Hemp and Marijuana: stay illegal or not?

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An economics professor named Jeffrey A Miron wrote a report, which was endorsed by 530 other distinguished economists, and sent it as an open letter for President George W. Bush and other public officals in 2005. In the report, he states US law enforcement spends approximately 7.7 billion dollars of tax payer's money to enforce the prohibition of marijuana. He also wrote that if marijuana was legalized, regulated and taxed like cigarettes or alcohol, it could generate 2.4 to 6.2 billion dollars in revenue. The report was to call for an "open and honest debate about the prohibition of marijuana." Hemp is only illegal to grow and cultivate without a licence from the Drug Enforcement Agency, and getting that licence is very difficult to get. The DEA considers ALL types of cannabis, including hemp which does not get you high, to be illegal. Hemp can be used to create over 25,000 different products. It can be used as food, fuel for cars, paper, clothing, fibers and building materials. These products would be made cheaper, quicker and of better quality than today's methods of manufacture of similar products. Hemp gows quickly, requires little if no additional chemicals to grow (pesticides or herbicides), gives a high yield every crop and can grow in all 50 states of America. The US government stands to gain many positive results to legalize marijuana and allow hemp to be grown without restriction. Should it be legalized? Why is the government so reluctant to consider lifting prohibition of marijuana? What are your thoughts on this?