The dispute over the legalization of cannabis sativa, more commonly known as marijuana, is one of the most controversial issues ever to take place in the United States. Its use as a medicine has existed for thousands of years in many countries across the globe. Legalization should be considered despite efforts made by groups who say marijuana is a harmful drug that will increase crime rates and lead users to other more dangerous substances. The legalization of marijuana can improve our society by helping with our economy, freeing legal resources, and benefiting the overall health of the nation though medical uses.
Helping the Economy
Our economy in America is hurting right now. We need something to help boost it and bring our country
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With the amount of products that could be created through the legalization of marijuana this could only create more jobs to fuel the production of these goods. In addition, private companies or the government are going to need more people to help grow and cultivate marijuana for public sales. President Obama held an online town hall meeting and one of the questions asked was: With over 1 out of 30 Americans controlled by the penal system, why not legalize, control, and tax marijuana to change the failed war on drugs into a money making, money saving boost to the economy? Do we really need that many victimless criminals? (Montopoli, 2009, para. 3)
President Obama’s answer to the question was “The answer is, no, I don't think that is a good strategy to grow our economy. (para. 9)” but he never specified why. Later, he said jobs would come from investing in clean energy technologies. (para. 17) He may be right, but I believe that hemp could be a clean energy technology especially in the bio-fuels department. Hemp biodiesel is a renewable resource that could be procured domestically and burns very clean. This could be a new energy source he is looking for to create new jobs.
Freeing Up Legal Resources
The war on drugs is a costly battle. A great deal of resources go into catching those who buy or sell marijuana, prosecuting them in court, and housing
The cost to keep Marijuana illegal is too expensive and unnecessary for something that does not pose a threat to society. The amount of money that is spent arresting responsible Marijuana users can be used towards something more high priority and important that will benefit the United States. Many Marijuana users are taking up valuable space in jail for possession when they in fact do not pose a threat to society. FBI records show that 829,627 marijuana users were arrested in 2006 which is a 43,000 person increase, for possession alone (Should Governments Legalize and Tax Marijuana). Jeffrey Miron is the director of undergraduate studies at Harvard University and estimates that legalizing marijuana would save $13.7 billion per year in government spending on enforcement of prohibition. Miron states that “First, legalization eliminates arrests for trafficking and possession. Second, legalization saves judicial and incarceration expenses. Third, legalization allows taxation of drug
Legalizing marijuana has always been an interesting topic for many people to dispute about. Some people say it is good, while others say it is bad. No matter what topic you speak about, it has its pros and cons. For example, marijuana can be used in great ways if legalized. Through money given from dispensaries to the crime rate lowered because of the ability to acquire marijuana in legal ways. Some bad examples are that it can be a gateway drug and can cause one to want a “better high” to people thinking it affects people's lives. Legalizing marijuana (medical and recreational) will help the United States with money, crime, and other numerous ways.
Opening dispensaries to legally sell the marijuana to customers would create thousands of jobs to help with the current economic crisis. The dispensaries have to hire people to help with the growing process and to sell the marijuana in the dispensaries. Legalizing marijuana would also create jobs for the people who grow, process and sell industrial hemp. It would create jobs at farms, manufacturing plants and distribution shops. It creates a whole new industry, therefore creating jobs in every part of the industry.
The legalization of marijuana is a controversial issue in North America today. Despite the outstanding benefits of legalizing this drug, we haven't gotten any closer to ending the war on drugs. There are major social, law enforcement and fiscal benefits with very minor drawbacks. Many European countries have proven than legalizing drugs can reap many benefits and we should follow these liberal ideas so we can also enjoy the benefits.
This one statistic alone is absolute proof that current drug enforcement programs and policies are not effective. Marijuana is widely available to the masses, arrests are at an all-time high, and there is a potential to make billions of dollars through taxation. Marijuana is accepted all over the world, and is by far the most popular illegal drug. A recent Gallup poll showed that 50% of Americans favor the legalization of marijuana. (Newport, 2011)
Drugs like marijuana might end the costly war between legalizing drugs or not. There is estimation that legalizing the most influential drug marijuana or other drugs would save the government. Drugs would be such a good business for the government because approximately $41.3 billion in savings, $8.7 billion on legalizing marijuana, and $32.6 billion from the legalization of other drugs, like cocaine and heroin. Those savings of savings $25.7 billion would go to state and local governments. This bad because it’s going to make it easier for
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.
"And this is only the first year. Expect to see even more revenue generated -- and more jobs created -- in the next few years.". With more evidence that can clearly show it would greatly help out in paying our debt off even to help with school closings. Legalization of marijuana would also help with unemployment, as the legal cannabis industry starts we could see a significant amount of jobs increase along with a booming amount of shops opening up this would allow for more business owners. These jobs are in addition to the medical cannabis jobs that were already in existence. There has been a vast literature development over the past twenty years examining the etiology and factors influencing marijuana. This shows there is a growing interest in the properties marijuana has to offer. Legalization is expected to greatly influence the monetary price people would have to pay to obtain marijuana. With the expected decline in price this is going to
Legalizing and regulating marijuana has been long sought after by many individuals. It would bring one of the nation's largest cash crops under the rule of law, changing many things in the criminal, medicine, job/tax world. "The criminalization of marijuana used disproportionately harms young people and people of color, sponsors massive levels of violence and corruption, and fails to curb youth access." “There were 658,000 arrests for marijuana possession in 2012, according to F.B.I. figures, compared with 256,000 for cocaine, heroin and their derivatives." With marijuana being regulated and distributed by the government, it would also bring many job opportunities to the market. Federal and local governments would then achieve an amass amount
Its not Marijuana its the prohibition that fuel the crimes. The current policies allow criminal groups to make money off of selling marijuana, by keeping marijuana illegal and confined to the black market. If we were to place marijuana in a regulated market and removing it from the underground, criminal market we will no longer be empowering gangs and cartels but rather growing America’s economy (Aleem). Enforcing marijuana prohibition costs taxpayers an estimated $10 billion annually and results in the arrest of more than 693,000 individuals per year -- far more than the total number of arrestees for all violent crimes combined,
The United States has been involved in a failing battle versus marijuana since the execution of the Uniform Narcotic Act in the 1930's. Americans are not only squandering almost eight billion a year, Americans are losing probable income. Americans could be in a position to gain a profit of a significant amount of revenues if marijuana were to be legal and structured by the Department of Agriculture (Norml, 2014). Revenue from the tax system of marijuana purchases would extend from about two and a half billion for each year if marijuana were taxed like conventional inventory products to six billion if it were taxed like tobacco or alcohol.
Law enforcement resources would be freed up for more severe crimes. Marijuana accounts for almost three-quarters of all drug-related arrests in the United States (drugpolicy). Most consider the war on drugs an expensive failure. Resources of all levels of government (federal, state, and local authorities) partake in the fight (mjlegal). Think about the cost for every person employed to support fighting the war against marijuana, it adds up quickly. The United States spends $68 billion per year on corrections, and one-third of those being corrected are serving time for nonviolent drug crimes. We spend about $150 billion on policing and courts, and 47.5% of all drug arrests are marijuana-related. Most the
According to a MSNBC news article “Marijuana industry sees green after Colorado legalization,” by Amy Pereira and Gary Cohen, Colorado’s legalization of medical and recreational marijuana has brought upon numerous positive changes. Many have claimed that the legalization of marijuana would only bring chaos, such as crime, motor incidents, etc. However, crime and motor vehicle incidents have gone down, while tourism, marijuana tax revenues, and employment are up. New jobs aren’t limited it to growing, there are also jobs as bakers and tour guides that have been created. Additionally, “The cannabis industry projects roughly $750 million in 2014 sales in a state of only 5 million people.” Other states have noticed this positive change as well, causing more to vote for the legalization of marijuana.
Why waste time and money on something so harmful to yourself and those around you? The legalization of recreational marijuana has often been up for discussion, however it shouldn't even be a topic worth discussing. Recreational marijuana is the use of marijuana for non medical purposes. Though it is sought to be a stress reliever, it over all disturbs the mental and physical state of health of its user, it will have a harmful effect on those who surround the user, and it provokes the idea that smoking and doing drugs is acceptable. Therefore, the legalization of recreational marijuana will have a negative effect on society.
The United States has been in a financial repression, our economy is at the lowest point it has been in in decades. Currently $33 billion is being spent on the War on Drugs (DrugSense.org). In 2009, over 1,663,582 arrests were made in the year alone, for minor possession charges (DrugSense.org). The economy is unstable and does not have the time of money to spent on issues that are minute to society. The economical standing point is clear, the economy does not need to execute something that has been pitifully downgraded by society. People do not understand that marijuana crops could also be used as a source of income for the economy. In Arizona 1,500 jobs alone will be created due to the medical marijuana industry, but not only will those 1,500 direct jobs will be made due to marijuana growers and dispensary employees, but there could be another possible 5,000 due to indirect jobs like grocery