MO'POT by Chelsea Scheidt and Catherine Boyle

Governor Spencer Collet is sponsoring Peter Wyche and Betsy Sallee bill for the legalization of marijuana known as Governor’s Bill #2 or “MOPot” in the state of Missouri. The bill’s stipulations would entail purchasers of the substance to be at least 21 years of age. Governor Collet argues that the bill would be beneficial to the economic, social, and educational aspects of the state of Missouri. With the product being available through large corporations, and the availability of the substance being more common, the price for marijuana would be comparable to that of tobacco.
One of the governor’s arguments for the benefits of marijuana was to refer to the time of the sixties, when the law was not enforced quite as strongly as it is today. “Marijuana was a catalyst for change at the time and brought about positive creativity [and the questioning of social norms] ,” said Governor Collet.
The usage of marijuana in medical treatments was another argument made. It was called to mind that the drug has been shown to improve conditions like anorexia. Governor Collet said that he could find “No significant harm, malice, or evil that can come from [the legalization of] this drug.”
While the bill would not directly affect teenagers in the sense of allowing them to use the substance, it would still be beneficial to them on the larger scale of education. With the proposed tax on the legalized distribution of marijuana, the
profits would go to help Missouri’s education system. Instead of the profits of marijuana sales going directly into the hands of criminals, it goes to the betterment of the state. This bill would save the government millions of dollars in that all non violent marijuana users would not need to be kept in jail.