Iowans “radical” view on legalizing marijuana sounds rad to me.

Many of you have heard me say legalizing marijuana makes a whole lot of sense, as well as saving the taxpayers cents along the way.  Wisconsin was once a leader in agricultural and industrial hemp, which added a few scents to the countryside as it grew.  So what does all this have to do with Iowa anyways?  A recent guest column by retired editor Richard Doak printed in the Des Moines Register spoke about the radical nature of legalizing marijuana saying “This idea is getting less radical all the time. California voters almost legalized recreational marijuana last November, and the Rev. Pat Robertson (onetime second-place finisher in the Iowa Republican caucuses) has hinted it might be a good idea. If Iowa doesn’t get out in front soon, some other state will.” The column goes on to point out the other radical nature of legalizing marijuana.

It’s going to happen nationwide eventually. Why not make Iowa the first to legalize marijuana and maybe other recreational drugs?

The main idea would be to stop building ever more prisons and spending ever more money to imprison drug offenders. Iowa has been doing that while at the same time cutting support for higher education. Those priorities couldn’t be more wrong-headed.

Legalizing drugs should be part of a strategy of saving taxpayers’ money by reducing the prison population. Every dollar spent on prisons is a dollar that can’t be spent on education, infrastructure or otherwise investing in the fundamental economic strength of the state.

A side benefit of legalization would be the revenue from regulating and taxing recreational drugs. And there might be new cash crops for Iowa agriculture.

Give the man an A.  As a lecturer at the state university level, he deserves the good grade.   You can read the entire article here.

Those patients and supporters in the Iowa are looking to get more involved can find out how at the following links:

Iowa Patients for Medical Marijuana Facebook Page