Puff, Puff, Pass the Legalization of Marijuana Many people crave the moment where they can just sit down, relax, and enjoy some free time. They could perhaps take a nice walk in a park, or possibly sit down and enjoy a movie on T.V. However, a large sum of people nationwide chooses to participate in a certain recreational activity to find their relaxation: smoking Marijuana. In fact, “Washington and Colorado are the first to allow adults to use the drug for recreational purposes” (Legalizing Marijuana, par 1). Unfortunately for half of our nation’s population, the use of the plant, Cannabis, was deemed illegal. “Before 1937, marijuana was freely bought, sold, grown, and smoked in the United States. Since that time, all of these activities have been illegal, but many groups and individuals have fought to decriminalize marijuana” (Rich, par 1). I find this preposterous! I believe that the federal government should look at what the people want, and pass the law making Marijuana legal, but of course having regulations to go along with it. Not only shall it please the people of the United States, but our economy could greatly benefit from legalizing Cannabis and it is an aid towards medical treatment. It would be to our nation’s best interest to have legislation legalize marijuana at not only the state level, but as a national level as well. People ask, “What good does legalizing Marijuana do? It is a drug for a reason.” Well, I, along with numerous others question, “What are those reasons? What good does keeping it illegal do?” One reason to legalize the “drug” is that it can save/earn the United States of America a great deal of money. “Nationwide, law enforcement officials made 1.5 million drug arrests in 2011, more than 40 perce... ... middle of paper ... ...uana Should Be Legal Everywhere." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 24 Oct. 2013. Web. 09 Dec. 2013. "Legalizing Marijuana." CQ Researcher. CQ Press. 15 June 2013. Web. 11 Dec. 2013. Loch, Kathy. "Medical Marijuana." CQ Researcher. CQ Press, 20 Aug. 1999. Web. 11 Dec. 2013. Marshall, Patrick. "Marijuana Laws." CQ Researcher. CQ Press, 11 Feb. 2005. Web. 11 Dec. 2013. "Oprah Winfrey." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 12 Oct. 2013. Web. 10 Dec. 2013. Rich, Alex. "Legalization Of Marijuana: An Overview." Points Of View: Legalization Of Marijuana (2013): 1. Points of View Reference Center. Web. 11 Dec. 2013. Sledge, Matt. "Marijuana Prohibition Now Costs The Government $20 Billion A Year: Economist." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 20 Apr. 2013. Web. 10 Dec. 2013. "What Is the Lethal Dose of Marijuana?" DrugLibrary.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Dec. 2013.
Works Cited "The California Marijuana Vote." New Yorker 23 Dec 1996: 62+. Brookhiser, Richard. "Pot Luck." National Review 11 Nov 1996: 27+ Simmons, Michael. "Give Pot a Chance." Rolling Stone 26 Dec 1996: 111+. Rist, Curtis and Harrison, Laird. "Weed the People." People 21 Oct. 1996: 75+. Funk and Wagnall's Volume 23 "Marijuana" 1996 Baum, Dan. "California's Separate Peace." Rolling Stone 30 Oct. 1997: 43+ Brookhiser, Richard. "Lost in the Weed." U.S. News & World Report 3 Jan. 1997: 9 Buckley, William "Legalization of Marijuana Long Overdue" The Albuquerque Journal. Online. 8 June 1993.
Today’s economy is struggling and it is in dire need of relief. As of 2013, the United State’s debt was $17 trillion, and if marijuana were to be legalized than it would help raise more money. It could be taxed and distributed for consumption sold like alcohol and tobacco. Taxes on cigarettes amounted to more than $43.3 Billion in 2012 (RJReynolds). The legalization of marijuana could possibly one day make that money helping to reduce this nation's debt. But, as the United States continues to prohibit the use of marijuana, it will make the taxpayers pay more money each year on the illegal usage of the drug. The marijuana prohibition costs both state and federal governments more than $20 billion a year (CATO Institute). One drug policy could change how much it wastes on the prohibition but the government has done so. A study by the CATO institute showed that...
A majority of those who support the legalization of marijuana hold that it should be removed from the criminal justice system. They argue that it should be regulated in a way similar to that of tobacco and alcohol. They hold that legalizing and controlling the drug will bring it under the rule of law and thus help in creating job opportunities in the formal economy (Caulkins, 2013). This, as they contend, will be better than the current state where it creates occupations in the illegal market. In addition, by legalizing marijuana, law enforcement resources would be freed for use in protecting the safety of the public. Also, local and state governments would obtain important new tax revenues from marijuana sales. The criminalization of marijuana use excessively harms people especially the youth and encourages high degrees of corruption and violence (Caulkins, 2013). This paper focuses on explaining the economic benefits of legalization of marijuana.
Marijuana is an emergent problem in the United States; the main reasons behind this problem are the extensive use of the drug and the federal government’s determination to put an end to the drug’s illegal sale and use. The government’s efforts to stop the use of marijuana inside the country have been ineffective and actually caused the problem to increase. Its efforts have only added on to an enormous national debt. Jeffrey Miron, a professor of Economics at the University of Harvard, estimates that the total expenditures of enforcing the ban of marijuana of local, state, and federal government combined to be 7.7 billion dollars in 2003. The U.S. government simply cannot afford these extra expenditures while struggling economically. The fact that the government is spending so much money in its attempts to stop the use of marijuana has actually helped to create another problem. Overcrowding in U.S. prisons is also on the increase; marijuana laws are a driving force behind the overcrowding. Eric Schlosser, ...
Hawkins , John . "5 Reasons Marijuana Should Remain Illegal." 21 January 2014. Town Hall. Web. 10 April 2014.
Wilson, Clare “The Case for Marijuana by Prescription." Marijuana (Contemporary Issues Companion). Tardiff, Joseph, ed. Farmington Hills: Greenhaven Press, 2008. 63-70. Print
Nationwide federal legalization of marijuana would allow Americans to cultivate and use marijuana to America’s great advantage. Billions of dollars saved in government expenditures and, revenue from taxation on the regulated sale of marijuana. Though the impact on an individual 's health is debatable, the smoking of marijuana on a daily basis is not nearly as harmful as smoking cigarettes daily or the excessive drinking of alcohol. No one has ever died from a marijuana overdose, and those with chronic diseases have benefited from its use. Is there really any question? The time has come.
"The Debate Over Medical Marijuana." Marijuana. Ed. William Goodwin. San Diego: Lucent Books, 2002. 75-91. Drug Education Library. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 27 Feb. 2012.
The legalization of marijuana has been a highly debated topic for many of years. Since the first president to the most recent, our nation’s leaders have consumed the plant known as weed. With such influential figures openly using this drug why is it so frowned upon? Marijuana is considered a gateway drug, a menace to society, and mentally harmful to its consumers. For some people weed brings a sense of anxiety, dizziness, or unsettling feeling. Like alcohol, tobacco or any other drug, those chemicals may not respond well with their body. For other people marijuana brings joy, a sense of relief, and takes the edge off of every day stress. For those who are associated with cannabis, purposes usually range from a relaxant, or cash crop, to more permissible uses such as medicine, and ingredient to make so many other materials. We now need to look at what would change if marijuana were legal. Benefits to the economy and agriculture, health issues, and crime rates are three areas worth looking at. Deliberating on the pros and cons of this plant we can get a better understanding for marijuana. From there it will be easier to make a clear consensus on what is best for the nation.
Criminalization of cannabis causes a weakened economy due to taxpayers paying to financially support America’s inmates and all of the tax money available if marijuana was regularly taxed. Also, with lawful cannabis not available, crime rate and violence within city our streets continues to be an issue. Prohibition of cannabis in the United States sponsors extreme violence and corruption and fails to curb the availability to children ("Marijuana Legalization and Regulation”). With cannabis being criminalized, the United States is also losing the largest potential cash crop because of marijuana’s many uses and benefits.
A recurring question in the United States, should marijuana be legalized for recreational use? Although it once was seen as a gateway drug that would lead to a life spiraling out of control. Today, that is not the case in most Americans minds. The support for legalization of marijuana has continued to grow throughout the years and it shows with many Americans now flying in the clouds. Bill Hicks once said, “ Why is marijuana against the law? It grows naturally upon our planet. Doesn’t the idea of making nature against the law seem to you a bit . . . unnatural?”. Legalizing recreational use of marijuana will impact economy with tax revenue, marijuana decriminalization would free up law enforcement resources and positively take place of addictive prescription drugs. Colorado for example, in the first six months marijuana was legal a huge sector of jobs became available. Job opportunities within the community balances the economy and lowers the unemployment rate. In an article written by Jeff Roberts he declares that, “The
Smith, Dave. "‘Medical’ Marijuana: 10 Health Benefits That Legitimize Legalization." . N.p., 8 Aug. 2012. Web. 15 Apr. 2014.
Let’s begin with US revenue gain that would occur from legalizing marijuana. Marijuana Offers Extreme US revenue boost in several different ways. Shouldn’t we want to collect revenue due to taxation other then criminalization? Marijuana is too expensive for our justice system and should inst...
Stanley, Janet E., Stanley J. Watson, and John A. Benson. Marijuana and Medicine: Assessing the Science Base. Washington D.C.: National Academy P, 1999.
“Marijuana Abuse.” National Institute on Drug Abuse: The Science of Drug abuse and Addiction. NIH, n.d. Web. 4 Feb 2014.