Old Folks

Old Folks                                                        8/11/2016

Should Marijuana become legalized in the State of Arizona?

Well let’s talk about that for a minute.

The word is the older generation has the opinion that it should not be legalized. Why is that I ask myself, for I am one of the older generation.

By the numbers as to why we might vote NO:

1. Perhaps we are afraid it will make it into our schools and homes.

2. We have little knowledge of how it will affect our lives.

3. We are afraid it will make it into our work place.

4. We are afraid it will make it to our golf course and club houses.

5. We are afraid people will walk around acting goofy.

6. We are afraid people will drive while loaded up on marijuana.

Now by the numbers as to why we might vote YES.

1. It is already in our schools and homes but it is illegal.

2. It is already affecting our lives, see exhibit A.

3. It is already in our work place.

4. It is already on our golf courses and in our clubs.

5. People have been walking around acting goofy for ever, see exhibit A.

6. People have been driving under the influence of marijuana for nearly a century.

Exhibit A:

1.   We allow alcohol in our homes.

2.   We see daily the automobile wrecks that are alcohol related.

3.   We see the deaths in the news everyday about drunk drivers that kill the innocent.

4.   We see the domestic violence in the news everyday from those who cannot hold their

      liquor.

5.   We see in the news everyday the confiscation of drugs at our border and our local

      Counties and the time and money spent by we the tax payers to enforce the law.

6.   People that use marijuana as their personal recreational fun are doing so whether we

      accept that fact or not. These people will now be able to do their recreational smoking

      on a small scale without added to the cost of our courts and the time our law

      enforcement officers are tied up hauling someone to jail because they had a little

      marijuana on them.

7.   The tax from the sale of the marijuana will help the state in many areas. In fact if the

      Government had any sense at all; they would jump on that wagon. The government

      should have added a tax to the sale of marijuana also. Our government does love its

      revenue and it is missing the boat as more and more states make marijuana legal.

8.   People say they are concerned about the health care cost this could bring upon us.

      It already has and has done so for decades and people who smoke marijuana when

      they have a medical issue it is treated and has been for decades. Just like liver failure

      and all of the other medical issues that are associated with alcohol.     

9.   I have heard the term drunk and disorderly when police arrest a suspect who is out of

      Order and drinking. I have the term loaded on meth when a suspect does crazy things

      and has to be arrested. I have never heard the term Marijuana and disorderly, Never.

10. If marijuana becomes legal the flow of this drug through our borders will decrease

      somewhat. In fact once it becomes legal in all states the black market for this drug

      will forever be gone. Just like the black market days of prohibition. Once prohibition

      was removed bootleggers were soon out of business. And many new businesses

      sprang up all over this country and continue to do so today. Employing untold

      numbers of Americans. 

So we the old folks need to make a decision come November. Yes or No.

We the old folks need to understand, if we vote No, life will continue just as it has. Smuggling, law enforcement cost, court cost, medical and housing cost for those who cross the border illegally to bring the drugs into our country in search of the almighty dollar. And the people who now use marijuana as their choice of a recreational drug will continue to do so, they will continue to take the risk and we the tax payers will continue to foot the bill.

Now this is my last thought:

I remember being a young kid, a teenager and a young adult. I hope I never get to old to not remember that. If it was taboo by the elders, I wanted to try it just to spite them. If it was something that one had to be old enough before they could enjoy it, per the elders. Sometimes I did, sometimes I did not.

Our children are intelligent enough just as we were to make their own decisions. I do not believe our children are monkey see, monkey do with everything we show them.

With all of the above that I have written, why am I still thinking of voting NO?

I think the answer to that is I am afraid of change. As an elder it seemed every time I agreed to change during my years of life I got knocked into the dirt. We all have seen this many times over during our aging life.

But marijuana is here and it is here to stay in this great country, be it legal or illegal. So one has to think about this carefully and decide if change maybe is, in the best interest of all Americans.