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Minnesota will soon be the 23rd state to legalize recreational use of marijuana for adults. Now nearly 50% of Americans live in states where recreational use of cannabis is legal.
Why legalize recreational use of weed? By legalizing cannabis, Hawaii can take advantage of the taxes that come from it. Legalizing cannabis creates industry jobs in production, sales and financing. Legalizing cannabis eliminates criminal penalties for personal use, freeing up police resources to focus on more serious and violent crimes. Legalization will free up needed prison space.
Legalizing cannabis will support more research on its benefits. Legalizing cannabis allows those previously arrested and convicted for cannabis- related offenses to be given second chances. We need to stop destroying people’s lives for the possession and use of weed.
Legislators, if you won’t legalize it, then decriminalize it and save families.
Chuck Cohen
Kalama Valley
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