The long-standing prohibition against recreational use of cannabis in the United States should be repealed. In addition, the penalties for possession and trafficking of cannabis should be abolished, and cannabis should be taxed and regulated by the federal agency that controls the other recreational, legal, yet addictive and potentially injurious substances tobacco and alcohol (the ATF).
Cannabis has been illegal since the Marijuana Tax act of 1934. Yet of a population of 284 million (2000 U.S. Census), 70 million Americans claim to have smoked cannabis at some point in their lives [NORML]. Prohibition of cannabis is therefore apparently ineffective at changing the habits of a population, just as prohibition of alcohol was
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Furthermore, "most marijuana smoked in the United States is grown in the United States" [27 Information Plus]. In fact, across of the States' farmland, cannabis is the number one cash crop [Pollan; ONDCP], surpassing even tobacco. It is also important to note that the elicit cannabis trade can be separated from the illicit "hard" drug trade (cocaine, heroin, ecstasy and the like are all highly profitable and controlled entirely by armed cartels. It is much harder to justify the use of these other drugs given the addiction and social ills associated with their use).
Given stark figures like numbers of cannabis smokers and amount of money spent to keep stoners in jail, it seems ludicrous to argue that prohibition of cannabis be maintained. Yet despite of all the credible scientific, medical and sociological reports indicating that cannabis prohibition is damaging, or, at least, not helping the nation, public opinion of U.S. residents is counter. This can be attributed to the multi-million-dollar propaganda campaign waged by the government and the anti-drug industrial complex. It may not surprise you to learn that major sponsors of D.A.R.E. and similar (mis)education and advertising (propaganda) campaigns are often alcohol and tobacco companies! The opposing opinion that cannabis should not be legalized is often based on erroneous and outrageously wrong evidence. Statements that cannabis is a "gateway" drug, that it "causes" schizophrenia and
Marijuana has a deep history in America, being in the Americas since 1545 when the Spanish brought it over with them. Later, it was again brought over with the English colonists to Jamestown. Here it was used as a large cash crop similar to tobacco and was used as a major source of fiber. Later in the 1890s, a similar plant, hemp, became another large cash crop in the southern half of the US even replacing cotton. Around this time marijuana was also used in medications, although it was not on the scale of cocaine and opium, being used to treat everything from labor pains to rheumatism, “any disorder of the extremities or back, characterized by pain and stiffness” (The Definition of Rheumatism). Further on, in the 1920s marijuana became increasingly more popular with jazz musicians and even special cafes/clubs opening for its use. It was not until the 1930s when a campaign conducted by the Federal Bureau of Narcotics whom labeled marijuana as the harmful “gateway drug” it is seen as today. Though
There currently exists a great debate concerning Legalization of marijuana. Many people are against the idea, but there are a number of people who fight for the idea to legalize Marijuana. The people that try to Legalize Marijuana use two major arguments in their effort to have marijuana legalized. First, which is by far the biggest argument is that marijuana has a significant medical use. The second is that marijuana does not cause harm to those that smoke it. Both of these arguments can be easily discounted by the numerous studies that have been done on the effects of marijuana both medicinal and recreational. Many well-intentioned leaders and members of the public have been misled by the well financed and organized pro-drug
The legalization of marijuana has been a hot topic in the media for many years now. There is a major divide in those who believe it should be legal, those who do not, and those who think it could be legal with modifications on the usage. The number of those who support the legalization of marijuana is on the rise with nearly 50% supporting recreational marijuana legalization, and 81% supporting marijuana legalization for medical treatment as of 2015 ("Public Support for Marijuana Legalization, 2015”). Marijuana should be legalized on a federal level because it is safer than alcohol, it will increase the economy, and there is an unfair criminalization of marijuana.
high demand of consumptions the United States government would be able to regulate and tax
Marijuana, a substance that was used frequently during the colonial times, has taken a social downfall in recent times. Although it is still illegal to possess or use for any means by federal law, states like California and Arizona have taken steps in the other direction.
Ever since marijuana’s introduction to the United States of America in 1611, controversy of the use and legalization of the claimed-to-be Schedule I drug spread around the nation. While few selective states currently allow marijuana’s production and distribution, the remaining states still skepticize the harmlessness and usefulness of this particular drug; therefore, it remains illegal in the majority of the nation. The government officials and citizens of the opposing states believe the drug creates a threat to citizens due to its “overly-harmful” effects mentally and physically and offers no alternate purposes but creating troublesome addicts hazardous to society; however, they are rather misinformed about marijuana’s abilities. While
Cannabis sativa or Marijuana as is commonly known worldwide is a hard drug with adverse side effects to the users. With this reason it is an illegal drug in a majority of parts in the world. However according to research statistics, with this illegality there is still a high rise of both users as well as those initiated into the practice annually with the United Nations placing it first among the illicit substances widely used in the world (UNODC 198). Having worked previously in a number of facilities for juvenile delinquency and correction in California I observed and participated in the numerous ways, methods and tactics employed by the government to reduce the use of cannabis sativa with little success. Instead, the number of crimes
Illegal drug use is a huge part of American culture and one the most controversial of those drugs is marijuana; its technical name is Cannabis Sativa. But whether you call it cannabis, marijuana, pot, reefer, weed, bud, herb, Mary Jane, hemp, grass or wacky tabacci, it is still illegal in the United States. Actually, all over the world the deliberation rages about the harm or benefits that marijuana has to offer. Attempts to legalize it in the United States have been going on since the Marijuana Tax Act was introduced in 1937 and have thus far largely failed. The debate whether or not to legalize marijuana seems to circle around numerous points, including the recreational use verses being a gateway to
The legalization of marijuana is, and has been a heavily disputed issue for decades. On one hand, marijuana could lead to a medical breakthrough, or at least provide relief to cancer and AIDS patients. On the other hand, legalizing a drug could expose it to too broad an audience. As a drug, marijuana has never proven to be anywhere near as harmful as cigarettes or alcohol. Each year in the United States, 400,000 people die from tobacco, 50,000 from alcohol, and from marijuana, zero. Regardless of what side one may take to this argument, there are some causes to this marijuana debate that everyone should know. Marijuana was not always illegal, and the reasons behind the history of narcotic regulation are interesting when viewed from
Marijuana isn't as bad as people say it is. These are reasons why marijuana isn't as harmful for your body for you as you think. There are actually many benefits from marijuana that can help you.
The United States government, in order to solve the marijuana problem, needs to completely legalize the drug and place similar regulations on marijuana as it does alcohol. It should not only be decriminalized; decriminalization would only legalize the possession of marijuana. If the government chose to decriminalize the substance, it would still waste millions of dollars in prosecuting all other marijuana related crimes. Decriminalization would also fail to make the sale of marijuana legal in the country, thus losing a product with the ability to provide the country with a substantial source of revenue. Marijuana should be legal for sale to all individuals over the age of twenty-one. The reason for the age restriction of twenty-one is due to the similar effects of alcohol and marijuana. Both of these substances are mild intoxicants (Ford). The government must also place the same sales tax on marijuana as it places on tobacco and alcohol; without this special tax, the government’s profit on the taxation of marijuana would be noticeably less.
Cannabis has been used for over 6000 years without its legality being questioned until the 1930's when the United States Government criminalized its possession. Now seventy years later, its prohibition is being reconsiderat both State and Federal levels of the government. The push for legality has never had as much support as it does now, with the legalization of medical marijuana in 20states, decimalization in 16 states, and 2 states that allow commercial cultivation, manufacture, and sale of cannabis. An overwhelming majority of the United States population,including me, see the legalization of cannabis as a profitable and harmless idea.
A number of movements to legalize marijuana have been gaining attention lately. Currently there are 14 states where marijuana is legal for medical use (medicalmarijuana). 41% of U.S. citizens believe marijuana should be legalized (drugpolicy) but others are still concerned about health damage. American society has lost the war against marijuana, and that's okay. We should stop wasting time and money trying to reverse history and instead legalize both medical and recreational use of this mild narcotic widely seen as no more harmful than alcohol.
less dangerous than tobacco and people smoke less of it at a time. Or you can
Marijuana is a cannabaceae plant, which has always been associated with negative connotations until recently, when it has been discovered that this plant may be used to cure diseases and improve a country economy. Thus, the American opinion is split on the question of “Marijuana Legalization”. In fact, a survey undertaken by CNN/ORC International Poll states that 55 % of Americans believe that the use of marijuana should be legal, while only 44 % think it should be illegal (CNN). I also share the American majority opinion since there is some evidence that marijuana yields positive results.