My Postion on Legalizing Marijunana on a Federal Level is as follows: \
1. Marijuana should be legal at a federal level.
2. American citizens should not be jailed or penalized for growing or consuming marijuana, unless recklessly consumed - think DUI or smoking areas, so others are not effected by the secondhand smoke.
3. Marijuana should be taxed, at a federal level, just like any other product, business, agricultural product.
4. The taxes collected should, in part, be used toward an awareness campaign to educate the public as to the harms and side effects of marijuana similar to that of sex education, drunk driving, prescription drug side effects, secondhand smoke, etc. For example, people have the right to know that marijuana decreases motivation, short-term memory, fertility and sperm count; and some say it is psychologically addictive.
5. It should be grown locally by US farmers only and small local farms and farmers should be favored over large corporations, big pharma and monopolies.
6. It should be regulated by the FDA.
7. Marijuana should not be imported.
8. American citizens should be able to grow marijuana for personal consumption. If they choose to sell it, they must pay taxes on the revenue just like any other small business.
So to recap, I believe marijuana should be legal at a federal level, that government has an obligation to inform Americans of its harmful side effects, and that the funds for the awareness campaign should come from the taxes received from its sales.
Further, states did not have federal authority to have, sell or legally allow consumption of marijuana, nor did suppliers have federal permission. Each business owner and marijuana distributor is aware that they owe federal taxes on the sales/revenue received and has set aside the necessary funds.
Any marijuana selling, growing and/or distribution of marijuana business not in compliance with paying the necessary back taxes should be banned from any aspect of selling, growing and/or distributing marijuana, directly or indirectly (including but not limited to LLCs, hedge funds, mutual funds, 401Ks, pension plans, tech startups, small businesses, etc) for 10 years.
Small businesses are the backbone of American. The growing, selling and distribution of marijuana should be a small business enterprise and not dominated by a few large corporations at the expense of our middle class.