While I do not make a case for a laissez-faire approach to this issue, yet I keep struggling to understand the argument by some that the legalisation of the product will aid its abuse. I have not seen any conclusive evidence or research quoted to have argued that legalisation of cultivation or possession of marijuana tend to proliferate the use of it.
While I do not make a case for a laissez-faire approach to this issue, yet I keep struggling to understand the argument by some that the legalisation of the product will aid its abuse. I have not seen any conclusive evidence or research quoted to have argued that legalisation of cultivation or possession of marijuana tend to proliferate the use of it.
A quick search reveals how speedily countries around the world have been moving in this direction, especially in the last two years. There is a possible cue for what the governor seems to be canvassing from Lesotho, a country with some bit of experience on that in Africa. For years, even though it was not legal in the country, export of the product was one of the top three foreign earnings for the country, it has been a major cash crop and source of earning for the rural people.
There is nothing conclusive yet. But it will be foolhardy to simply dismiss this or reduce it to some pedestrian engagement – some saying we have not finished growing cassava but we are now talking about marijuana. Can we not do the two things at the same time? Have people not been growing the two all the while? Can we not study how Lesotho has keyed into this through a licencing regime?