Unleash The Green

I believe that marijuana should be fully legalized nationwide. Has the United States not learned from the Prohibition back in 1919? During which people responded by committing even more crimes to traffic and distribute the illegal substance? Sound familiar? In comparison, it took the United States 13 years to wise up and end the prohibition of alcohol, while the prohibition of marijuana has been going on for much longer, while also netting the same response! There should not be so much trouble over a drug that is a lot safer when compared to some of the other substances out there. According to 2012 F.B.I. totals, there was a huge marginal difference between arrests made over marijuana possession than there were arrests made over possession of heroin, cocaine, and other drugs far worse than marijuana. Something is not adding up here. Agreed? The worst fear is how it affects our children which is a very reasonable concern. However, once legalized there should and most likely will be laws put in place to protect our children from obtaining marijuana just like there are laws preventing them from purchasing and possessing alcohol, cigarettes, and prescription drugs. The process of regulating the sale of marijuana may be tedious, but it is not impossible and can easily be done if people would stop condemning the production and use of marijuana as a major crime. All in all, when used responsibly, marijuana is a much safer recreational substance than many others such as alcohol. The United States needs to wise up again and put an end to another ridiculous prohibition. All Americans nationwide should be able to legally light one up and experience the happy and medicinal healing effects of marijuana. One Love.

President Obama Lends a Helping Hand to Veterans

According to the New York Times article, President Barack Obama has signed an act into law that will help our Armed Forces veterans who are suffering from post-traumatic stress (PTS). This new law "was designed to make it easier for veterans to find mental health resources, do more to recruit and retain professionals to help them and increase accountability for the government programs serving them." (Baker, New York Times). President Obama has made it clear that he wants nationwide awareness of this ordeal that has been affecting the lives of our veterans and urges Americans to do more in lending a hand to these men and women. The Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for Americans Veterans Act was named for the late Clay Hunt, a Marine from Texas who struggled with PTS. I believe this is a must read. This has been an ongoing tragedy for decades, and Americans need to be more aware of this so that the men and women who risk their lives serving us can have hope for recovery and be properly taken care of so that they can be back in good health. Read this New York Times article to read more on Charles Hunt and the new law signed by President Obama