Should U.S Federal Government legalize marijuana and let the States choose their own path? A progressive thinker and realist would say yes. Cannabis possession and use, both recreational and medical, need to be legalized by Federal Government. It has to allow the States to decide whether they want it or not. Much of the modern marijuana problem happened after it was prohibited in 1937. Before that date, a few people used marijuana for recreation. Federal Government considers marijuana a Schedule 1 drug, which means that it has no medical uses and high risks of abuse. Many researches have been done about marijuana, and they show many medical benefits and very few, if any, dangers. States of Washington and Colorado have legalized possession and recreational use of cannabis; all the same, the business operators are restricted and under constant danger that Federal agents will crack down on them. In a truly free society substances such as marijuana should not be illegal. The prohibition of alcohol had shown that it is impossible to change people’s habits, so instead of fighting it, it is better to profit from it. The prohibition of marijuana was a mistake based on racism and politics, cannabis also has widespread use in America and the country can greatly benefit by legalizing it; therefore, U.S Federal Government needs to legalize growing, possession and use of marijuana. Marijuana is widely used drug in America. 3.5 million U.S citizens reported smoking marijuana daily, 5 million reported smoking the drug once a month, and more than 100 million have tried it at least once in their lives (Holland 2). Scope of marijuana production and use is immense. Even though Federal Government ruthlessly fights marijuana production, it has incre... ... middle of paper ... ...hy The Irs Will Love Legal Pot." Newsweek Global 162.2 (2014): 98-100. Business Source Elite. Web. 3 Apr. 2014. Corcoran, Cheryl. “Mental Health Risks Associated with Cannabis Use.” Ed. Julie Holland. The Pot Book: A Complete Guide to Cannabis.Rochester: Park Street Press, 2010. 178-186. Print. “Drug War Statistics.” Drug Policy. DPA, 2014. Web. 29 Apr. 2014. Elliott, Steve. The Little Black Book of Marijuana: The Essential Guide to the World of Cannabis. White Plains: Peter Pauper Press, 2011. Print. Haney, Margaret, and Ryan Vandrey. “How Real Is the Risk of Addiction?” The Pot Book: A Complete Guide to Cannabis.Rochester: Park Street Press, 2010. 187-195. Print. Holland, Julie, ed. The Pot Book: A Complete Guide to Cannabis. Rochester: Park Street Press, 2010. Print. “It’s Not the Marijuana but Its Prohibition That Fuels Crime.” Mpp. MPP, n.d. Web. 30 Apr. 2014.
Lately it seems that drug policy and the war on drugs has been in the headlines quite a lot. It is becoming increasingly apparent that the policies that the United States government takes against illegal drugs are coming into question. The mainstream media is catching on to the message of organizations and individuals who have long been considered liberal "Counter Culture" supporters. The marijuana question seems to be the most prevalent and pressed of the drugs and issues that are currently being addressed. The messages of these organizations and individuals include everything from legalization of marijuana for medical purposes, to full-unrestricted legalization of the drug. Of course, the status quo of vote seeking politicians and conservative policy makers has put up a strong resistance to this "new" reform lobby. The reasons for the resistance to the changes in drug policies are multiple and complex. The issues of marijuana’s possible negative effects, its use as a medical remedy, the criminality of distribution and usage, and the disparity in the enforcement of current drug laws have all been brought to a head and must be addressed in the near future. It is apparent that it would be irresponsible and wrong for the government to not evaluate it’s current general drug policies and perhaps most important, their marijuana policy. With the facts of racial disparity in punishment, detrimental effects, fiscal strain and most importantly, the history of the drug, the government most certainly must come to the conclusion that they must, at the very least, decriminalize marijuana use and quite probably fully legalize it.
Marijuana in America became a popular ingredient in many medicinal products and was openly sold in pharmacies in the late nineteenth century (“Busted-America’s War on Marijuana Timeline”). The National Institute of Drug Abuse defines marijuana as, “The dried leaves, flowers, stems, and seeds from the hemp plant Cannabis sativa, which contains the psychoactive (mind-altering) chemical delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), as well as other related compounds” (“DrugFacts: Marijuana”). It was not until the Food and Drug act of 19...
The usage and addiction rate of most illegal drugs has not increased recently, and in many cases has declined. The exception to this is Marijuana, being the only Illegal drug who has seen an increase in usage over the years. The usage of Marijuana has, as a matter of fact, skewed the results of usage surveys to make it seem as if the overall usage ...
“Marijuana.” Current Issues: Macmillian Social Science Library. Detroit: Gale 2010. Gale Opposing Viewpointsnin Context. Web. 9 June 2011
Hoffmann, Diane E., J.D. ". The New England Journal of Medicine” Medical Marijuana and the
“Chapter 2: The History of Marijuana.” Marijuana: Mind-Altering Weed (2008): 18-31. Book Collection: Nonfiction. Web. 24 Mar. 2014.
Wilson, Clare “The Case for Marijuana by Prescription." Marijuana (Contemporary Issues Companion). Tardiff, Joseph, ed. Farmington Hills: Greenhaven Press, 2008. 63-70. Print
The American Medical Association's Council on Scientific Affairs should be commended for its report, "Marijuana: Its HealthHazards and Therapeutic Potential." Not only does the report outline evidence of marijuana's potential harms, but it distinguishes this concern from the legitimate issue of marijuana's important medical benefits. All too often the hysteria that attends public debate over marijuana's social abuse compromises a clear appreciation for this critical distinction.
Marijuana prohibition stands as one of the most unwarranted policies of the United States. Every year we are spending billions of dollars on the War on Drugs with little benefit. Data released by the Federal Bureau of Investigation show there were an estimated 1,552,432 arrests for drug-related crimes in 2014 – a slight uptick from the 1,531,251 drug arrests in 2013. Marijuana offenses accounted for 48.3 percent of all drug arrests. Most marijuana-related arrests were for possession of the drug. By mere possession, there was one marijuana arrest every 48 seconds in 2014. Including arrests for distribution, there was a pot-related arrest every 42 seconds. This prohibition makes no sense, especially in a country where alcohol use is completely acceptable. Many argue that marijuana use is much more safe than either alcohol or cigarettes, yet it has been illegal for almost 70 years (NORML).
Earlywine, Mitchell. Understanding Marijuana: A new look at the scientific evidence. New York Oxford University Press. 2002.
“The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) conducts the annual National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), a major source of information on substance use, abuse, and dependence among Americans twelve years and older” (DrugFacts 1). Illicit drug use in the United States has been increasing. In 2013, an estimated 24.6 million Americans (9.4 percent of the population) had used an illicit drug in the past month. This number is up from the 8.3 percent in 2002. This is increase reflects the recent rise in the use of marijuana since 2007. In 2013, there were 19.8 million users, making it the most commonly used illicit
"Legalization of Marijuana." Student Resource Center. Detroit: Gale, 2012. Discovering Collection. Gale. MINITEX. 20 Mar. 2014
Should Marijuana Be Legalized? In society today, many people look for a feeling of freedom. Many people go on vacation and spend money. The most common escape for people is drugs. Our American society is facing a tremendous drug problem. In order to eradicate the drug problem, a public debate is going on to find some solutions to this drug dilemma. It has become a highly controversial issue whether drugs such as marijuana should be legalized or not. Some people advocate this issue and believe that legalization is the only solution left for the nation while others oppose because it will increase the number of drug users and drug related crimes. Marijuana is a drug that is illegal in the United States. This drug as you know is bad and causes severe side effects to your brain and body. Scientist have found that smoking marijuana can cause you to loose your memory. Marijuana has many psychological and physical effects.
Shohov, T. (2003). Medical use of marijuana: Policy, regulatory, and legal issues. New York: Nova Science Publishers.
Shepard, Edward M., and Paul R. Blackley. “The Impact of Marijuana Law Enforcement In An Economic Model of Crime.” Journal of Drug Issues 37.2(2007): 403-424. Web. 27 Sept. 2011.