PRO: HEMP IS A USEFUL CROP
Hemp is a distinct variety of the cannabis plant which contains less than 1 percent THC, and can be used to make rope, clothing, paper, plastic, insulation, and a variety of other products. (CON: including those necklaces you see at Dave Matthews Band concerts) It produces a higher yield per acre than cotton, requires few pesticides, and, ironically, leaves the soil nearly weed-free after its 100-day growing cycle. And although hemp grows wild and presents no public health or safety threat, it is routinely uprooted and destroyed by the DEA.
CON: YOU MIGHT GET SUPER PARANOID
Pot-induced paranoia isn’t a cliche. Cannabis’s two main active ingredients, THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (cannabidiol) act on the parts of your brain that influence pleasure, sensory perception, and coordinated movement. However, the same chemical reactions that produce a relaxed buzz can also cause paranoia. So, funnily enough, legalizing pot could create more paranoid people — who are the only people who would still support the continued criminalization of marijuana.
