Should Marijuana Be Legalized?

Marijuana has earned itself a terrible name over the years. This plant has a long history with humans, from early medical uses to spiritual and even recreational use. In recent years, many states have seen the legalization of marijuana for medical uses. Most large scale experiments have been hindered because of the difficulty of getting experiments involving marijuana approved. Despite this roadblock for the research of marijuana, surveys and observations of the medical use of marijuana show that the plant may have legitimate medical uses. The lack of evidence showing that weed is a dangerous drug also pushes for its legalization for recreational use. Based on all of the evidence about marijuana for recreational and medical use, marijuana

Possession and use of marijuana is illegal in over half of the United States, but it is still the third most popular recreational drug in the United States. The debate for this drug to be legal has been going on for many years; some states have legalized the drug for medical use, and some for recreational use as well. Other states seem to disagree; they are not in favor of making the drug legal for medical use or recreational use. It has been proven that marijuana has a positive impact on society. Marijuana should be legalized as it would reduce crime, provide health benefits, and it is a safe drug.

The debate over legalization of marijuana for recreational use is an issue that has polarized many Americans. On one hand of the spectrum are the marijuana advocates that campaign for the government to lift the ban on the drug, citing beneficial uses for it for the economy and for medicine. On the other side are people who believe that marijuana legalization would serve as an addictive gateway drug for many people and would pose health hazards for people that uses it recreationally. My stance on this issue is that legalizing marijuana should be viewed as a correct decision and a step forward for America and I will elaborate why later on. By analyzing the economic aspects of marijuana legalization, I will argue my case that decriminalizing marijuana will generate billions in revenues for this country’s economy and on the same token save this country billions of dollars on prohibition enforcement. Therefore, I firmly support recreational marijuana being legalized because it is a drug that has the potential to boost the American economy and at the same time save billions of dollars on arresting and incarcerating people with illegal procession of marijuana.

Almost everyone in their lifetime has been involved with a person that was addicted to drugs. Most people, when dealing with a family member or a friend addicted to drugs, want to help the drug addict in any way possible. However, many people’s attitudes change when the drug addict is not directly related to them. According to Department of Justice statistics, forty-eight percent of all prisoners in federal prison were incarcerated for drug-related crimes in 2011(Carson). Therefore, rather than being helped, drug users are being incarcerated. If our goal, as a country, is to reduce the rate of drug use and help drug addicts receive treatment, then why are we merely incarcerating those who use drugs? Although many people are against decriminalization of drugs because they are afraid of how it will affect them, few people think of how decriminalization will affect drug addicts and our country as a whole. Drugs should be decriminalized because it would benefit the economy, drug addiction treatment, drug addicts, and increase personal freedom for all United States citizens.

Marijuana (also called pot, weed, or Mary Jane) is the name used to describe the seeds, flowers, and leaves in the hemp plant of the genus Cannabis. There are three main species of Cannabis, Cannabis Indica, Cannabis Sativa, and Cannabis Ruderalis. The main type of marijuana that has been used throughout history has been Cannabis Sativa. Marijuana is typically found as a shredded, green-brown mixture of the flowers, leaves, and stems from Cannabis Sativa. Most people smoke marijuana by rolling it like a cigarette, called joints. People also put it in hollow cigars, called blunts, and some people even mix it into food such as brownies and tea.

Marijuana legalization would allow for legal distribution and taxation of cannabis as well as decrease expensive enforcement and incarceration costs. Political authorities debate whether legalization or decriminalization is necessary. Derived from the hemp plant called Cannabis sativa, marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug in the United States (Glauser). Usually smoked in a blunt, joint, or pipe, the dry, shredded brownish-green mix of stems and leaves can be mixed in food, or brewed into a tea. Delta-9-tetrahydrocannibinol (THC) is the main active chemical that rapidly passes from the lungs into the bloodstream when someone inhales marijuana. Once the THC reaches the brain, the chemical reactions lead to the “high” that users experience when they use marijuana. Only lasting a few hours, these effects are short term. More realistic concerns question whether or not users will become addicted to cannabis. “Compared to other substances, marijuana is especially un-addictive; it’s often paired with drugs like alcohol, cocaine, and heroin, but when discussing addiction, a much more appropriate comparison would be to caffeine” (Glauser). As a non-addictive substance that can be therapeutic, reduce arrests, and boost the economy, marijuana should be legalized.

Cannabis has been declared a Schedule I controlled substance since the the Marijuana Tax Act OF 1973. Nevertheless, today, some countries have legalized cannabis while other countries have not. Moreover, in the United States, some states such as Washington and Colorado have also legalized the possession and usage of marijuana for medical purposes. On the other hand, various penalties are imposed for use or possession of cannabis in most states. Marijuana should be legalize because of the medical and economical adavnages it possesses.

Many of you have your own opinion on whether marijuana should be legalized or not, for recreational or medical use. Marijuana has been looked down on by federal governments since before 1915, when Utah passed the first anti-marijuana law. Since then, the black market (illegal trade) has become extremely violent causing the crime rate to skyrocket over the years. The black market is based off of a variety of illegal, dangerous drugs. Marijuana differs from other drugs because of its medical advantage. Pulling marijuana out of the black market trade and selling it through dispensaries has the potential to change our society for the better, having marijuana being sold and taxed safely in a retail store. It will also help the people who use marijuana as their medicine over other prescription drugs that have harmful side effects and killer withdrawal symptoms. My point is to inform you of the medical advantages of legalizing marijuana. There are many questions relating to marijuana since most of the time people only hear the negative aspects of the schedule I substance. This paper will begin with some history on the controversial event of legalizing marijuana, then go into how exactly the herb helps people, an inside look at dispensaries, and a comparison of marijuana to prescription drugs.

Legalizing the recreational use of marijuana would have many benefits for the United States. This is a very common argument with people of all ages in 2016. Marijuana is a dried bud and leaf from the Cannabis sativa plant, which can grow anywhere in warm, humid weather. This plant also goes by many names, including pot, grass, weed, hemp, hash, ganja, and many others. Many people look at the legalization of marijuana as a way for potheads to smoke without getting busted for it anymore. For this very reason, people want to keep this drug illegal. Marijuana is more than a quick high a quick high at a party. This drug is used for preventing seizures, to cure Glaucoma, and much more. Marijuana will not only benefit the United States for several health reasons but also in the economy. This controlled industry could bring in billions of dollars in tax revenue for federal, state, and local governments. Cannabis could be the next best thing for the U.S.

The college campuses in the United States have the majority of the population that uses drugs among society (Wadley& Carlier, 2014). The ages of these students range from “18 to 24” that are the most likely candidates to use marijuana and are more susceptible to use and find themselves addicted while they are in college (College Drug Abuse, 2015). There is conflict on college campuses between the state and federal government laws because the college is ran by the state by falls under federal laws when marijuana is involved. The students may experience long term effects of the use of marijuana in their lifetime that they don’t factor into their health because they are not able to understand the risks involve with use. There are many aspects of marijuana that effect college campuses and the students need to find alternatives to stay on the straight and narrow path to become successful drug free adult.

With the legalization of the use, sale, and distribution of marijuana taking place in varied geographic, social and political areas, the laws governing its distribution and consumption are as varied as the states in which the practices take place. As previously stated, some states allow for the consumption of marijuana as a medicinal product only, and require a prescription from your physician. Partaking of the drug in these states without a prescription will result in varied punishments depending on the jurisdiction in which the infraction takes place. From a simple fine to extended prison time, the difference in punishments can be significant. Because of these potential penalties, business people entering the marijuana industry, as with any highly regulated industry, need to know the laws and regulations in their region in order to operate their business effectively, efficiently, and remain within the boundaries of the law.

There was a time when talks of legalizing marijuana went largely untouched by statesmen and policymakers. It seemed that considering legalization was unpopular and that the demand for it existed only in the minds of few. In this ever-changing world, we now see the rhetoric of the matter gradually fade away. That old approach of conservatism seems to be marginalized regarding this groundbreaking social topic. With 75% of the nation expecting that marijuana will find a federal path to legality, the ability to buy, possess, and consume recreational cannabis is perfectly legal in four states. Furthermore, economists have begun to study this subject in great depth. By and large, their analysis has concluded that the nationalized legalization of cannabis would stimulate the American economy. Additionally, black-market criminals would no longer profit from the vast exploitations of the marijuana plant, while licensed growers, retailers, and consumers would all reap the positive ends. In summation, revenue from the federally-mandated legalization of marijuana would prove economically beneficial to both the federal government and domestic businesses. Legalization would, in turn, affect a number of different economic systems, but it might pose some ethical questions for the Catholic Church and other religious institutions.

Many states have started the process of decriminalizing marijuana and taking away the criminal offense associated with marijuana usage. The idea of making marijuana a legal drug is a cause for concern for many people. Especially, those who believe that using marijuana will cause more reckless and criminal behavior. Looking at research, there are other sides to the argument that recognize methods in which marijuana could be decriminalized with lower repercussions. Regarding the argument of decriminalizing marijuana, this paper will focus on the reasons for decriminalization and setting adequate and safe restrictions.

With progressive advances in technology, advances in medicine and an understanding of the human body have also consistently increased. New drugs are available for safe consumption to combat a plethora of illnesses and disorders ranging from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) to chronic depression. As a result of the growing options for prescribed remedies to health complications, there has been a blur on the line distinguishing beneficial medicine to recreational drug use. The growing call in the United States for a legalization of recreational marijuana has led to much criticism of apparent double standards between medications and marijuana. Critics of the current ban in most U.S. states claim that there is no substantial difference to medical pills and smoking marijuana for some sort of health benefit, but the primary use of marijuana is for leisure only and has copious negative health effects as a result. Medications legal in the U.S. all have a medical purpose that recreational weed falls short on in addition to chances of addiction without proper guidance from medical professionals that often come with many legalized pills; over the counter, or prescribed. The satirical cartoon does not effective describe any contradiction in the thinking of those that do not support marijuana.

The cannabis plant or marijuana is intended for use of a psychoactive drug or medicine. It is used for recreational or medical uses. In some religions, marijuana is predominantly used for spiritual purposes. Cannabis is indigenous to central and south Asia. Cannabis has been scientifically proven that you can not die from smoking marijuana. Marijuana should be legalized to help people with medical benefits, economic benefits, and criminal benefits. In eight states, marijuana was legalized for recreational use. If every state legalized marijuana, there government can potentially tax it, making a profit, in the end helping the economy come out of debt. The legalization of marijuana is looked at as a bad thing for the world, when in the end