Should victimless crimes be decriminalized? Decriminalization vs Legalization.

This is my first Steemit post. There are many things I will talk about on steemit including politics, economics, personal freedom and other things that dont make sense to me.

One topic is to document the incredibly and insanely good, beautiful medicinal MMJ of Southern California. Additionally some brief history and politic of a multi -billion dollar plant and why it is targeted as a detriment to society when it has soo many beneficial attributes. 

The picture attached is a Silver Lemon Haze from San Diego. 

Cannabis has been used medicinally for over 5000 years. In Ayurvedic medicine bhang tea (cannabis tea) has been used to treat low digestion strength, IBS, insomnia and muscle pain. In the mammalian brain endocannabanoid (ECS) receptors are present. ECS is both in the peripheral and central nervous system. For further direction and more in depth about ECS see wikipedia linked here.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endocannabinoid_system

Marijuana in Southern California (and many other US states) is an anomaly as we have a plant that is punishable by fine or time in most of the world, that is legalized for recreational use but somehow growers and users can still be punished by fine or time in prison in California (and other states).  The specifics of marijuana persecution have always been a quandary for me personally as victim-less crimes make no moral sense, at least to me. In fact, i personally think the victim is created by the state with no accountability for action or  retribution by the citizen. The state is victimizing the people. In reward, under legalization the state receives 50% + taxes on a multi billion dollar industry.

The medical marijuana movement has turned into another revenue stream for a glutenous government that can not control its spending and now seeks public approval for regulating a plant that was persecuted by them as a victim less crime for decades. 

Somehow in the media and by local politicians this unjustified tax revenue is viewed as a good thing for society. I have a different opinion on the matter. How is it justifiable that a government that spent tens of billions of tax payer dollars on persecuting and punishing a victim-less crime for decades is now a beneficiary of the industry they so vehemently attacked? This makes no reasonable sense to me.

Initially the pro marijuana movement was all about decriminalizing a plant that had been irrationally persecuted. Somehow the movement was co-opted in Northern California from a decriminalize movement to a legalize movement. While the difference is not initially obvious under review, the differences are drastic. I will attempt to surmise below.

A legalized Cannabis is a government regulated product subject to taxes, prohibition and enforcement similar to alcohol, tobacco and firearms ATF. Legalized Cannabis has become nothing more than government permitted. This slides down the slippery slope of how legal things have to be permitted and defines the difference between legal and decriminalized. One you need permission for, one you dont.

Gorilla Glue SD.

Decriminalized Marijuana is just another plant in your garden. Not subject to regulation, taxes, prohibition limitations and punishment. Seems like this would be the natural solution to a victim less crime in a reasonable world.  What do you think of the predicament we are in? Do you have any stories or observations to add? Do you have some flower pictures to share? Please upvote and comment to get this discussion topic the attention that it deserves.  Voice Reason ~~

What are you thoughts on the topic of legal vs decriminalized? Have any pics or stories to share?

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Voice Reason