Advantages and Disadvantages of Marijuana Legalization

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Over the course of several years, there has been a debate about whether the United States should legalize the usage of marijuana. As of right now, thirty-three states have decriminalized or legalized marijuana use (Speights, 2018). The decriminalization of the substance indicates that criminal penalties administered are not necessarily harsh. For example, a fine may be imposed instead of an arrest. Oregon was the first to decriminalize the personal usage of marijuana (Speights, 2018). The legalization of the substance grants individuals the ability to freely possess and use marijuana without fear of consequences. In 1996, California was the first state to legalize medical marijuana while Colorado and Washington were the first states to legalize recreational marijuana in 2012 (Speights, 2018). Despite the fact that thirty-three states have decriminalized or legalized medical and recreational marijuana, marijuana remains illegal federally. With it remaining illegal federally, the government can still prosecute those found in violation of federal law even if the state allows the usage. Contrary to the growing desire for the legalization of marijuana, I do not believe that it should be legalized, at least not recreationally. The lack of desire for the legalization of recreational marijuana stems from concern of human development, business regulations, and harm of the environment.

Human Development

First, as a psychology major, one learns about the effects of using illicit drugs on human development. Studies suggest that the usage of marijuana has a detrimental effect on one’s development, especially if the usage began during adolescence. After the use of marijuana was legalized in Colorado, there was an increase in young adult usage. From 2013 to 2014, in Colorado, usage of marijuana from ages eighteen to twenty-five included 43.95% of their population (Center for Behavioral Health Statistics, 2016). From 2014 to 2015, in Colorado, usage of marijuana from ages eighteen to twenty-five rose to include 45.24% of their population (Center for Behavioral Health Statistics, 2016). When compared to the national average of teenage – twelve to seventeen – use, both Colorado and Alaska, legal states, reported higher marijuana usage (SAMHSA Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality & RTI International, 2017). From 2015 to 2016, the national average was reported to be 12.29%; Colorado reported 16.21% and Alaska reported 18.86% (SAMHSA Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality & RTI International, 2017). Marijuana usage is especially detrimental for the individuals in the age groups listed above because the brain is not fully developed until the age of about twenty-five. One may claim that marijuana is less harmful than alcohol because of issues such as alcohol poisoning, blackouts, and higher death rates; however, it does not negate the detrimental consequences of marijuana, especially long-term effects.

Because the brain is still under construction, it is highly susceptible to damage caused by the exposure to drugs. Some immediate detrimental effects are a decreased memory function and ability to learn, short attention span, lack of motor skills, and an increase in reaction time. In addition to the immediate effects one may experience, there are long term consequences of prolonged and heavy use of marijuana. A longitudinal study conducted by Duke University Psychologists in Australia concluded that continuous and heavy marijuana use was linked to a regression in one’s IQ (Meier, et al., 2012). The tracking of marijuana usage was from age eighteen to thirty-eight, and the participants were intellectually tested at ages thirteen and thirty-eight (Meier, et al., 2012). Over that fifteen-year time span, an average of six IQ points was lost (Meier, et al., 2012). Another study conducted by Dr. Rocio Martin-Santos of the University of Barcelona found that persistent marijuana usage led to structural brain abnormalities; one of those brain abnormalities is damage of white matter in the brain (Weir, 2015). Another psychologist, Dr. Staci Gruber, found that the damage of the white matter led to higher impulsivity among those who began smoking at the age of sixteen (2014). For reasons such as these, one would conclude that the partaking in marijuana can be detrimental to the development of humans.

Business Regulations

Second, the legalization of marijuana raises questions about safety regarding potential accidents due to being under the influence on the job. According to a study conducted on postal workers by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, employees who had positive marijuana drug tests had 55% more industrial accidents and 85% more injuries while on the job than those who tested negative (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2019). Such accidents are a result of adverse effects like impaired thinking, decreased concentrations, slower reaction times which were mentioned earlier. To prevent potential accidents caused by employees who may be under the influence of marijuana, two construction companies in Colorado, have resorted to hiring from out of state (Op/Ed, 2015). They have had too many candidates who have failed the drug test needed to obtain the job (Op/Ed, 2015). Because of the extra safety precautions needed to be taken to be a construction worker, these companies cannot take the risk of hiring individuals who use marijuana. Accidents, injuries, and hiring out of state create a financial burden for those company owners. Another financial burden caused by legalization is loss of productivity.

Legalization concerns productivity of those who are under the influence on the job. The same study on postal workers conducted by the National Institute on Drug Abuse concluded that those who tested positive for marijuana had 75% greater absenteeism than that of those who tested negative (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2019). Absenteeism refers to an individual’s decision to not come into work consistently (‘Absenteeism’, 2012). Absenteeism and decrease in productivity while under the influence of marijuana can be linked to marijuana’s ability to inhibit dopamine (Bergland, 2016). Dopamine is a chemical in the brain which solicits motivation (Bergland, 2016). During a study, dopamine was being seen to be inhibited in the striatum of the brain (Bergland, 2016). When inhibited in the striatum, there was a lack of memory, attention, and high impulsivity (Bergland, 2016). With a decrease of flow in one’s dopamine levels, they are less inclined to do the work required of them. Some may say that drug testing is a solution which could prevent accidents and loss in productivity. Notwithstanding, testing for marijuana is trivial.

Most businesses have a zero-tolerance policy; however, with legalization, the policy becomes contradictory of the states’ privilege. The legalization of marijuana calls into question the efficiency of drug testing. In 2012, workers who tested positive for marijuana was 3.5%; in 2013, there was an increase in positive tests to 3.7% (Partnership News Service, 2014). In Colorado and Washington, workers who tested positive for marijuana went up 20% and 23% respectively (Partnership News Service, 2014). In contrast to alcohol, determining when an individual utilized marijuana is more tedious because of various factors such as how the drug was ingested – inhaled, oral consumption, or topical – or one’s tolerance. A drug test can not explicitly determine whether the use of marijuana was conducted on or off the job; therefore, the argument of utilizing drug tests to ensure usage does not take place on the job is not a sufficient argument.

Harm of The Environment

Finally, the belief that marijuana should not be legalized also stems from the harm it would cause the environment. Recently, the world has begun talking about climate change in a more serious light. While some still consider such a concept a myth, there are others, like myself, who believe it is a true phenomenon. There are regions suffering from wildfires, floods, tsunamis, droughts, and much more. One may say, “it is just plant.” Be though as it may, the few studies conducted show that if we add marijuana into our list of items that need to be cultivated, it will add to the detriment that is climate change. From 2012 to 2016, California’s marijuana farms expanded by 58% allowing the production of plants to increase by 183% (Helmer, 2019) With the expansion in California and even Colorado, there was an increase in water usage, decrease in wildlife, and the creation of massive electricity usage and greenhouse gas emissions.

Indoor cultivation demands a massive amount of lighting, heating, and ventilation. According to Dr. Evan Mills of the University of California at Berkeley, the indoor production of marijuana makes up “approximately 1% of national electricity consumption—or the output of 7 large electric power plants” (‘A Booming Cannabis Industry: But at What (Energy) Cost?’, 2018). In Denver, Colorado, indoor cultivation accounted for about 45% of the city’s energy (‘A Booming Cannabis Industry: But at What (Energy) Cost?’, 2018). That is a large sum of electricity for a “plant.” The large sum of energy then raises questions about greenhouse gas emissions. Greenhouse gases are gases that trap heat in the atmosphere; they prevent heat produced by sunlight from exiting the atmosphere (‘Overview of Greenhouse Gases’, 2019). Annually, the production of greenhouse gas emissions from marijuana cultivation is approximately equal to the emissions of three million vehicles (Hansen, 2017). Scientists suggest moving marijuana production outdoors to reduce electricity usage and the emission of greenhouse gasses (‘A Booming Cannabis Industry: But at What (Energy) Cost?’, 2018). However, research shows that moving production outside produces horrendous effects as well.

When harvesting marijuana in California, most is grown in watersheds. On a daily basis, each plant requires approximately twenty-two liters of water (Helmer, 2019). This water is typically being collected from surrounding rivers and streams which reduces water from other agriculture and wildlife. In fact, in the summer, California routinely sees a shortage in Coho Salmon and Steelhead Trout because the streams and rivers runs dry (Helmer, 2019). When marijuana growers want to do so under the radar, they choose to cultivate in public lands which disturbs wildlife habitats. A study conducted in California between 2006 and 2011, found that 79% of deceased fishers, a mammal, had been exposed to pesticides present at those unpermitted cultivation sites (Helmer, 2019). Other animals such as coyotes, deer, and owls had also fallen victim to those pesticides (Helmer, 2019). The destruction of habitats and the death of species is hardly worth the breeding of plants, which does not benefit the land, but rather just provides pleasure for people.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the points discussed were provided to thwart the idea of complete marijuana legalization. As explained throughout this debate, although legalized by individual states, the increase in marijuana production has caused obvious detrimental effects. Upon legalization, the state has provided individuals with choices such as sacrificing their intelligence for momentary pleasure. Legalizing marijuana has created financial burdens for businesses as they must be able to protect against workplace incidents and injuries. It also harms the profits of the company as employees do not work to the best of their ability and routinely miss work. Finally, legalizing the substance is disrespectful to the land which it is planted on, the resources needed for it to sustain, and the animals that are murdered for its preservation. Mutualism does not appear to be a characteristic of the relationship between marijuana production and these three realms. If legalization continues on this track, human development, businesses, and the environment will continue to suffer and will do so on a much greater scale.

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Advantages and Disadvantages of Marijuana Legalization

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