Category: Marijuana Legalization

Introduction

Would you want the government limiting how much coffee you can drink or how many cigars you’re allowed to have a day? According to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), cigarettes are found out to be more harmful than marijuana. The Chinese Legend who discovered marijuana healing properties around 500 years ago BC, the world’s oldest pharmacopeia recommends marijuana treatment for more than 100 ailments which include gout, rheumatism, malaria and absentmindedness (Sciences Engineering Medicine, 2019). Marijuana that is also called gangster, ganja, grass, weed, herbs, and Cannabis, is a potent drug that contains over 500 chemicals. People take this ancient drug by mouth for anxiety, bipolar disorder, a muscle disorder called dystonia, seizures, multiple sclerosis and to increase appetites in AIDS patients. In the late 1800s, the plant was used to make clothing; papers, ropes, and oil were extracted to make essential oil, wax and other purposes. In addition to this, the legalization of marijuana will lead to the enhancement of medicinal development and for creating Jobs/Foreign Revenue; therefore, this will eventually result in more good than harm.

1st Claim

Marijuana has been used for medicinal purposes for more than 3,000 years; it has been used to treat any medical condition as home remedies. In today’s era, this powerful ancient drug can lead to the enhancement of Medicinal developments. Researchers have now proven that the marijuana or cannabis plant, contains medicinal properties to combat inflammatory compliant, relieve pain and treat ailments. (Ali,2018). With this miraculous proclaim, further studies were conducted by Jamaican scientist who has shown that for chronic illnesses like glaucoma, marijuana can be developed into glaucoma fighting drug called Canasol. (Myers, 2013). In addition to this, researchers continued, recently approving the first prescription drug made from marijuana to treat epileptic seizures (Jamaica Observer, 2018) to help combat the onset reactions. Due to the intense researches on marijuana, it is definite that the legalization of marijuana can enhance the medicinal development to increase the effectiveness of the treatment given to clients, to cure or treat any communicable or non-communicable diseases which will cut down the high incidence worldwide. Therefore, the legalization of marijuana will lead to the enhancement of medicinal developments.

2nd Claim

The legalizing of marijuana can also lead to the creation of jobs. Marijuana is one of the nation’s largest cash crops under the rule of law; this will create jobs and economic opportunities in the formal economy instead of the illicit market. (Marijuana Legalization and Regulation, 2018). With the drastic demand for marijuana usage, an increase in crop production is needed hence creating Fast-growing new careers. The legalization of marijuana will increase career opportunities for cultivation, bud-tendering, distributors, extractors, and trimmers. Researcher shows that traditional local growers like Jamaica will be allowed to transition into the medicinal cannabis sector (Davis, 2019). With this been said, Local small farmers will have the privilege to manage and own their cannabis sectors boosting the Jamaican economy. It is said that the growing of marijuana in Canada is expensive; the Canadian government is willing to purchase marijuana from Jamaica, a lucrative deal that could potentially earn billions of dollars for the country on an annual basis (Boyd, 2014). Jamaica has probably the best environment in the world for producing marijuana; the exportation of marijuana to Canada done by Jamaican farmers will be very profitable and can open a vast economic opportunity, as a result of this the legalization of marijuana will indeed create foreign revenue.

Counterclaim

Despite the benefits of marijuana, critics will argue that the legalization of marijuana may see an increase in its use; which has the potential of causing impaired cognitive abilities to its users. Studies have shown that acute exposure to cannabis or marijuana tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) impairs several cognitive faculties such as short-term memory, attention, concentration and executive functioning (Government of Canada, 2018). Marijuana contains hundreds of chemical substances, but most research is done on tetrahydrocannabinol THC a compound of marijuana that affects cells receptors in the brain and the body functions. This compound allows the individual to feels high and intoxicated changing how cells behave and communicate with each other. Researchers have also shown an alarmingly high percentage of youths especially under the age of 18 years, have serious psychotic episodes from marijuana in the form of smoking. (Cunningham,2015). In Jamaica, the possession of a small quantity under two ounces for personal and medicinal use has been decriminalized under the Dangerous Drug Act 2015. The decriminalized of marijuana in 2015 lead to an increase in youngsters reporting to have psychotic episodes due to the easy accessibility. Can you imagine what would happen to youngsters if the legalization of Marijuana is in place? We will then have sleepwalkers flooding the gates of your schools! As a result, the legalization of marijuana will do more harm than good.

Refutation

Although the above statement may be true, there is a lot of measures that can be put in place to combat marijuana misuse. Shreds of evidence have shown that marijuana can significantly be beneficial worldwide in preserving, promoting and protecting lives. Marijuana which is said to impair cognitive development and has a high percentage of psychotic episodes among youths who use marijuana in the form of smoking can be minimized. The National Council on Drug Abuse (NCDA) will host a national public education strategy specifically targeting the younger population who smoke marijuana (Cunningham, 2015). This program will seek to educate youngster of the physiologically effects marijuana may have on its users if misuse and the negatives effects and consequences they will face. Also, the Child’s Care Protection Act will continue to strengthen serious penalties for youths under the age of 18 who are partaking in the use of marijuana or anything dangerous substance to their well-being (Cunningham, 2015). This will alleviate the high percentage of youngsters smoking marijuana which will decrease the number of cases reported with physiological problems. Adults who are found guilty in facilitating the use of marijuana amongst our children will also face serious penalties.

Conclusion

It can be concluded that the legalization of marijuana will eventually result in more good than harm although critics argue that the legalization may show an increase in its use. However, the approval of this powerful multi-agent drug will lead to the enhancement of Medicinal Developments and also the creation of jobs.

“Leave the trees, and let them be (lord lord) can’t you see you’re destroying the environment, Leave the trees, and let them be (whoa whoa), can’t you see you boring a hole inna di O-Zone layer” are some words mentioned in a popular song titled ‘Leave the trees’ written and sang by Jamaican Reggae artist Chezidek. “Marijuana can be defined as the hallucinogenic dried flower buds or leaves of the female hemp that contains high amounts of THC and are smoked, vaporized or consumed for its intoxicating impact” (Merriam-Webster Dictionary, 1874). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention call marijuana the most commonly used drug, with 19.8 million Americans age 12 and older claiming to have used it during the preceding month in a CDC survey (Nicosia, 2018). The argument being debated is, will the legalization of marijuana cause more harm than good? However, several might oppose since they believe will lead to negative results instead of positive. Irrespective of the claim, marijuana should be legalized because it has so many attributes that can aid with economic and medical purposes improvement.

The legalization of marijuana will not eventually result in more harm than good because the legal production of marijuana can lead to an improvement in the economy. In 2015 Colorado collected more than $135 million in taxes and fees on medical and recreational marijuana (Mrinalini, 2019). Researchers have found that a taxed and regulated cannabis industry has contributed over $58 million to the Pueblo County economy (Zhang, 2018). Without a doubt, there’s certainly a bright future for the industry if legalized. It is estimated that the industry employed 165,000 to 230,000 full and part-time workers across the United States in 2017, and ArcView Market Research predicts that number will jump to over 400,000 by 2021 (Gunelius, 2018). Most definitely, Legalization legislation can be stringent, and the industry’s target can be accomplished successfully. Need I say more?

The legalization of marijuana will not eventually result in more harm than good because it can be used for medical purposes and a substitute for other prescribed drugs in the medical industry. As stated by (Kabir, 2018) in his article titled “20 medical benefits you probably never knew” an U.S. Government sponsored study by the Institute of Medicine uncovered the beneficial properties of marijuana, since 1999 a number of these studies have been done to show that smoked marijuana has pain reducing effects. Additionally, (Kabir, 2018) state in a report that researchers at California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco reported that Cannabidiol (CBD) may prevent cancer from spreading when they experimented on breast cancer cells in the lab that had high level of Id-1, and treated them with cannabidiol (Kabir, 2018). “Marijuana is the healing of a nation, alcohol is the destruction” (Marley). Also (Oberg, 2018) in her article “Medical marijuana”, spoke about a search of the National Institutes of Health funded projects list in 2016 revealed 165 studies related to cannabis and 327 studies related to the search term marijuana, 68 % of these studies found benefit while 8 % found no benefit and 23 % of the studies were inconclusive or neutral. With all the health beneficial properties, why not make it legal?

On the other hand, some may argue that it should not be allowed as it will do more harm than good because it can cause negative effects on one’s mental health. A study that followed more than 3,000 American pot users over a 25-year period discovered that people who used weed daily for five years or more developed an impoverished verbal memory during ages 45-65 than people who didn’t smoke or smoked less (Williams, 2019). NIDA research shows that drivers have slower reaction times, impaired judgment, and problems responding to signals and sounds if driving while under the influence of THC that is found in marijuana (Anderson, 2018).

As convincing as this may sound, do you think a plant can be of such big threat to an individual if not abused? How many tested and proven testimonies can prove that it has led to an individual’s mental health? Legalizing Marijuana will not lead to individuals of ages 45-65 having a poorer memory because if it is being used for medical purposes as prescribed and not recreationally then there should be no long-term effect on one’s memory. In an article written by (Holland, 2019) it was said that THC found in the plant have been tested by medical professionals and proven to have medical benefits such as helping with insomnia, Glaucoma and muscle spasticity, it has benefits that have nothing to do with getting high. If marijuana has so much beneficial elements, why not legalize it? why not a create a market for it? Medical marijuana is a great substitute for all other prescribed medications that we use in aid of these illness because of the natural elements it contains while prescribed medications contains a lot of artificial elements that might later lead to another health issue.

Despite what the naysayers may think, it can’t be denied that the legalization of marijuana can help create a better tomorrow for the economy. If marijuana is legalized, more jobs can be produced which will reduce unemployment, and there will be opportunities for more global collaborations, as well as it will also help improve the medical sector. For the sake of the country’s economy and medical sector, the plant should be legalized along with the implementation of strict laws that should be adhered for a less chaotic industry. Let’s help create a brighter future for tomorrow’s world. Make marijuana legal.

The first legalization of marijuana was in 2012 by the states of Colorado and Washington. Marijuana is part of the Schedule 1 drugs, which is defined as drugs with no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse. But for Colorado and Washington, allowing the legalization has brought a lot of positivity towards the drug, and potential to legalize it everywhere. As the legalization of marijuana proceeded in these states, it added billions of dollars to the economy, created hundreds of jobs, and even provided two medical FDA-approved medications. The legalization should be allowed for these reasons and providing the opportunity for more research.

Marijuana is the dried flowers of Cannabis sativa. As most people know, it can be hand-rolled into what is called joints; put in pipes, water pipes, brewed in tea, or put in food. What puts marijuana on the Schedule 1 list, is the psychoactive chemical responsible for the intoxicating effects that many people seek. This is called delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol or THC. This can be found in resin produced by the leaves and buds primarily of the female cannabis plant. This plant has caused a controversial argument in the legalization of it. But legalizing this drug has lowered street crimes throughout Colorado and Washington and has provided billions of dollars to their economy.

As Alan Pyke stated in his article, “Marijuana’s $2.4 Billion Impact in Colorado Is a Lesson for 5 States Considering Legalization,” the “marijuana industry (adult-use and medical) in the United States could exceed $24 billion in revenue by 2025.” This money has helped the state for the better, by providing an increase in economic activity, and the lowering of costs for many, as the fluctuations of products are going down. This vast amount of money has helped create many jobs as well. Many industries benefit from expenses such as food, transportation, tourism, and even real estate; as more people are coming to these states to experience the legalization of this drug. Legalizing this drug could also bring the crime rates down.

From the Marijuana Policy Project, an organization that leads Marijuana legalization campaigns, said, “Study after study has confirmed that marijuana policy reforms do not cause rates of youth’s use to increase.” This is helping out by depleting the interest to break the law. Legalization is taking money away from the black markets and the drug cartels. It is also stopping organized crime and street gangs, as people don’t have to hide what they are doing. Dispensaries are also helping decrease the crime around the neighborhoods. Many of the storefronts have increased security around the building and around the area. This breaks down the crime rates and the interest to do something dangerous, as it is already legalized. Legalizing this everywhere else will better protect our communities from harm from the dark alleyways of this hidden drug of choice.

Almost two in three Americans are now supporting the use and legalization of marijuana. In 2018 a Gallup poll by Justin McCarthy “found a record-high 66% support for legalizing marijuana, up from 12% in 1969, the first year the polling company asked about marijuana”. The more knowledgeable people are about the drug, the more they are willing to accept the legalization. As federal initiatives are taking place now in 2019, if the legalization of marijuana were to happen federally, the states would be allowed to make up their own policies. Then they can begin repairing the damage that has been caused by the prohibition. Another reason legalization should occur is to do more research on the medical use of marijuana.

Medical marijuana is using the cannabinoids from the plant. There are two different cannabinoids in the plant, THC, and CBD. THC is the usual factor that people tend to use marijuana as this is what gives you the “high” feeling. But it does have some benefiting factors such as increasing your appetite, reducing nausea, decreasing pain, inflammation, and muscle control problems. For the second cannabinoid, CBD, this does not make people “high”, but it can help reduce pain, inflammation, control epileptic seizures, and possibly even treat mental illness and addictions. So far the FDA has approved a CBD-based liquid called Epidiolex. This medication can be used for the treatment of severe childhood epilepsy, Dravet syndrome, a severe myoclonic epilepsy in infancy which is rare and catastrophic, and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, which is a childhood epileptic encephalopathy, which can cause mental retardation, regression, and abnormal findings on an EEG (NIDA).

To provide a simple solution such as medical marijuana, it can help lessen the symptoms and possibly cure these diseases’. From the National Institute on Drug Abuse, “many researchers, including those funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), are continuing to explore the possible uses of THC, CBD, and other cannabinoids for medical treatment.” Thus obtaining such medication as Epidiolex, can help people in need. Another medical issue such as Parkinson’s disease can benefit from medical marijuana as it helps with dyskinesias, which causes the uncontrollable movement.

I have experienced this first hand as my Grandpa has the beginning stages of Parkinson’s Disease. As none of his medications really help with the uncontrollable shakes, he decided to try CBD oil. This allowed him to buy it without a prescription, and place a couple of drops under his tongue. After about 15 minutes his shakes started to lessen and as time went on and he had a couple more drops, they weren’t even noticeable. This has really helped him as he loves to carve wood and do other projects with his hands, and without it, he would be unable to do these. Something so little, but has so much power has improved his quality of life. As more research is continued on, the legalization can help people like him, and allow them to live their best lives.

As legalization is allowed, many states and people can benefit from its good doings. Such as adding billions of dollars to the economy, creating hundreds of jobs, freeing up scarce police resources, and even providing two medical FDA-approved medications. Lowering crime rates can reduce the use of police and free up jail space as many arrests are due to the use of illegal drugs. As well as the production of marijuana can provide many people with jobs, and a better economy. The billions of dollars and tax revenues are climbing to this day and are predicted to reach $24 million in 2025. This could help with the fluctuations of products as prices rise because of no money. The legalization can also benefit people who are in need of cannabinoids to treat their diseases such as Parkinson’s and Dravet syndrome. Allowing this to be removed from the Schedule 1 list, and legalized across America will improve daily lives.

In a socialist society, we have state representatives who voice our opinions to the federal government. Citizens have been in an uproar on the issue of legalizing cannabis, with over half of the American people in support legalization. Where are the legislators that are supposed to serve our interests? America is country founded upon the freedom of choice and pursuit of happiness, but yet we have been lured to accept the fact that politicians should be making our decisions for us. We need to remind our politicians that they serve as a public servant for the American people and not vice versa. Our founding fathers has quoted that sometimes our greatest threats to our freedoms and pursuit of happiness will come from within our borders. The legalization of marijuana has been the spark of many political debates. The DEA lists marijuana as a schedule one drug next to heroin. With the rise of social media, the legalization of marijuana has become more prominent. Marijuana has been legalized for more medical usage than recreational. The legalization of marijuana would decrease the size of the black-market usage, increase the united states tax revenue, and allow local and state officials to focus on more serious offenses/crimes. Let’s talk about the impact of legalizing marijuana, why laws should protect employees for marijuana usage, and my perception of marijuana.

Why should legalize marijuana across the United States? America has a daily fight when it comes to combating the opioid crisis. On average, 130 people in the United States die daily from overdosing on opioids. With this level of abuse, it has been marked as a national crisis. As far as we know, it’s not possible to die from ingesting too much THC, the main component of marijuana, at one time. Taxes received from marijuana sales could benefit our schools, hospitals, and infrastructure. For example, Colorado has generated over 500 million in revenue on cannabis since 2014 followed by Washington with 250 million in 2016 alone. Sales are continuing to increase on the daily basis. Studies show that 2.3 million Americans are incarcerated for possession of marijuana charges. Legalization would cut down on crime rate. The criminal justice system in the United States is compacted with trials and crimes involving marijuana. Legalizing marijuana would relieve judges, policemen, and prosecutors from the burdens of enforcing laws against cannabis, so they can focus more serious offenses. State and local officials would then have a more time to invest into combating the opioid crisis. Ideally, we must think about the future effects that legalization could have on America. Cannabis sales would increase tremendously, which opens the door for more tax revenue. Unemployment would decrease being that more jobs would be created due to wide spread of marijuana usage. Economist have projected that the manufacturing business could easily kill off over 800,000 jobs with the rise of technology.

Is it fair for a state to legalize marijuana but not protect employees that consume it? State legalization of cannabis is becoming problematic to employers who strive to maintain efficiency, ensure employees safety, and conserve workers’ rights. As marijuana is legalized, the consumption increases as well. For example, after marijuana was decriminalized in Colorado, the number of positive drug tests in the workforce increased by 20 percent over the span of the year. Most workplaces have a “Zero Tolerance” policy when it come combating drugs. Most workplaces within the United states are under The Drug Free Workplace Act, which requires all its grant recipients to adopt this their policies. In last few weeks of November, a New York congressman is moving forward on bill to legalize cannabis nationwide. This would decriminalize marijuana on the federal level and remove it from the federal control substance act. Many marijuana legalization statutes and initiatives such as the one that the New York congressman is trying to propose do not address the use of cannabis outside of the workplace.

Let’s also look at the facts on the opposing side, from a Human Resource point of view. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, employees that tested positive for marijuana had 55 percent more industrial accidents and 75 percent greater absenteeism compared employees with negative results.

References

1. https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/live-updates/general-election/fact-checking-the-first-democratic-debate/how-many-people-are-in-prison-on-marijuana-charges/?arc404=true
2. https://www.civilized.life/articles/ways-marijuana-legalization-helps-america/
3. https://www.naag.org/publications/nagtri-journal/volume-1-number-2/the-effects-of-marijuana-legalization-on-employment-law.php

Recreational marijuana should be legalized in all states to benefit people’s health and strengthen the U.S. economy. The use of Medical marijuana has grown dramatically over past years and it has become fond of by many Americans.. It has become a main drug option for those with anxiety, depression and even Parkinson’s disease, for it is more accessible and affordable than over the counter medicines. Though not enough research has been done, it has been documented that those who have used medical marijuana for their issues have seen positive results. The legalization of pot across the U.S. could help millions of people who suffer from chronic illness.

The legalization of marijuana across the states can really give a boost to our economy. Legally selling marijuana in dispensaries, instead of illegally, can create a huge tax on marijuana. The tax received from the legal sale of medicinal marijuana could be used by the government to create social programs, health care, and even benefit our educational system. Furthermore, production and sales of weed by the government, rather than by criminals, will help save lives, create jobs and generate money; and can be used for social programs, education and healthcare.

The legalization of medical marijuana could help treat so many kinds of illnesses.Using marijuana can help treat military veterans with PTSD,depression, muscle spasms,Glaucoma neurological disorders, chemotherapy and those with anxiety.

Marijuana is the most commonly abused illegal drug in the United States of America. Similar to the legalization of gambling, the use of marijuana if legalized would increase.When alcohol prohibition ended in 1933, bootlegged alcohol disappeared. Those who favor drug legalization are confident that the same will occur in the market for drugs; they argue that legalizing drugs will eliminate the illegal market with all its negative characteristics including violence and corruption.Australian study of identical twins who smoke are three times more likely to attempt suicide then the other Twin.During 2013 a study of Colorado teens in a drug treatment 74% smoked weed. Teens in Colorado which is a state legal to smoke weed or 50% more likely to smoke weed than the rest of the country. During a recent study 22.7% of 12 graders smoke weed at least once a month and at least 6.5% smoke weed every day. If marijuana became legal it would lead to more people to begin smoking marijuana and could potentially lead to people trying more dangerous drugs.

If weed was legalized it would really help keep kids off the streets and away from drugs that can potentially be more harmful. Marijuana in many cases could be sold from dealers who also sell hard drugs. Therefore, if marijuana was legal and sold in proper dispensaries, it would help keep kids stay away from other drugs and narcotics that dealers have to offer. Also, it could prevent kids from getting into the drug dealing business. Marijuana being legal would make it real hard to sell illegally or to underage teens.If you could get it at a legal dispensary and maybe even for cheaper why would you want to buy from a dealer.. If the policy was changed and it could be sold in stores it would stop peope from selling all together. Being a dealer would be way less effective and it could stop many drug dealers and clean up the streets.Either way,marijuana is going to be sold whether from a dealer or a dispensary.If you could do it the right way,you could make money,help people with illness access their medicine better and save lives why wouldn’t you .On the other hand,Marijuana being legal and sold in stores can lead drug dealers to try to push out other kinds of drugs,which could be more addictive,harmful and even have potentially fatal results.

Cannabis is one of the least harmful drugs,that is deemed illegal. Many hard drugs such as heroin,cocaine,and painkillers can become very addictive,lead to further drug use, and eventually lead to death.Marijuana should not be in the same category of these very dangerous narcotics. It should be listed with alcohol tobacco;legal drugs. It has been documented that marijuana is less harmful than these other substances.Alcohol can cause over aggressive behavior and if abused can lead to liver failure.Alcohol-related death in the U.S. takes nearly 88,000 lives annually.The use of tobacco when abused can lead to lung disease,heart disease,cancer and even more deadly illnesses. Within the U.S.,tobacco is responsible for approximately 480,000 deaths a year.That’s equivalent to 1,300 tobacco related deaths a day.Studies have proven that people who smoke tobacco die 10 years earlier than non smokers.Now compare those numbers to the deaths of weed smokers.Almost no deaths have been recorded from the use of cannabis. Recently,in 2014,the first marijuana related deaths were documented. 2 cases were filed.One of them involved a 23 year old male,in which autopsy showed he had a seriously undetected heart problem and died from cardiovascular complications.That dating that those with respiratory problems should be careful when using the drug.The other person,a 28 year old male,was shown to have died from mixing marijuana with other harmful drugs and alcohol,he was a know alcoholic and drug addict.These two cases however do not show any evidence of overdosage or life-threatening behaviors which can be traced directly to the use of cannabis.In other cases,there have been an uprise of weed related deaths including thc vape and oils.An outbreak of illness and death has shown up.

After the legalization in some states of marijuana,the use of thc vaping has increased.Numerous deaths and illnesses have come up surrounding the use.After legalization,people on the street have took it upon themselves to create thc cartridges to sell and make profit from it.People who sell cartridges on the street are not certified to be mixing and creating these substances and this is what has lead to multiple poisonings and deaths.Counterfeit THC vaping cartridges should not be bought on the street but in trusted and certified dispensaries. The devastating(find new word) effects of drunk driving have been shown everywhere. Driving high,is now starting to catch up, recent studies have shown. In 2010,marijuana contributed to 12 percent of all car accidents.A report by the American Automobile Association (AAA) found that the percentage of drivers who were high on pot when involved in fatal accidents in Washington state more than doubled between 2013 and 2014, with 85 deaths involving THC in 2014.

Marijuana is one of the most controversial discussions in recent trends of society. This is a global epidemic and doesn’t only affect our country. Even In countries such as Colombia, The Netherlands, and various states in the United States (Colorado, Washington, and Oregon), marijuana is legalized for recreational and medical purposes for all legal participants. However, in countries such as canada, marijuana has been newly legalized for both medical and recreational use,which remains debatable for numerous citizens either supporting or opposing the use of cannabis. Concentrating on three crucial perspectives: economic aspects, health issues, and social issues. The central theme that runs through the issue of marijuana is the optimistic and adverse influences of cannabis that provide an understanding to reveal the paramount fate of marijuana in all newly legal states.

Economy is one of the aspects that supporters and opponents debate regarding the legalization of marijuana. Supporters of legalization of marijuana argue that the government could accumulate taxes on society members who use marijuana, which leads to stimulation of the economy. For instance, in the journal article “The Economic Case for Marijuana Legalization in Canada” by Larissa Ducatti Flister (2012) who is associated with the University of the Sinos Valley establishes that profits of $2 billion will outcome due to the introduction of innovative taxes enforced on marijuana users (p.97).Another factor that contributes towards the stimulation of economy based on my knowledge is the amount of resources of police and law enforcement agencies that could be utilized for other types of crime instead of marijuana related offences, resulting in fewer arrests and court cases overall. For example, the criminal justice system will save tremendous amounts of money, ensuing in one less offence that courts have to cope with as regular marijuana users could live with ease instead of perturbing about prohibition laws on marijuana. Based on these arguments, it’s essential to discern that the economy could have a drastic upsurge with outlines of new taxes that could fund in programs essential for the society due to the legalization of marijuana.

On the other hand, opponents of marijuana disagree towards the instituting of a greater economy impacting from the legalization of marijuana. Critics contend that numerous citizens may not consume marijuana due to the increase in taxes; which won’t be enough to increase tax revenues. Also, Flister (2012) asserts that capitalists would be “induced into the market, increasing drug supply while driving down its retail price” (p. 97). This conveys that the sales of marijuana won’t be prolific resulting in marijuana markets to face various losses in the business, which implies that economy won’t have a drastic impact from the endorsement of cannabis. Overall, opponent’s view conveys that legalization of marijuana will influence the growth of economy to a lesser extent since numerous individuals won’t take the advantage of consuming marijuana from markets due to tax increases.

From my opinion based on the arguments made by the supporters and opponents for the legalization of marijuana from an economic perspective, I support the influences since the increase of taxes on marijuana consumers will stimulate the economy. The prohibition of marijuana has negative effects on the economy because it includes greater expenses with minor profits due to the amount of high profile marijuana-related cases in the criminal justice system. For example, this conveys that expensive resources are utilized in police investigations “but also to prosecute and penalize offenders: in 2011, there were 113,100 police-reported drug crimes” (Flister, 2012, p.98).Essentially, I believe that not only the economy will flourish from the legalization of marijuana due to imposed taxes but also the decrease of marijuana-related cases will develop more job opportunities in the related drug market for previously accused offenders.

Marijuana is a debatable consideration to contemplate by Canadian societies. For instance, the most significant element to consider when debating about marijuana is the health issues: the pros and cons of marijuana’s influence on our health. Followers of marijuana dispute that, marijuana has beneficial influences on health, which conveys the support of legalization of marijuana. For example, marijuana reduces levels of depression symptoms as it causes individuals to feel relaxed after a long day of work or school. According to V. Kumar who is a professor of psychology at University of Pennsylvania implies that cannabis promotes creativity due to the increase of psychotomimetic symptoms when inhaled by individuals, resulting in marijuana users to imagine and visualize innovative thoughts (Kumar, 2012, para. 2). Moreover, medical research implies that marijuana has a positive effect in treating cancer patients. For example, marijuana is inhaled by cancer patients since it aids in treating nausea and queasiness symptoms by minimizing the agony initiated by impaired nerves. Based on these arguments, marijuana could factor in treating cancer or improving creativity in individuals that result in it to be beneficial towards everyday society.

However, opponents of marijuana disapprove the beneficial impact on health aspects since they argue that marijuana is one of the negative influences affecting health of Canadians today. Marijuana inflicts immediate effects on consumers such as rapid heartbeats or lack of physical coordination. Based on my experience, if a particular individual inhales marijuana excessively, it can lead to drastic symptoms that affect certain movements or the respiratory system. According to Sonia Alvarado who is a senior teratogen information specialist for the “Mother To Baby” blog, conveys that pregnant women smoking marijuana could have a negative influence on the newborn baby as he/she could reveal signs of abnormality during birth. For instance, the newborn baby could develop “symptoms that include exaggerated and prolonged startle reflexes (sleep cycle disturbances with high-pitched crying)” (Alvarado, 2014, para.5). Generally, opponents view that marijuana is an adverse influence on health for youths and pregnant women as it can impact their wellbeing and surroundings drastically.

Having considered these arguments on the analysis of pros and cons for marijuana as it affects health of individuals, I strongly oppose marijuana use for citizens due to a variety number of harmful risks towards teens or pregnant women, such as birth defects if individuals use excessively or feel addicted towards the cannabis. There are numerous impactful opposing factors regarding legalization of marijuana from perspectives of health issues, which outweighs the positive influences of marijuana concerning health disputes. Overall, I believe that marijuana usage should be inhaled by individuals to a lesser extent as it inflicts drastic negative factors that can seriously harm the body’s respiratory system or cause baby defects as it does supplementary harm to the individual’s wellbeing instead of notable benefits.

Society is one of the most considerable aspects to contemplate when debating about the legalization of marijuana. For instance, cannabis has positive and negative effects that impacts society members drastically in their everyday lives. Supporters of marijuana emphasize that use of cannabis increases productivity in work and school. According to Dannielle Rose (2015) who is an author at “Cannahacker” argues that smoking marijuana is interrelated with productivity since drug inhaling increases dopamine in the brain (para. 6). For example, cumulative amounts of dopamine are an impactful factor that promotes motivation in the human brain, which aids individuals to increase productivity on assignments in school or towards studying in order to achieve higher grades. Moreover, supporters of ratification for marijuana seem to enlist health factors such as increasing motivation from inhaling marijuana is a beneficial influence from society’s viewpoint in schools or workplaces.

Nonetheless, opponents of endorsement for marijuana criticize the insights made by the supporters by appealing that cannabis is one of the negative impacting factors that harm the functions of society. For example, marijuana users may excessively utilize the drug or become tremendously addicted to it resulting in aggression that has a negative influence on relationships. Based on my experience, frequent teen consumers of marijuana face abundant states of mood irritability, impatience, anxiety or violence that develops poor affiliations with parents, teachers, or friends. In the journal article “Legalization of medical marijuana and marijuana use among youths” by Bettina Friese and Joel W. Grube (2013) associated in California’s Prevention research center proclaims that youths who inhale marijuana to a greater extent reveal harmful consequences in “adulthood, including poorer educational attainment, greater risk of intimate partner violence, lower work commitment, greater risk of drug dependence and greater involvement in crime” (pg. 33). This conveys that marijuana has hostile effects on youths, which causes them to be aggressive that could outcome in a life of crime in the future.

Based on these arguments, I oppose the use of marijuana regarding social aspects since marijuana could lead to drastic negative influences on youths’ future such as their progress in schools and greater interest towards crime. I believe that the negative influences of marijuana use from a social perspective have drastic influences on teens as it does supplementary damage than provide positive influences. For instance, the future of adolescences hasa greater risk of becoming negatively impacted by the excessive use of cannabis that leads to lower amounts of job opportunities and education. However, there are positive influences of marijuana on youths such as increased levels of productivity but it occurs short term while the negative influences like chances of being involved in crime and maintaining poor relationships is a consequence that affects teens long term.

In conclusion, the dispute between supporters and opponents for legalization of marijuana that focuses on three significant perspectives such as economic aspects, health issues, and social issues have provided a deeper level of understanding between optimistic and adverse influences on cannabis. From each perspective, I have identified the various types of influences that affect Canadians around us. For example, marijuana has a fairly positive influence on the economy due to the inducement of taxes while negative influences on health and social aspects since there are several damaging risks towards teen in terms of harming their respiratory system and increasing the opportunity of leading a life in crime from excessively inhaling cannabis. Generally, I disapprove the legalization of marijuana because the social and health aspects have tremendous negative influences that affect marijuana consumers with teens in particular as it outweighs the positive influences, which only supports the economy growth while discourages the undesirable impacts such as relationship problems or minimal future employment opportunities. Although, marijuana will mostly remain a controversial debate that everyone could reason by supporting or opposing but there are several perspectives that one should consider before providing a true decisive decision.

According to Aristotle, the use of drugs portrays a person’s character as immoral. This is supported by the fact that the use of drugs portrays a person as lacking restraint and adequate personal care. Therefore, according to Aristotle, so much immorality is shown by the mere fact that drugs are legalized and that people can misuse them as they wish.

Bentham’s view

According to the utilitarian view on the issue of legalizing of drugs, it is not right to completely abolish the use of all drugs. This is because of the benefits of some drugs such as pot compared to the harmful effects of the same. However, some drugs such as cocaine which have no value to the society can be abolished. Therefore, when considering which drugs to abolish, the ones that have some level of benefits compared to the harm that they pose, such as pot, should not be abolished.

Introduction

The issue of legalization of non-medicinal drugs has been a hot topic for a long time. This is because of the controversies that surround the topic and the absolution that some contributors have in regards to the topic. However, I believe the overall questions regarding this issue should be, ‘‘Do people have the right to choose whether to use drugs or not to? Do we have the freedom to make personal choices regarding what we take into our bodies? Can the government benefit from drugs trade in case it is legalized? Do the people get any opportunities when the drug trade is allowed? Are there any benefits that come with the legalization of drugs or are they just negative impacts? What would the people want, being restricted on what is good or bad for them, or being given the freedom to decide that for themselves?’’ Through analysis of these questions, one can clearly come up with a clearer verdict on whether non-medicinal drugs should be legalized or not.

Thesis: Drugs should be legalized

Based on the current knowledge that I have regarding the ways that drugs contribute to economic growth, societal welfare and revenue collection, I strongly suggest that drug use be legalized. As a result of the idea of drugs being illegalized, there is the possibility of the rise in criminal market place that uses the opportunity to make money while selling the drugs. These organized groups of criminals utilize this opportunity and make worthy profits from it without due care of the impact of the same to the drug buyers. They are also likely to be careless about which age accesses the drugs so long as they get their share of profits.

Due to the illegalization of drugs therefore, there is a high likelihood of the thriving of organized crime which has the worst effects to the children and the society at large. With drugs being legalized however, I believe it is a better way for the society to come up with a proper platform through which minors can be protected by appropriate drug laws and licensing boards. Since drugs are expected to be available almost everywhere, then it would be a great opportunity for the society to understand fully some of the issues that they do not normally come to terms with even though they exist, and it is even a better approach to protecting the minors through educating them on such societal issues point blank.

The society has been misinformed about the issue of drugs for a long time. Through the legalization of drugs, it is an opportunity for parents, guardians, institutions and the society generally to access truthful information without fear, about drugs and their impact. Through the open legalization of drugs, there is a likelihood of the promotion of truth and honest talks about the various drugs, about their uses and their effects. This is primarily because so much information about drugs has not yet been disseminated and people are misinformed. For example, it is commonly known that pot or marijuana is a bad drug that should be abolished (Caulkins 100).

Marijuana in some countries such as Jamaica is known to be publicly advocated for by the musicians and the residents because of the fun that they have when, and after taking it. However, rationally speaking, marijuana is a natural approach to medicinal treatment in some cases such as chronic illnesses like cancer, seizure disorders and inflammatory bowel diseases among others. It is known to be a very effective pain killer that helps sick people and helps them to relax and feel better (Caulkins 98).

The utilitarian view on the issue of legalization of marijuana also stands out for me. First of all, it is expensive for the government to illegalize drugs such as marijuana as a lot of time and resources are wasted in dealing with the issue. True to that, it is an issue that will likely face a lot of contradiction especially from the medical field due to its use in patients, and also for those who use it for fun. Another point of argument on the issue of legalization of drugs like marijuana is that it is not more harmful than some other drugs which have been all through mostly legal like tobacco and alcohol. Personally, I think that legalizing such drugs and putting information out there to the users and non-users on their effects and letting them make the choice of whether to use them or not to, is the best option. People will exercise their right to choose what is right for them and what is not and since from experience, things that are illegalized are the ones that attract criminal gangs to set up and make money from the opportunity, such gangs are likely to miss that opportunity when the drugs are readily available everywhere (Caulkins 101).

With the legalization of drugs, the problems of drug abuse and people becoming useless as a result of deep indulgent in drugs is likely to reduce. This is because of the reduction of the hype or rather, the excitement associated with taking drugs especially among the teenagers and young kids and also among the youth. Normally, people get excited when doing the ‘wrong things’ such as, when taking drugs as minors, or doing something that is prohibited. However, when the drug trade becomes open with drugs being allowed to be used by people according to regulations such as reaching a certain age, the cases of drug abuse are likely to reduce. There can also be a regulation requiring the education of the users on their effects so that they can make the right choice. Additionally, with the legalization of drug use, a lot of information will be at the disposal of everyone and researchers should also invest in studying more on how problems associated with drug use and abuse can be prevented and controlled.

With the legalization of drugs comes the restoration of the right of people to choose what to ingest, as Mill under the principle of Liberty puts it. Since not all drugs can be said to have been proven to have harmful effects beyond reasonable doubt, it follows that the issue of drugs legalization should be considered as it gives people the space to exercise their right to take in whatever they feel like taking, so long as they are of the right age (adults). Mill’s contribution towards this discussion of legalization of drugs is extremely liberal from my point of view. To some extent, I can also say that people should not be dictated on what to and what not do with their bodies. This follows the understanding that adults have certain rights such as making their own choices.

When war is declared on drug users as it is in the society, it creates more tension and leads to a rise in criminal gangs who control the issue and benefit from the war. Therefore, instead of approaching the issue of drug use as a societal issue that is already deep-rooted in the society, pretending that it does not exist and that it is just a few who are affected is not the right approach for me. This is because it only intensifies the fight for the drug users and sellers, and creates a space for crime to initiate with the aim of protecting the territory. However, when drug use and abuse is acknowledged, it becomes easier to approach the problem of misuse and to make rational decisions that actually are geared towards tackling the problem and seeking more ways to handle it in the future.

Recommendations

After the legalization of drugs, the government should brace itself for the consequences as they are expected. For example, the government should understand that even though it will get a lot of revenue from the trade, there will also be cases of addiction and abuse of drugs. It should also be understood that there needs to be structures and plans laid down on how to protect children from accessing the drugs at a young age. Since this is a lucrative trade that will benefit many people through provision of job opportunities (business opportunities), investment in mental institutions, centers whereby addiction can be dealt with and also strategies and approaches on how to handle addicts and those who abuse the drugs, should be a top priority. It would be senseless to have no or few rehabilitation centers when the likely results of legalization of drugs are high cases of abuse of drugs. Strict laws in institutions such as schools should also be made so as to protect the future of the children. A lot of research in the legalized drugs should continue being made by researchers to understand fully what the people are dealing with. I would also recommend that the government carries out checks to ensure that other fake and harmful drugs do not appear in the market as a result of the legalization. This is because business people might be lured by the opportunity to make money and the need to bring in other cheaper and fake drugs into the market that are more lucrative.

In this discussion, to some extent I agree with Bentham and the utilitarian approach to the issue of drug legalization. Personally, I find pot to be useful in so many ways. However, what stands out for me is the ability of the drug to be used for medicinal purposes by people who are suffering from cancer and other illnesses. Being on so much pain and having a drug that can help one to relax is a good thing. I can only imagine the pain that the patients undergo, and with the issue of illegalization of marijuana, I would think that those who propose that are irrational. It would be unfair to deny someone in deep pain, a pain reliever or something that makes them feel better especially when they are in the last stages of the cancer whereby they know that they have a short time to live. It is better to let them live their last days with lesser stress and feeling much relaxed. To that extent, I agree with Bentham. For the other drugs as well, I think that the best thing is to let information out there for people to decide on what to take in understanding what they are doing and the effects of the same. So long as one is an adult, they have the right to make personal choices that affect them. In the same sense, the younger kids should be protected from the early usage of the drugs and from becoming addicts at such a young age to avoid the issue of becoming a slave of the drugs and being unable to live without them, as Mill suggested. Therefore, since minors do not have the right thinking on making such choices, then the law should be in place to protect them. To conclude therefore, drugs should be legalized. Those who make the choices of using them on a daily basis and becoming addicts thereafter should be left to do that as it is their choice after all. Those who need counseling and help to withdraw from the use of the drugs as well, should be given the right help as there should be institutions provided by the government and private investors to cater for such. A lot of information should also be at the disposal of everyone who needs it to understand how to deal with drug abuse, where to seek help if needed and also, how to avoid repeat of the same problem.

Reference

1. Caulkins, Jonathan P. Marijuana Legalization: What Everyone Needs to Know. New York: Oxford University Press, 2012. Internet resource.

As of July 1st, this year, recreational marijuana was legal in nine states (Alaska, California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Nevada, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington), as well as the District of Columbia. In this paper, I will be arguing why recreational marijuana should be legal nationwide, and I will be using John Stuart Mill’s utilitarianism to frame my argument.

Mill defines utilitarianism as a moral theory, that actions are right as long they are intended to promote overall human happiness, or as long they are doing no harm and not the reverse. Mill claims happiness is the basis of morality and thinks people don’t really desire anything but happiness. He supports this by showing that all other objects of people’s desires are either meant to acquire happiness or included in the definition of happiness. Many people misunderstand the theory of utilitarianism by seeing utility as the opposite of pleasure. Mill observes that really, utility is defined as pleasure itself and the absence of pain. He goes, as far as to say, another name for utility is the Greatest Happiness Principle. This principle states ‘actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote happiness, wrong as they tend to produce the reverse of happiness. By happiness is intended pleasure, and the absence of pain; by unhappiness, pain, and the privation of pleasure.’ Pleasure and the absence of pain are in this case, the only things desirable as well as the only things inherently ‘good.’ Therefore, making events or experiences desirable only when they’re a source for pleasure; actions are good when they lead to a higher level of general happiness, and bad when they decrease the level. The next observation Mill makes is on the claim that it is demeaning to reduce the whole meaning of life to pleasure. Mill replies to this claim by stating that once people are made aware of how capable their mental power is, they will never be happy to not use it to its full potential; therefore, making happiness a sign that we are exercising our highest mental power or “faculties.” It is true that some pleasures may be demeaning however; this does not mean that all of them are, since some are just more intrinsically valuable than others. When making a moral judgment on an action, utilitarianism considers not just the quantity, but also the quality of the pleasures resulting from it.

More than half of US adults, over 128 million people, have tried marijuana despite it being an illegal drug under federal law. The United States government claims marijuana use is harmful and addictive, landing it a place on the Controlled Substances list as a schedule 1 class drug. Being a schedule 1 class drug makes the possession and use of marijuana illegal, while more harmful drugs like nicotine and alcohol are legal for personal use. Schedule 1 class drugs are illegal because they have high abuse potential, no medical use, and severe safety concerns; good examples being narcotics such as LSD and heroin, Marijuana is also included as a Class 1 drug despite it being legal in some states and it being used as a medicinal drug in some states. This will be a utilitarian’s perspective on legalizing marijuana.

Mill’s utilitarianism theory supports nationwide legalization of marijuana because it’s a decision that is made for the overall general happiness of people. The theory of utilitarianism perfectly applies to the issue of marijuana legalization, since it is able to justify marijuana usage because of the way that the drug is meant to enhance the mind to be happier. Mill claimed, “Actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote happiness, wrong as they tend to produce the reverse of happiness.” Interpretation of the utilitarianism theory leads me to believe a person’s desire to smoke marijuana is not immoral and is right if he/she receives the expected effect and causes no harm to themselves or others (“absence of pain.”) In this case, marijuana usage cannot be viewed, as immoral, smoking marijuana is right because it promotes happiness. The smoker becomes relaxed and happy, that is why marijuana is called a recreational drug.

A well-known counterargument to marijuana usage is the eventual harm of smoking, since inhaling tobacco can lead to the smoker getting emphysema or cancer. A person with this viewpoint could also point out that marijuana itself has negative effects such as influence on brain cells. Marijuana use alters the brain and its development. Scientists have studied that early cannabis use could result in psychotic diseases later on in life. In this case, sticking to the utilitarianism theory, smoking cannabis becomes wrong, because eventually it will cause pain to the smoker. So in this sense, utilitarian idea argues against legalization of marijuana.

But, my reply to this argument is, considering some people are prescribed this drug as medicine, and need it to succumb pain, it is against utilitarianism to prevent these people from escaping their pain, taking their medicine, and achieving happiness. Marijuana is harmful is some ways, but helpful in more. Would it be ethical to deny a dying person that is in pain, marijuana for comfort? Or would it be ethical to deny someone suffering of chronic pain a natural pain reliever with less harmful side effects? It is selfish to prevent your good neighbor from using his mental faculties to its full capacity, as well as it is selfish to refuse to let them escape their pain and achieve relaxation/happiness, so it is a decision that would be made against the greater good. Abusing this drug and heavy use of it is when negative affects come into play. On the other hand, using marijuana correctly for medical treatment is becoming more popular. What causes good can do no harm if it isn’t overused. So then legalization of marijuana is justified by the satisfaction a smoker gets from the process of smoking and makes it morally right.

Another significant counterargument is that marijuana is an addictive drug, and legalizing it would only increase abusers dependence on it. Heavy users who stop using marijuana will suffer withdrawal symptoms, like any drug abuse, like depression, anxiety, and even insomnia. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, as many as four million Americans meet the criteria for abuse, dependence, or addiction to the drug. Since 2002, of the many people reported using in the Journal of Drug Issues, 68% of them reported daily, or near-daily use. Since legalization will grant full access to the drug for everyone, more people will be smoking it, in turn worsening their physical and mostly mental health condition. In the utilitarian’s view, this decision is not right or moral.

In reply to this argument, I will argue that people buying their marijuana off the street do no know what they are smoking on. Legalization would only make it’s use safer for everyone, since whatever is in street drugs is way worse for health than what is in prescribed drugs. Legalization would lead to more pleasure for all who need it. Usage of marijuana is a free choice, and legalization doesn’t imply government enforcing the over usage or abuse of it. The sales would be held in special drugstores, called dispensaries, in limited amounts and would be strictly controlled by the government, so people wouldn’t have the ability to purchase high quantities of marijuana to abuse it and impair their health. There are various other prescribed narcotics that are more prone to abuse as well as addiction. It is almost in the common good of people buying off the street and addicts as well, for legalization to happen since it would promote their overall health as well as pleasure.

Some may even go as far as to counter argue whether utilitarianism is a solid argument for legalization. It is the idea that happiness doesn’t always mean decisions made for good and good things happening. Happiness is subjective in this perspective, and some many find it in clothes like others may find it in murders. So, to go, as far as to say that just because the people smoking may be happy it should be legal nationwide, may seem like a stretch.

In contrast, I will argue that Mill argues the utilitarian’s standard for judging acts is whether it’s being done for the happiness of all people, not of the person committing the act alone. A person can’t value their own happiness over the happiness of others; and Mill believes law plus an education should help to place this mindset into individuals. But this doesn’t mean that people’s motives need to be to serve the greater common good, since utilitarianism isn’t concerned with the motives behind an action. The morality of the action depends on the goodness of its result only. Given that the result of this decision would promote happiness as well as give wider access to a big group of people, and not just one, makes the decision to make marijuana legal moral and right.

Overall, I think I successfully provide a utilitarian’s argument on the legalization of marijuana. Arguments of legalization go back decades now, seeing traces of it being used as medicinal remedies all the way in B.C. times. Public support for legalizing marijuana went form 12% in 1969 to 66% today. People in support of legalizing recreational use even say it will add billions to the economy, create even more jobs, and get rid of the racial divide that is seen in today’s society when it comes to marijuana enforcement. In the end, if it is achieving greater good for everyone, then there should be nothing wrong with legalizing the drug.

The War on Drugs was a huge point in our history that got the ball rolling on the discussion of legalizing the substance known as Marijuana. When President Nixon declared the War on Drugs, Marijuana was in very high demand by the consumers here in America which increased the demand of production for Marijuana farmers in countries like Mexico and Colombia. The prohibition on Marijuana has been an ongoing effort for decades, but despite the efforts of local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, this prohibition has yet to be eradicated. Although the legalization of Marijuana continues to remain a widely spoken about topic in todays’ society, with only a handful of states choosing to legalize the drug for both recreational and medical use within the last few years, the drug remains a federal crime regardless. The legalization of Marijuana has become a more controversial topic of discussion in recent years since studies have proven the benefits of Marijuana for individuals suffering from a chronic illness or injury, as well as, the potential for economic and social growth that legalizing the drug would provide for state governments. We, as members of society who vote for our laws, need to evaluate and determine what the real benefits and drawbacks of legalizing Marijuana will be.

In recent years, studies have proven that Marijuana has a variety of benefits for a multitude of medical conditions. Marijuana has helped provide relief for a number of patients suffering from chronic illnesses which include, but are not limited to, cancer, lupus, HIV/AIDS, Crohn’s disease, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy, glaucoma, Tourette’s, arthritis, and migraines. Some of the complications of these chronic illnesses that Marijuana use is helpful in treating are chronic pain, insomnia, nausea, decreased appetite, anxiety, muscle spasticity, and inflammation. Having spoken to a United States Army veteran who medically retired from the service because of a Lupus and Fibromyalgia diagnosis, Alexis M. Roubanian, SPC (USA Retired) stated that she has consumed Marijuana to help manage her chronic pain, decreased appetite, inflammation, and insomnia. “During a Lupus flare or a Fibromyalgia flare, sometimes the pain can be unmanageable” (A. Roubanian). The veteran then went on to explain why she turned to Marijuana as a medication, “Personally, I have never been a fan of taking prescription painkillers, so I needed an alternative to combat the pain. Sometimes the flares would leave me without an appetite all day to the point where I would barely eat my first meal of the day late at night and I wouldn’t be able to sleep. My insomnia was also partially due to not being able to get comfortable because I was in so much pain. The first time I used Marijuana as a medication, I was speechless. It was the first time in years that I hadn’t been in pain and I had a real appetite again. It made me feel comfortable for the first time in years.” (A. Roubanian). This veteran’s case is a prime example of how beneficial the use of Marijuana can be for those who are suffering from medical conditions that are out of their control. There are reduced risks in the consumption of Marijuana than there are in the consumption of prescription medications.

Criminalizing the use and possession of Marijuana has a direct impact on our economy nationwide. The criminal justice system and state governments have spent millions of dollars on the prohibition on Marijuana, which is millions of dollars that could have helped fund alternative resources for people in need. The costs of prosecuting individuals with such minor offenses falls heavily on communities, as well as society as a whole. The authors of Something’s in the Air Race, Crime, and the Legalization of Marijuana “Criminal Justice Costs of Prohibiting Marijuana in California” was able to calculate the costs of all Marijuana related crimes that were prosecuted nationwide. “The direct criminal justice system cost of prohibiting Marijuana for adults in California in 2010 was approximately $150 million. More than 45 percent of the costs ($70 million) are attributable to incarceration… After incarceration, prosecution ($40 million) and probation and parole combined ($30 million) are the next largest cost items.” (25 Caulkins, Kilmer) If Marijuana became decriminalized, the state governments would save hundreds of millions of dollars that they can put towards their individual state economies to help improve the lives of their citizens. A major issue which fuels the prohibition on Marijuana is the priority in arrests that have been happening in recent years. “In 2017, more Americans were arrested for Marijuana possession than for murder, rape, aggravated assult and robbery combined” (Reich). That is not to say that heinous crimes aren’t happening as frequently, it just means that statistically there is an extreme amount of effort and energy going into prosecuting small Maijuana possessions as opposed to the heinous crimes. Unfortunately due to the reality of these statistics, individuals with a criminal record have a harder time adjusting to life outside of the correctional system when trying to make a life for themselves, such as getting a job, an internship, an education, etc.

Not only is the economy being majorly affected by the prohibition and lack of legalization of Marijuana, but the social impact it has on the individuals prosecuted and communities involved is just as important. The real effects of criminalizing an individual for a Marijuana offense goes beyond the impact on their singular life; it heavily impacts one’s family, their children, and their community, as well as the resources the individual may or may not have access to. “Criminalizing drug users affects access to health and housing benefits, financial aid for higher education, immigration status, voting rights, and employment prospects. Further noting that incarcerating drug users does not reduce drug use after release, but instead, exacerbates matters and perpetuates a revolving door of incarceration.” (36 Williams, Lyons). In California alone, the amount of parole violations came from Marijuana convicts that had failed a drug test for Marijuana. If they failed a drug test during parole, they are then taken back to prison for violating parole and it is a major impact on why incarceration is extremely overpopulated. Parole violation and being reincarcerated seems to be a “revolving door” (25 Caulkins, Kilmer) for people who are convicted of a minor crime involving Marijuana. There are many people in prison or on parole for Marijuana related crimes that are minor and don’t deserve the amount of time they received, especially among minorities, which also adds to the issue of overpopulation in the prison system. To give a realistic perspective, when thinking about how many people really get arrested for these types of crimes we can say that on average, “3.4 Marijuana arrests per 1,000 residents from 2000 to 2008” (84 White, Holman). It was recorded that people of color had averaged double the amount of arrests, “Looking at arrests for blacks, the average rate of Marijuana arrests is 6.1 per 1000 black residents.” (84 White, Holman) That is a major increase in arrests for black minorities than the general public simply for Marijuana related offenses. When the criminal justice system targets these minorities, they are targeting their whole community and the surrounding communities as well. It creates that vicious cycle of either wrongful prosecutions or prosecutions for minor offenses that the average white person wouldn’t have been charged with, which contributes to the racial divide the prohibition on Marijuana brings.

Although times have definitely been changing in terms of individuals’ views and opinions on the idea of legalizing and/or decriminalizing Marijuana, it is a law that many still believe is worth prohibiting for the time being. Many individuals come from different generations and grew up in an environment that was against the recreational and medicinal use of Marijuana, regardless of one’s circumstances. Those same individuals don’t want to change their opinions based on the younger generations that are growing up in a time when states are realizing the benefits and allowing one to choose their form of medicine. Others that are also pro-prohibition are on the more conservative side, politically speaking, and many believe they will ruin their family reputation if associated with the use or support of Marijuana, unlike many liberals who believe in those medical benefits and the relief it can bring to ones life if they are suffering. The most common argument for being against the use of Marijuana that has been around since the War on Drugs started, is simply that it is seen as a gate-way drug, it can lead one to experimenting or using other, harder drugs.

Overall, the legalization of Marijuana has become a more controversial topic of discussion in recent years since it has been proven that there are real benefits of Marijuana for individuals suffering from a chronic illness or injury. The economic impact of prohibiting Marijuana is one that is not discussed as much as it should be to everyday Americans and the potential for both economic and social growth that it would provide for state governments. We are the ones who vote for these laws, and we need to really consider the benefits or drawbacks that legalizing Marijuana can bring to our society.

When someone hears marijuana, they think of drugs such as cocaine and heroin, but should marijuana be in the same category? Are there benefits to this drug that we are hesitant to believe because of the stigma surrounding it or is it really just as destructive as all the other illegal drugs out there? More and more states are starting to legalize marijuana, but people are still on the fence on whether it’s beneficial or not. There is still an ongoing debate on whether marijuana is a harmful gateway drug or if it is helping medicine evolve, but the one thing we cannot deny about legalizing marijuana are the economic benefits.

Marijuana has been in the battle of being legalized for years. There have been many studies done, but of course there are reasons to think it’s a gateway drug because just like many other drugs that are medically distributed it was been abused and altered. Marijuana has been stigmatized for years and now that it is being legalized in multiple states people are trying to show everyone a positive side of the drug. There’s been a huge outreach in the medical field with this drug proving that it can be used for therapeutic reasons and has also been used to treat things such as depression, anxiety, and insomnia. It can also be used for pain control “Marijuana may have a safer therapeutic window than opioids for pain control, and an observational study found fewer opioid-related deaths in states with liberal marijuana laws.” (Monte par 6). Not only has this drug shown its benefits medically but also economically it has made a huge impact on the states that have gone through the legalization process.

It’s completely normal for people to be skeptical of a drug that has been abused for decades and after all this time is now on the brink of being street legal. There are so many questions that have been unanswered or the ones that have been answered it’s hard to believe that the outcome can be anything but negative. Marijuana has been entangled with other drugs such as cocaine, heroin, and many others that have taken lives and created crime on the streets. People can’t help but wonder if this will only promote the problem of drugs rather than diminish it. One of the health concerns most have is the fact that edibles are now being sold and can be mistaken by children, “The most concerning health effects have been among children. The number of children evaluated in the ED for unintentional marijuana ingestion at the Children’s Hospital of Colorado in creased from 0 in the 5 years preceding liberalization to 14 in the 2 years after medical liberalization.” (Monte par 11). With all of these doubts why should we let this drug loose in our streets?

According to a survey taken back in 2017, out of 16,280 adults 66% of them claimed that the biggest benefit from medical marijuana use was for pain management. The rest of the population of the survery had said it benefited treatment of diseases such as epilepsy and also helped with anxiety and depression (Keyhani et al par 1). Medical tests have been conducted using marijuana and has continued to thrive in area other than psychiatric disorders, “Patients with some seizure disorders may benefit from the cannabidiol component in marijuana, and several clinical trials will soon enroll patients. Marijuana likely has anti-inflammatory effects and may benefit some patients with inflammatory bowel disease.” (Monte par 6). The medical benefits aren’t the only upside of this deal, most people don’t realize the impact on crime that legalizing marijuana has had. By legalizing this drug, it takes the middleman out which means the state regulates the drug and ensures there is nothing wrong with the product before distributing out to the vendors. “First, a large black market largely nullifies efforts to prevent ready access to marijuana, with billions of dollars in profits enriching gangs and cartels and fueling egregiously high rates of violence and murder. The illicit marijuana that some 30 million Americans consume each year is therefore not subjected to regulations that might require accurate labeling of potency and cannabinoid ratios, testing to assure non-contamination, and limiting sales to adults.”(Roffman par 4). In other words there will be tampering with the THC levels and the drug dealers are out of the job when it comes to selling marijuana.

Marijuana continues to get legalized in more states for a reason and that is because of the positive impacts that it has been having in the economy and on the medical field. One effect that we cannot overlook is the face that the legalization of marijuana has drastically boosted the economy and exceeded expectations. The first two states that legalized recreational marijuana was Colorado and Washington and their sales were more than $1 billion annually (Keyhani et al par 2). The revenue from marijuana has actually helped with the medical research that is being conducted on itself. It has given the doctors the necessary funds and equipment to be able to branch out their experiments more and help find the answers they’re looking for. (Gravelle pg 12). This shows that the economic growth is self-efficient and is promoting its own research without dipping into the taxpayers’ pocket.

Change is scary especially when legalizing a drug that has been known for all of the negative effects it can have on people which makes it hard to see how it could possibly have any positive effects. Marijuana has been abused and is in question on how we will keep it under control when legalized, but people don’t look at the successful therapeutic and medical practices that have been done with this drug. They also haven’t seen the positive effects it can have on the economy either. Change is the inevitable but how we approach this change can make all the difference.

Work Cited

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