Category: Marijuana

Introduction

Recently, there has been a debate on legalization of marijuana among the adult population in many states. In particular, the states of Oregon and Colorado have grappled with the issue for the last few months. Before last years vote on the issue, the states had made illegal the usage of marijuana for recreational purposes.

That notwithstanding, the same question has been pertinent in other states. While the proponents argue that legalization of marijuana is long overdue, opponents argue that legalizing pot could undermine the gains made in the fight against hard drugs especially among young people.

This argumentative essay seeks to support legalization of marijuana among the adult population. The rationale is that marijuana usage has been rampant despite its illegal status in many states. Thus, insignificant achievement has been made to reduce the uptake of the drug despite its illegality.

Legalize Marijuana

At the outset, it is important to highlight that prohibition of marijuana has yielded far more negative results than good. Barbour asserts that the use and accessibility of marijuana have remained unaffected over the last few decades despite the authorities directing huge amount of resources towards its prevention (56).

Specifically, it is estimated that the state of Colorado spends around $12 million every year in an attempt to combat the ever-rising use of marijuana in the population (Green 12). Such amount of financial resources could be directed towards more serious criminal activities and crimes.

Without a doubt, the efforts by the government to criminalize and prevent usage of marijuana have dramatically failed overtime. By legalizing marijuana therefore, Barbour says, &the government spending on prevention and war against marijuana will reduce significantly and save huge amounts of taxpayers dollars& (6).

In addition, the government stands to gain from tax revenues from the drug when it gains legal status. The reason is that the government will enact tax legislations on the drug and ensure that all sellers and the buyers pay a premium tax leading to increased tax revenues for the government.

Second, Reinarman, Cohen and Kaal assert that marijuana has far less negative effects on health of the user when compared to other drugs such as tobacco and alcohol (836). Moreover, pot smoking has shown to have minimal effects on the surrounding community.

That notwithstanding, tobacco and alcoholic drinks are higher in toxicity than marijuana. They lead to increased chances of addiction and are harmful to the body of the users and those around them but they remain to be legal (Reinarman et al. 59).

In a book that compares marijuana and other legal drugs, Green says, & tobacco is forty folds harmful to the health of an individual than marijuana& (123). She says that a user of alcohol is more likely to become violent than pot smokers.

This is notwithstanding the addictive effect of tobacco and alcohol that can highly overcome the addiction caused by marijuana. To that end, it is important to regulate and decriminalize usage of marijuana, as is the case with other common drugs.

Further, marijuana does not lead to cancer, as many opponents would like to show. In fact, victims of cancer have used marijuana since time immemorial.

Although there exists no conclusive qualitative or quantitative study that marijuana has a positive link to cancer, a recent study by American Psychological Association has concluded that there is no evidence to say that marijuana use could lead to lung cancer (Green 24).

To the surprise of the opponents, the research also revealed that there were insignificantly low incidences of marijuana users suffering from cancer (Barbour 9). In fact, there is no evidence to show that use of marijuana has been a direct causative factor of death among its users According to Svrakic et al,

&smoking cannabis provides relaxation and pleasure, enhances the sense of well being, contributes to stress-relief, and helps to deal with hard reality& (94).

While this is the case, alcohol and tobacco use can lead to development of chronic illnesses such as cancer. Undoubtedly, criminalization of marijuana is therefore an application of double standards to specific types of narcotic drugs.

Nonetheless, opponents have raised issues with the attempts to decriminalize and legalize marijuana. They argue that the state will have failed by legalizing marijuana (Svrakic et al. 91). They entrench their rationale to the notion that legalization will lead to an increase in uptake of the drug among the young population (Svrakic et al. 91).

They also pinpoint that such exposure to marijuana will create an entry to hard drugs for the same category of the population. Additionally, Svrakic et al. argues that,

& legalization of marijuana will undermine the war against drug trafficking especially in the Mexican border where many drug cartels flourish by selling illegal narcotics such as marijuana& (95).

Although the latter argument is important to consider, it is imperative for the opponents to dedicate more studies on the subject to demystify the myths and misconceptions that have marred marijuana.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the public debate surrounding legalization of marijuana has been inconclusive and emotive. Proponents argue that legalization of marijuana will lead to increased revenues for the government amid economic challenges.

Legalizing marijuana will not lead to cancer and deaths but will spark the debate for apparent effects of other conventional drugs that are legal.

On the other hand, opponents say that the process will lead to increase in uptake of the drug and undermine the war against drugs and traffickers.

Works Cited

Barbour, Scott. Should Marijuana Be Legalized? New Jersey: Prentice Hall Publishers, 2010. Print.

Green, Chelsea. Marijuana is Safer: So Why Are You Driving People to Drink? New York: McGraw Hill Publishers, 2009. Print.

Reinarman,Criag, Cohen, Peter and Kaal, Hendrien, The Limited Relevance of Drug Policy: Cannabis in Amsterdam and in San Francisco, American Journal of Public Health, 94.1(Dec. 2002): 836-42.Print.

Svrakic, Dragan, Lustman, Patrick, Mallya, Ashok, Lynn, Andrea, Finney, Rhonda and Svrakic, Neda. Legalization, Decriminalization and Medicinal Use of Cannabis: A scientific and Public Health Perspective Missouri Medicine, 109.2 (Mar. 2002): 90-97. Print.

Introduction

It is a well-known fact that the justice system in the United States of America is somewhat controversial because lawyers and their defendants accused of committing particular crimes can be claimed innocent in a state court, whereas the same criminal might be imprisoned by a federal judge. Marijuana possession and transmission is one of the most uncertain laws (especially in the state of California) where regular people can buy the drug by showing a medical prescription to a pharmacist. The following paper will discuss a criminal case of a man from Calaveras County who was accused of marijuana possession to compare the difference in its investigations, proceedings, and outcomes if conducted by both federal and state courts.

Discussion of the Case

To begin with, it is necessary to cover some background of the case that will be discussed in the context below. Yirtuamlak Hailu Derege is an American resident who came to the state of California approximately ten years ago with a dream of becoming a famous actor. However, he was arrested by the police and accused of marijuana possession. Due to this event in his life, the young man could not find a worthy job to make his living. There are many people like Derege in California (approximately half a million individuals were arrested within the past decade here) (Pacula, Chriqui, Reichmann, & Terry-Mcelrath, 2002). All these people now have a chance to be justified due to the new legislative regulations in the state that do not impose any punishment on individuals who abuse this popular drug (Davenport & Caulkins, 2016). It is necessary to mention that Derege used his cannabis prescription to buy the drug and sell it on the streets of Hollywood, after which he was arrested and charged with a felony for transporting marijuana with intentions to distribute  a rap he thinks was heavy-handed (Kuznia & Zezima, 2017, p. 1). The man had remained on probation without even knowing it until 2017.

The investigation of the case discussed above was immediate and was conducted by the patrolling police officers. They spotted Derege distributing the purchased marijuana on the streets of Hollywood illegally. According to Pacula et al. (2002), California was a friendly state regarding the use of marijuana in its territory since the 1970s. Therefore, many local people did not have any fears regarding their possible arrests or even sentences to several years in jail. At least nine states have passed laws expunging or reducing marijuana convictions, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures (Kuznia & Zezima, 2017, p. 3). It must be mentioned that the case of Derege was handled by his lawyer Omar Figueroa from Sebastopol who specializes in helping people with problems that emerged due to drug abuse or transmission.

Comparison of State and Federal Courts

Indeed, there could have been another outcome if the accused person was supported by another lawyer at a federal court who did not know all the specific aspects of appropriate regulations in the entire countrys territory. Perhaps, Derege could have been sentenced to more than five years in prison. The defendant also could pay a $250 000 fine for selling less than 50 kilograms of the drug (NORML, 2018). However, the felony he received for marijuana distribution could not be avoided in any other instance, regardless of the court level.

The case described above was indeed handled by a state court because it did not meet the requirements of an investigation that had to be necessarily conducted by a judge at a federal court. Also, it is necessary to mention that Derege violated the law of the California state, and hence, he was to be judged in one of such legislative institutions. The investigation of the case did not last long as the police officers who caught the defendant had both a video and witnesses that proved the fact that Derege was distributing the drugs near a McDonalds fast-food restaurant. Therefore, the accused person did not even deny that he committed a crime.

In comparison, if the case had been investigated by a federal judge, he or she would have considered many more issues that could have been noticed during the arrest procedure. The federal judge would also ask the police patrol whether the defendant had a chance to sell cannabis to other people or not. If so, the buyers would also be summoned to the trial. Not only this would make the situation and its details more accurate, but it would also reveal who buys the drug and how much money can people earn by distributing marijuana on the streets. Results of such an investigation would be useful in other similar cases and trials that might be somehow related to this particular crime. Therefore, if this investigation was conducted in a federal court, it would be more analytical and would attract many other individuals who were suspected of participating in the crime. Hence, the difference between the two courts would be tremendous.

It must be mentioned that the stage of arrest was spontaneous because it was a case that was to be handled by a state court anyway. However, the drug dealer would not be arrested immediately if it was a federal crime. In this instance, his actions would be analyzed and recorded thoroughly. Only if detectives had enough clues and relevant evidence, Derege would be ordered to arrest.

To compare the severity of the punishment that could be imposed by a federal court to what was announced at a state institution, it should be remembered that the investigation process would not take long in the latter case. According to the data presented by NORML (2018), it becomes evident that the distribution of cannabis has more severe punitive measures than its possession, cultivation, and paraphernalia. However, the case of Derege was supposed to be treated like possession because the distribution of the drugs small amount is not considered to be a significant crime (NORML, 2018). Moreover, such cases are common in the state of California (Davenport & Caulkins, 2016).

The legal regulations regarding any actions with cannabis became less severe than they used to be several decades ago. For instance, a contemporary criminal can be required to pay only a $1000 fine for the first offense, whereas in the 2000s this sum could amount to $3000. In turn, if a federal judge overviewed the given case, he or she might have mentioned that Derege could have been distributing the drug within 1000 feet from a school (regardless of whether it was public or private). Official representatives of NORML (2018) claim that the penalty is doubled if a marijuana distributor works near an educational institution. However, this law is invalid if a person sells drugs in the territories of colleges and universities.

The outcomes (sentencing) of the case also depended on the level of a court. If a federal judge had seen that this was the first offense, he or she would have the right to sentence the young man to the term of one year. However, if a person is caught twice, one is to spend from 15 days to two years in prison. In turn, when a drug dealer is arrested subsequently, this individual is expected to spend from 90 days to three years in jail (NORML, 2018). It is essential to state that Derege confessed that he distributed drugs on the streets of Hollywood, which had a particular influence on the state judges attitude towards the young man. If the defendant had tried to justify himself, the proceeding would have required much more time and the latter judge could have imposed a $1000 fine on Derege. Instead, the young man went out of the building with just a felony.

As such cases are common and, hence, not significant in the state of California, similar trials are rarely organized in the Los Angeles County Superior Court or Metropolitan Courthouse. Usually, drug dealers and abusers are invited to such institutions as the Bellflower Courthouse and San Fernando Courthouse (Dioun & Haveman, 2015). These legislative institutions specialize in minor crimes and cases that do not require much investigation.

Conclusion

Yirtuamlak Hailu Derege was accused of selling marijuana on the streets of Hollywood, Los Angeles. The young man was immediately arrested by the police patrol passing by at that moment. As a punishment, Derege received a felony that did not allow him to find a worthy job for almost 10 years. The man confessed that he was selling the drug and regretted what he did a decade ago. There could be significant changes to the outcomes of the trial if the case had been investigated by a federal judge, Derege had been distributing marijuana near any school, if the trial had happened in another state, or if the young man had been caught more than once.

References

Davenport, S. S., & Caulkins, J. P. (2016). Evolution of the United States marijuana market in the decade of liberalization before full legalization. Journal of Drug Issues, 46(4), 411-427. Web.

Dioun, C., & Haveman, H. (2015). The price of legitimacy: Regulation, risk and uncertainty in legal marijuana markets. Academy of Management Proceedings, 2015(1), 13312-13312. Web.

Kuznia, R., & Zezima, K. (2017). Convicted of a marijuana crime in California? It might go away, thanks to legal pot. Web.

NORML. (2018). Working to reform marijuana laws. Web.

Pacula, R. L., Chriqui, J. F., Reichmann, D. A., & Terry-Mcelrath, Y. M. (2002). State medical marijuana laws: Understanding the laws and their limitations. Journal of Public Health Policy, 23(4), 413-423. Web.

The title of the bill is SB 8A  Establishes Rules for Growing Medical Marijuana. It was introduced on June 7, 2017, by Senator Bradley. The bill represents the state of Florida. Since companion bills have been passed, the policy will go into effect after the companion initiatives have been considered.

Description

The bill attempts to specify the conditions of growing marijuana for medical use. It outlines that the states sales tax should be exempted. In addition, it defines the medical conditions in which this treatment can be prescribed to patients. Initially, several chronic diseases such as increased spasmodic disorders, multiple sclerosis, and other illnesses have been included in the list of diseases allowing the consumption of this substance for medical purposes.

The current bill has expanded this list to include cancer, epilepsy, glaucoma, HIV, and other severe conditions. Apart from that, the initiative requires testing laboratories and research organizations to advance the existing body of knowledge in this field. Overall, the main goal of the document is to address the health needs of people requiring marijuana to relieve the manifestations of their illness as well as the implications of growing marijuana for medical purposes.

Healthcare and Social Determinants of Health

The bill has a potential to improve as well as to hurt healthcare. On the one hand, people requiring the use of marijuana to help them cope with the negative manifestations of their health status will receive quality care that corresponds to their needs. On the other hand, healthcare institutions will be subjected to reformations to be able to address the implications of SB 8A. In addition, growing medical marijuana can be associated with the recreational use of this substance, which can lead to false representations in people to whom marijuana has not been indicated.

Social determinants of health can also be affected by this bill. In particular, such negative manifestations as unemployment and poverty can determine the way people perceive the use of marijuana and the reasons for growing it. It can also lead to substance abuse. Therefore, the bill has a potential to change the social context for marijuana consumption.

Special Interest Groups and Fiscal Impact

The two special interest groups that will promote the legislation are Marijuana Policy Project and National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws. The parties that are likely to oppose the bill are police unions, alcohol companies, and pharmaceutical corporations. The latter two parties can oppose the bill because it will affect their revenues.

Importantly, no tax or fee issues will be present. The bill will influence both the private and the government sector, which is reasonable. In the first instance, institutions will have to experience increased licensing costs. In addition, laboratories will need to receive additional certification to be able to meet the new standards. In the second instance, governmental institutions may face increased expenditures related to the implementation of the new provisions. However, these costs can be compensated through licensure fees.

Impact on Community

The policy will have a negative, as well as a positive impact on the general community. If the bill is passed, the social norms of recreational and medical marijuana use are likely to be distorted. However, the individuals requiring this form of care will be able to receive it to achieve a positive health status. If the bill died, the perceived risk of use would be likely to increase. It can be assumed that the Federal Drug Enforcement Administration will review and enforce this legislation if it is accepted.

Justification and Concluding Points

It is difficult to state unequivocally whether the bill should pass or not. The consequences of it will be both positive and negative. Theoretically, it should be approved if growing medical marijuana does not result in its popularization and if the substance is used in the conditions specified by healthcare specialists. Overall, if the policy is accepted, a greater degree of responsibility will be placed on the healthcare industry and the population.

Analysis

Jane Doe, a sixteen-year-old Louisiana high-school student, was arrested on Sept. 21, 2021, for simple marijuana possession. She has no prior criminal record and is eligible for Operation Do-Over. As deputy chief of police, I suggest the offender participates in the Operation Do-Over program in place of prosecution. Jane Doe attends school regularly and has been positively characterized by her teachers and the schools principal. There have been no prior drug-related incidents recorded in her profile. The offender is not associated with other registered offenders; neither has she shown any delinquent behavior in the past. Jane Does family, her ten-year-old brother David and their single mother, Catherine Doe, are currently being evicted from their house due to nonpayment of rent. It appears that problems in the offenders family could account for her recent episode of criminal behavior. Considering Jane Does overall positive characteristics, I find the traditional criminal procedure irrelevant in the case. The diversion program should help the offender reconsider her criminal behavior and learn the negative consequences of criminal offenses without being subjected to criminal prosecution. The program will allow Jane Doe to continue her education at Louisiana high school, which she describes as her primary objective.

Response

In place of prosecution, I suggest the offender takes part in one individual counseling session. Jane Doe will have a one-hour-long meeting with a juvenile justice counselor, who will evaluate her current state, and her readiness for rehabilitation and propose a meaningful plan for her future. She will also take part in the community service labor program. Since she was arrested with a simple passion for marijuana (less than 4 ounces), the duration of her community service should not exceed 5 hours. At the end of the Program, Jane Doe should draft a reflection letter and appear before a youth court of her peers to have the reflection letter reviewed. A therapist will also interview the offender at the end of the program to evaluate the impact of the procedure on the minors psychological state.

Assessment

As deputy chief of police, I view the possibility of implementing the Operation Over-Do program as an efficient and meaningful alternative to criminal justice. Jane Does case of minor violation is just one of many cases when criminal prosecution is much more expensive and, taking into account the potential for recidivism, far less effective measure. The programs ultimate goal is to create a long-term system in which criminal behavior in minors is treated prevailingly by juvenile counselors and therapists instead of punishing low-level offenders on the state level. Jane Does first arrest could lead to her incarceration under our current legislature, which is unlikely to contribute to her future. Her participation in the program will be an educational experience and put the juvenile offender in touch with professionals who can understand the motives of her behavior instead of giving Jane Doe an actual criminal sentence at a correctional facility. Working together with a juvenile counselor, a therapist, and a social worker will help the offender reconsider her behavior and also might help her find solutions to her current problems, which might have influenced the episode. As someone, who frequently deals with low-level juvenile offenders, I can say that implementing diversion programs instead of prosecution can be life-changing for many young offenders. Supporting therapy and social security services rather than additionally funding the overloaded criminal justice system should contribute to safety and reduce crime levels in our neighborhoods.

Reference

Tallian, K. (2019). Its time to decriminalize marijuana possesion. Indianapolis Business Journal, 40(33), 4B-5B.

On September 16, 2013 the City Council of Denver, Colorado decided to adopt the law for the legalization of retail marijuana. The economy and finance from the very beginning were anticipating that this law will bring the largest income to the states budget and create plenty of job opportunities under the rule of law (Marijuana Legalization and Regulation). The first official stores selling legal marijuana were opened in January 2014. Colorado is the first among all the United States to adopt such a law.

In Colorado now marihuana can be bought like alcohol, it is prohibited to sell marijuana to citizens that are younger than 21 years of age. The legal limitations only allow buying an ounce of legalized marijuana. The prices for this product are, of course, very high. The new law, just like the experts expected, truly turned out very profitable for the state. Only during the first month of being active, the legalized marijuana sales have brought millions of dollars in taxes and fees (Rittiman par. 1).

According to the data from the Department of Revenue, Americans have purchased the amount of legal marijuana worth around fourteen million dollars only in January. A smaller part of it was from the retail of medical marijuana. The legal marijuana excise tax is now registered to be fifteen percent. The financial prognosis says that the state budget predicts to receive up to seventy-seven million dollars of income from legalized marijuana through the next fiscal year.

Even though the state leaders expect that the law legalizing retail marijuana will completely take this business out of the control of cartels and illegal organizations, pot from the Black Market is still popular. There are many reasons why the legalized distribution of marijuana did not harm the Black Market businessmen much. First of all, the prices in official stores selling pot are extremely high. Illegal weed can still be purchased from the dealers for less than fifty percent of the official price.

Secondly, the number of official stores is not big yet, besides they all have to be closed after seven oclock in the evening  these conditions make access to the legal pot much more complicated, while illegal pot traders are easy to find and reach. Another very important aspect of marijuana as a purchase is its quality. The product bought in legal stores does not seem to be of satisfactory quality due to the growing demand for it (Hunter par. 5). Judging from these facts, the Black Market did not suffer too much income loss after the legalization of retail pot. However, things may change a lot after more stores open all over the state and if prices become lower  these are two main factors that would create discomfort to the Black Market businessmen, dealers and cartels.

The law legalizing marijuana sales has both negative and positive sides. It creates a lot of freedom for the drug-consuming population. When selling, buying and using marihuana was forbidden by law many potential clients were afraid to purchase it. Now that the retail drug is available the number of people using it will grow rapidly, as well as the amount of recreational marijuana they will be able to take. This will definitely influence public health a lot. The advantage is that a big part of the income from this sphere of business will be directed to a good cause like school construction. Besides, I see the legalization of marijuana as a good chance to take this huge income out of illegal hands.

Works Cited

Hunter, Stuart. (2014). Black Market for Weed Still Thriving in Colorado. Web.

Marijuana Legalization and Regulation. drug policy. (n. d.) Web.

Rittiman, Brandon. (2014). Colorado Raises $2M in First Month of Marijuana Taxes. Web.

Marijuana has been used for medical purposes since ancient times, but its 20th-century association with drug addiction and the severe issues that can result from it has led this area of exploration to stagnate and recede. With that said, development has recently restarted, as initiatives to enable medical marijuana usage gained traction. Cronin mentions two applications of the drug: chronic seizure treatment with CBD oil and cancer treatment with THC (24-25). Their proven effectiveness, with limited side effects, creates a strong case for legalizing medical marijuana.

The recreational possession and use of marijuana should be decriminalized, and complete legalization should be strongly considered. Possession (for personal consumption) and use are victimless crimes that currently incur disproportionate penalties from the government. Moreover, such charges likely contribute to the United States current mass incarceration problem, creating unnecessary government expenses while also damaging peoples lives. Decriminalization would help address the issue without incurring extensive negative outcomes, as marijuana sales would still be illegal. Complete legalization, however, warrants an in-depth discussion that is beyond the scope of this post.

Currently, medical marijuana legalization is highly popular across the United States, with recreational uses having substantially lower (but still significant support). Per Demko et al., New Jersey and Arizona polls show voters in favor of recreational marijuana, and over 80% of Mississippi residents agree with medical use. With that said, despite numerous states already having legalized one or both applications, the federal government remains opposed to either form of legalization, and marijuana possession and use remain federal offenses. It will typically not enforce its anti-marijuana laws in locations where it is legal, but the conflict and the associated danger remain.

Works Cited

Cronin, Kathleen. Medical Use of Illicit Drugs. Greenhaven Publishing LLC, 2019.

Demko, Paul, et al. States Plow Forward With Pot, With or Without Congress. Politico, 2020, Web.

Introduction

The issue of Marijuana legalization has long been a very debatable topic for discussion among the governmental institutions and different social layers. It has to be noticed that the legalization of Cannabis sativa is a very controversial topic that may arouse arguing opinions. However, marijuana has been known for centuries to help the medical care procedures. For instance, ancient Chinese writings have cannabis medical use recorded back in 2700 BC. Contemporary perception of Marijuana has altered with the span of time and use of it as a drug. Unfortunately, the understanding and application of cannabis has altered and now it is taken as a dramatic damage to society, which is definitely partially true. Nevertheless, it has to be mentioned that legalization of marijuana could have dragged much more beneficial and prolific results for the government and medicine, respectively. The government can earn money from taxes on cannabis sale and the medicine get much more benefit that outweighs its abuse outcomes. So, legalization should be regarded as a plan for action despite the claims of organizations that consider legalization to cause drug crimes rates increase.

Origins

Cannabis originates from South and Central Asia. This is one of those significant plants that have several forms to be distributed in. Unprocessed, it comes in form of dried leaves; processed, it is kief  the powder sifted from flowers and leaves. It is rich in trichomes and is consumed in its powder form (Rose 73). When compressed it is used to make balls of hashish, which can be chewed or smoked. Marijuana users usually smoke resin at times when cannabis is not available (Marshall 126). The ancient Assyrians were the first to smoke marijuana. In the United States it is used illegally. There are furious debates over its harmful and useful features, both of which have significantly outweighed each other. Overall, people continue to use marijuana illegally despite its prohibition and the harsh laws that have been laid by various governments against its use (Marshall 128).

Medical Benefits

For many decades it has been deemed that legalization can have seriously terrible consequences. However, people forget that governmental prohibition acts in the beginning of 1900s caused the actual drug abuse and turning decent and loyal citizens into lawbreakers. So, this is a very debatable topic: whether it is marijuana abuse that was first or the governmental prohibition law in 1919. It has to be noticed that marijuana unlike cigarettes and alcohol is no as harmful as people are used to think. Moreover, the role of the government in forming such a dreadful opinion about marijuana is underestimated. Statistics shows that there are many more car accidents (hence lethal outcomes) because of alcohol than there are caused by hemp. In fact, marijuana is the safest therapeutically active medical substance humanity has ever known. Therefore, marijuana could be safely used in medical treatment though with supervised directions. Within the debates over marijuana abuse, it has to be mentioned for the sake of justice that there are over 400,000 deaths from alcohol poisoning in the United States annually. So, it is hard to determine if the Government gains anything from prohibitions of marijuana. Besides, the government has no right to dictate when one should give up his her own freedom (Marshall 127). The pros and cons of consuming alcohol need to be discussed here, therefore. Heavy drinkers are likely to be helpless when drunk, they will probably need someone to take them home because the Central Nervous System gets frustrated and a person cannot walk. However, the extreme amount of smoking marijuana puts a person to sleep, nothing more. Of course, this debate may lead to discussing the following circumstances and being asleep while driving is a bad thing, too because it can cause death as well as alcohol does. However, compare and contrast of alcohol vs. marijuana is brought up to show unconditional direct consequences the person undergoes. Namely, alcohol poisons your liver and kills you, while marijuana does neither of such impacts. Marijuana is not completely healthy, of course. The only well confirmed negative effect of marijuana is caused by the smoke, which contains three times more tars and five times more carbon monoxide than tobacco. But even the heaviest marijuana smokers rarely use as much as an average tobacco smoker (Grinspoon 179).

Contemporary medicine has gone very far and it is much more advanced today than it used to be several decades ago. However, there are those cases in medicine that desperately need the use of marijuana for treatment. For example, it does reduce nausea when a cancer patient takes up chemotherapy. Marijuana is used to treat patients with AIDS and sclerosis. The medical effect of marijuana is significant on patients with glaucoma  it lowers down the eye pressure. Therefore, if the government of the United States took action today, we would see the results immediately. The patients with different illnesses ranging from manic depression to Multiple Sclerosis will feel better. Once marijuana is legalized, it may become the most useful thing on the planet and the government could have got lots of money from taxes into the states budget.

Social Attitude towards Legalization of Marijuana

Of course, people who have never consumed marijuana are frightened at the possibility to have marijuana legalized. They are scared because it has been announced that marijuana users are criminals and unworthy people. For instance all forms of violence are associated with drug use, family break up and children negligence (Katel 123). The listed above consequences are regarded as the result of marijuana and other drugs abuse. However, as it was mentioned before many people have no other choice than become the criminals because of the law that does not allow buying marijuana freely. That is why the society undergoes dreadful results of hypnotism that marijuana brings only grief and destruction. Unfortunately, majority of people do not understand how destructive other forms of addictions may be for the society, whereas marijuana is the mean to make patients lives easier. Moreover, the mass opinion of the United States citizens about marijuana usage influences the overall adaptation of the legalization since we live in the democratic society, although nobody pays attention that this very opinion has been initially formed by the actual government. Therefore, according to the societal views, there is practically no chance to exercise new social politics as per the usage of marijuana. Thus, this is a very slight chance for the medical branch to use marijuana legally and give an opportunity to earn on taxes and hence invest back in medicine. Unfortunately, this alternative was not voiced widely to people and not everyone is aware of this opportunity. Namely, very few people understand that legalization of marijuana will lead to reforms in medical treatment, hence overall economical changes for better, and ultimately the actual social and medical level upraise.

Disadvantages of Legalization of Marijuana

Marijuanas medicamentous advantages are evident. For example, researchers suggest that numerous medicinal properties of marijuana protect the body against a number of malignant tumors. Cannabis has also proved to be beneficial to a gamut of conditions ranging from depression to multiple sclerosis (Asenjo 112). However, there is a definite opposition to all of the advantages that cannabis offers  the societal changes that may result from marijuanas legalization. Since it will become available to everyone, more addicts will appear, given that marijuana is an addictive dug. Thus, more people will get addict and more of the population of the United States will become unable to carry out aware and mature decisions as per the social behavior. This way, the society can be changed and perhaps not for better. However, this issue may be immediately argued with the help of the right for freedom of speech. America is a free country with the freedom of choice and the freedom of speech; thereby authorities take this right away by not letting the choice to appear.

Conclusion

Legalization of marijuana has long been a very debatable issue among political authorities and the US nation overall. It is evident that medical treatment with the use of marijuana would be beneficial for both: patients and the government because of the opportunity to earn on taxation. This, in its turn, will suppose the government to invest money elsewhere including the medical sphere. So, ultimately the government not only reduces the rate of crimes and levels up budget amount, it is also a very good opportunity to show people marijuana is not a threat, rather it is a way out of economical and moral crisis.

Works Cited

Asenjo, Bill. Marijuana, Ed. Jacqueline L. Longe. Vol 3. 2nd Ed. Detroit: Gale, 2006. Print.

Grinspoon, Lester. Marihuana: The Forbidden Medicine. New Heaven: Yale University Press, 1997. Print.

Katel, Peter. Legalizing Marijuana. Should Not Be Treated Like Alcohol and Taxed? The CQ Researcher, 2009. Web.

Marshall, Patrick. Marijuana Laws, Should state and federal marijuana laws be reformed? The CQ Researcher 15. (2005): 125-148.

Rose, Kenneth. Prohibiting and Temperance. Detroit: Charles Scribners Son, 2004. Print.

The way of drug taking starts with a voluntary deed, a decision to try a drug, experience its effect, undergo its influence. Eventually this occupation may become dangerous, it may result in many dangerous consequences and unpleasant events, it threatens the consumers social, professional, family life, it leads to social withdrawal and severe health and mental issues of all kinds, some of this damage may turn out to be irreparable.

The substance under a well known nickname heroin is prohibited in the majority of the worlds countries. Even though heroin is an illegal drug, it is included in several types of medications and it is also used for the replacement therapy for the drug addicts. Heroin is widely abused all over the world. The number of heroin users counts nine and a half million people. This number is, of course, not precise because not many people all over the world would openly and honestly confess that they are drug users.

Heroin is a severely addictive drug, it makes a very fast effect on peoples health, a user turns into an addict very quickly. The addicts body starts to undergo a whole raw of harmful and extremely destructive influences that are irreversible. The recognized short-term effects of heroin abusing are nausea, rush, vomiting, depressed respiration. The typical long-term effects of such addiction are collapsed veins, abscesses, many infectious and very dangerous diseases such as AIDS/HIV and hepatitis C.

(National Institute of Drug Abuse, par. 5). According to Frank Blanche, the image of a typical abuser of heroin changes with time (par. 7). Due to younger generations avoidance of drugs, the heroin users groups are getting older every decade. Besides, earlier there was a clear pattern of heroin abuse, showing that some years ago the main areas where the drug was distributed to were city centers.

These days the drug dealers have a tendency to move to more suburban areas, this is why they young people living there are now under a risk of becoming potential heroin addicts. The authors advice is that some effective measures should be developed and created in the areas that are included into the risk group because these areas are very likely to become major hubs for drug criminals in the future.

Marijuana is another widely popular drug. This drug is being legally traded in at least twenty of the United States. Most of the typical abusers of marijuana are high school students, most of which are adolescent. OConnors research shows that at least thirty six percent of senior school students from all over the Unites States have been involved into the drug consume (par. 6).

The health of marijuana abusers undergoes many harmful influences. The short-term consequences of abusing marijuana are nausea, dizziness, vomiting, headache, loss of motor coordination, trouble with problem solving, increased heart rate (Marijuana Addiction Treatment, par. 5). Long-term consequences are more serious. For example, marijuana has been proved to influence a human brain development seriously, to be more precise, this drug produces a destructive effect on its users brains cognitive function and memory.

This leads to a variety of learning disabilities the students of high schools across the United States tend to experience and struggle with. Besides, the people who often abuse marijuana become hyperactive and anxious; due to this the level of social violence increases in educational facilities. Some individuals regularly consuming marijuana tend to become locked up and live in social withdrawal.

In general, the students, who often abuse marijuana, are not known for their achievement in studies, their learning performance can be characterized as negative. This drug is also medically used. Initially, marijuana was traded from the pharmacies. The trade of marijuana in recreational purposes was legalized not so long ago. As a medication cannabis can be helpful in treating various health and mental complications, among them are cardiopulmonary complications (Gupta, par. 34).

Both of these drugs  heroin and marijuana  are in the same place in FDA drug schedule  they occupy the schedule one with high abuse liability and investigational use only (Drug Classification, par. 7).

Treatment of any drug addiction is a complicated process because it is caused by a very complex illness (Drug facts, par. 2). When drug consuming becomes uncontrollable, turns into a habit, ruins a persons health and social life, a series of measures have to be taken. The success in the process of drug addiction treatment is only possible when the patient is willing to co-operate and has a desire to recover and defeat the habit.

Addiction to the drugs that belong to the category of opioids has been a global and very serious issue for the whole world for the last several decades. Drug abuse influences the way the human brain works and creates the compulsive craving for a certain chemical substance, the addict becomes obsessed with seeking for a dose. There is a series of medications especially developed to treat the opioid addiction.

They are designed to work the same way as the drug does, the only difference is that these medications are safer than the addictive drug and do not tend to create an addiction in the users brain. The second approach to the treatment of the opioid addiction is behavioral treatment. These treatments work though the cognitive-behavioral therapy. The patient basically gets stimulated for avoiding the drug. In case of heroin abuse, the patient has to go through a detoxification program before starting the treatment.

During the detoxification period, the patient is not allowed to use the drug, except for the small doses that can be given to the patient to minimize the withdrawal symptoms (What Are the Treatments for heroin Addiction? par. 4).

The treatment of marijuana addiction is mostly done on the outpatient basis where the patients, are given medications to reduce the negative experience of the drug withdrawal. After the detoxification and the treatment programs are completed by the patient, a course of therapy is also offered. The therapy works to help the patient start a new life and stay clean forever.

In conclusion, to my mind, even though marijuana is considered a lighter drug that is not as addictive, both of these drugs are equally bad. Both long and short-term effects of these drugs are negative and, in best case, will take a long time to cure. Abusing drugs to me feel like becoming a slave of a chemical substance that starts re-writing your brain and damages it severely.

In the modern society there are people that are taking these drugs, as well as people, who are avoiding the drugs. Fortunately, anti-drug propaganda works well and drives many young people from the path of an addict. In general, due to multiple bad and lethal cases of addictions and overdoses, the society is aware of all the horrifying consequences drug abuse may cause.

Works Cited

Blanche, Frank. An overview of heroin trends in New York City: Past, present and future. The Mount Sinai Journal of medicine 67.5 (2000): 341-348. Print.

Drug Classification. AddictionScience. 2009. Web.

Drug Facts, National Institute on Drug Abuse. 2009. Web.

Gupta, Sanjay. Gupta: I am doubling down on medical marijuana. 2014. Web.

Marijuana Addiction Treatment. Treatment Solutions. 2013. Web.

National Institute on Drug Abuse. Heroin: Abuse and Addiction. Web.

OConnor, Anahad. Increasing marijuana use in high school is reported. The New York Times. 2013. Web.

What Are the Treatments for heroin Addiction? About. 2013. Web.

The paper will review the article: Age at first use of marijuana and past-year serious mental illness. The article was published in May 2005 by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Association (SAMHSA) under its National Survey on Drug Use and Health Report. The researchers interviewed respondents who were 12 years of age and above. Respondents were asked questions on their use of marijuana. One of the survey questions required them to state the age at which they first used marijuana. Respondents aged 18 years and above were also required to answer certain questions that would help the researchers to assess whether they had suffered from SMI (serious mental illness) in the 12 months before the survey was conducted.

I chose this article because it addresses the use of marijuana among teenagers which is widespread globally. In the past, researchers have acknowledged the association between smoking marijuana and the risk of developing mental health. In addition, the age when one first cloud of smoke marijuana is important as it has a huge effect on the development of mental illnesses. The implications for mental health development are greatest for people who start using marijuana at an early age. The fact that this article addresses these two issues at length makes it a good read.

The article has highlighted the widespread use of marijuana among teenagers. According to the article, marijuana is the most common illicit drug that a first-time drug user is likely to try. In addition, the article addresses the link between increased risk of developing mental illnesses and the use of illicit drugs like marijuana, especially among people who start abusing the drug at an early age.

For respondents who were 18 years and above, the researchers assessed the likelihood that they could suffer from SMI (serious mental illness) in the 12 months that preceded the survey (National Survey on drug Use and Health 1). This classification was based on diagnosable, behavioral, emotional, or mental disorders that fulfill the DSM-IV (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) criteria.

The research findings revealed that 21% of the respondents had used marijuana for the first time before their 12th birthday. On the other hand, 45.2% of the respondents stated that they had smoked marijuana for the first time at 18 years or later. The research findings further revealed that the number of females at or above the age of 18 who reported having used marijuana for the first time before the age of 12 was half that of their male counterparts. 21% of the respondents of 18 years and above claimed to have used marijuana for the first time prior to their 12th birthday (National Survey on drug Use and Health 2). On the other hand, 10.5% of adults claimed to have used marijuana for the first time at 18 years or older.

The researchers also revealed that respondents who smoked marijuana for the first time before the age of 12 years had a two-fold likelihood of developing serious mental illness in the past 12 months before the commencement of the study, compared with respondents who first smoked marijuana for the first time at 18 years or later.

This article is important because it sheds more light on the relation between the use of Marijuana and cases of developing schizophrenia and other mental diseases. It also provides more in-depth research on the correlation between the age and sex of marijuana users.

Works Cited

National Survey on Drug Use and Health. 2005. Age at First Use of Marijuana and Past Year Serious Mental Illness. SAMHSA 2005. Web.

Marijuana is a type of plant that grows ordinarily just as any other plant. Although it is literally viewed as an ordinary plant, many view it as extra ordinary due to the complications attached with it. Marijuana is an important and essential plant if properly used, but can be harmful if misused. For instance, it has several medicinal values.

Despite the good outcomes of this plant, many view it as an illegal drug because of its abuse mostly by the younger generation (Finley, 2008). Most people use the drug as a stimulant without knowing the effects it has on the brain cells. This is because it produces sensory effects, which have psychoactive effects on the brain cells of the users.

The uptake of marijuana has been on rise in the past years. The government and social media reports evidence this. In different eras, many of the supporters of illegalizing the use of the drug have exaggerated its dangers. Government policies have been greatly influenced by scientific research accorded to marijuana in the recent past.

This is evidenced by the creation of criminal penalties for marijuana offences by various countries. States have also expanded the funding of scientific researches concerning the drug. This has been enhanced through the creation of institutions such as National Institution on Drug Abuse (NIDA).

The main aim of creating these institutions is to evaluate the impact and the effects of marijuana on the abusers and on the environment. This is because of the different views by different scientific research institutions on the drug. The main issues discussed about marijuana are the effects it has on the brain, cells, reproduction system, lungs, and immune system of its users. Its impact on the development of a nation and its addictive potential has also been discussed.

Due to the political influence on these institutions, the results obtained are relatively biased as they suggest that the drug is relatively safe and does not create serious harm on the society. However, this depends on contents taken, which vary from one individual to another, as well as the methodologies used to achieve the results.

The issue on the effects of marijuana has been highly politicized. According to government research institutions, for instance National Institution of Drug Abuse (NIDA), the findings of their research showed that the drug is relatively safe and unlikely to cause serious harm on its users.

According to other independent research institutions, these results were termed as politicized, thus not reliable. This is because the use of marijuana has been on the rise at an alarming rate over the past years (Hans, 2000). According to government surveys, the results had showed that the use of the drug began decreasing in 1980 as compared to 1970s. Similar results were made in 1990. These results cannot be relied upon because the use of marijuana has been increasing consistently over the years.

The use of marijuana has many adverse effects especially among the youth worldwide. This has had an impact on the social cultural welfare of the society. The victims of the circumstances are the younger generation aging between 12 to 25 years. This is due to peer influence and peer pressure. Although most adolescent drug users do not go on to become drug abusers, a good number of them become addicts after some time.

It is worth noticing that most of the young people are introduced to the drug while in school (Hans, 2000). The media have also attributed the recent increase. The introduction of advanced technology has also contributed to the rise. The ignorance of the society to address this issue has also led to the increase. The society needs to educate the young generation on the effects of marijuana so as they can make informed decisions on the drug.

Generally, as earlier stated, marijuana consumption has various effects on the society. Among these are economic consequences. The consumption of this drug is considered unhealthy and confers financial burden on society. From the research, most of the persons who take marijuana are unemployed. The question is where they get money to buy these drugs. The answer is obvious. Most of their finances come from their parents, relatives, and friends among other people in the society.

This imposes financial burden to the society. Producers of this drug also tend to pay a high social and political price for short-term economic gains. Since it is illegal to operate on such business, a state is unable to impose tax on such businesses. As a result of this, the government, and the society does not benefit from the trade (Finley, 2008).The various diseases attributed from the uptake of this drug also have a negative impact on the economy. This is because of huge amounts of money involved in the treatment of the diseases.

The government spends a lot in financing medical research institutions in research for antibiotics to counter the diseases caused by uptake of the drug. All these lead to economical instability of a country because the funds that could have otherwise been used in developing the country are used for medication. Although is it urged that the business is beneficial to farmers who depend on growing of marijuana, the disadvantages outweigh the benefits.

Marijuana addicts are considered to have a low working capacity. This has a huge negative impact on a countrys economy especially where the country depends highly on young people for labor (Finley, 2008). Researches show that the links between low productivity and accidents are associated with the uptake of marijuana. The substance abusers in the work force impose significant extra costs on the business sector thus reducing its competitiveness.

Societies find it difficult to advance if they have to rely on a workforce that is impaired by large-scale marijuana abusers. This is because jobs require a high level of judgment and constant attention, which requires a sober mind. Marijuana addicts lack these features as their brain cells are disrupted by the drug.

The more the society becomes vulnerable to the drug substance the higher the costs (Finley, 2008). Based on estimates by the United States Department of Labor in the mid-1990s, the studies suggest that marijuana use in workplace may cost American businesses and industries between $75billion and $100 billion annually.

Marijuana taking also has negative social impacts on the society. Most of the issues are relevant to the relationship between the substance abuser and the family and community. Research shows that the substance abuser causes more harm to the family interrelationships than the effects of poverty attached on his family (Finley, 2008).

However, the substance abuse can also strain family relationships and ultimately making families dysfunctional thus transforming families from an asset of society to a burden. Although families have a great influence in imposing good morals to their children thus preventing substance abuse, peer pressure often proves to have an even stronger influence. It has been observed that parental irresponsibility on their children to educate them on good morals leads to the usage.

The family of the victim suffers emotionally in efforts to stop the victim from the vice (Finley, 2008). A marijuana abuser puts his or her health at risk. This is because they are likely to suffer from brain cancer, lung diseases, sympathetic over-activity, hypertension, hyperthermia, cardiac arrhythmias, delusions, and allusions.

A marijuana abuser is also likely to cause negative impacts on education (Hans, 2000). Schoolchildren who use this drug often suffer from impairment of short team memory and other intellectual faculties thus having a poor class performance. Abuse of marijuana also has a negative impact on the environment as it leads to crime, corruption, and dangers for civil society.

In conclusion, the present studies show that the abuse of marijuana causes adverse economic, social cultural and political effects (Hans, 2000). While there is need for a clear assessment of the cost effectiveness of public policy measures, and the optimal allocation of public resources, marijuana production should be limited.

This is evident on the economical, political, and social consequences attributable to its abuse. As such, the most important thing is for the governments to weigh the benefits and effects that come in hand with the production and use of marijuana in their nations to determine the legalization or prohibition of marijuana.

Reference List

Hans, T. (2000). Growing marijuana hydroponically. Oakland, CA: Ronin Pub.

Hans, T. (2000). Indoor marijuana horticulture: The medical, legal, cultivation encyclopedia for 2001 and beyond. United States of America: The Author.

Finley, L. (2008). Hawking hits on the information highway: The challenge of online drug sales for law enforcement. New York: Peter Lang.