It has been called Maryjane, Pot, Reefer, Ganga, Green and many other names, but this little plant seems to be causing a big controversy in recent decades. Can Marijuana really help us or is it a problem in the making? This question may seem simple, but in reality, it is more complex of an issue than we think. The opposing sides of legalization for recreational marijuana are so varied with many points of view to consider. Only a few of those views will be addressed in this article with simplified information to speak plainly on the subject. Bringing notice to the areas of the criminal justice system, economic revenue and wider medicinal availability versus the many public health concerns for adults and adolescents. Legalization for recreational marijuana seems to be the battle of a new age. Let us look at where legalization has made its mark so far. “In November 2012, Colorado and Washington State withdrew from the battle against marijuana. Voters in each state approved ballot initiatives legalizing possession of marijuana and authorizing state regulation of marijuana production and commercial sale. In 2014, Alaska, Oregon, and the District of Columbia followed suit” (Adler, 505). This is where it begins, a few liberal states become trailblazers for the marijuana revolution, giving others the hopeful possibility that their state’s participation is likely in the near future. Marijuana use is still illegal according to federal laws. It is only under state law that some have
Since the 1970’s, marijuana has been an extremely controversial drug. While some argue that it does not harm to your body, and can do good in the world, others classify it as a “gateway” drug. As the number states in the U.S. legalize the drug increases, 26 to be exact, the debate is only getting more heated. Also known as weed, cannabis, dope, etc., marijuana has been scientifically proven to do good in the medical world, be safer than alcohol and tobacco, and increase a growth in our economy.
The topic of legalizing recreational marijuana in the United States has been a very controversial one. States such as Colorado and Washington have gone on the offensive and have legalized recreational marijuana and have enjoyed the high revenues brought in from cannabis sale. On the other hand other states have kept low profiles because they are wary of the possible negative outcomes of legalizing recreational marijuana and are using the states of Colorado and Washington as guinea pigs to see what their next course of action on this controversial topic should be. This is not only a highly debated topic among politicians, but also by the people. According to a poll conducted by the Pew Research Center 52% of Americans
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
While an undereducated, youth fostered movement towards the legalization of marijuana is rapidly spreading across America, Father Gerald Coleman, in Is America Going to Pot, steps back from the frenzy to examine the gross amount of physical evidence that opposes the rash movement. Approaching legalization of marijuana from numerous avenues, Coleman systematically degrades many of the popular pro-marijuana arguments circulating today. In addition his article is able to simultaneously provide a number of well-founded arguments ranging from the various health troubles, the gateway drug potential, and the resounding positive effects on the black market drug trade that legalization of marijuana would and is currently promoting, to support his anti-legalization
Grass. Ganja. Kush. Weed. Pot. Mary Jane. Marijuana. Marijuana is an illegal substance in America, used by people to get “high.” It has become a recent debate over whether it is right to legalize marijuana or to keep it as an illegal substance. Many people believe that marijuana is a dangerous substance that should never be legalized in America. These people focus on marijuana which is harmless in comparison to alcohol, which is a legal and widely used substance in America. The negative of effects of marijuana are less severe then those of alcohol. The case for the legalization of marijuana can be made by comparing and contrasting the effects on the body of marijuana and alcohol use.
On January 1st the states of Colorado and Washington officially began the regulation of legal marijuana sales. Thousands of people from all over the country including tourists from Wisconsin, Ohio, Chicago, and even Georgia lined up out front of dispensaries to make a purchase. Recreational marijuana is being regulated and monitored like alcohol; you must be at least 21 years old to make a purchase. The drug, which is controversial in many states’ legislations, is currently legal for medical use in 20 states, but Colorado and Washington were the first to approve of recreational use (Healy). The geographical concepts involved in the legalization of marijuana include migration, movement and flow, and private/public space.
Dope, Mary Jane, Pot, Grass, Weed, Blunt, Joint, and Nuggets are only a few of the countless names for marijuana, a narcotic drug used for recreational and sometimes medicinal uses across the world. Recently growing enough popularity among younger generations due to the glamorization of media, and the overwhelming financial gains through taxes and fees seen in Colorado, have caused Ohio legislators and citizens to consider the idea of legalizing marijuana for both recreational and medicinal marijuana use. Marijuana is a toxic gateway drug that impairs the judgement of its users and should not be legalized for recreational and medicinal purposes aside from the numerous ‘benefits’ it will bring to Ohio because of the consequences will be far greater.
The legalization of marijuana is one of the most debatable topics in our society today. What is marijuana? According to the National Institute of Drug Abuse, Marijuana refers to the dried leaves, flowers, stems, and seeds from the Cannabis sativa or Cannabis Indica plant. Marijuana is also known as weed, herb, pot, cannabis, maryjane, and a sort of other nicknames. Most people believe that marijuana should be legalized for the numerous medical health benefits, and that marijuana is found to be less harmful than consuming other drugs and alcohol. However, the people who oppose legalizing marijuana believe that it is too dangerous for a person’s well-being; it can also inspire people to try other drugs like cocaine or alcohol. In the article, “Marijuana should stay illegal,” Carly Zive asserts that smoking cannabis is bad and it should remain illegal, yet, in “This is Why Marijuana Should Be Legal Everywhere,” Renee Jacques depicts marijuana as a substance that perceives health benefits for people.
In this paper I will talk about the historical backdrop of pot, the modern employments of hemp, the preclusion of cannabis, the practical effect forbiddance has on America, the impacts of maryjane use on the brain and the body, pot for medicinal utilization, and how sanctioning of weed would have a positive impact on America. Despite the fact that I bolster the sanctioning of weed
SUMMARY: In his article, "Understanding the Impact of Legalized Recreational Marijuana On State Tax Revenue," author Tony Nitti implies that the tax revenue from marijuana sales may not be as hefty as they were expected to be. Nitti develops this implication by calculating the amount of tax dollars necessary to pay for the changes that must be made to support legalized marijuana. The author's purpose is to cause the reader to question what they are being told in order to have a more informed vote.
The 2016 elections and the subsequent legalization of recreational marijuana in California, Nevada, and Massachusetts show how constantly evolving attitudes regarding marijuana and regulations pertaining to marijuana practices are. Corresponding with constantly changing attitudes regarding marijuana, users are finding more novel ways to make the most of their plant products. Butane-extracts or butane hash-oil (BHO) products are potent marijuana concentrates (Bell, Slim, Flaten, Wiktor, & Monte, 2015) that require the liquid-gas butane as the catalyst in the process of extracting pure THC from marijuana plant product (Raber & Elzinga, 2015). At-home BHO labs are rising in their popularity (Rosenthal & Downs, 2014) due to the perceived ease
Legalize, control, and discourage is a way to fix the problem. Evident by Colorado and Washington, “the legalization of marijuana can stop most of these possession arrests” (Levine). After the first opening of the first retail marijuana stores on January 1, 2014, Colorado had decreased crime rates, decreased traffic fatalities and increase in economic output (DPA). Since 2010, the marijuana possession arrest have went down 84% since its legalization. The tactic of legalizing, controlling, and discouraging has been proposed by the Economist, a weekly news magazine, in the late 80’s.
Outside of the preconceived notion that minorities are the only ethnic group that uses marijuana, percentages show that whites use it as equally. However, black people have the probability of being arrested 3.73 percent more times than whites (www.aclu). Under Maryland criminal statues, the punishment for possession of marijuana in the amount of 10g or less is 90 days incarceration and a maximum fine of five-hundred dollars, 10g to 50lbs is 12 months of incarceration with a maximum fine of one-thousand dollars (http://mgaleg.maryland.gov). Like any other drug, marijuana provides the human body with a brief sense of euphoria and some hallucination if mixed or “laced” with other drugs. Additionally, marijuana use can increase blood pressure, irritate lungs, and promote short term brain memory. From a medical perspective, proponents believe that marijuana could be used to treat patients suffering from diseases such as: AIDS, cancer, multiple sclerosis, pain, glaucoma, and epilepsy (http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org). There is also the financial aspect of legalizing “recreational” marijuana. At the end of the first day of business, Colorado marijuana businesses netted 1 million dollars in sales (Barasch, 2014).
On November 8th, 2016, the California Marijuana Legalization Initiative may be included on the ballot. The people of California will vote on whether to legalize the recreational use of cannabis for adults. The move targets at regulating the consumption of the drug and taxing it like other legalized drugs. California was the first state to legalize medical marijuana in 1996 (National Institute of Drug Abuse). The state prohibited any legal actions from being taken on patients and recognized caregivers arrested in possession of the drug. This is considered the motivating factor for the push to legalize recreational use of the drug. There have been two fled attempts to achieve this. Both endeavors were defeated at the ballot stage. Forty years on the matter has risen again, and the people of California may have the mandate to legalize or not legalize the recreational use of the drug. The issue has resulted in an enormous debate. Those against the legalization of the drug argue on the basis of the adverse effects on the body and mind of the users. And on the other hand, proponents such as myself argue on the basis of economic benefits to the state and the reduction of the drug’s misuse.
The use, sale and possession of marijuana is still illegal under federal law in the United States. However, it is allowed in 20 states and