D&J Podcast

Attitudes in the US are changing towards the legalization of marijuana for both medical and recreational use. Legalization could have positive impacts on the economy, such as generating tax revenue and creating jobs. It could also reduce the burden on law enforcement and the criminal justice system. There is a need to revisit the cases of individuals imprisoned for minor marijuana charges, potentially leading to their release or reduced sentences. The government should provide support programs for these individuals to help them reintegrate into society. Legalization may increase access to marijuana for young people, but it can also cut down on illegal activity associated with the drug. There are medical advantages to using cannabis, such as treating chronic pain and nausea from chemotherapy. However, there are potential negative effects, such as the risk of lung cancer if smoked and the possibility of abuse. Overall, the interviewee believes in the legalization of marijuana, emphasizin I was gonna get up and find a broom, but then I got high, my room got still messed up, and I know why, cause I got high, cause I got high, cause I got high. Mary Jane, reefer, weed, pot, bud, gas, whatever name you choose, the question is the same, should marijuana be decriminalized? The truth is that attitudes in the United States are rapidly changing surrounding the legalization of marijuana in favor of the substance being available both medical and recreationally. Research points to many factors for the reasons behind shifting viewpoints among Americans regarding the long stigmatized drug. To get a better picture of how and why these shifts are occurring, I wanted you to know what an American thinks about the potential federal, statewide legalization, and subsequent government regulation of marijuana. So I decided to start talking to my mother, a very accomplished and educated woman, Monica Dioda. Thank you Leo for having me on your podcast, I'm excited to be your first guest ever. Thank you mom for coming on my podcast, I'd like to start by asking a few questions. So the first question I'd like to ask is how do you feel about the legalization of marijuana? I know that this subject is highly controversial, I personally believe that marijuana both medical and recreational should be legalized. In this country we legalized many, many years ago alcohol use, and I believe alcohol has much worse health consequences than marijuana. And if marijuana is legalized around the country, how do you think it will affect the economy? I do think it will have a positive effect in the economy. Legalizing marijuana can generate significant tax revenues for governments, it can also create jobs in the legal cannabis industry, and include the farming, retail, and all the ancillary services. Alongside what you said with the economy, how do you think it's going to affect the society in the United States? I do believe that legalization will affect the society in a positive way. It will reduce the burden on law enforcement and the criminal justice system by redirecting resources away from persecuting marijuana offenses, and allow the police to focus on more serious crimes. Speaking of minor marijuana charges, what do you think should happen to all the people who've been imprisoned over simple possession charges? I think there is an argument to be made where discharges should be revisited. Many individuals find themselves incarcerated for 20, 30 plus years for minor marijuana charges. Obviously, discharges are way disproportionate compared to the crime that is committed. Do you think these prisoners, their cases should be, they should just be released, or should all their cases be re-evaluated in court? I don't think there should be a blanket dismissal or release of all the people incarcerated in marijuana charges. I do think that they should be revisited case by case, and either released, or in certain cases, the sentences should be reduced. Once these prisoners are released eventually, do you think the government has any responsibility helping them rejoin society? I do think that government should put together programs in order for these individuals that often have been incarcerated for many years, and often since they were teenagers, to rejoin society. If we just release these individuals without giving them a support system or programs, we will give them no chances to be valuable and productive citizens. They will probably risk to be incarcerated again. What do you think some of the negatives of legalizing marijuana are? One of the negatives could be that younger people, teenagers, would have more access to marijuana. I don't think it is necessarily a good idea for young people to use marijuana. I do think it should be regulated as tobacco is, or as alcohol is. On the flip side, what do you think some of the positives are? I think one of the positives of marijuana use is cutting down on the criminality that is now associated with the traffic of illegal marijuana, and secondly, giving people the freedom to choose. We are a country that was founded on civil liberties, and this should be one as well. Additionally, I do think there are some or many medical advantages in using cannabis for certain conditions. How do you think the legalization will affect medical treatments in the medical field? I'm not a medical expert, but I do know that cannabis has helped or has proven to help with the treatment of chronic pain, also nausea from chemotherapy, tremors for Parkinson's. I do think the more actually we will experiment with it, probably we will find other additional usages for the cannabis. What do you think some of the negatives in the medical field are? I think depending on how cannabis is consumed, one of the negatives could be the danger of lung cancer if it's smoked, and like with any substance or any drug or any medication, if it's abused, I'm assuming it would have negative effects. Is there anything else you'd like to add before we leave regarding the legalization of marijuana in the United States? Yes. I just wish that Leo, you would have invited Snoop Dogg to this interview with me. I think it would have made a great couple, me and Snoop Dogg, like Martha Stewart and So next time, please invite Snoop Dogg. Unfortunately, our budget couldn't afford that. Okay. Thank you so much for being on my podcast. I really enjoyed you. Thank you for having me.