Marijuana. Right now, it's taboo. Right now it's something parents dread talking to their children about. Right now it affects over half of the United States population. How can we make marijuana more useful to humanity without it having serious repercussions on today's society? Marijuana law reform is the answer. "While public officials admit to and the media jokes about 'youthful indiscretions,' thousands of Americans who are now imprisoned have lost property, the right to vote and have been fired from their jobs," said Journey for Justice Director Kay Lee. Lee's Journey for Justice program is one of several to march from Houston to Austin, spreading the idea of marijuana law reform. Lee continues, "To them this is no joke. The drug war has damaged and destroyed millions of Americans, the credibility of our representatives and the future of our children." To average Americans, the issue of marijuana raises many concerns. Many people have children who, at one poin!
             t in their lives, may be affected by this "gateway" drug. An idea that aims to solve this issue is the reformation of the laws surrounding marijuana. People who are interested in marijuana legislation should communicate to those who aren't of aware of it.
             To find a possible way of reforming the laws regarding marijuana, one should tear down the laws that are currently in effect and their consequences. The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) displays charts by state of the current punishments for the use, possession, and sale or marijuana and/or paraphernalia. The chart is as follows, and is standard for all 50 states, including the District of Columbia and federal offenses (Grinspoon 15).
             * 4 oz.: 180 days - 2 years; $10,000
             * 2,000 lbs.: 5 - 99 years; $50,000
             * 0.25 oz. for no remuneration: 0 - 180 days; $1,500
             * 0.25 oz. for remuneration: 0 - 1 year; $3,000
             */= 0.25 oz.: 180 day...