America paints this picture that nothing good can come from this plant, but on the contrary, it has a lot of beneficial factors if it was legalized. For example, marijuana being legalized in Colorado brought in millions of dollars in tax revenue. Colorado collected almost $70 million in marijuana taxes, nearly double the $42 million collected from alcohol taxes. There are numerous ways that marijuana can benefit the U.S. if it were decriminalized. Marijuana could save America money by not having to spend money on enforcing the law. at the same time bring in money. Marijuana can play a huge role in medical research. Marijuana should be legalized in the U.S.
I. The definition of marijuana, and the laws around it.
A. Cannabis, also known as
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“Alcohol is toxic to healthy cells and organs, a side effect that results directly in some 35,000 deaths per year from illnesses like cirrhosis, ulcers, and heart disease.” (UN Report)
b. “Drug abuse kills about 200,000 people worldwide each year…” (UN Report)
B. Marijuana brings forth tranquility, while alcohol causes aggression.
a. “When we had a crowd in the park that was predominantly beer drinking, there were so many fights and other problems that we had our hands full, and so did the burly security guards hired specifically to keep things under control. On the other hand, when we cracked down on the beer drinking, marijuana smoke wafted overhead, and the few problems we encountered were usually the result of police officers arresting marijuana users.” (New York Times)
b. “The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services estimates that 25% to 30% of violent crimes and 3% to 4% of property crimes in the U.S. are linked to the use of alcohol.18 According to a report from the U.S. Department of Justice, that translates to nearly 5,000,000 alcohol-related violent crimes per year.19 By contrast, the government does not even track violent acts specifically related to marijuana use, as the use of marijuana has not been associated with violence.” (MPP.org)
C. No nasty after effect, like hangover or
The Author in this article is discussing the alarming truth that more people have been arrested for small amounts of marijuana this year compared to those who have committed serious violent crimes last year. The author also argues that an excessive number of African Americans have been arrested for marijuana use similar to whites but are prosecuted far more frequently.
Many people from all around the world believe that marijuana is an addictive drug that has ruined the lives of millions. The U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that more than 37,000 annual U.S deaths are the effects of alcohol alone. Alternatively, there is not even a category for the deaths caused by marijuana. Many of us think that marijuana kills brain cells but studies show teens that use marijuana as well as alcohol suffered significantly less damage to the white blood cells in their brains. Alcohol use contributes to aggressive and violent behavior while marijuana will only make a person feel more comfortable. “Alcohol is clearly the drug with the most evidence to support a direct intoxication, violent relationships, whereas cannabis reduces the likelihood of violence during intoxications” (Shuette, 2013). The government does not even track violent acts specifically related to marijuana use. Marijuana and alcohol should be switched where marijuana is legal and alcohol is not because it will benefit people more than alcohol will.
For the sake of building off the previous entry, I would like to incorporate a couple of marijuana related legal statistics from Steven Nelson’s article Police Made One Marijuana Arrest Every 42 Seconds in 2012. The Federal Bureau of Investigation released data on the crime figures for drug-related crimes in 2012 and it showed that a staggering 749,825 people were arrested for marijuana related offenses; that is one arrest every 42 seconds. It also accounted for 48.3 percent of all drug arrests. Even with the recent upsurge in public support for the liberation of the drug policy, police arrested the same number of people in 2012 on pot-related charges as they did in 2011. These numbers have led many people to begin forming advocacy groups geared to decriminalize the drug. Dan Riffle, the director of
Marijuana has been proven to be safer than alcohol, yet marijuana is against the law. Alcohol is known to contribute to acts of violence and crime, while in most cases cannabis can reduce aggression in its users. “In last year’s cases of reported violent crime three million offenders had been drinking. Almost all cases of date rape, sexual assault, and domestic violence had some kind of connection to alcohol” (Medical Fact: Marijuana is Safer Than Alcohol, 2009). Marijuana has not been linked or has
Legalized items such as alcohol and tobacco products are far more dangerous than marijuana. Alcohol is a legal substance that alters the mind. An estimated 88,000 people pass away every year from alcohol overdose or alcohol poisoning (Alcohol Facts and Statistics). Unlike alcohol, there has not been a recorded overdose from the illegal plant, marijuana. Alcohol impaired driving is responsible for over ten thousand deaths in America, annually. Data collected since 2001 by Stanford students does not support that driving while high on marijuana increases accidents. Drinking alcohol increases the risk of death by up to 30 years on average (Wing). On the other hand, a study conducted in California involving 65,177 men and women aged 15-49 found after 10 years, marijuana users died no sooner than those who did not smoke it (Wing). Alcohol use increases the risk for cancers of the mouth, esophagus, pharynx, larynx, liver, and breast. Likewise, more than 3 million cases of alcoholism and alcohol dependence have been reported per
In recent years, the topic of whether marijuana or alcohol is safer has been in hot debate. Both marijuana and alcohol are considered drugs because they both impair ones senses and alter ones perception. Both substances have either been, or still are, prohibited. The prohibition of alcohol in the 1920s is very similar to the prohibition of marijuana going on today. The prohibition of alcohol all started because some people thought that America would be a better country if alcohol wasn’t around, just like how people today think that marijuana is an evil drug that destroys peoples lives. So after alcohol was officially made illegal, or prohibited, cops started to crack down on any
Because marijuana is illegal in the United States and decades of government sponsored anti-marijuana programs, it’s often associated with crime though there is no association between weed use and crime. Although there are studies that link marijuana and crime, its almost all focused on illegal distribution. People who are high don’t commit violence. Its common knowledge that a person should never take alcohol or weed and drive, but although its true that marijuana affects the ability to drive, it is not as dangerous as drunk or buzz driving. A recent study show that marijuana use increases the odds of a fatal crash by 83 percent while driving with a blood alcohol level of at least .05 increased the chance of being in a crash by 575 percent. It is clear that the roads are threatened more by alcohol than weed but society is also affected by both in very different ways. Colorado is a state where weed is legal to those twenty one and older and offers a look on marijuana’s effects on society such as states with medical marijuana painkiller overdoses deaths have dropped 25 percent due to people substituting their prescriptions for weed (Christensen, Wilson "Is Marijuana as Safe as -- or Safer than -- Alcohol?”). Alcohol does not lower the number of painkiller but because
Hello Alexandra, this is a very good topic for your research paper. I agree that there is not enough evidence to support the fact that marijuana is a much safer drug that alcohol. They both impair the user, but each has a different effect. Marijuana will have an effect on memory or the ability to concentrate, schoolwork, career, and affect their motivation. While alcohol abuse is a problem in itself, binge drinking is the being of a problem, which is defined as four drinks or women and five drinks for men in 2 hours. The two have their characteristic, and neither are safe for consumption.
”Marijuana use can be used to treat and prevent the eye disease glaucoma, which increases pressure in the eyeball, damaging the optic nerve and causing loss of vision.” 20 states have already legalized marijuana in the US, because the only real cons to marijuana use is mental problems such as psychosis and paranoia versus the hundreds of pros marijuana can do for the body and mind. Marijuana should be legalized because it can help mentally, by increasing someones state of mind, and physically, by repairing lung damages caused by carcinogens in tobacco.
However, this only led to the consumers fighting back, through stealing and organized crime, in order to get what they wanted ("Prohibition"). This event, as well as many others around the globe, only proves that the restriction does nothing but create more chaos and increase crime rates, as it cannot keep people away; the prohibition of marijuana is proving that point even more. Setting restrictions on substances has never been completely successful, and it probably never will be. For example, alcohol today is legal to anyone twenty-one years or older. However, a great percentage of minors are purchasing and consuming alcoholic beverages every day. It is getting easier and easier for teenagers to purchase items such as alcohol, as some people do not check to confirm their ages. The same thing is being seen with marijuana. The cannabis plant is illegal in all but two states, yet it is easily accessible to almost anyone. The restrictions set on these substances, as well as others, are meant to limit people's access to them and keep the country safe. Nevertheless, people are getting caught and thrown in jail for abandoning the law. Though there seems to be nothing able to be done about the minor possession of alcohol, there would be no punishments due to possession or cultivation of marijuana if the restrictions on the drug were thrown
According to Matt Ferner (2014), “Morris, associate professor of criminology at UT Dallas, and his colleagues looked at crime rates for all 50 U.S. states from 1990 to 2006. During this period 11 states legalized medical marijuana. The researchers examined legalization’s effect on what the FBI calls Part I crimes, which include homicide, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny and auto theft.” Because of marijuana people are getting over sentenced even if you’re not getting jail time it affects your record for job use, housing, loans, and etc… The criminalization of marijuana is effecting black communities, people of color have it the worst. Alcohol is much more effective to people more than marijuana is when it comes to crime rates. Studies were found that 25 percent to 30 percent of violent crimes comes from alcohol use. Studies found from an aggressive behavior journal noted that “alcohol is clearly the drug with the most evidence to support a direct intoxication- violence relationship” and that “cannabis reduces like hood of violence during intoxication.” Marijuana is known as a mellow drug, something to calm you down and or relax
However, there has been no significant change in the harms allegedly caused by use when a few states legalized the drug. “Recent evidence from Colorado confirms that marijuana's legal status has minimal impact on marijuana use or the harms allegedly caused by use. Since commercialization of medical marijuana in 2009, and since legalization in 2012, marijuana use, crime, traffic accidents, education and health outcomes have all followed their pre-existing trends rather than increasing or decreasing after policy liberalized.” (Miron, 1). Not only does this reveal that marijuana can be used responsibly and cause no damage, but that users can benefit from the drug without placing an effect on others. If someone wanted to find a good “minor offense” that connects with violent, menacing crimes, marijuana use doesn’t sound like the best victim. The feeling you get from smoking the drug doesn’t inspire violence, and there is no foolproof case to be made that smoking marijuana causes one to go on to worse
They also determined that alcohol was a significant contributor to death and responsible for 3.2% of the total of disease and injury, whereas marijuana was responsible for zero deaths and just 0.2% of the total of disease and injury. Experts found that alcohol causes more deaths every year rather than marijuana, which has no deaths recorded. They also found out that it is easier to get addicted to alcohol and to become an alcoholic, which can lead to an increase in aggressive behavior. They say that marijuana relaxes the body and calms the body and mind down. In 2007, experts formed an analysis on the relative harms of marijuana, alcohol, and other drugs. It showed that marijuana had far fewer health and safety risks than
The people who are against marijuana being permitted will probably say that if marijuana is permitted it would be easier to attain than it is now. If the drug is easy to fetch they will say that it would create new consumers and then it would make it harder for people who are hooked on it to leave the drug. With the easy availability of the drug, people might buy into concerned that it will spread fast among the youth. There is also the problem of people who are addicted to marijuana and will find that it is tough to let go of the drug when you can find it anywhere not to mention if they start to advertise marijuana it will be harder to stop using marijuana. There is a chance that if people can’t stop using marijuana then the government will consider marijuana a hard drug and that will make it harder to legalize it
The discussion of legalizing marijuana is a huge controversial debate from not only the political system but the average life of any U.S. citizen. One thing we know for sure now a day is that cartels are not the only ones that make business by selling marijuana. Specially around the bottom of Texas where it easily taken and sold to anyone and everyone. The thing is that marijuana is actually being legalized in many states and probably will not be long till it hits Texas. Honestly its genetic makeup is way healthier than that of tobacco, it is very help for those who are prescribed to it, and it could higher the economy from where it stands.