it doesn't seem like it should
be a question. It feels like a bread and
butter political issue," said Carnegie
Mellon University senior Jonathan
Blake. "(If) you legalize marijuana, it
would cause the supply to go up and
prices to go down. When prices go
down, you get people who use it more
casually. That and they don't have the
fear cracking down on them. You also
see the marijuana trafficking business
becomes less profitable."
When you look at the judicial issues
associated with the legalization of
marijuana, it seems silly to put people
in jail or prison because of selling or
using marijuana when there are more
serious criminals out there.
Marijuana should not be an issue. Has
one ever heard of someone going crazy
You can get alcohol poisoning
and die, or you can even
die from alcoholism. With
tobacco, it can cause lung
cancer. Marijuana? Just kills
the motivation of a person,
not the heart.
and going on a dangerous rampage on
marijuana? No. Has anyone overdosed
on it? No. So why is it an issue?
Senior Josh Barker shared the same
feelings.
"I think like gay marriage, pot
legalization will move forward slowly
state by state," he said. "I think that
this is a good step forward, but that
marijuana legalization should take the
back seat to more important issues,
including, but not limited to gay
marriage."
The other thing that is one would
look at is the health of a person
when using the three most common
drugs in America: alcohol, tobacco
and marijuana. You can get alcohol
poisoning and die, or you can even die
from alcoholism. With tobacco it can
cause lung cancer. Marijuana? It just
kills the motivation of a person, not the
heart.
"I think it's great," said junior
Caroline Peck. "Considering marijuana
is less dangerous than both alcohol and
tobacco, it's a surprise it wasn't legal
before. I think it's a breakthrough, and
I hope many other states follow suit."
"Honestly, I think it's needed, just
to see where the idea of marijuana
legalization will take us," said junior
Mychael Martin-Taylor. "It's been a
topic of interest for a long time now
and I think it's great that we finally get
to see how this decision will play out.
If the taxation of the product is well
handled, and users don't misuse the
drug, I can see this being a long lasting
and growing phenomenon."
Marijuana is not a dangerous drug.
That is one main reason why it should be
legal. This is a great step for America as
this will hopefully mean the end of the
drug trafficking that has been plaguing
the country. If the government can
realize this, then the war on drugs will
most likely come to an end. This will
create more room in the j ails and prisons,
making more room for dangerous
criminals. Plus, you might see some
jobs being created for companies that
sell marijuana, which will help bring
down the unemployment rate. The way
America is going, this is something
revolutionary.
State with both medical and decriminalization laws
State with decriminalized cannabis possession
State with legalized cannabis
State with legal medical cannabis
NOVEMBER 30, 2012
Ills
^S
Tips for a
stress-free
fleets week
Finals are getting closer every day — 20 papers
and essay-style exams loom overhead and
threaten chaos — but never fear! There are steps
you can take to prepare yourself and tackle these
monsters head-on for a healthier, less stressful
finals week. Here are a few tips to keep you in
tip-top shape during this hectic time.
Work ahead of time, and work smart
Instead of watching reruns on Netflix all night
since your paper isn't due for a whole 'nuther
week, set aside an hour or two to prep for that
research paper, or review one of the chapters
that's sure to be on your final. If you proactively
break down all of your work into bite-sized
pieces, it won't seem so overwhelming.
A popular work model is the Pomodoro
technique: work for 25 minutes, then take a five
minute break. Rinse and repeat. After four cycles
of this, take a 30-minute break and then get back
to work!
To keep yourself fcxmsed, find a calm study
space free of distractions. This might be a dorm
room desk, or the Greenleaf, or the library, or the
Starbucks across the street—it all comes down to
wherever you are personally capable of blocking
out the world and getting down to it.
Go to sleep
Last-minute cramming is the main staple of
the college studenLs study diet, but that doesn't
mean if s good for you. Your brain performs better
when ifs well-rested: you'll retain information
better, and come test day you won't run the risk
of dozing off mid-exam or sleeping through the
testing period altogether.
StiU struggling to understand a key concept or
solve a tough problem during one of your later
night study sessions? A new Lancaster University
study suggests that "sleeping on it" actually helps
your brain solve those difficult problems. Catch a
few Zs and try again in the morning.
Eat right
Sure, grabbing a quick burger to bring back to
your study cave means more time in front of the
books, and that scxla might give you the caffeine
kick you think you need, but you know ifs true
— your body feels gross when you fuel it with
junk, and you won't be running at top speed.
Fruits, veggies, whole grains and lean meats are
your fiiends, and for those who are not mclmed
towards wheat or meat, stay on top of your
healthy alternatives, too.
Also, drink plenty of water! Your brain works
better when ifs hy^ated, and you'll feel better,
tCX).
With these tips under your belf get ready to
slay your finals and plow into winter break. Get
to work, and good luck!
Refleqing Guilford College's core Quaker values,
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THROUGH CONSENSUS OF ALL 1 5 EDITORS.