After my grandfather died, my grandmother’s life was filled with anxiety and stress.

In fact, when he died, the woman I had known as Grandma died, too.

Me, Grandma, and Grandpa

1975

Not literally, of course, but spiritually and emotionally.

She was so overcome with anxiety that her health rapidly deteriorated.

Make no mistake; few things will wreak havoc on your immune system like stress and anxiety.

Over time, she did concede to getting on anti-anxiety meds, and she regularly saw a psychologist. It helped, but the meds did come with a few side effects that also likely affected her health in a negative way.

Regular exercise helped her for a while, too. But after breaking her hip, daily walks turned into limited movement from the confines of a wheelchair. And of course, the anxiety remained.

My grandmother died in 2007. And while I know she always made the best of a bad situation, it pained me that I was unable to help her overcome the stress that I believe took a few important years off her life — years that, had she been around, would’ve been filled with the weddings of two of her grandkids and the birth of five new great-grandchildren.

Legalize it!

I’ve always been fascinated by how certain "unconventional" therapies have helped many people reduce stress. From yoga and meditation to changes in diet, there are plenty of folks who have been able to conquer their stress and anxiety demons without pills.

Not that I have anything against taking anti-anxiety pills. The way I see it, if something works for you, you should go for it.

Which is why I’m such a huge advocate of marijuana legalization.

Let me explain...

At the height of my grandmother’s fits of anxiety, I considered bringing her some pot cookies. I even talked to her about it. She considered it for a moment, but then decided she didn’t want to risk getting caught.

It was that day that I realized how incredibly unethical marijuana prohibition was.

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Ethical Investing

I truly believe that had my grandmother not feared for her safety, she would’ve had a viable alternative to the meds she didn’t really like so much — or at least a supplement that could’ve helped take the edge off.

There are plenty of studies out there that have shown a correlation between marijuana consumption and health benefits for seniors. It can relieve arthritis pain and inflammation, it can reduce stress and anxiety, and it can help increase appetite.

There’s also a fair amount of new evidence that suggests marijuana can slow the spread of Alzheimer's, limit neurological damage after a stroke, and help lower insulin levels in diabetics.

The bottom line is that it’s simply unethical to support the prohibition of marijuana while so many of our senior citizens could benefit from it. And that’s why, as an ethical investor, I invest in marijuana and marijuana-related companies.

Truth is, the stigma attached to marijuana is disappearing at a rapid rate. And as you know, more and more individual states are taking it upon themselves to legalize, even in the face of opposition from the federal government. But sooner or later, the feds will relent, and those who have staked their claim early will reap the rewards of their marijuana investments.

Just consider the following:

81% of adults in the U.S. favor legalizing marijuana for medical use.

Half of all Americans are supportive of legalization for recreational use.

Support for the legalization of marijuana — both for medical treatment and recreational use — has increased by seven percentage points over the past four years.

26 states now have some form of medical marijuana policy in place.

69% of Republicans are in favor of legalizing marijuana for medical treatment.

87% of Democrats are in favor of legalizing marijuana for medical treatment.

Almost 90% of Independents favor the legalization of marijuana for medical treatment.

More than 75% of Americans believe tax revenues will increase following legalization.

Look, it’s not a question of if prohibition will be lifted. It’s a matter of when. And I’m betting it’s going to happen before this decade comes to a close.

Invest accordingly.

To a new way of life and a new generation of wealth...

Jeff Siegel



@JeffSiegel on Twitter

Jeff is the founder and managing editor of Green Chip Stocks, a private investment community that capitalizes on opportunities in alternative energy, organic food markets, legal cannabis, and socially-responsible investing. He has been a featured guest on Fox, CNBC, and Bloomberg Asia, and is the author of the best-selling book, Investing in Renewable Energy: Making Money on Green Chip Stocks. For more on Jeff, go to his editor's page.