It’s legal! Marijuana can be a benefit for us after all, such as supplying us with tax revenue and a wealth of potential health benefits to states. Including Washington, Oregon and Colorado. Not only have there been studies to suggest it helps treating the side effects of cancer, helps with depression, and potentially protects the brain after a stroke, concussion or trauma, but it can do so much more. How will marijuana contribute in the next couple of years? Other states can give us an idea.

Tax revenues for recreational marijuana have helped fund roads, schools, and much more in states that have legalized. Moreover owners contribute with special license and application fees. Medical marijuana also has a three percent sales tax in Colorado.

In total Colorado alone made $200 million last year, Aaron Smith wrote an article published on CNNMoney last year based on Colorado’s cannabis revenue. Smith also wrote that when Washington opened marijuana dispensaries in 2014, they brought $256 million in revenue and, last year they collected $319 million the fees of applications, according to Duane A. Davidson the Washington state treasurer in the article Washington Marijuana, and Health.

Depression has been an illness that has affected those who naturally have a chemical imbalance, or have suffered from a traumatic experience.

“Using compounds derived from cannabis — marijuana — to restore normal endocannabinoid function could potentially help stabilize moods and ease depression,” said Samir Haj-Dahmane, the senior researcher in the department on addictions at Buffalo University. Endocannabinoids are naturally produced in the brain, and these chemicals produced in the brain affect motor control, behaviors, cognition and emotions.

This is found in cannabis sativa and has the active ingredient delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol also known as THC. Using cannabis can help rebuild the endocannabinoids functions can help stable the mood and help relax depression itself. Depression can be treated now with marijuana.

Moreover, crime rates have lowered in states that legalized marijuana. Many say that this plant is one that people would do anything to get their hands on it. A study is shown called “Is Legal Pot Crippling Mexican Drug Trafficking Organizations? The Effect of Medical Marijuana Laws on US Crime” showed  that between the borders of Mexico and the U.S, crime has lowered by 13 percent.

Marijuana is mostly grown in Mexico where seven of the cartels in control trade.“These laws allow local farmers to grow marijuana that can then be sold to dispensaries where it is sold legally,”  by Evelina Gavrilova a economist who was a part of the study’s authors, Wrote cartels not only trade marijuana, they also smuggled in cocaine, heroin and meth, according to The Guardian. The legalization of marijuana could actually solve our crime problems and children wouldn’t be afraid to walk to school in Mexico due to drug wars on the street.

[Con-opinion by Alexander Sampson: https://elvaq.com/opinion/2018/05/07/puff-pass-or-dont-pass-2/]

Allison Ayala can be reached at [email protected]