Legalization Of Marijuana Should Be Regulated

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.

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

Debates over the legalization of marijuana have been around for a long time now. The process to pass a law is long. Marijuana has been legalized in some parts around the country, and in different states in the United States. Several articles have been written, some approving of marijuana and some opposing it. The questions of the approval of marijuana come from a long run of opinions. Written articles have been made to express an individual’s own hypothesis over it. The articles “Why It’s Always Been Time To Legalize Marijuana” by Katrina Vanden Heuvel and “The Real Reason Why Pot Is Still illegal” by Lee Fang go further into detail on the pros and cons for the legalization and also differ into shaping up this argument. The authors of the articles

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

Even with all the laws enacted against marijuana and the taskforces assigned to tackle the problem, new users are sprouting up and replacing those who have ceased their activity with this natural substance. This cycle closely relates to that of alcohol prohibition during the early 1900s. Alcohol was once considered illegal like marijuana and is now as ubiquitous as produce in a grocery store. However, unlike alcohol the wide acceptance for marijuana has been drawn-out and at best slow. There is an iota of hope for marijuana reform. Four states, Colorado, Washington, Alaska, Oregon and including Washington D.C., have already approved marijuana for recreational use and so far the results have been successful. Tamar Todd, a policy director at the Drug Policy Alliance, was quoted in The Guardian stating that, “Marijuana prohibition has been a costly failure – to individuals, to communities, and to the state [of Oregon].” Also that “Oregon is taking a smarter, more responsible approach to marijuana that ends the wasteful and racially disproportionate practice of arresting and citing people simply for possessing a small amount of marijuana.” This is proof that decriminalizing marijuana can be beneficial to society by not ruining lives over personal interests, and by saving resources that would

Americans nationwide have been using marijuana for decades due to a variety of reasons. Talks of marijuana legalization and marijuana use across the country has rapidly grown and America is getting one step closer to becoming a “weed nation”. Many Americans disagree with the legalization of marijuana, but a majority of voters believe recreational marijuana should be legal nationwide. Last year alone, nearly twenty tons of marijuana was sold to recreational and medical users, which resulted in $63 million in tax revenue and an additional $13 million in licenses and fees. Legalizing and regulating marijuana will bring the nation's largest cash crop under the rule of law, creating jobs and economic opportunities in the formal

Marijuana, the most abused drug in America, has had a lot of publicity recently. Marijuana has caused multiple economic problems within the U.S. A controversial question has arisen from the increased popularity and troubles of this drug. The question is whether or not the U.S. government should legalize marijuana possession and sale in the country. Many Americans believe that the drug should be legalized for various reasons; others, however, are against the legalization of the dangerous drug. While legalization has both pros and cons, the positives of legalizing marijuana for those people over the age of twenty-one far outweigh the negative aspects of legalization.

A controversial social topic surrounding our time has been the issue of legalizing marijuana for recreational purposes. Cannabis sativa, also known as marijuana, was classified by the United States government as a class I drug in 1970, which means that it is against the law to possess and distribute this illegal substance (Source 2). However, in recent years, many states have made marijuana more accessible for medical and recreational use. States such as Colorado and Washington have not just decriminalized possession and distribution, but have enacted laws that encourage the recreational use of cannabis. Around 100 million Americans have experienced this drug (Source 1). Essentially one in four Americans

At some point in the not-too-distant future, America will confront the question of whether or not to legalize the use and cultivation of marijuana. A recent poll shows that support for legalization has reached its highest level since the question was first asked thirty years ago, with 34 percent supporting a liberalization of policy. Among political elites there is a growing consensus that the harsh penalties imposed on those who grow, use, and sell marijuana are disproportionate to its harmful effects. Even among conservatives, opinion seems to be shifting. Whether the change should be welcomed is another matter.

Throughout this paper details dealing with the topic of marijuana and its legalization will be explained by using journal articles and information gathered from my local Lincoln Parish library. These details include the explanation of what marijuana is, the views on marijuana’s legalization regulations among citizens in states across the United States, and the government’s outlook on the use of the drug. Also, personal opinions of a few of my peers will be provided through brief interviews. By completing this research paper, I plan to discover how far marijuana legalization within America has come and the steps being taken to either fully legalized or illegalize marijuana in the future.

Marijuana has been around for a long time and its use has become wide spread in America. So much so, that an underground culture and economy have formed around it like a protective shroud. For most people, a supply of marijuana is only a phone call away (ICSDP.) Yet it has been illegal to possess, use, grow, or distribute since the thirties. Despite the possibility of becoming addicted to marijuana, many use it recreationally, while others rely on the medicinal effects of marijuana to alleviate a variety of diseases. Thirteen states have enacted medical marijuana laws and programs despite federal prohibition policies against the use of marijuana. Twelve more states are in the process of following this trend and if they are successful in

Society’s view of the legalization of marijuana is rapidly changing. Many states have accepted cannabis as a valuable form of medicine, and some states have legalized its use for recreational purposes. Citizens operating within the parameters of established law should have the legal right to grow marijuana. Restricting adults from the independent choice to cultivate this plant creates unnecessary issues for both medical patients and recreational users, as well as a strain on the judicial system.

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.

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 is an illegal, highly prevalent drug that affects an enormous fraction of America's juvenile population in the present day. Today, there is a large dispute on whether Marijuana should be legalized. Some say that it should be legal due to its medical benefits, whereas others say it should remain illegal due to abusive recreational users and the negative effects it has on the body. Marijuana damages the users health, endangers public safety, and is a gateway to the world of illegal and harmful narcotics. The fact of the matter is that no matter what, legalization of the drug will only cause impairment to society in the long run.