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Joining California, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire, Washington has become the latest state to step up efforts to legalize and regulate marijuana.

Legalization bill was introduced in the California and Massachusetts earlier this year. Now states like New Hampshire and Washington have pre-filed their bills for the legislative session that commences in January.

Further, about two dozen states in the nation like Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Wisconsin are considering the bill to legalize the use of marijuana for medical purpose and also to decriminalize possession of small amounts of the herb.

Though there is a lot of opposition over legalization of marijuana, the legalization activists are looking forward to the bill being passed.

Bill on marijuana legalization in Washington

As per the bill marijuana will be sold in Washington’s 160 state-run liquor stores. Customers aged 21 and above will have to pay a tax of up to 15 percent per gram of marijuana purchased.

The money raised from the sale will be used for the treatment and prevention of substance abuse. The move is expected to bring a lot of revenue to state, equal to what is collected from alcohol sales.

Republican Mary Lou Dickerson, a Seattle Democrat said that the state is facing a huge financial deficit and there is an urgent need to generate revenues.

Debate over uses of marijuana

The legalization activists believe that marijuana has incredible number of uses. Over the centuries it has been used for food, incense, cloth, rope, and much more. They even state the smoking pot has no negative effects.

But the opponents believe that marijuana consumption causes many health problems. The active ingredient in marijuana, delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol or THC, impacts nerve cells in the brain.

Smoking marijuana leads to a drop in blood pressure and a higher heart rate, thus increasing risk of heart attack.

Research indicates that its use also impairs body’s immune system from fighting diseases, thus causing a lot of health problems.

Travis Kuykendall, head of the West Texas High Intensity Drug-Trafficking Area office in El Paso, Texas was quoted by Associated Press as saying, "There's no upside to it in any manner other than for those people who want to smoke pot.

There's nothing for society in it, there's nothing good for the country in it, there's nothing for the good of the economy in it."

Source: themoneytimes.com