The Legalization of Marijuana The legal status of marijuana is one of the most disputed topics of today. Once completely frowned upon, marijuana’s legality was never questioned; however, fast forward to the present and one will notice that this negative stigma is beginning to fade away. The negative claims regarding marijuana are gradually becoming discredited by science. Without this negative propaganda, the positive aspects of marijuana are beginning to surface. Marijuana should be legalized because it is relatively harmless when compared to other legal substances, entails economic benefits, and would allow the authorities to focus resources on illegal activity that affects the people they took an oath to serve. Marijuana poses fewer health-risks than many substances that are currently deemed legal by the government. It is often argued that marijuana is addictive, and that it is harmful to one’s health. It is true that smoking marijuana is not completely harmless, as the repetitive inhalation of any form of smoke will have adverse effects on one’s health. That being said, these effects are very miniscule when marijuana is smoked in moderation. Marijuana has not been scientifically proven to have any lethal or even life-altering side-effects. In regards to addiction, marijuana contains no physically addictive properties. One may become psychologically addicted to the euphoria obtained after smoking marijuana; however, anything that brings enjoyment has the possibility of becoming psychologically addictive. One would assume that something deemed legal by the government would be safer than something that is considered illegal, ironically this is not the case. Cigarettes are considered legal even though they pose a huge threat to on... ... middle of paper ... ...he most popular recreational substances. The commonality of marijuana translates into the need for a large amount of authoritative resources to enforce the laws on it. The resources used on marijuana prohibition are being drawn away from other illegal activities that are far more serious. When making arrests and/or confiscating marijuana the authorities are not improving the safety of the person with the marijuana nor are they improving the safety of those around them. Marijuana has not been proven to cause any behaviors that would incite criminal or violent activity, yet the law causes the authorities to treat it as so. Marijuana is a substance that generally brings forth feelings of happiness and contentment. It is illogical for the authorities to continue placing such emphasis on the prohibition of a substance that does not pose a serious danger to the public.
The word Marijuana also known as cannabis, pot, weed, herb and green stuff has been universally criticized since the beginning of the century. According to (Fitzgerald, K. T., Bronstein, A. C., & Newquist, K. L. 2013) “the term "marijuana” typically refers to tobacco-like preparations of the leaves and flowers” (Fitzgerald et al., (2013). (McGuinness, Teena M, PhD,P.M.H.-N.P., B.C. (2009) stated that “Cannabis cigarettes are also called joints, nails, and reefers; pipes for smoking are also known as bongs and bowls” (McGuinness et al., 2009) The truth is that the legalization of Marijuana has positive effects on both society and the wellbeing of individuals and should be legalized. The government can monitor and tax Marijuana thus helping the economy. Secondly Marijuana can be used as medical therapy; thirdly there would be less youth and adults in jails and prisons. Conversely the use of Marijuana can be proven highly addictive among individuals in our society; Marijuana is more harmful that cigarettes and Marijuana is known as the (Gate Way) drug to harsher drugs. The benefits of legalization Marijuana outweigh the cons.
Ever since marijuana’s introduction to the United States of America in 1611, controversy of the use and legalization of the claimed-to-be Schedule I drug spread around the nation. While few selective states currently allow marijuana’s production and distribution, the remaining states still skepticize the harmlessness and usefulness of this particular drug; therefore, it remains illegal in the majority of the nation. The government officials and citizens of the opposing states believe the drug creates a threat to citizens due to its “overly-harmful” effects mentally and physically and offers no alternate purposes but creating troublesome addicts hazardous to society; however, they are rather misinformed about marijuana’s abilities. While marijuana has a small amount of negligible effects to its users, the herbal drug more importantly has remarkable health benefits, and legalizing one of the oldest and most commonly known drugs would redirect America’s future with the advantages outweighing the disadvantages.
Marijuana is a plant, known as cannabis sativa and cannabis indica, which contains a psychoactive chemical called tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). The effects of THC include disruption of psychomotor behavior, short-term memory impairment, intoxication, stimulation of appetite, antinociceptive, and antiemetic activities. Marijuana, the Mexican name given to cannabis is a mixture of dried, shredded leaves, stems, seeds, and flowers of the plant. Cannabis is a term that refers to marijuana and other preparations made from the same plant. Hemp is a form of cannabis, cannabis sativa L, which contains less than one percent THC; it is used to make clothing, paper, and building materials. Tobacco is smoked just like marijuana is smoked, rolled in paper or in a pipe. The only difference is that tobacco is legal and marijuana is illegal. The government spends billions each year on the war on drugs, yet it is still around. For people under the age of 21 it is much easier to get marijuana than it is to get alcohol. Although many primarily associate marijuana with its harmful side effects, in actuality there are many benefits from its use as well.
Marijuana is a shredded mix of dry flowers, stems and the seeds of a plant called cannabis and people usually smoke it in the form of cigarettes for relaxation. Ever since marijuana hit mainstream America over 30 years ago, government prohibition of it has been the subject of an ongoing debate. Should marijuana be legalized? Proponents of marijuana argue that there are numerous medical benefits and that the drug is not more harmful than tobacco or alcohol. Therefore, prohibiting it intrudes on personal freedom. On the other hand, opponents argue that marijuana is too dangerous; its legalization would increase the chances of the drug falling into the hands of kids and that marijuana use often progresses to the use of more dangerous drugs like heroin and cocaine. In the past decade, a number of movements to legalize the use of marijuana has been gaining momentum. According to the 2011 Gallup survey, a record high 50% of Americans say that marijuana should be legalized and this figure marks a 4% increase compared to the previous year. Support for legalizing marijuana was 30% in 2000, 40% in 2009 before reaching 50% last year. This shows that despite government efforts to eliminate its use, marijuana is becoming more popular. More and more people realize that legalizing marijuana brings a host of benefits. It not only offers medical benefits to the terminally ill but it could also be a source of tax revenues and could save the tax payers billions of dollars that is spent on enforcement costs.
...industrial purposes, but due to greed, misinformation, scare propaganda and moral objections, society turned its back on this wonderful plant. Through advocacy and the spread of factual information, prohibition is slowly failing and the populous is beginning to realize the dangers and harms of marijuana are not as severe as one though. With this information we can change society for the better, gain revenue from taxation, release non-violent offenders, and alleviate the constant fear instilled by authoritative figures. Personally, based on the researched information, I feel legalization would be beneficial for society and alleviate law enforcement to focus on other crimes, such as, murders, rapes, robberies, and other violent offences. The times are changing, and as time goes on more and more citizens of the United States favor the legalization of marijuana.
Puff up the lighter to the legalization of marijuana on a federal level, while we take a look at some major important reasons why pot needs to become legal. Marijuana is clearly unlike cigarettes and alcohol, which are extremely toxic and fatal to the human body and those that surround it. Marijuana is not a drug that has side effects that last as long as cigarettes or alcohol. Unlike alcohol and cigarettes one argument is that it’s probably the safest drug in the world unlike how the federal government controls it. We also have various arguments from the medical perspective and how they claim it can be beneficial to various individuals. Then there is another argument which brings up the fact that while marijuana remains to be illegal we will see an increase in criminal activity not just from the United States but the international borders as well.
What is marijuana? Cannabis, also known as marijuana, and is a preparation of the cannabis plant intended for use as a psychoactive drug and as medicine. According to Greenhaven “They point to California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who said in early May [2009] that it's now time to debate legalizing marijuana—though he's personally against it. Indeed, a legislative push is on in his state (and several others, such as Massachusetts and Nevada) to treat this "soft" drug like alcohol—to tax and regulate its sale, and set an age restriction on buyers”. (Greenhaven, 2009)
One of the most controversial topics in the news today is the legalization of marijuana. Supporters believe that the drug is not harmful and can have numerous benefits. However, opponents argue that marijuana can lead to addiction and other more dangerous drugs. In the end, marijuana should be legal based on economic, medicinal, and philosophical factors.
Much debate has been brought to Capitol Hill concerning the legalization of the Marijuana. Analyzing the history, data, and health effects of marijuana it becomes clear that the debate for the legalization of marijuana should be seriously considered and should be brought to congress as an issue that can stimulate the economy and bring together a divided nation. This issue along with many others will not be a reality until congress takes action and addresses the issue directly. Conflicting views arise when so much time effort and money have been spent to eliminate drugs. America’s “War on Drugs” has been an intense operation to eliminate narcotics on the streets and often catch the criminal distribution before it even reaches the public. Citizens of the United States have petitioned for the legalization of marijuana since its origin, yet minimal progress has been made and the illegal existence of the plant remains. Congress has faced the vote to legalize marijuana countless times while the majority of politicians favor the ban on the substance, however there are certain individuals of political office that have and continue to vote for its legalization. America’s emphasis and concern for the use, distribution, and growth of marijuana is outstanding with arrests reaching nearly 5.9 million since the year 1990. A large amount of time, money, and man-power has been applied to the operation of controlling the substance of marijuana in society and many people argue against this. As long as marijuana is not legalized, the debate and fight for its legalization will undoubtedly continue from the millions of people who use the herbal matter in this country alone.
Ask anyone what the most popular drug of the 21st century is, and he will tell you it is marijuana. And why is this? Well for one, marijuana is a highly accessible drug. Whether at a high school, a town, a college campus, or a gas station, marijuana can be found there. And while it is quite easy to find, it is also not financially straining to purchase either. One can get a various range of amounts inexpensively depending on who is dealing it. And, unlike many other drugs, marijuana is not addictive. Available, cheap, and no strings attached, these words sound like they are describing a new product people can buy at the store, not an illegal drug. But marijuana has been illegal in the United States since 1937, when Congress passed the Marijuana Tax Act. Since then those who sell, grow, buy, and possess marijuana are arrested, fined, and some are even incarcerated. The highest amount of jail time for a marijuana-related crime is forty years and fines have skyrocketed to millions of dollars. Yet, why is there such severity in the penalties associated with the drug? Is marijuana truly that dangerous to the citizens of the United States? And how did it come to be that way? Well, if studied, one can see that marijuana is a great remedy for all sort of medical conditions, and that it is illegal because of a bigotry against Mexican immigrants in the early 1900s.
Legalization of marijuana has become an increasingly popular topic for debate in society with “sentiment in favor of legalization [increasing] by 20 [percentage] points in just over a decade,” bringing support for legalization to 52% (Dionne and Galston). The most common arguments for reforming current legislation are the following: enforcement wastes public resources, taxation can provide a new source of revenue, and enforcement of current laws is discriminatory (Dionne and Galston). It is necessary to look at the impact on the primary stakeholders by analyzing the various harms and benefits through application of the ethical theories of utilitarianism and deontology, in order to determine the solution that will result in the best possible outcome.
Medical marijuana is one of the most controversial subjects in politics. Marijuana may be an addictive drug, but it has many medical uses. Many patients found it very effective, which trumped any other drug, whether by prescription or over-the-counter. Medical marijuana should be legalized in North Carolina, but should be regulated, because it has helped people with diseases such as Glaucoma, cancer and any physical or emotional pain.
According to an article by Charles Oliver, The Harrison school district in Colorado has barred a student from attending classes if he takes medicine to control his seizures, states that “The boy was prescribed a lozenge containing THC, the active ingredient in marijuana. The school said he couldn’t bring the pills to school because it would violate its zero tolerance policy on drugs” (Oliver). Without the pills containing THC, the young boy could have a seizure. If medicinal marijuana was legal, this wouldn’t have been an issue, and that is why marijuana should be legalized in the United States. It will not only benefit those who need it for medical issues, but the taxation will also benefit our economy.
Marijuana is the 3rd most commonly abused substance in the world behind alcohol and tobacco, and the most commonly used illegal drug in the United States and should be illegal. Abuse refers to the misuse, excessive use, or recurrent use of marijuana. Marijuana is a hallucinogen, which means it distorts the way the brain sees the world. Think about what the world would be like if everyone had a distorted view of everything. When marijuana is smoked, the effects are felt within minutes. Most of the time, immediate effects include an increased heart rate, decreased coordination, and an unreal state of mind that is similar to being in a dream. Therefore, using marijuana could possibly lead to making irrational decisions. Marijuana should be illegal because of the health issues, the increased crime rate, and more. Smart people that don’t want to end up in the emergency room should be aware of all the possible dangers that come with marijuana abuse.
Marijuana has a long standing history of being one of the most controversial substances in America. While the history or the Cannabis plant indicates not only acceptance as a useful plant, but even advocated as a source of revenue and medicinal usage, much of the United States government propaganda over the last 100+ years has led Americans to accept very slighted and often false information about the plant and its uses. Based on the origin of the illegalization of marijuana and the inconsistent findings of its effects in comparison to other substances, both legal and illegal, marijuana should be decriminalized and treated as a recreational substance just as alcohol and tobacco are.