Legalization Of Marijuan The Economic Case

In the essay “Marijuana Should Not Be Legalized,” there are four supporting arguments stated of opponents on legalizing marijuana. For instance, opponents argue “scientific reports show harmful effects of habitual marijuana use” (2). In addition, prominent politicians in Massachusetts contend “legalization provides a veneer of acceptance that will encourage children and teens to try it” (3). Furthermore, “legalization will give the cannabis industry the same incentive the alcohol industry has to encourage excessive use and lobby against tax and regulation” is argued by opponents (6). Lastly, the essay counters “legalization has already had negative consequences on

Marijuana is a mixer of the leaves, stem, and flowers of the hemp plant. It is usually a greenish, brown color. Marijuana has two main species; Indica and Sativa. It is commonly referred to as weed, gas, kush, and bud. Marijuana originated in Central and South Asia (Blaszczak- Boxe). It was brought to America in the early 20th century. Marijuana was originally used as a medicine to treat tooth aches and pain during child birth. It was also used for spiritual and religious purposes. Marijuana can even be used to manufacture textiles, rope, and oils. Marijuana is one of humanity’s oldest cultivated crops (Springer, 1980). It can be smoked, drunk, vaped, or eaten. Medical marijuana is currently legal in states 27 states and recreational marijuana is legal in seven states (Rowley).

Marijuana is the cause of much commotion and debating, as the question of legalization becomes more of an issue. Drugs are a major influential force in countries all over the world today. Legalization is an option that has not had a chance, but really should be given one. Although many people feel that legalizing marijuana would increase the amount of drug use, legalization would benefit for the following reasons: 1)reduction of money spent on law enforcement 2)increase in the countries revenue 3)lessen crime 4)useful in treating certain medical conditions.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse, (NIH), refers to marijuana as the “dried leaves, flowers, stems, and seeds from the hemp plant Cannabis sativa.” In this plant is the chemical, tetrahydrocannabinol, better known as THC. The chemical makeup of THC is similar to other chemicals, such as anandamide, and is located in the neural endocannabinoid system. The endocannabinoid system has receptors in the frontal, temporal and parietal lobes, as well as in the cerebellum, and therefore is responsible for brain development and function. When the THC binds itself to the cannabinoid receptors, the body allows it to and does not attack it, due to the similarities it shares with chemicals such as anandamide. It is the over-activation of the THC on the receptors in the brain that causes the “high” or euphoric feeling.

From smoking marijuana, an euphoric sense is produced. This os the high that draws people to smoke marijuana. They fall into a languid state, and time slows down for them. The psychoactive compound that creates this euphoric sense is delta-9-THC. Marijuana's potency varies. In the female plants' flowers is the greater concentration of cannabinoids, related compounds to delta-9-THC (Abel 5). Sinsemilla, a seedless version of marijuana, that has been cultivated in recent years, has much higher concentrations of THC throughout the plant (Abel 5). The amount of THC that is present depends on the conditions the plant is raised in (Gold 261). Cannabis that is grown in temperate climates contains little delta-9-THC and a high concentration of cannabidiol. Cannabis grown in hot climates has a greater delta-9-THC concentration and barely any cannabidiol. It is these plants that are grown in the hotter climates that are cultivated for their psychoactive effects. Marijuana contains almost 30% THC; however, 50% of that is destroyed when it is burned, such as when it is smoked (Gold261). The smallest amount of THC that produces a "high" is 5 mg, but since 50% is destroyed, it is really 2.5 mg (Gold 262). The effects, of marijuana, can be felt in five to fifteen minutes, and the maximum effects are felt in sixty minutes.

Marijuana, or cannabis, is a plant well known throughout the entire country. In the United States, a total of 23 states and the District of Columbia have legalized the use of marijuana in some shape or form, whether it be recreational or medicinal (State Marijuana). Recreational uses of the plant are legal to anyone over the age of 21, in the states that have passed laws to legalize free use. Medicinally, Marijuana has been legal for several years.

Marijuana, made from an Indian hemp plant that bears the name cannabis sativa, is a mixture of stems, leaves, and flowering tops. The flowering tops are smoked for the tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, that is concentrated there. THC is the main psychoactive ingredient in marijuana. The use of marijuana as folk medicine began in Central Asia as far back as 3000 B.C. It's use as a pleasure-inducing drug began in the

Abraham Lincoln spoke of prohibition as an “attempt to control a man’s appetite by legislation and makes a crime out of things that are not crimes” (Lincoln). The prohibition and eventual repeal of the prohibition of alcohol taught the United States a valuable lesson about making essentially non-harmful entities illegal. Yet, even today the current prohibition on marijuana reforms has put the United States in a similar situation. Marijuana is the most widely used illicit drug in the United States. According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, “95 million Americans age 12 and older have tried "pot" at least once, and three out of every four illicit-drug users reported using marijuana within the previous 30 days” (ONDCP). The decriminalization and eventually legalization for the recreational use of marijuana will bring forth benefits in all aspects of life in the United States. Many oppose the idea of marijuana legalization, but there is strong evidence to support the endless benefits its of legalization. 1. For starters, cannabis is proven to not be a life-threatening drug. 2. Furthermore, legalization will result in enormous societal benefits such as tax benefits, decreased criminal behavior, and the creation of new jobs and businesses. 3. Ultimately, the legalization of marijuana will bring forth safeguards and regulations to help insure the safe use and regulation of the product.

A person who use the plant rarely won’t experience harmful health issues compared to a person who is addicted to “smoking weed”. Marijuana use has psychological effects such as euphoria, calmness, anxiety and depression, paranoia, short term memory loss and distorted sense of time. Signs of a person that used marijuana consists of rapid heart rate, increased blood pressure, increased rate of breathing, red eyes, dry mouth, increased appetite and slowed reaction time. The effects of “smoking weed” are felt within 10-20 minutes depending on the individual intake. Low doses have a tendency to induce a sense of well-being and a dreamy state of relaxation while a stronger dose increase reactions. These feelings usually diminish after about three to four hours after using. Cannabis stays in the system of a consistent user for a month, which means this person will test positive for marijuana if given a drug

"most botanists agree that there are three species of marijuana; Cannabis sativa, the most widespread of the three, is tall, gangly, and loosely branched, growing as high as twenty feet; Cannabis indica is shorter, about three or four feet in height, pyramidal in shape and densely branched; Cannabis ruderalis is about two feet high with few or no branches"

Cannabis sativa, commonly known as marijuana, and a vast number of slang terms called weed, herb, pot, bud and Mary Jane is a green plant with a mixture of dried, shredded leaves, stems, seeds that grows in different places around the world. Moreover, many recreational users smoke marijuana by hand-rolling cigarettes referred as “joints” also by using pipes, water pipes (bongs) or marijuana cigars often known as blunts. The main psychoactive mind-alternating chemical in marijuana, is responsible for the intoxicating effects sought by the users, is delta-9-tetrahydro-cannabinol (THC). Nevertheless, the chemical is stems from the leaves and buds of the female cannabis plant, containing more than five hundred other chemicals, that include over hundred compounds that are chemically related to THC, known as cannabinoids.

Cannabis sativa, also known as marijuana, was founded during the year of 2727 B.C. Ever since then, cannabis had begun to spread throughout different parts of the world such as Asia, the Middle East, North Africa, and North America. Spain made use of this plant as a type of fiber, while others in North America used cannabis to create clothing, paper, and hemp rope. Wild cannabis grows in humid areas and various tropical regions. Cannabis plants are dioecious, which indicates that in order for these plants to reproduce, the ‘male’ plant must pollenate and fertilize the ‘female’ plant. The two plants are distinguished by height, color, and texture. The most obvious distinction is that the ‘male’ plant stands taller than the ‘female’ plant. Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the main chemical in marijuana that affects the user psychologically, as well as their nervous system.

The legalization of marijuana can have many positive and negative effects on American society. State budgets are constantly looking for new avenues of revenue and ways to create new industry. The legal system in place is exhausted and unable to sustain the current rate of incarceration and enforcement. Our jails and prisons are overcrowded and law enforcement budgets are challenged every year trying to keep up with the enforcement of marijuana use, smuggling and production in addition to its other obligations.

Marijuana is a hemp plant and around the world there are many other different types of

Marijuana is derived from the leaves, stems and flowering parts of the hemp plant, Cannabis sativa. The discovery of cannabis can be traced back to 2900 B.C. China, and has been used for hundreds of years for multiple purposes including: fibers, oils, medicine and recreation (Cannabis). The cannabis plant contains psychoactive chemicals, substances that change brain function, resulting in alteration of mood, perception, and consciousness. The psychoactive chemical tetrahydrocannabinol, THC, acts on specific brain receptors, inducing a relaxed state, relieving pain, causing fatigue, and stimulating appetite (Davis Web). Marijuana is typically smoked, which releases the THC that is then absorbed into the blood stream through the lungs. Marijuana induces the release of dopamine creating a feeling of euphoria almost immediately. The fast acting drug is especially appealing to sensation seeking young adults and teens.