The Outsidr

Marijuana has dangerous and harmful side effects. Smoke it, children, and you will be throwing your life away. Just look at this picture of Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps. He had all the potential in the world going into the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. But he smokes weed. With the world watching and the pressure on, only a drug-free, straight and narrow golden boy could rise to the task and crush the competition. Phelps was destined for failure…

Oh wait — he became the greatest Olympic champion of all time.

I’m not a smoker but I most certainly support the legalization of marijuana, especially in this day and age. Economic crisis, a staggering unemployment rate, bailouts, recession – now would be the perfect time. Just think of all the jobs that would be created, businesses spawned and tax revenue collected. The health implications? Please. Lung cancer is the best health-related argument against marijuana and our government clearly does not care if its citizens are dying of it, in droves, as long as there is plenty of tax money flowing back to papa.

With Obama under the microscope it will never happen of course, but it’s a shame. Make marijuana legal, control and monitor it as with cigarettes and alcohol, regulate pricing, charge a 50%, 75% or even 100% tax and then swim in gold a la Scrooge McDuck — or Michael Phelps, as it were.

[Image source: News of the World]