Category: Marijuana Legalization

Abstract

Marijuana, also known as cannabis are dried leaves of the pistil hemp plant that give off THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) and are smoked in cigarette for their intoxicating effect. Since 2700BC, it is being used for medical purposes by Greeks and Egyptians. Efforts to legalize marijuana as medicine in the United States have grown significantly in recent years however, in the Philippines this drug is considered illegal but it should be legalized for medical use. Charlotte Figi, a six-year-old girl who suffered from an untreatable form of epilepsy was once featured in CNN because of her miraculous story. When she was two years old, her parents tried literally all medications to cure her, unfortunately none of those medications saved her from the disease. Having several seizures, a night, her parents got a chance to get her a medical marijuana card in Colorado and from that, after her first dose of high Cannabidiol (CBD) her seizures immediately stopped. This was because of the law implemented in Colorado, which permits purchase and possession of up to one ounce of cannabis per person and residents may grow up to four plants at home (Young, S. 2013).

Another story from Wil Dasovich, a 26-year old vlogger and YouTube influencer was diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer on August 2017. After a harrowing 6 months journey, on February 2018, Dasovich said that he is already cancer-free. On an interview with ANC News, the vlogger revealed that medical marijuana helped him while he was undergoing chemotherapy. He claims that marijuana became an aid for his appetite and made the whole process of healing easier. Legalizing the use of cannabis or popularly known as marijuana can be an aid in medicine because it can provide several health care benefits in curing diseases, the economy will grow in dissolving marijuana in the black market, and it may reduce deaths due to opiate overdose.

According to White (2016), the U.S. National Cancer Institute (NCI) has admitted that marijuana kills cancer cells, they claim studies and experiments with mice which demonstrated that cannabinoids can destroy cancer cells while protecting noncancerous cells. The chemical found in marijuana was found to be effective at combating colon cancer, liver cancer, breast cancer and various other forms of the disease. Another experiment was also conducted to epileptic mice by Virginia Commonwealth University, to test how cannabis could help seizures in epilepsy. The result from the study showed how marijuana stopped the seizures in about 10 hours, they found out that the tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) controlled the seizures by binding the brain cells responsible for controlling excitability and regulating relaxation, which proved that marijuana can be an alternative treatment for epileptic seizures (De Lorenzo, 2003). Moreover, a published journal examined the effects of consistent marijuana use on Crohn’s patients who suffered from severe cases of the disease. Based from the findings, the plant produced beneficial effects for patients with inflammatory bowel diseases which suggests that marijuana can help patients upon experiencing the disease (Weller, 2013).

Aside from the medical benefits that marijuana could give, legalizing the use of this herb as medicine is considered to be one of the most efficient ways to generate new economic activity. It is evident from the experiences of Colorado and Washington, both states get benefits from revenues which increases from excise and sales tax. As the industry grows, the states have benefitted from investments in cultivation and retailing infrastructure. Marijuana businesses in Colorado, reported approximately $1.1 billion in legal sales of medical and recreational marijuana in October 2016, according to the tax data from the state’s Department of Revenue. Upon implementing the law that allows the use of this herb in the state, it also created a total of 18,005 fulltime equivalent jobs in 2015. Among those jobs, 4407 were hired for retail operations, 2,770 for administration, 2,015 for manufacturing, 1,889 for management and 1,551 as agriculture specialists (Marijuana Policy Group, 2016).

According to Hajizadeh (2016), the most appealing argument in favor of legalization of marijuana is the increased tax revenue that it would bring to the economy of Canada. Since there is a high demand for recreational marijuana this would give rise to substantial growth of tax revenue. The illegal market price of marijuana is estimated to be particularly low without taxation. This would allow for the Government to impose higher taxes on marijuana while keeping the price abreast with other intoxicants such as alcohol and tobacco. The legalization of marijuana is estimated to create a $10 billion a year industry which is based on the results of a report by the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC) while the estimated potential tax revenues done by the Department of Taxation and Finance estimated to be approximately $1.7 billion to $3.5 billion annually. In a study of the New York State Department of Health states that legalizing marijuana is anticipated to lead to a reduction in costs associated with illegal marijuana, including police time, court costs, prison costs and administrative fees. According to a report by Statistics Canada, there were 73000 marijuana-related criminal offences in 2013. The present marijuana policy and legal framework is related with significant government expenses of approximately $500 million to $1 billion29 per annum. Legalization of marijuana could prompt to considerable savings in drug imprisonment and enforcement costs. Furthermore, the legalization of marijuana could generate jobs opportunities in the economy. Legalization could result in the employment of more workers who can develop and bundle marijuana available to be purchased in the Government endorsed grow-ops. It also could produce some other openings for work for people who can work in educational sessions and health promotion initiatives to advance safe utilization of the drug (“Assessment and potential, “2018).

Furthermore Uy (2015), claims that 75 percent of Filipino cancer victims die from chronic pain. To relieve that constant pain, the number of opiate prescriptions has nearly doubled over the last decade. The huge number of cases all over the world causes the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officially labeled the problem as an opiate epidemic. However, since marijuana is legal in Colorado, some of them were given a chance to overcome this epidemic. With that, in 2014, researchers from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the Philadelphia Veterans Affairs Medical Center found out that opioid overdose deaths decreased by approximately 25 percent. Another study by Greenspoon, the idea of using marijuana to mitigate the opiate crisis may seem counterintuitive to many people in the medical community. Medical marijuana is a divisive issue, and many intelligent, thoughtful people voice these concerns. One of the studies, a longitudinal analysis of the number of opioid prescriptions filled under Medicare Part D, showed that when medical marijuana laws went into effect in a given state, opioid prescriptions fell by 2.21 million daily doses filled per year. Healthcare providers, whether they are pro-, neutral, or anti-medical marijuana, need to leave their prejudices outside the exam room (Greenspoon, 2018). Many medical marijuana patients report using marijuana to alleviate chronic pain from musculoskeletal problems and other sources. A study by David P.,Pacula R.L. and Jacobson M., states that to assess this issue, they studied the impact of medical marijuana laws on problematic opioid use. They used two measures of problematic use: treatment admissions for opioid pain reliever addiction from the Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS) and state-level opioid overdose deaths in the National Vital Statistics System (NVSS). Their findings suggest that providing broader access to medical marijuana may have the potential benefit of reducing abuse of highly addictive painkillers (David P.,Pacula R.L. & Jacobson M., 2015).

Medication for several diseases, increase of economic growth and reduction of death due to opiate abuse are some benefits we may have upon decriminalizing cannabis. Several evidences presented proves that marijuana is not that harmful at all as people think of it. Perhaps, some are thinking that there are people who will be exposed to too much THC, but by the restriction of the government that will not happen. We must not think of it as dangerous instead let us consider helping the economy grow, saving several people suffering from chronic diseases and from opiate overdose. Hence, marijuana should be legalized all over the world, let us make use of the possible advantages that the nature offers us. Cannabis should no longer be grouped with cocaine and heroin, but with other recreational drugs such as caffeine and cigarette. The government should allow and made it available in the market for medical purposes.

Abstract

Weed is ending up progressively mainstream and acknowledged inside our general public; to such an extent that specific states have sanctioned it for medicinal or recreational use, in spite of weed staying unlawful with respect to the government. This has lead, and will keep on leading, to entangled and unverifiable duty situations for the organizations that deliver and offer weed. Numerous issues originate from the national government being not able perceive or connect with organizations that arrangement with marijuana. This influences these generally genuine organizations by prohibiting the utilization of governmentally guaranteed banks and additionally taking without end the capacity to look for bureaucratic chapter 11 insurance. A powerlessness to work as a typical business may lead weed organizations to investigate other assessment arranging arrangements, for example, sorting out as a social welfare association. Even from a pessimistic standpoint, they might be driven back underground. Moreover, it might be professionally unsafe for CPAs to perform administrations to these organizations because of a paranoid fear of damaging moral guidelines. These littler issues definitely end up one major issue, featuring the power battle among state and governments. Should the government have the capacity to settle on these choices for the majority of the states or should each state and every district of each state be permitted to direct marijuana all alone? At the core of this issue is its opportunity delicate nature. As potential government control changes, the eventual fate of marijuana organizations and their partners is unreasonably misty. Keeping in mind the end goal to take care of these issues, the government has three options; each with their own particular advantages and expenses. They can authorize pot at a government level, totally prohibit weed and start upholding laws against known state dispensaries, or they can change certain 3 zones of the expense codes and other select laws to offer clear bearings for organizations and confirmations of constrained obligation to those with whom they work.

Introduction

Cannabis, otherwise called marijuana among different names, is a psychoactive medication from the Cannabis plant utilized for restorative or recreational purposes. The fundamental psychoactive piece of cannabis is tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), one of 483 known mixes in the plant, including something like 65 different cannabinoids. Cannabis can be utilized by smoking, vaporizing, inside sustenance, or as a concentrate.

A standout amongst the most famous and fizzled social trial of the twentieth century was restriction, which changed a huge number of common nationals into criminal uprightness of prohibiting the utilization of liquor. Forbiddance additionally made another criminal class that was inseparably engaged with the produce and dispersion of this in the past legitimate substance. A similar thing is occurring on the planet today, wherein a huge number of standard subjects are regarded culprits since they appreciate smoking cannabis and many are detained accordingly. This paper acknowledges significant associate checked on and academic writing to recognize the controlling components engaged with the present enactment against pot and what a few states and different nations have done as of late with an end goal to decimalize its utilization.

Audit and Discussion of cannabis

Following the liberal strides of Colorado and Washington, Alaska, Oregon and the District of Columbia passed poll activities to authorize cannabis this month. Florida’s therapeutic marijuana law bombed, yet simply because as a protected correction it required 60% backings; 58% voted for it.

In 2016, another five to 10 states will probably consider authorization potentially Arizona, California, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Montana, Nevada, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont. It’s not astonishing. Sentiment surveys demonstrate that weed legitimization currently directions lion’s share bolster the nation over.

Do these improvements imply that full authorization is unavoidable?

• Not really, but rather one would trust so. Cannabis authorization is an approach easy decision. Any general public that claims to esteem freedom should leave grown-ups allowed to expend pot.
• Also, the proof from states and nations that have decriminalized or medicalized marijuana recommends that strategy assumes a humble job in restricting use. And keeping in mind that weed can hurt the client or others when expended improperly, the same applies to numerous legitimate products, for example, liquor, tobacco, intemperate eating or driving an auto.
• Ongoing proof from Colorado affirms that pot’s lawful status has negligible effect on pot utilize or the damages supposedly caused by utilize. Since commercialization of medicinal pot in 2009, and since legitimization in 2012, weed utilize, wrongdoing, auto collisions, instruction and wellbeing results have all taken after their previous patterns as opposed to expanding or diminishing after approach changed.
• The solid cases made by authorization commentators are not borne out in the information. In like manner, some solid cases by sanctioning promoters – e.g., that pot tourism would be a noteworthy blast to the economy – have additionally not appeared.
• The primary effect of Colorado’s sanctioning has been that cannabis clients would now be able to buy and use with less stress over brutal legitimate repercussions.
• However in spite of the convincing case for sanctioning and advancement toward authorization at the state level, extreme achievement isn’t guaranteed.
• Government law still restricts marijuana, and existing statute (Gonzales v. Raich 2005) holds that government law trumps state law with regards to weed forbiddance. Up until this point, the central government has for the most part adopted a hands-off strategy to state medicalizations and sanctions, yet in January 2017, the nation will have another president. That individual could arrange the lawyer general to implement government forbiddance paying little mind to state law.

Regardless of whether that will happen is difficult to gauge.

On the off chance that more states sanction weed and popular supposition proceeds with its help, Washington may waver to push back. In any case, government forbiddance makes issues regardless of whether requirement is ostensible: Marijuana business can’t without much of a stretch utilize standard budgetary establishments and exchanges advancements, for example, charge cards; doctors may at present falter to recommend pot; and medicinal specialists will even now confront trouble in considering weed.

To understand the maximum capacity of sanctioning, subsequently, government law must change. The best methodology is to expel cannabis from the rundown of medications directed by the Controlled Substances Act, the government law that administers forbiddance.

Standard administrative and duty approaches would in any case apply to authorized pot, and states would likely receive cannabis particular directions like those for liquor. State and central governments may likewise force ‘sin charges,’ with respect to liquor. Be that as it may, some way or another weed would be simply one more product, as it was before the Marijuana Tax Act of 1937. A more wary methodology would have Congress reschedule weed under the CSA.

As of now, weed is in Schedule I, which is held for medications, for example, heroin and LSD that, as indicated by the CSA, have ‘a high potential for manhandle no at present acknowledged therapeutic use in treatment in the United States an absence of acknowledged wellbeing for utilize.’ Hardly anybody trusts these conditions apply to marijuana.

On the off chance that marijuana were in Schedule II, which states it as ‘a high potential for mishandle as of now acknowledged medicinal use in treatment in the United States,’ specialists could lawfully endorse it under government law, similarly as with other Schedule II medications, for example, cocaine, methadone and morphine.

Given the expansive scope of conditions for which marijuana might be helpful, including muscle fits caused by different sclerosis, queasiness from tumor chemotherapy, poor craving and weight reduction caused by ceaseless sickness, for example, HIV, interminable agony, push, seizure issue and Crohn’s malady, specialists would have wide rule to recommend, making cannabis everything except legitimate as happens under the broadest state restorative weed laws, for example, California and Colorado.

Medicinal science would likewise confront less administrative obstacles to marijuana investigate. This ‘medicalization’ approach, while maybe politically more doable than full sanctioning, has genuine disadvantages.

Government experts, for example, the Drug Enforcement Administration could meddle with weed endorsing – as in some cases happens with sedative recommending. Saddling medicinal weed might be harder than burdening recreational cannabis. Furthermore, the medicinal methodology hazards a charge of affectation, since it is secondary passage legitimization. In any case, medicalization is still superior to anything full preclusion, since it takes out the bootleg market.

For a long time, the United States has banned pot, with shocking repercussions and unintended outcomes. The general population and their state governments are on track to amend this awful arrangement. Hopefully Congress makes up for lost time.

Recommendations to Solve the Conflict among State and Federal Marijuana Laws

In spite of the fact that it is getting to be clearer that the present government pot laws are not manageable in any event not without an emotional inversion obviously at the state level the exchange about how to change them ought to be done is still in its outset. To date, most recommendations to change government cannabis law have originated from state pot legitimization supporters and have concentrated for the most part on limiting or settling the current state administrative clash. They fall into around four classes:

• Keeping the Department of Justice from going through cash to meddle with state cannabis laws;
• Giving an agreed barrier in light of consistence with state weed laws;
• Giving states a chance to quit government weed forbiddance; and
• Finishing the bureaucratic restriction on pot and supplanting it with some kind of administrative structure. To start comprehend the diverse choices for government.

Federal Marijuana Regulation

Last but not least, Congress could rethink federal marijuana prohibition and enact its own set of marijuana regulations. The major federal law relevant to marijuana is the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970, which repealed all prior federal legislation and reduced federal penalties for possession and sale. Although marijuana possession and sale are still prohibited, possession has been reduced from a felony to a misdemeanor offense; the maximum penalty for a first offense is $5,000 and one year’s imprisonment.

Or it could get rid of federal marijuana prohibition altogether, leaving states that want to ban the drug to do so on their own. The only comprehensive proposal of this sort has come from Congressman Jared Polis with his Ending Federal Marijuana Prohibition Act. The Uniform Controlled Substance Act of 1970, drafted by the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws, was designed to make state laws more compatible with the new federal law. Like the federal act, the Uniform Act reclassified marijuana as a hallucinogen rather than a narcotic and reduced the penalty for possession from the felony to the misdemeanor level; a majority of the states have adopted the Uniform Act.

Eleven states have withdrawn the criminal sanction from possession for personal use. In these states, arrest has been replaced with a traffic-ticket type of citation, and a small fine is the sole allowable penalty. Federal prohibition of small-scale possession is virtually unenforced. At the March 1977 House of Representatives hearings on decriminalization, the chief of the criminal division of the Department of Justice testified that the federal government no longer effectively does not prosecute the use of marijuana, “nor do we, under any conceivable way, in the Federal Government have the resources to do so”.

As discussed below, the federal government could use its regulations to try to limit the size of marijuana businesses to combat commercialization or to very strictly police sales to minors itself. For purposes of putting state and federal marijuana laws on the same page, however, most of these details are unlikely to matter much. The variety of choices within each of the broad policy options suggests that none can be characterized in a monolithic way. Some regulatory systems could be so stringent as to have results similar to prohibitory laws: e.g., a regulatory system that raised the price drastically above what the illegal market charges.

Similarly, lack of enforcement could strongly reduce the impact of a prohibitory option. As we have already noted, this latter effect has already occurred in some jurisdictions in which the law provides for complete prohibition but users are not in fact prosecuted.

Pros

• Marijuana will ease the pain and suffering of a cancer patient.
• Marijuana is less harmful than chemotherapy or other drugs that are currently use in cancer treatment.
• Tens of millions of Americans would not be labeled criminals because of their current life style.
• Enormous amount of federal, state and local taxes could be generated from legal sale of marijuana that could be readily used for education, medical research to find a cure for cancers, the space program and health care for poor and elderly and on and on.
• Quality of product would improve.
• Sales could be regulated like current liquor sales. In fact, infrastructure already exists for the regulation of the distribution and taxation of marijuana through liquor/package stores across the country.
• Other countries have decriminalized marijuana with no discernable adverse effects.
• Less marijuana dealing related crime.

Cons

• Legalization of marijuana might allow easier access for drug users to legally feed their habit.
• Children may gain access to marijuana if adult keep it in the home.
• Marijuana is a “gateway” drug that leads to the use of alcohol and harder drugs, such as cocaine, crystal meth, heroin, PCP, crack, etc.
• Potential for more traffic accidents.
• Known health risks associated with smoking anything.
• The already alarming incidents of obesity may increase.
• Increase joblessness.
• More cash-strapped Americans spending what little money they have on a new unhealthy habit.

Conclusion

Regardless of whether a person is for or against legalization, there is a clearly a developing issue regarding marijuana use in the U.S. This is a problem that can no longer be ignored by law enforcement agencies, Congress, and the IRS. Whether or not marijuana becomes legal federally is not for this paper to decide. This paper has given its reader the ability to make an informed decision on the issues of taxation and general business practices. This paper provides some facts from all perspectives on the issue, but does not propose making any final developments. These developments will ultimately come from new cases, time, change in the federal laws, including the I.R.C. As the future remains unknown, these decisions and developments are unknown in the present.

Federal marijuana law may not be imminent, it is almost certainly inevitable. Almost half of the states allow for the medical use of marijuana, and four states have passed laws to legalize the drug entirely. Due to resource constraints, the federal government has proven itself unable to effectively block these state laws by enforcing its own prohibition. As a result, in states that have legalized the drug, federal marijuana prohibition continues in name only. Unless states suddenly reverse course and begin recriminalizing marijuana or the Supreme Court finds that state legalization laws are preempted by the Controlled Substances Act both exceedingly unlikely events federal marijuana prohibition’s days are numbered. This Article compares different avenues for reforming federal marijuana laws, with the goal of highlighting some of the considerations that might drive the debate in the coming years. To date, efforts to reconcile federal marijuana law with state reforms have focused mostly on relatively narrow proposals, like forbidding the DOJ from spending money to interfere with state marijuana laws or establishing a limited affirmative defense to federal marijuana prosecutions based on compliance with state law. At first glance, these proposals might seem most likely to be palatable to legalization opponents since they would do the least cosmetic damage to existing law. But more far-reaching reforms, like a state waiver system or federal marijuana regulation, could actually give the federal government more control in addressing prohibitionists’ primary concern: marijuana commercialization. Meanwhile, legalization supporters will be less likely to settle for half-measures when it comes to federal marijuana reform as their political strength continues to rise. While legalization opponents may understandably be hesitant to concede ground on scaling back federal prohibition, if they wait too long, they may find themselves on the sidelines, with the content of federal marijuana reforms left almost entirely in the hands of legalization proponents, much like the state legalization laws themselves.

References

1. Christopher Ingraham, Colorado Marijuana Revenues Hit a New High, Wash. Post Wonkblog (Oct. 14, 2014), http://www.washington post.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2014/10/14/colorado-marijuana-revenueshit-a-new-high/ (reporting that approximately $34.1 million worth of recreational marijuana was sold in Colorado in August 2014).
2. Mikos, supra note 46, at 1463–67 (arguing that the federal government’s limited law enforcement resources mean that it cannot arrest and prosecute more than a small fraction of marijuana offenders).
3. Kreit, supra note 47, at 569–75 (arguing that federal enforcement made it more difficult for states to effectively regulate and control medical marijuana).
4. See, e.g., Beek v. City of Wyo., 495 Mich. 1 (2014) (finding that Michigan’s medical marijuana was not preempted by federal law); Robert A. Mikos, Preemption Under the Controlled Substances Act, 16 J. Health Care L. & Pol’y 5, 37 (2013) (“[T]he CSA, properly understood, preempts only a handful of the [marijuana] laws now being promulgated throughout the states.”).
5. Kleiman, supra note 79, at 8 (“When states exercise their constitutional prerogative to replace their own prohibitions with systems of regulation and taxation (clearly preferable, in terms of the purposes of the CSA and the international treaties, to the outright repeal of all cannabis laws which is the states’ undoubted right), then the federal government would be well advised to cooperate with the inevitable and attempt to manage, rather than trying to squelch, the resulting somewhat paradoxical situation of state-licensed and state-taxed violations of federal law.”).
6. E.g., Chemerinsky et al., supra note 19, at 114 (“Congress does not yet appear inclined to completely end or even to significantly curtail federal prohibition of marijuana.”).
7. Kleiman, supra note 79, at 6.
8. See Wing, supra note 56 (“Out of 50 governors and 100 U.S. Senators only one has announced support for full legalization of marijuana.”).
9. See, e.g., Alex Kreit, The Federal Response to State Marijuana Legalization: Room for Compromise?, 91 Or. L. Rev. 1029, 1031–32 (2013) (discussing the argument that legalization marijuana would result in a large commercial marijuana industry).
10. Kevin A. Sabet, A New Direction? Yes. Legalization? No. Drawing on Evidence to Determine Where to Go in Drug Policy, 91 Or. L. Rev. 1153, 1173–74 (2013).
11. Kevin A. Sabet, Op-Ed., Marijuana Is Now Big Business, N.Y. Times: Room for Debate (Nov. 10, 2014, 1:45 PM), http://www.nytimes.com /roomfordebate/2014/06/05/did-colorado-go-too-far-with-pot/marijuana -is-now-big-business.
12. Sabet, supra note 96, at 1156–57.
13. Mikos, supra note 46, at 1463–67 (arguing that the federal government’s limited law enforcement resources mean that it cannot arrest and prosecute more than a small fraction of marijuana offenders).
14. Kreit, supra note 47, at 569–75 (arguing that federal enforcement made it more difficult for states to effectively regulate and control medical marijuana).
15. See, e.g., Beek v. City of Wyo., 495 Mich. 1 (2014) (finding that Michigan’s medical marijuana was not preempted by federal law); Robert A. Mikos, Preemption Under the Controlled Substances Act, 16 J. Health Care L. & Pol’y 5, 37 (2013) (“[T]he CSA, properly understood, preempts only a handful of the [marijuana] laws now being promulgated throughout the states.”).

Several generations have argued about the legalization of cannabis at the global level. In modern world people are getting addicted to drugs more and more every day even in spite of the well-known fact that all types of drugs are forbidden and regulated by government. Meanwhile, the World faces issue related to making drugs legal. Such type of drug as cannabis was legalized for medical purposes only in some countries and legalized in other countries. Cannabis became legalized partially in some states of US and Holland and entirely in Uruguay and Canada. In fact, cannabis has become part of popular culture and cannot be out of policies. Unlike alcohol or many others drugs marijuana remains in the human body for weeks or months after consumption. Consequently, this topic obtained world-wide concerns. Every kind of legalization entails a lot of advantages and disadvantages.

The marijuana should be in great necessity to be legalized for solving various problems. It could lead to several benefits such as a raise of the economy level, development of health care and decrease the crime rate. First of all, legalization of marijuana affects taxation. In 2018 “C21 Investments Ins”, which is one of American analytical company made a research about how much earnings different countries will gain from legalization of marijuana (2019, January 8, RBU). For instance, Ukraine could have had income of 71 million US dollars roughly. Currently any sum of money is essential for Ukraine, because it has a lot of debts.

Secondly, rehab help will be taken into account and developed much more. There are many cannabis-addicted people in Russia that are afraid to solicit medical help. It happens because cannabis is illegal in Russia, and all hospitals must write daily report of every single patient and their cases so drug-addicted patients may be charged or arrested. Russia has already been decriminalized personal usage of drugs in small amounts (up to 6g). Unfortunately, Russians are still afraid of the law. Decreasing the level of drug-addicted citizens, government may start advertising campaign of rehab help for drug addicted friends for free.

Thirdly, there is a big influence on underage access. Cannabis is illegal in Russia, there are two ways that drug-dealers usually use to sell drugs to customers: personal meetings and “bookmarks”. “Bookmarks” are a type of spreading drugs by concealing them somewhere near public places and sending the instructions and locations to the consumers when they pay money. After then those buyers pick up their packages by following the instructions. As a result, nobody can identify if dealers are selling drugs to underage consumers and usually drug-dealers do not pay attention on that. After the legalization of cannabis additional laws will prohibit selling marijuana to underage like with legal drugs (tobacco and alcohol). Therefore, all cannabis shops will be required to check age by asking identification documents.

In addition, legalization of cannabis will have a huge impact on medical industry. Throughout the world there is one crucial problem such as incurable diseases. Illnesses like cancer, Alzheimer, rabies, congenital ichthyosis and many others are not curable but it is likely to stop the development of the disease by using heavy medications. Besides that, such medication destroys the body by causing unbearable pain. Cannabis is a much better solution because it has minor side effects and does not damage the body. That is why cannabis should be allowed as medical help for terminally ill people to avoid excruciating pain.

However, it is vital to keep in mind that marijuana is still a drug and it may have great negative effects for every single person who decides to try it. Likewise, the authorization of cannabis has a lot of disadvantages in every sphere of life. For instance, people who begin to use this type of drug erase the borders of what is allowed and they start to drive a car being stoned. Undoubtedly, mixing driving and smoking cannabis leads to mind-blowing consequences. Smoking marijuana affects human activity to a large extent. People become less concentrated and inhibited that results to car accidents, injures or even death. As an economist at the University of Dregok in Eugene and at national Bureau of Economic Research said: “It is always suffer to drive when you are not stoned.”(2015, July 6, LiveScence). Moreover, a review of 60 studies presented in 1995 at the International Conference on Alcohol, Drugs and Traffic safety revealed that marijuana impairs all the cognitive abilities needed for safe driving including tracking, motor coordination, visual function and divided attention. Additionally, making the cannabis lawful controls the rise of alcohol and tobacco consumption. It is evidently if the cannabis is forbidden people will need something else to change their mood thus the local companies will rise their income from market of country. According to study “helping settle the marijuana and alcohol debate: Evidence from scanner Data”, the researchers claimed: “We find that marijuana legalization will have a negative effect on corresponding (alcohol) sales by as much as 13.8 and 16.2 percent respectively.”

Moreover, legalization comes with risks. It is generally known that health effects of cannabis use are real. Cannabis contains a huge amount of carcinogens and THC that damage people’s brain. The use of cannabis on a daily basis has impact on some individuals but it is impossible to predict how many human-beings will act in response to the drug. Cannabis is the cause of habituation that determines as the request to repeating doses to change the mood positively or to avoid bad condition. Therefore, for some people who regularly smoke marijuana it can lead to damage addiction. Scientist revealed how these drugs work and figure out an important connection system between brain and body, mental and physical condition which named the endocannabinoid system. Cannabinoids act like a kind of “dimmer switch”. They make connections between cells in the brain attaching THC to cannabinoid receptors. Such acting of cannabis to brain has side effects like memory loss, less productivity weakening of critical thinking and decision making.

To sum up, nowadays drug use is highly discussed especially such drug as marijuana because of legalization in several countries not only like a medical treatment. Compared to other drugs, marijuana is less addictive and harmful but it is presumable for people getting addicted to anything that gives us pleasures. People think that cannabis will not be harmful to them but statistics says that 9 per cent of people (roughly 1 out of 10) who use it become dependent on it. Majority of people consider that legalization of cannabis should not happen in order to protect people from addiction, short-term and long-term effects that damage people health greatly.

References

1. RBU. (2019, January 8). Retrieved from https://ubr.ua/ukraine-and-world/events/status-ukrainskoj-storony-v-storone-li-my-vsemirnyj-lehalajz-3879359
2. Nikitin, M. (2018, February 15). Retrieved from https://pershyj.com/p-62-zasudzhenikh-za-narkotiki-v-ukraini-u-es-ne-otrimali-bi-navit-adminpokarannya-statistika-17055
3. Focus. (2019, March 8). Ten Reasons Why Marijuana Should Not Be Legalized! Retrieved from http://nrfocus.org/latest_topics/ten-reasons-why-marijuana-should-not-be-legalized/
4. Kirkey, S. (2016, May 18). When is stoned too stoned? About half of Canadians who drive while high insist pot doesn’t impair them. Retrieved from https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/0518-na-stoned

Drug addiction in today’s society is more bigger than ever. With legalizing marijuana, people may use it for their own good instead of using it strictly for medical purposes. Marijuana is a gateway to the use of more serious drugs. Marijuana is a very prominent and controversial issue in society today. Even tho many claims been made about cannabis in recent history, the truth is starting to resurface.

Sadly, these truths are under bad criticism due to the way people view typical pot smokers. This skewed perception of a lazy and unmotivated American is the result of over some years of incorrect information spreaded by people who relied on illegal weed that is actually illegal from their own personal gains. As a marijuana consumer and a current medical marijuana patient, I strongly believe that marijuana should be legalized for all users(Cidio). While it is true that most people who become addicted to heroin and crack have used cannabis, their first drug experiences tend to be alcohol and tobacco, and that If anything, prison is the biggest gateway of all (Nutt.) Let’s start with drug addiction.

Many people have bad drug addictions that include snorting, injecting and smoking. With snorting, you have cocaine which is powdered or crushed up and most people forcefully breathe it intp there nasal cavity. With injecting, there’s heroin which is injected into a vein or into a muscle. It’s a very powerful drug. Lastly, with smoking there’s marijuana. Marijuana is actually the gateway to all of those other serious drugs. People may use those drugs to get the high that they dont get with marijuana anymore.

For example, marijuana may not do it for you anymore so you resort to cocaine or heroin. But if marijuana were legalized for medical purposes, then it should strictly be used for those purposes (van Niekerk.) For cancer patients, cannibal use has many desirable outcomes. Some potential clinics uses include anti-inflammatory , analgesic, and anti-nausea. The cannabis eases pain and makes it easier for the patient.

Clinical studies also have also shown some benefits in conditions such as malignancy, immunologic, and rheumatic diseases. Cannabis use for cancer related pain hasn’t gained widespread acceptance in the science community and has not resulted in published trials. There are many benefits of legalizing marijuana also.

A benefit of legalizing marijuana includes providing the govt with leverage to the problem. Marijuana is currently against federal laws still even medical marijuana complies with several state laws. Every year the government spends money and relates it to the cost of enforcing marijuana laws. Marijuana is a cash crop and can be used for clothes, paper, medical substances, along with many other uses. The legalization of marijuana would provide the government and our country with control over a huge cash crop that can be easily pursued to our climate.

Additionally to exporting hemp and marijuana to have more money, the government will be able to add taxes on the plant which is almost the same to alcohol or tobacco.Although this isn’t the case, it’s estimated that legalization would probably lesson government outlay by $5.3 billion at the state (Miron 18). Although marijuana has many benefits, it also has harms and social implications. Medical marijuana research has focused on benefits in disease therapy as well as social implications and detrimental effects. The greater number of harms associated with marijuana used specifically as a medical treatment are unwanted side effects.

These side effects include somnolence(sleepiness), dizziness, ataxia (incoordination), and blurred vision as well as dysphoria, depression, hallucinations, paranoia and arterial hypotension. These could limit the use of small doses of marijuana depending on the age. There’s also the prohibition of marijuana. Prohibiting marijuana has more costs than advantages. In order to catch citizens with marijuana, police officers must use drug-sensitive dogs to help find the drug, which takes time and money(Lippman.)

Pharmacies will be hit the hardest when medical marijuana is legalized. It’s cheaper for patients to grow their own medication. Some scientists are still working on how they can make a synthetic form of THC that can be put into capsule form. Physicians who are able to prescribe medical marijuana need to keep an eye out for those that claim to have a disease just so that they can get their marijuana legally.(Scott 18)

Tax payers are spending billions of dollars each year to fight the war on marijuana. The effort has done nothing, where are the billions of dollars going? Physicians that prescribe medical marijuana to their patients are not promoting smoking by any means they are just helping relieve pain of their suffering patients. Now let’s talk about prohibition.

According to the new york times, prohibition costs more than 3 billion to enforce laws on possession. Prohibition reinforce that the calculated values of getting rid of the expenditure caused by marijuana offenders along with the taxation of the substance would be a substantial revision to our economy. Moreover, using marijuana for Many cancer patients with cancer experience nausea and vomiting related to the treatment for cancer such as chemotherapy and radiation. Smoking cannabis is used as a rescue drug in cases of vomiting episodes. Cannabis in all medical cases were found beneficial but in comparison was not superior to the study medication (Kalant H, Pers. Comm.)

Yes many cancer patients will have it to ease their pain, but many noncancer patients will have it to just for the fun of it, which again is a waste of money In 2012 alone, there were 658,000 arrests for marijuana possession, but only 256,000 for cocaine, heroin, and others according to the F.B.I. (New York Times).

Introduction

There are two major uses of marijuana as relates to its legalization. One of them is the medical use of cannabis and the recreational use of the same. The benefits of marijuana in medicine have been studied and proved to manage mainly pain and the side effects of cancer treatment options such as chemotherapy. The recreational use involves the unregulated consumption of marijuana to relax or stimulate the mind. Canada has come a long way in its cannabis legalization journey, with its recreational use implemented on 17th October 2018. However, its medical use has been legal since 2001.

I decided to consider this issue because of the effects its deliberations have on the lives of people in an economic, social and political sense. What majorly concerns me is the number of people that remain in the black market because of legal issues, and legalization negates such issues altogether. It gives a chance for some of the black market players to legalize their practice and not worry about getting arrested all the time (Kovacevich, 2018). People have been consuming cannabis illegally for a long time, legalizing it makes it easy for them to live much more honestly without fear of incarceration. Legalization, in my opinion, is another step towards fairness and civilization, where people now accommodate the changing views about cannabis in society.

The political party I feel most represents my views is the New Democratic Party. Its orientation is neither radical nor conservative. It is the third or fourth largest political party in Canada and has Jagmeet Singh as the party leader (NDP, 2019). The party’s main ideologies are social democracy and democratic socialism, and it is a key player in the fight to decriminalize the use and possession of marijuana for recreational purposes. It is also a proponent of social assistance policies (NDP, 2019). These are policies that support programs that help citizens in their reentry into the workforce after incarceration or other reasons that made them stop working. Social assistance is an important theme when it comes to the black market that characterizes drug operations. For most drug dealers, conviction and incarceration leave an indelible mark that affects their ability to work in legitimate fields again.

According to Campbell and Hansen (2012), drug traffickers are always trying to get out of the ‘game.’ However, there are so many challenges that prompt them to keep playing in the black market side of things. For the longest time, marijuana has belonged to this underground world, with the traffickers considered criminals and living in fear of getting caught. A program that allows them to come to light has been lacking, and it became extremely difficult for them to work in legitimate fields or industries. For them, legalization allows them to work as they wish without fear of punishment or discrimination. However, there could be instances of discrimination. According to the signaling theory, their having worked in the black market could present them as defiant and nonconforming.

If I were responsible for creating a policy regarding the field of legal marijuana, I would work towards the social assistance of the players in the industry. I would work to liaise with various forms that are liberal enough to work with people that were considered unconventional and rebellious. I would gear towards ensuring that they get support for their work and that they do not heed to the temptation of going back to the black market and dealing with other illegal drugs. I would work towards fully integrating them into the workforce.

Marijuana legalization is a democratic issue. As a value, democracy allows people to keep their views earn a living the way they deem fit. Marijuana consumption has been in use for a long time, though illegally. Therefore, its legalization gives people a fair chance to earn a living within the construct of the law. It is an issue of allowing the people social justice (Gabriel, 2019). The issue is also a democratic one by the process the country underwent before the final legalization and decriminalization of marijuana. The final legalization represents the will of the people, which is a construct of democracy.

I hold that protests can be effective ways of advocating for the address of issues in different settings. However, effectiveness can only go so far. Protests, to be effective within the context of the law and human rights, have to be peaceful (Cheptora, 2017). They should also be employed once other methods of conflict resolution fail. For example, diplomacy is a fairly effective way of resolving conflicts. Advocating for policy changes on various issues using political parties is also an effective strategy. For example, the Marijuana Party in Canada represents the needs and interests of those that support its legalization. Affiliation with the party, as well as electing leaders of this party, is a much better way of advocacy as opposed to protests. Moreover, violent protests should be considered criminal events. They are acts against human rights. They are a direct violation of peace and may only elicit more anger and resistance from those against which they protest. Thus, violent protesters risk losing their credibility from their opponents.

Political issues matter to people, and this fact reflects in the way the media covers such issues. The media is the outlet people and organizations use to connect with the public and with those in authority. It gives people a platform on which to air issues and spearheads or propels discussions on numerous issues affecting people (Happer & Philo, 2013). However, the media can be biased against some groups of people or some issues. The media can sometimes concentrate on the attention-grabbing issues or perspectives and fail to offer a true picture of the issues in question (Happer & Philo, 2013). As a result, people may become prejudiced against certain players in a debate and negate their opinions as well. It especially becomes problematic because of the use of social media, which spreads information fast and to millions of people at an instance.

Despite the undesirable subtexts occasionally associated with the media, it is a tool of spreading information on social issues (Happer & Philo, 2013). It is essential to stay informed on social issues and their effects on the lives and wellbeing of people. Knowing what happens in the social arena gives people perspective and helps them make decisions on matters that may affect their lives. Such knowledge also informs people of the changing views on certain issues. For example, understanding the perspectives of people on LGBTQ issues allows reluctant people to form new ideas that could potentially affect their interactions with LGBTQ people. The same applies to marijuana legalization. Understanding such a change could influence the way a person regards former illegal marijuana dealers and inspire a much more positive outlook. My understanding of social issues affects the way I look at the issues around me as well as my interaction with the involved players.

References

1. Campbell, H., & Hansen, T. (2012). Getting out of the Game: Desistance from drug trafficking. International Journal of Drug Policy, 23(6), 481-487. doi:10.1016/j.drugpo.2012.04.002
2. Cheptora, L. C. (2017, March 27). Why people use violent methods of protesting. Retrieved from https://www.news24.com/MyNews24/why-people-use-violent-methods-of-protesting-20170327
3. Gabriel, T. (2019, March 18). Legalizing Marijuana, With a Focus on Social Justice, Unites 2020 Democrats. The New York Times. Retrieved April 10, 2019, from https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/17/us/politics/marijuana-legalize-democrats.html
4. Happer, C., & Philo, G. (2013). The Role of the Media in the Construction of Public Belief and Social Change. Journal of Social and Political Psychology, 1(1), 321-336. Retrieved April 10, 2019, from https://jspp.psychopen.eu/article/view/96/37
5. Kovacevich, N. (2018, June 28). What America Can Learn From Canada’s Cannabis Legalization. Retrieved April 10, 2019, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/nickkovacevich/2018/06/28/what-america-can-learn-from-canadas-cannabis-legalization/#5dfa61f2134d
6. [bookmark: _Hlk5774766]NDP. (2019). NDP. Retrieved April 10, 2019, from https://www.ndp.ca/about-ndp

According to federal law, marijuana belongs to a category of substances that have a high potential for abuse and no accepted medical use. Other drugs in this category include LSD and heroin. By contrast, doctors can legally prescribe THC, in the form of the medicine Marinol, under highly regulated conditions, Jacob J.W. (2009:6). The analysis of the studies of different researchers showed that there are two main points of view on the issue of “Green Drugs” (marijuana legalization). Some people believe that marijuana should be legalized, while others are against its legalization. Both points of view are supported with numerous arguments, and all of them seem to be rational and sensible. However, my point of view is that marijuana should be legalized.

The fact that marijuana has medical properties, and can relief pain and suffering of people with different diseases is undeniable. It is proved by numerous researches, which were carried out during different periods of time. There are a lot of cases when marijuana is the last hope for ill people, and sometimes it is the only medicine (Santa Clarita 1996, p.22). In particular, marijuana appears to ease the pain of multiple sclerosis, and nerve pain in general. This is an area where few other options exist. “Patients claim that marijuana allows them to resume their previous activities without feeling completely out of it and disengaged.” Peter Grinspoon, MD. (2018).

Legalizing Green Drugs would not only create job opportunities, but also set the ball rolling for economic activity in the pot industries. Legalizing marijuana could support many jobs and generate more labor income. These jobs would likely come from the quickly growing industry which would spring up across the nation. Workers would be needed to process, farm, distribute, and sell marijuana-based products. Further, there would be ample opportunities for secondary industries which were related to legal marijuana although not directly involved in its production and distribution. These might include financing services, software developers, construction companies, et cetera.

Indeed, while there may be some negative externalities related to marijuana, the positive ones are far greater. As research shows that it is no less dangerous than alcohol or tobacco, we would increase our governments’ funds and slowly combat our federal deficit, and we would be able to have a safer alternative to some pharmaceutical medications. We would combat the war on drugs and save lives throughout our nation, Matt, F. (2017). The legalization of medical marijuana would truly “make the country great.”

Another reason, which seems important to me, is the fact that marijuana is already legalized in 20 states of America (ProCon.org, 2017). I believe that if other states legalized marijuana, it is really necessary to do in such a way. If politicians continue to vote for marijuana legalization, it means that there are no so many difficulties related to the issue. Certainly, there can be some fears as for possible negative effects related to marijuana legalization, but I am sure that it is possible to organize legalization in a strict way in order to avoid unpleasant effects.

First of all, there should be restrictions as for how much marijuana a person can possess. Secondly, marijuana should be possessed only by those people, who suffer from diseases, which can be cured only with the help of marijuana. Moreover, patients, who are treated with marijuana, should have documents, which confirm that they have a right to possess marijuana. Measures of precaution should also be carried out while prescribing marijuana to patients. One more thing, which should be taken into account while legalizing marijuana, is that people, who distribute marijuana illegally, should be punished in accordance with laws.

In conclusion, the issue of marijuana legalization has been an important issue in the United States of America for a long time already. People are divided into two groups in accordance to their points of view. The first group of people believes that marijuana should be legalized, while another group insists on an opposite opinion. People, who want marijuana to be legalized, argue that it has medical properties, which help to relief a lot of symptoms of different diseases. People, who are against its legalization, confirm that marijuana is harmful to health, it can cause addiction to harder drugs, and can even lead to social problems, for example, such as increased level of crimes.

After analysis of both points of view, and reading a lot of information on the issue, my opinion is that marijuana should be legalized. The first argument to support this point of view is the same as among the majority of people, who want marijuana to be legalized. This argument is that marijuana possesses medical properties, and it is used while treating numerous diseases. As for fears about different negative effects, the laws about legalization can be strict, it will prevent people from breaking the laws, and will benefit people, who really need marijuana as a treatment.

Should Marijuana Be Legalized in All States?

Rationale: I am planning to write on the topic of Should Marijuana Be Legalized in All States. This annotated bibliography is a testament to my preparation to write a top-notch research paper on reasons for or against the legalization of marijuana in all U.S. states. The issue of marijuana use is a long-standing issue that continues to attract widespread acclaim owing to its controversial nature. A faction of citizens supports the legalization of marijuana in all states, while some rebut such opinions citing medical and legal implications. This research delves profoundly into the legalities of marijuana and offers reasons for or against legalizing marijuana use. I also provide a personal opinion on the issue, just like every other citizen who believes that his or her views and input matter in finding the closure to this matter. The matter is of global importance because the drug has widespread use, and countries have to expend resources towards healthcare provision for addicted individuals seeking rehabilitation.

Weir, K. (2015). Marijuana and the developing brain. Monitor on Psychology, 46, 48-52

Summary: This article summarizes the status of marijuana use and legalization in the U.S. The article discusses the long-term effects of using marijuana on the adolescent brain. Many adolescents are marijuana addicts because of ease of accessibility in addition to affordability in the country. Weir (2015) argues that despite widespread legalization in U.S. states, it is imperative to research its long-term effects on users, especially adolescents before taking this drastic and unprecedented step/

• Who: Kirsten Weir
• What: The article majorly argues for the legalization of marijuana, albeit with a disclaimer. Weir notes that while many states continue to make laws to allow for the recreational and medical use of marijuana, the regulations should also safeguard the health of adolescents in addition to ensuring that they do not make marijuana easily accessible to individuals outside the recommended age limit. The author argues that adolescents have a higher predisposition to the harmful effects of marijuana than any other age group
• When: 2015
• Where: Featured on the American Psychological Association
• How: The article provides valuable insights into the detrimental effects of cannabis on adolescents and young adults. Therefore, as states legalize marijuana use, they should examine the impacts of such laws on young people in the long-term

Kim, H., & Monte, A. (2016). Colorado Cannabis Legalization and Its Effect on Emergency Care. Annals of Emergency Medicine, 68(1), 71-75.

Summary: The authors conducted a systematic review of the literature to examine the effects of Cannabis legalization in Colorado and its impacts on emergency care. The authors noted that Colorado experienced an exponential increase in the availability and use of marijuana following medical marijuana commercialization; as a result, it is imperative for states with impending marijuana legalization measures to familiarize themselves with acute marijuana intoxication symptoms and their management. Besides, they should be aware of chronic diseases evidenced in emergency departments. Therefore, the researchers suggest that E.D. providers and law enforcers should acknowledge the surge in drivers under marijuana influence and takes measures to correct it.

• Who: Howard Kim and Andrew Monte
• What: Kim and Monte use Colorado as a case study to investigate the effects of legalizing marijuana use for medical and recreational purposes. They found that following the directive to allow its use, the state of Colorado experienced a surge in the number of E.D. visits related to marijuana use.
• When: 2016
• Where: Colorado at the Colorado Department of Public Health
• How: This academic source that provides essential perspectives on the outcomes of legalizing marijuana, among them being increased E.D. visits. As states continue to weigh in on the debate, it is apparent that they need to consider the impacts on the healthcare sector. Thus, this article will prove invaluable as I develop my research paper and decide the argumentative side to choose from.

ProCon.org. (2018, November 13). Recreational Marijuana.

Summary: The article is a research report that details the arguments for and against legalizing marijuana for recreational purposes.

• Who: procon.org
• What: The authors discuss all the pros and cons related to marijuana use. The issues of impact on the economy, the health sector, costs to society and the government, reduction in use among teenagers, traffic deaths, consumer safety, addiction, impact on black markets, racism, criminal activities, and many others are explored in detail.
• When: November 2018
• Where: Procon.org
• How: From the above ‘what’ section, it is evident that the article provides important information regarding marijuana use that is critical to the development of this paper.

Gardenier, D., Brennan, M., & Weber, L. M. (2017). Should Marijuana be Legalized? The Journal for Nurse Practitioners, 13(2), 116-117.

Summary: This article expresses opposing views from nurse practitioners regarding the legalization of marijuana use. One of the nurse practitioners opposes legalization on the grounds of its harmful effects on the user’s health due to its poisonous chemicals. The other nurses support legalization for medicinal and recreational use. Weber believes that it will boost the economy by providing a revenue-base for the government while creating employment opportunities. Medicinally, she thinks it will help patients in controlling seizures and pain; besides, legalization will create a safety net because people already use it, albeit illegally.

• Who: Mary Brennan and Lydia Marie Weber
• What: The article entails contradicting opinions from nurse practitioners who have been in the healthcare industry for many years and understand the practical details of marijuana use for medical or recreational purposes.
• When: 2017
• Where: The Journal for Nurse Practitioners
• How: Both nurse practitioners have years of knowledge in the healthcare industry and have practical details about the benefits and shortcomings of marijuana use both in the long-term and short-term. As such, their opinions count towards the generation of my ideas as I prepare for my paper.

Caulkins, J. P., Lee, M. A., & Kasunic, A. M. (2012). Marijuana legalization: Lessons from the 2012 state proposals. World Medical & Health Policy, 4(3-4), 4-34.

Summary: In 2012, several states voted for the legalization of marijuana, which had various implications on health, prices, spillovers, and tax revenues, among other effects. Marijuana legalization, according to this article, differs from national legalization in terms of outcome. Also, legalization at the state level would disrupt the marijuana market by causing sharp price declines at the national level.

• Who: Jonathan Caulkins, Michael Lee, and Anna Kasunic
• What: The article discusses the effects of legalizing marijuana in several states in the U.S. It is noteworthy that state-level legalization differs from federal legalization concerning outcomes.
• When: 2017
• Where: Pittsburgh, USA. Available at World Medical & Health Policy Journal
• How: By understanding outcomes at various levels of governments, it will assist me in having a holistic view and approach to this topic.

Wang, G. (2016). Pediatric Concerns Due to Expanded Cannabis Use: Unintended Consequences of Legalization. Journal of Medical Toxicology, 13(1), 99-105.

Summary: While many states are in constant debates and discussion about the possibilities of legalizing marijuana medical and recreational use, lawmakers and policymakers need to have profound knowledge regarding the unintended consequences as well. Wang argues that marijuana can have various effects on pediatric health at all stages of their growth and development both in the short-term and long-term. Therefore, the author implores the government to conduct thorough clinical trials to evaluate the safety and efficacy of using marijuana products such as cannabidiol (CBD) on pediatric patients before incorporating their use in law.

• Who: George Sam Wang
• What: The article sums up short-term and long-term exposure of pediatrics to marijuana use during essential stages of growth such as pregnancy and breastfeeding in addition to other unintentional exposures from medical and recreational users when infused into foods and beverages or smoked. The author argues that such exposure has moderate to severe effects on children’s mental and physical health.
• When: 2016
• Where: Colorado
• How: Passive smoking affects non-smokers to the adverse effects of drug use, and therefore legislation should aim to protect even the non-users, especially the most vulnerable. Children also need protection against exposure to harmful substances as the legalization of marijuana debate to abound across the country. This article offers and a critical angle to the legalization debate, and this is the reason I will include it in my research.

References

1. Caulkins, J. P., Lee, M. A., & Kasunic, A. M. (2012). Marijuana legalization: Lessons from the 2012 state proposals. World Medical & Health Policy, 4(3-4), 4-34. Retrieved from https://scihub.bban.top/https://doi.org/10.1002/wmh3.2
2. Gardenier, D., Brennan, M., & Weber, L. M. (2017). Should Marijuana be Legalized? The Journal for Nurse Practitioners, 13(2), 116-117 Retrieved from https://scihub.bban.top/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nurpra.2016.12.008
3. Kim, H., & Monte, A. (2016). Colorado Cannabis Legalization and Its Effect on Emergency Care. Annals of Emergency Medicine, 68(1), 71-75. Retrieved from https://scihub.bban.top/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annemergmed.2016.01.004
4. ProCon.org. (2018, November 13). Recreational Marijuana. Retrieved from https://marijuana.procon.org/
5. Wang, G. (2016). Pediatric Concerns Due to Expanded Cannabis Use: Unintended Consequences of Legalization. Journal of Medical Toxicology, 13(1), 99-105. Retrieved from https://scihub.bban.top/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annemergmed.2016.01.004
6. Weir, K. (2015). Marijuana and the developing brain. Monitor on Psychology, 46, 48-52. Retrieved from https://www.apa.org/monitor/2015/11/marijuana-brain

Across the United States weed is being legalized for both medicinal and medical use, it’s time we ask this question for Australia.

There are several reasons why weed should be legalized in my opinion. My first reason it that it will give less power to gangs and create jobs for people to farm it, process it and sell it, and produce stuff to take. It would also be giving less power to gangs and give that power to the government so they could regulate it so people don’t unknowingly inhale dangerous chemicals that were added to the weed by the dealers so they can make more money. This would relieve the stress on the medical system because people would not get sick form the chemicals in the weed. There is no reported overdoses or death related to weed, unlike other drugs that are legal like caffeine, tabaco or alcohol, making it a safe alternative to some of them. There are also many ways that weed could be used in the medical field, and one of those ways is that it will help people who are in pain because it can distract people from the discomfort they are experiencing. Another way it could be used in the medical filed is in rehab, it could help drug addicts get over addictions to drugs because it would distract them from the withdrawal affects that they would feel, it is also non additive. The third reason is that weed should be legalized is that it would give police more time to focus on other crimes. It would also stop people from getting arrested for having it and put way less bourdon on the prison system. It would also be taxable by government and would be able to revenue spend of useful thing like schools or drug rehibition for drugs that cause real problems like cocaine, ice, meth and opium.

And finally, I would like to express my vision for how it will be regulated. I think one has to be over 25 to use weed because it can affect the growing brain. A person must also be over 25 to be able to sell and grow it. It will also have similar laws on drunk driving and underage drinking.

In conclusion, I believe weed should be legalized in Australia for recreational and medical use. I believe this will benefit Australia and make it a better place.

My essay is devoted to the topic of legalizing weed. This topic caught my attention when I saw that weed is allowed for medical purposes. Then I realized that if people take it medicinally in small amounts, can people take it in small amounts to still get high? I decided to do this because kids our age are starting to use drugs and or will start trying them. In this paper, I will show that weed is not as bad as people think. Of course, I am not recommending it, but if you ever do just be careful of the amount you consume. So, I have an idea that will make it so kids our age aren’t getting too high that they can’t move and get really silly and uncontrollable.

My idea is that chemists sell weed to people but only in small doses in food, which is called micro-dosing, for example, in a brownie. Although you’re probably thinking that will make it worse, with micro-dosing people will still get the sensation of being high, but they will still be able to control themselves and be able to be productive and functional. If people just started buying small micro-dosing bites from chemists, then they will stop buying from drug dealers. Teenagers and young adults will stop getting super high and this will decrease the number of car crashes there are from people driving while high as 38% of car crashes are from people driving while high on weed. This doesn’t have anything to do with our age group as none of us can drive legally, but with this people will know that they can still get the feeling of euphoria without getting high. This is a safety issue, so when walking home from a party or something, they will have more control over their bodies. It will also prevent diseases like coughs and bronchitis because it won’t be getting smoked but eaten in small bites. The mental problems that people are often having because of marijuana will reduce because people won’t be taking as much of the drug.

To prove that micro-dosing is safe, I have researched and found out about it. The amount chemists would sell would be in small amounts of 2-5 mg and this amount will be safe for people to take. I also read this page on this girl called Charlotte Palermino who took weed bites for a week to test what would happen to her. Before she did this experiment, she wasn’t sleeping well, was on her phone a lot, had back problems, she was anxious, sad, wasn’t doing much, and was close to being depressed. She did the experiment to see what would happen to her body. When she went through with the experiment, she took small bits in 2-5 mg every few hours to see the effects and to see if anything would happen. The bites gave her sensations of normal weed, but she was able to control herself and do things normally. That week she felt like it helped her alleviate her anxiety, she was on her phone less, she was visiting her family regularly, she was getting more sleep, was happier, and went to work and enjoyed it.

In America, there is a day on the 4th of the 20th, also known as 4/20, when people celebrate weed and lots of people smoke weed. People on this day smoke large amounts and get super high from weed. On this day, car crashes from weed increased by 12%, which is a lot. 38% of people died or were injured in car crashes due to marijuana, according to American statistics. On the 4th of the 20th, the amount was raised by 12%, which is 50% of car crashes caused due to weed. With my idea, this day will be legal and people will be able to control themselves after, and there won’t be as high of several car crashes.

You are probably wondering what this has to do with us. Well, kids our age are getting to the age when they are wanting to try new things and do other things. So, this will give awareness to kids our age that certain amounts can get you injured and can get you hurt, but if chemists did sell them at their place, then kids would buy it from there and wouldn’t get super high if they took it from a drug dealer. As peer pressure is becoming bigger in our society, more people are getting peer pressured into doing it, and if they were getting sold in small doses, if people were getting peer pressured, then they won’t be overdosing and getting injured. Not encouraging to take it, but just be careful how much you take if you do take it, as you can get ill and larger amounts can get you addicted easier.

Summing up, legalizing weed is a good idea. If weed is sold in small doses, called micro-dosing, it will reduce the number of accidents and deaths caused by them. People who have previously developed an addiction to weed when taking large amounts will be able to microdose without the same side effects. Weed is already legal for medicinal purposes helping people with certain diseases like breathing problems, nausea and vomiting, and mental problems, and people can have problems with birth and after birth. With it being sold in microdoses, it won’t have harm because it won’t have big effects. It will lower car crashes and deaths caused by weed because people can control themselves, so people won’t be driving while high. It will also help lots of people with depression and social issues, as well as people who are sad and aren’t doing much in life.

Audience Analysis

The study confronts the different personalities that are affected by the use of Marijuana. The government of the United States is directly influenced by the decision to legalize Marijuana as most effects are directly attached to its operations. For instance, in the changing economy or crime rates, the highest benefit will be the government. However, in terms of any adverse outcomes that crop up from legalizing Marijuana, will immensely affect government operations.

The law and policymakers have for a long time dealt with correcting proposals regarding the issue of cannabis legalization, which has led them to wait for closer analysis of the impacts associated with this legality. The lawmakers act as primary advisors to the government; thus, their decision is very crucial.

The group that is directly impacted is the users of Marijuana. These include the states where it is yet to be legalized since the black market provides for its availability. In instances where its legality affects the price, coverage, or protection, users are the primary influencers. The users are divided into different demographics such as age which prompts the study to focus on previous research based on effects on the physical and mental health of young people. Besides, children and teens are impacted by its use yet only acquire the results passively. They have limited control of the laws that govern the use and distribution of Cannabis; however, seem to suffer the effects.

Should Marijuana Be Legalized in All States

Envisage a situation in which Marijuana is legalized in all states, thus freely used during recreational events and for medical purposes. Expunge a case of medical research among other crucially related uses, will the faction of citizens aiming at supporting a motion of legalizing Marijuana get their legal right? Besides, some citizens confute their legality based on medical complications associated with its use. In instances where the merits outweigh the demerits of Cannabis use, lawmakers may consider legalizing it to enable the States where it is not yet allowed to sell freely. The article aims at analyzing the aspects connoted by various scholars regarding legalizing recreational pot which raises eyebrows with people from different disciplines ranging from the law society to philosophers.

Impacts of Legalizing Marijuana

In an article presented on the state of affairs regarding the lessons learned from the proposals submitted in support of Cannabis legalization, it is evident that there are consequences linked to health, prices, spillovers, and tax revenues (Caulkins, Lee & Kasunic 2012). The results differ at the national and state level. The various States compared give a clear picture that its adoption is characterized by advantages and disadvantages, which are primary determinants to a State before deciding to make Marijuana legal.

Advantages of Legalizing Marijuana

Several studies have been conducted attaching the positive outcomes that can be reaped from legalizing Cannabis. In a bid attempt to look at the need of legalizing recreational pot, procon.org besides other studies, dissipate information regarding merits associated with Marijuana that can be experienced upon legalization. For instance, the illegal nature associated with the marijuana business leaves most peddlers untaxed as procon.org states. The Cannabis industry could exceed $24 billion by 2025 upon its legalization in the U.S. This is made possible by the movement of money from illegal drug cartels to the government stream, thus growing economy (Gardenier, Weber & Brennan 2017). Also, the production of cannabis-related items can contribute to the establishment of industries that can be massive producers of medicinal and recreational-related marijuana products.

This, besides exponential growth in the economy, will result in a surge in employment levels. The lawmakers utilize a significant amount of resources in a bid to curb the spread of using Marijuana which upon legalization can be restrained. Dry weed commoditization will in the long run result in reduced prices of weed as opposed to the free market prices set by peddlers in the street.

The use of Bhang is attached to the black race in the U.S. with a black person attracting arrest at higher levels than a white person. This event is seen to explode in Lowa State, which presents a black person and the Hispanic community with 8.3 times the probability of arrest compared to their counterparts. Besides, this analogy affects the overall treatment of persons, including the availability of housing, financial aid, and jobs. Scholars believe that legalizing Marijuana will attract equity among different races in the U.S.

The safety of consumers is upheld since packaged Marijuana expresses the effects attached to its use. Also, age restrictions are managed by the government, thus reducing incidences of underage usage. The usage of Marijuana has decreased to exponential levels among teens with a recorded drop of 7.3 percent in the years ranging from 2014-2016. In Colorado, where the substance has been legalized for use by adults, teens have reduced their consumption level. The packaging system also allows the associated companies to be compelled to ensure that the product is safe for human consumption as it is regularly subjected to standards inspections.

The ill effects of legal drug substances such as alcohol and tobacco are significant, which include detrimental effects such as cancer, lung damage, arthritis, and heart failure, among other causes. The deaths are associated with alcohol usage; thus, poisoning is rated to approximately six people daily. On the other hand, Marijuana is not associated with any detrimental effects on the health of the consumer; thus, there is zero hindrance to its legalization as proponents seek to argue.

The traffic deaths that were previously on the rise have decreased in the States where cannabis use has been allowed. Procon.org state that motorists under the influence of Bhang tend to be excessively careful, presenting fewer risks than drunk drivers. In a statement provided by the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration driving performance is boosted by the use of Cannabis.

Disadvantages of Legalizing Marijuana

Kim & Monte (2016) following the commercialization of Marijuana in Colorado, give an outlook on the apparent contribution of its usage to the emergency department. A correlation was noted with the cases of patients who were admitted to the department. The authors conclude that the observation was primarily linked to the adoption of the use of marijuana usage. As a result, Kim & Monte (2016) appeal for law enforcers and emergency department providers to rectify the situation contributed primarily by marijuana intake and ensure it’s focused to foster positive outcomes. The economic benefits are outweighed by societal costs as the money that is collected is used by individuals while paying for emergency services.

Weir (2015) has an in-depth situational analysis of marijuana distribution in the country. This is coupled with the current adolescent characteristic, which is associated with addiction to Marijuana, assuming they are the most affected age group. For instance, in the States where Marijuana has been legalized, there is a vast increase in the number of teens indulging in cannabis consumption. With human brains being in development until the age of 25 when they gain full development, cannabis use can have detrimental effects when used by teens.

Besides passive smoking presents detrimental effects to non-users which includes children. Thus Wang (2016) calls for a need to curb its use, especially by pregnant women and those breastfeeding together with unintentional consumption during medical usage and in recreational events to safeguard the children’s physical and mental health.

Conclusion

Significant disparities are seen as scholars aim at showing the benefits and ills associated with Cannabis use. Owing to the demographic changes in the U.S. in the recent past, marijuana usage has seen a vast usage ranging from teens to adults. This has led scholars to look at possibilities of eventualities that may otherwise arise and compare them with the benefits. However, there is a contradiction in the findings where, for instance, Weir (2015) falls short of attesting to the benefits accrued with legalization. The scholar puts across a disclaimer that seeks to propose a clear understanding of the long-term effects associated with its use with a bias toward adolescents. Also, its availability to people who are underage as stipulated by the government requires protection. This raises the question of whether its legalization boosts or reduces the impacts associated with its use and coverage besides other implications on the economy; thus, more research is required.

References

1. Caulkins, J. P., Lee, M. A., & Kasunic, A. M. (2012). Marijuana legalization: Lessons from the 2012 state proposals. World Medical & Health Policy, 4(3-4), 4-34. Available at https://scihub.bban.top/https://doi.org/10.1002/wmh3.2
2. Gardenier, D., Brennan, M., & Weber, L. M. (2017). Should Marijuana be Legalized? The Journal for Nurse Practitioners, 13(2), 116-117. Available at https://scihub.bban.top/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nurpra.2016.12.008
3. Kim, H., & Monte, A. (2016). Colorado Cannabis Legalization and Its Effect on Emergency Care. Annals of Emergency Medicine, 68(1), 71-75. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annemergmed.2016.01.004. Available at https://scihub.bban.top/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annemergmed.2016.01.004
4. ProCon.org. (2018, November 13). Recreational Marijuana. Retrieved from https://marijuana.procon.org/
5. Wang, G. (2016). Pediatric Concerns Due to Expanded Cannabis Use: Unintended Consequences of Legalization. Journal of Medical Toxicology, 13(1), 99-105. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13181-016-0552-x. Available at https://scihub.bban.top/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annemergmed.2016.01.004
6. Weir, K. (2015). Marijuana and the developing brain. Monitor on Psychology, 46, 48-52. Available at https://www.apa.org/monitor/2015/11/marijuana-brain