The Blunt Truth About The Marijuana Industry

Right after the U.S. Department of Justice announced in March 2009 that it would no longer prosecute marijuana patients and providers whose actions are consistent with state medical marijuana laws (Meyer & Glover, 2009, para. 1), political windows suddenly opened for California marijuana reform advocates to push for legalizing the recreational use of marijuana. As a result, California Proposition 19, the Regulate, Control & Tax Cannabis Act, became a ballot initiative on November 2, 2010 statewide ballot. Supporters argued that legalizing creational use of marijuana would help California to regulate the use and sale of marijuana, reduce correctional costs, redirect its court and law enforcement resources to other more serious crimes, and collect additional exercise taxes and sales taxes that would help with California’s budget shortfall. In spite of being a

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.

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

Marijuana has been one of the hot topics in America and is yet to still be looked down upon by the media and government. One example of this is a poster for a 1942 movie called “Devil’s Harvest”. It’s a tale that has been highly fictionalized and exaggerated on the use of marijuana and justice taken to stop the spread of marijuana around the nation. In other words, an investigator goes on a hunt to take down marijuana dealers. Though marijuana is looked down upon and is also illegal in many states, it is in some ways still a beneficial medicinal substance in ways such as reducing nausea during chemotherapy. But the nation or, more specifically, the government, does notice a lot of recreational use by mostly teens and higher ages who get arrested on average of 800,000 people every year. This poster not only advertises to the audience about the movie but also gives the evil eye on marijuana in society. It could be portrayed as a warning to marijuana users and to others to keep an eye out for the “devil’s harvest.”

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.

The legalization of marijuana in the United States is a heated topic. While people may argue whether or not to legalize marijuana nationwide, they cannot argue its effects on crime. It is not just illegal marijuana causing crime in the United States. Legal marijuana also plays a part. When people think about the war on drugs, they think of images like cocaine and other illegal substances. They blindly believe that banning the use of a certain substance or legalizing it in only a few states will solve the issue. However, in actuality this only makes the situation worse. The legalization of recreational marijuana solely in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Oregon, and Washington caters to the black market.

Marijuana is the most popular illegal street drug in America. It is something that has been a part of our society for many years. The name Marijuana is a Mexican term that was originally used for “low quality tobacco”. Forty eight percent of Americans have tried Marijuana and six and a

Over the past 46 years there has been an increased in the number of people who are in favor of legalizing marijuana. In a survey conducted in 1969, “12 percent of Americans thought marijuana used should be legal” (Jones 1). Nothing really change in the 1970’s and 1990’s, but in 2000 it “exceeded 30 percent…and was higher than 40 percent by 2013” (Jones 1). Several reasons for this dramatic increase is that more Americans are becoming aware of its medicinal use, also how the legalizing marijuana can help boost in revenue, and “newer generations of adults are more in favor of marijuana, replacing the older generation of adults who aren’t” (Jones 1).

Marijuana is a common drug that most people are familiar with. In some states, this drug has been used to ease one’s pain through medicinal forms or recreational use. This drug might be familiar to many people, but in the legal system this drug is considered illicit for recreational use in most of the United States. Jonathan Caulkins and Michael Lee make the claim that more states have legalized the use of

As the sun began to rise, on the morning of November 9, 2016, most Californians, awoke with a new profound sense of freedom to get high. For the simple reason that, the day before, most citizens throughout California voted yes on Proposition 64, which legalized recreational marijuana for adults over 21 years of age. However, I voted no to legalize recreational marijuana, this was due to my values and faith, but most importantly, for the simple reason that, it will negatively impact law enforcement agencies, as well as, communities. Secondly, studies have indicated that using marijuana on a regular basis can affect a person both mentally and physically. Nevertheless,

According to USA Today, on average, there is about 700,000 people arrested annually on marijuana-related charges (Smith). Because of this, the topic of marijuana, specifically legalizing marijuana, has been on the minds of many Americans. Some of the American population does not see marijuana as an issue because they think it is not as harmful as some other drugs. On the other hand, scientists, doctors, and the rest of Americans view marijuana as a dangerous drug that should stay illegal because of the harmful effects that it can have on a person. Negative views of marijuana present themselves in New York Times articles through the idea that it can have harmful effects on the body. These negative views about marijuana have stayed the same because of the constant concern over physical and mental repercussions for those who use it.

Since the 1970’s, marijuana has increasingly taken the forefront as the next “socially harmless” drug of choice, akin to the likes of alcohol and tobacco. Many state legislatures have begun a decriminalization process, and in some cases, full legalization and regulation. Though the scope of the following research is not to discuss the differences in legislation, the broad spectrum between completely illegal and legal use of marijuana should be noted. Regulation varies greatly from incredibly restricted medicinal use, to open recreational use and finally, legalization. At the very far end of this spectrum is complete legalization, commercialization, and regulation. The intention of this research is to show that full legalization of marijuana is not in the best interest of the people of The United States. The three most alarming factors leading to this conclusion are increased use under legalization, a detrimental effect on rate of incarceration, and finally, dramatically increased economic costs.

Marijuana, also known as, cannabis, pot, weed, or hemp, has been a topic of intense debates for many years, but today, it is in the spotlight more than ever. The issue about the use of this drug is becoming more and more topical because people are debating whether or not to legalize it. Marijuana, is the most commonly used drug in the world. In fact, around 3.8 percent of the world’s population or 158.8 million people around the world use marijuana, according to United Nations. And the number is continuously rising. As of June 2014, 23 U.S. states and Washington D.C. have passed laws legalizing marijuana in some form with three more states considering it. As what Major Neil Franklin (Ret.), a former police officer and current head of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP), said, “The legalization of marijuana is good for law enforcement, good for families, and good for our communities” (Washington Post). The benefits and reasons to legalize marijuana are many, and overbearingly outweigh the arguments against legalization.

Marijuana is a drug that has sparked much controversy over the past decade as to whether or not it should be legalized. People once thought of marijuana as a bad, mind-altering drug which changes a person’s personality which can lead to crime and violence through selling and buying it. In the past, the majority of citizens believed that marijuana is a harmful drug that should be kept off the market and out of the hands of the public. However, a recent study conducted by Pew Research Center has concluded people’s view may be changing. For the first time since 1969, the public’s opinion has undergone a dramatic long-term shift. According to Pew’s 2015 survey, 53% of the people polled favor the legal use of marijuana, while 44% are opposed. However, in 2006, just 32% supported marijuana legalization, while nearly twice as many 60% were opposed. The group that was responsible for this change was the 18-34 year olds with 68% of them in favor of its legalization. However, across all generations, with the exception of the age group of 70-87 year-olds, support for this drug’s legalization has risen over the past decade (Pew Research Center, 2015). People believe that the legalization of marijuana will lead to a decrease in recreational use, drug addictions, and crime.

The debate about legalizing marijuana concerns whether the state should repeal or review the law to make it legal to produce, sell, and handle marijuana. There is a major rise in controversy over marijuana, the age-old drug, and its consumption both recreationally and medically, and, therefore, it is imperative to resolve marijuana legislation. Some people compare its prohibition to the 1920s while others argue that the drug is less harmful than alcohol (Richter & Levy, 2014). Less than 15% of the American population are regular users while the prisons crowd with prisoners who have committed a victimless crime; hence, decisive and clear legislation should be taken. Simply decriminalization marijuana would not help solve the correction problems. The creation of domestic, legal marijuana industry,