Pharmaceutical Companies, The Drug Industry, And The Government

First, from 1900 to 1940, marijuana, including opium and cocaine were considered part of everyday drugs. As time went on, the U.S. cracked down on crack and opium, eventually outlawing them, but continued to be very “loose” with the use of marijuana. Hoxter a weed smuggler explains how he began in the 1960’s trying weed and years later saw himself unloading four hundred pounds of pot in Vancouver. The story of this man ends in his isolation and argument of why he couldn’t smoke weed even if he stopped selling? He asked a parole officer and she didn’t know what to respond. It is true what Hoxter states, fifty years ago alcohol was illegal and now it’s not, was it bad then? Will weed be legalized? And will the conflicts have been in vain? (Schou 8). Around the late 90’s and early 2000’s, scientific studies started to produce jaw-dropping results. Scientists started to discover that marijuana can significantly help people who have become ill. Medical Marijuana has been tested to help people with cataracts, cancer and severe depression (Zeese 1999). With this new worldwide discovery, the argument about medical marijuana ignited. States wanted to only make medical marijuana legal so it may help sick people, but the government did not want any form of marijuana legal. The law that was known throughout the United States was any form of marijuana was illegal. But now with this new discovery, doctors in states across the country want the

The Pew Research Center for the People and the Press conducted a survey in March of 2013 concerning the public perspective on marijuana. It was seen that the majority of people support its legalization (Pew Research Center for the People & the Press, 2013). In addition, since the 1990’s, there has been a steady decline in the percentage of people who believe marijuana should be illegal (Pew Research Center for the People & the Press, 2013). Half of respondents reported that marijuana use is not a moral issue (Pew Research Center for the People & the Press, 2013). Although there were differences between political parties as far as the legalization and enforcement of marijuana laws are concerned, despite political affiliation, the majority of those who responded agreed that “government efforts to enforce marijuana laws cost more than they are worth” (Pew Research Center for the People &

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

The statement “marijuana is a lot safer than alcohol” cannot go unchallenged and should be debated. One important subject is the risk that marijuana use (especially in young adults) can lead to some kinds of mental illness. “Studies support findings that risk of schizophrenia doubles in young abusers” (U.S. National Household Survey on Drug Abuse, 2009). According to Joseph Califano Jr., CASA founder and chairman of Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) “If we were to make marijuana legal and taxed it, for approximately every dollar of tax revenue, there could be as much as seven dollars incurred in medical costs”.

            Many citizens in the United States suffer from lifelong diseases that cause them to lose the ability to live their day-to-day lives. The United States is now faced with the problem over whether or not drugs, often stigmatized by society, should be made legal. One of these lifesaving drugs is medical marijuana. This leaves us with the troubling question: “should medical marijuana be legalized in the United States?”. Supporters of the drug have argued that it should be legalized because it is superior to other painkillers and can be beneficial to people suffering from numerous illnesses. However, those who oppose its use, argue that not enough research has been done and it may be harmful. The

In the United States institutionalized prohibition-based cannabis policies defy widely accepted societal values, delegitimizing the state's authority of law, neglecting its responsibility to respect individual free will and ultimately, the right of self-determination. These unjustified policies take a heavy financial and social toll on society, forcing law enforcement to spend time and money to arrest a majority of non-violent, low level-offenders. In addition, marijuana policies and enforcement have been seen as inherently biased and discriminatory. Not only that, but the medical applications of cannabis are increasingly becoming recognized and accepted as a standard in terms of treating diseases and relieving physical or mental ailments. Furthermore, statistics have shown that legalization leads to a decreased use of marijuana among teens and minors. Dollar wise, cannabis

The use of tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana within America throughout the twenty and twenty-first century has been heavily disputed within our own government as well as shaped many of our leaders lives. Even currently, the argument for legalized marijuana is heavily debated and brought to the American public eye through vast media sources. The health risks involved in partaking of tobacco, marijuana, and alcohol can be very consequential, or not at all. Many current political acts, such as Colorado legalizing recreational marijuana, have brought the eligibility of past studies on the health risks of marijuana to the surface as well as the health factors involved with other legal substances. This act followed by many other states has forced the government to reevaluate their stances on the legality of mind altering substances.

The Co-Founder and Strategic Advisor of National Cannabis Industry Association (NCIA) Steve Fox et al. wrote a book called, “Marijuana is Safer: So Why Are We Driving People to Drink?” to highlight the positive effects of legalized marijuana it exposes how the only harm caused by illicit drugs is the simplicity of it being illegal. In the foreword of this book is a direct message from Seattle's former chief-of-police Norm Stamper. Norm shared his experience arresting individuals by the non-violent drug and supports that marijuana is safer than alcohol (Fox). Stamper said the only reason he arrested people who possessed marijuana was because he had to enforce the law. As aforementioned, marijuana is medically safer under doctor’s orders when compared to the legal over-the-counter drugs such as alcohol and tobacco. Reports from the National Vitals Statistics System (NVSS) shows that in the United States, tobacco use is liable for the deaths of 480,000 and alcohol claims an average of 88,000 lives per year from 2006 to 2010. Yet, marijuana alone is responsible for zero deaths

Throughout America, the legalization of Marijuana has sparked a mark of controversy. Major states such as California and Nevada legalized Marijuana for medical purposes. Although cannabis has been linked to harmful effects in recent history, it’s true effects are slowly resurfacing with new ideas. Unfortunately, heavy criticism arises as the stereotypical view of the “pot smoker” still associates. The pot smoker was seen as an unproductive and uneducated individual in society, exposed by propaganda and assumptions created by private interests who intent to make cannabis illegal for their own benefit. With personal background of cannabis, marijuana should be legalized for all uses.

Marijuana prohibition stands as one of the most unwarranted policies of the United States. Every year we are spending billions of dollars on the War on Drugs with little benefit. Data released by the Federal Bureau of Investigation show there were an estimated 1,552,432 arrests for drug-related crimes in 2014 – a slight uptick from the 1,531,251 drug arrests in 2013. Marijuana offenses accounted for 48.3 percent of all drug arrests. Most marijuana-related arrests were for possession of the drug. By mere possession, there was one marijuana arrest every 48 seconds in 2014. Including arrests for distribution, there was a pot-related arrest every 42 seconds. This prohibition makes no sense, especially in a country where alcohol use is

Twenty-three states and Washington, D.C. presently have laws to shield patients who advantage from the restorative utilization of cannabis. In any case, truly sick patients in our state are as yet relying upon administrators like you to help them, and this is a situation where confirmation and empathy are on the same side. I trust the logical proof will persuade you to present or bolster a medicinal cannabis bill

Marijuana was criminalized under US federal law in 1937, seemingly replacing alcohol prohibition. Alcohol consumption has steadily increased since the legalization of alcohol including wine that has almost doubled, and beer sales increased even more. SAMHSA’s National Survey on Drug Use and Health reports in 2013 there were 136.9 million current alcohol users aged 12 or older, with 22.9% classified as binge drinkers and 6.3% as heavy drinkers. On the other hand if we look at the data from Colorado, where marijuana has been legalized, we see that there has been a decline in average high school use. Gunnlaugsson understood this concept when he expressed his believe, “As time passes the relationship between the prohibition of alcohol and the current ban on drugs may become clearer and more apparent” (131). Since the government made an exception for alcohol consumption, it is plausible the government can realize how decriminalizing marijuana could have a similar path towards

Science has proven that marijuana is not as harmful as previously believed; instead, it actually can have health benefits. Still, our government rests on its laurels and fails to respond on a statutory level. Those who utilize the positive effects of marijuana today face potential federal penalties, despite following state laws. Others suffer, sometimes in silence, as they are refused natural medicine that may very well be more effective than what has been prescribed to them. Some Americans struggle with addictive substances, continuing to use what is legal because the safer alternative comes with the baggage of punitive consequence. The arguments that contradict the legalization and regulation of marijuana have no scientific evidence to support them. As we previously learned with the prohibition and eventual legalization of alcohol, legalizing and regulating marijuana is the right thing to do for the health, economic stability, and overall wellbeing of the American people. Marijuana is less addictive, does less damage to the body, and is less likely to contribute to violence and reckless behavior than alcohol (News24, 2015). Put very eloquently by News24, “marijuana is safer than alcohol: It’s time we treat it that way”

“Even aspirin can kill you if you take too much, but a fatal dose of marijuana would require ingestion of fifteen hundred pounds in fifteen minutes – a physical impossibility for any human, even Snoop Dogg,” says David Schmader, author of Weed: The User’s Guide. The negative stigma surrounding the “danger” of pot has all but vanished since the Reefer Madness days. At best, it is a therapeutic treat, a natural painkiller, and a creative catalyst when used in moderation. At worst, it can bring out laziness in users who abuse it. Ask anyone born in the past 50 years – they’ll most likely admit to smoking silly salad at least once. Why then, in most states, do we still prosecute men and women for possessing a plant with less hazardous properties than a bottle of Sprite from Walgreens? Why are lawmakers so harshly adamant about keeping it out of our hands while thousands of people lose their lives due to alcohol-related incidents every year? Marijuana should be recreationally legalized nationwide, and with good reason: business will boom, safety will bloom, and it sure beats smoking a cigarette.

in “Marijuana Facts” 1). From an outsider’s perspective, one has to ask why is there so much tension and hesitation in legalizing marijuana? If alcohol is the direct cause of many deaths, while marijuana has not been responsible for any, it only makes sense that our health would not be our greatest concern in legalizing the drug. Also, it is important to understand marijuana consumption is less susceptible to overuse than alcohol or other drugs (Marijuana 10:477). Despite this, critics often argue that marijuana is a gateway to other more potent and harmful drugs. According to Dr. Halbach of the World Health Organization there is no pharmacological link between cannabis and opiates (Marijuana 10:477). This demonstrates the physiological unlikelihood of marijuana being a stepping-stone to other more potent drugs containing opiates. Marijuana does have drawbacks and side effects, as any other drug whether medicinal or recreational. However, putting the drug in perspective helps one to understand the contradiction in legalizing other drugs while continuing to ignore marijuana even though it can beneficial in different capacities.