POLICY ANLYSIS PROJECT PART 11

.docx

School

Walden University *

*We aren’t endorsed by this school

Course

6127

Subject

Medicine

Date

Dec 6, 2023

Type

docx

Pages

Uploaded by grace3mum

POLICY ANLYSIS PROJECT PART 11 The Use of Marijuana for Medical Purposes Daniel Usman Master of Public Health, Walden University PUBH 6127: Public Health Policy, Politics, and Progress Dr. Berthline Rendel Isma

Option 1: Legalize the possession of cannabis sativa for recreational use Legalize and decriminalize the personal possession of cannabis sativa and its derivatives for leisure purposes. Legalizing and decriminalizing the possession of cannabis sativa and its products is the first step the state should take in establishing safe access to marijuana. This approach also calls for the commutation of marijuana possession sentences, as the bulk of inmates in the prison system were there for relatively minor cannabis offenses. Decriminalization would not only significantly cut state spending related to cannabis prohibition (see Miron 2020), but it will also free up resources for law enforcement to focus on other crucial state issues. This alternative will necessitate state constitutional revisions because it is now unlawful in the state to possess cannabis and its derivatives for recreational purposes. Due to partisan bills with the option of decriminalization in the state assembly and senate, the implementation of this option should be less difficult. Since many of the persons who are prosecuted for possession of marijuana are members of minority groups, there is strong evidence that legalization will advance equity. A legal cannabis production and sales process will be established in Indiana through this option as well. Small companies and farmers will benefit from the creation of jobs as a result of this. Given that

neighboring states have legalized cannabis to differing degrees, Indiana will draw in investment from these states. It is noteworthy that a significant portion of the budgets of Indiana's businesses go toward importing the raw materials required for their operations (Bieber 2022, Gillespie 2022). As a result, the legalization procedure will enable medical marijuana enterprises to easily get cannabis sativa. It is commonly known that consuming cannabis recreationally impairs young people's cognitive development and makes them addicted (Hall 2017, Hall and Solowij 1998). Because of this, legalizing cannabis for recreational use runs the risk of causing medical emergencies linked to alcohol and other substances. The state must provide the necessary funds for such a medical emergency. According to Wilkinson et al. (2016), legalization of marijuana has raised public health concerns about acute marijuana intoxication's effect on driving abilities and youngsters inadvertently consuming marijuana products. Another issue with marijuana is the possibility for because of its misuse and potential to serve as a gateway drug for more powerful narcotics like meth, cocaine, heroin, and phencyclidine (Kane & Yacoubian, 1999) Option 2: Regulate recreational cannabis usage like alcohol Studies indicate that the effects of cannabis on human health are comparable to, if not less than, those of alcohol and other banned substances (Hall and Degenhardt 2009, Lemyre et al. 2019). As a result, laws governing the use of alcohol should also apply to the recreational use of cannabis, suggesting that marijuana use has the same negative effects on health as alcohol use. The law governing the sale, consumption, and promotion of alcohol must be somewhat modified to implement this option (Mosher, 2009). The option will entice companies and investors to operate in the state. As was previously indicated, the marijuana sector will bring in money for the state and provide jobs not just for farmers but also for

Your preview ends here

Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version

Access to all documents
Unlimited textbook solutions
24/7 expert homework help