Legalize Cannabis

It is my opinion that cannabis should be a legal substance. In this
chapter, I will state the reasons why. This essay is for informational
purposes only, and if you agree, and do so publicly, I must warn you to
expect trouble.
Cannabis plants are one of the few plants with definite genders.
Marijuana is the female, and hemp is the male. Marijuana has a higher THC
level than hemp, which is why people smoke marijuana. The females also
produce resin to get pollen from the males.
Hemp would be a great economic tool. It has many uses, which would be
helpful to the environment. Hemp can be used as a food. The seeds are
highly nutritious. It's a great source of protein (although it doesn't
have as much as soy beans), and essential fatty acids. Fatty oils reduce
the risk of heart attacks. Hemp is also easily digested, and they have
almost no saturated fats. You wouldn't get high from eating them, because
the THC level is lower than that of marijuana. By the way, I realize that
I stated that before, but people are forgetful. Hemp would be widely
available, as it grows in almost any climate, and is cheap to grow.
Both the fiber and the pulp of the hemp could be used to make paper.
To make paper from trees you need to use chemicals. That is not the case
with hemp. Hemp paper would be affordable AND safe for the environment.
Hemp paper would last longer, as paper made from trees has acid. That's
why the paper becomes yellowed and weak. One acre of hemp could make the
same amount of paper as four acres of trees. Hemp grows faster than
trees, and America is running out of trees.
Hemp can also be made into cloth. Cotton damages soil, and requires
more fertilizer. Hemp roots go deeper into the soil and don't cause as
much damage as cotton. Cloth made from hemp can be just as soft as cotton
cloth, and it doesn't stretch. It lasts longer, which means that people
would save money.
Fuel can be made from hemp. It can be processed into gasoline,
methanol, charcoal and methane. Some diesel engines can run on pure
pressed hemp seeds. Hemp fuels are cleaner than petroleum, virtually free
of sulfur and metals, and don't put more carbon in the air. Fuels made
out of plants, called biomass fuels, need to carbon to grow. If you don't
know this, plants turn carbon dioxide into oxygen, which humans need to
breath. Besides that, if hemp was used as fuel, it could be made right
here in America. That in itself would be cheaper, as we wouldn't have to
ship it across the Atlantic Ocean in tankers. That would eliminate oil
spills, which is another plus for the environment.
I would therefore have to say, that for the sake of the environment,
hemp should be legalized. According to Michael Moore's Stupid White Men,
the hole in the ozone layer is 10.5 million miles wide. Why? Too much
carbon.
So, please. Write to your local politicians, newspapers, and
magazines. Make your voice heard. Do research and post more stories on
and other writing websites.

Sources

Pot Planet, by Brian Preston
Stupid White Men, by Michael Moore