Legalization Of Marijuana In The United States

The United States has, in some states, legalized the use of marijuana. Studies done have shown that it helps the state economies grow, and has given the states millions of dollars in tax revenue. So imagine the money that would be saved if marijuana were legalized in the whole country. The United States would benefit from a stronger economy, increased jobs, reduced prison costs, lower medicinal marijuana prices, and the availability of medical marijuana to the people who need it.

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.

The United States of America stands as one of the leading territories in the consumption of forbidden

Marijuana is the most common drug in America and all over the world. It is legalized in some countries, but most countries prohibit its use. It has proven medical abilities and was used for this purpose for a while before being federally criminalized. The United States has been debating on the legalization of marijuana with some states supporting the move and others against it. ("10 Facts About Marijuana") Despite all these debates, the legalization of marijuana is the better option of the two. Legalizing marijuana will result in medical, economic and social benefits all over America.

Legalization of marijuana on a federal level may benefit society more than cause it harm. When people hear the word marijuana, cannabis, hemp, etc. they tend to compare it to dangerous hardcore drugs. In all reality, unlike these other hardcore drugs, marijuana has many advantages that could possibly outweigh its negatives. For example, federally legalizing marijuana could stimulate growth within an economy by allowing the government the opportunity to reduce expenses on prohibition, create jobs and collect sales tax revenue, create a healthier more organic agriculture through hemp industrialization, and offer a more natural remedy to alleviate medical symptoms.

In Colorado, the Economic Implications seem to be extremely positive for the state. Licensed, regulated cannabis stores earned almost one billion dollars in 2015. The taxation collection was over one hundred and thirty five million dollars. These numbers do not even include income tax, property tax, or tax revenues. Colorado has also noticed an increase of tourism since the legalization of cannabis. From the reports, it is noticeable that the implications for the Colorado economy are extremely positive (Colorado).

Marijuana use should be legalized throughout the United States. Marijuana legalization is becoming a highly popular argument among the country.

Based on biological research, statistics of drug use amongst children and youth and the health effects on regular users of marijuana, this paper will argue that marijuana should remain illegal in the United States for recreational use. Arguments for the legalization of marijuana and arguments against the legalization of the drug will be discussed throughout the paper. It will address the biological effects of the drug on the human body, the current laws in place and the effects it has on children, adolescents and adults.

life of five days. This means an occasional user can fail a drug test three

Beyond the economic growth through new jobs, taxes on marijuana will also provide the government tremendous revenue. With the legalization comes an increased demand for marijuana, which will allow the government to raise taxes. According to Jason Shubnell, “Colorado recently reported $2 million in tax revenue from recreational marijuana sales for the month of January.” Such a large sum of money collected in only a month of sale shows how profitable the legalization of marijuana in U.S. states would be. The possible heavy taxation, in combination with the economic gains from new jobs, is an adequate reason alone to legalize marijuana. Not only that, but the government will save a large amount of money because the amount of funding needed to hire police to enforce drug-related laws will no longer be as big of an expense. According to the Drug Policy Alliance, Washington state “is now

In April of 1998, the Green Party released an official statement supporting medicinal marijuana stating, "We support the legal reclassification of marijuana to allow its availability in the medical treatment of serious illnesses. We oppose the harassment and prosecution of patients, providers, and physicians who respectively use, provide, or recommend marijuana for the medical treatment of serious illnesses." In 1972 the US Congress placed marijuana in Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act because they considered it to have "no accepted medical use."(5) Proponents of medical marijuana argue that it can be a safe and effective treatment for the symptoms of cancer, AIDS, multiple sclerosis, pain, glaucoma, epilepsy, and other conditions. Opposers of medicinal marijuana argue of harmful side effects, learning disabilities and potential drug abuse.

The topic of legalizing marijuana has been a topic of controversy for quite some time now not only throughout our local streets, but throughout the local and into the state government. The legalization of marijuana is such a controversial topic because some are for it and some are against it. People are for the legalization because of the great uses it has towards medicine, the money that could come from the taxation of legalized marijuana, and the emptying of prisons because of the releases of marijuana offenses. The list could go on and on. Other people are against the legalization because it is considered a “gateway drug”, or because the legalization of marijuana would eventually

On December 5, 1933, after thirteen years of a costly, ineffective, and harsh law, the inevitable happened: the 18th Amendment was finally repealed and alcohol was legal once again. The 18th Amendment was responsible for the rise of organized crime in America, it was responsible for nationwide corruption in all levels of the government, and because the law was a sinkhole of unnecessary government and tax funds, it exacerbated the pace of the Great Depression. Al Capone and Bugsy Siegel are prime examples of ambitious gangsters that took advantage of prohibition. They monopolized the lucrative illegal business of selling alcohol, and with their tremendous profits they managed to bribe and control

Secondly, the monetary gain of its legalization for most has been productive to say the least. For example, Denver Colorado is on track to more than triple the marijuana tax revenue this year alone. $44 million was collected in 2014. In July 2015, 73.5 million was collected, while 19.6 million went to schools. A place such as Chicago could really use the legalization to help with the school system infrastructure issues they have. With a deficit of over 1.1 billion marijuana sales could alleviate both the conditions of schools themselves, as well as provide more funding.

Medicinal marijuana is an ever-growing issue in the medical world. There are strong arguments supporting both the pros and cons of marijuana but due to strict regulations by the federal government there is little research available to make an educated decision concerning its use. This essay will explore the history of marijuana and the laws that were implemented to regulate its use, ultimately leading to it being listed as Schedule I drug. The medical benefits of marijuana will also be reviewed through its positive effects on a variety of illnesses. Finally, it examines the legalization of marijuana in twenty-nine states and touches on the aforementioned regulations of its use by the federal government.