The Decriminalization Of Marijuana

Marijuana is one of the most discussed and controversial topics in the U.S today. Many say that it has medicinal benefits and should be made legal. While many say that it has a “high potential for abuse” (Medical) and should remain illegal. Among the arguments, proponents for medical marijuana have presented a stronger argument for legalization through their use of research and evidence.

The legalization of marijuana has been a hot topic in the media for many years now. There is a major divide in those who believe it should be legal, those who do not, and those who think it could be legal with modifications on the usage. The number of those who support the legalization of marijuana is on the rise with nearly 50% supporting recreational marijuana legalization, and 81% supporting marijuana legalization for medical treatment as of 2015 ("Public Support for Marijuana Legalization, 2015”). Marijuana should be legalized on a federal level because it is safer than alcohol, it will increase the economy, and there is an unfair criminalization of marijuana.

The topic of legalizing recreational marijuana in the United States has been a very controversial one. States such as Colorado and Washington have gone on the offensive and have legalized recreational marijuana and have enjoyed the high revenues brought in from cannabis sale. On the other hand other states have kept low profiles because they are wary of the possible negative outcomes of legalizing recreational marijuana and are using the states of Colorado and Washington as guinea pigs to see what their next course of action on this controversial topic should be. This is not only a highly debated topic among politicians, but also by the people. According to a poll conducted by the Pew Research Center 52% of Americans

On January 1st the states of Colorado and Washington officially began the regulation of legal marijuana sales. Thousands of people from all over the country including tourists from Wisconsin, Ohio, Chicago, and even Georgia lined up out front of dispensaries to make a purchase. Recreational marijuana is being regulated and monitored like alcohol; you must be at least 21 years old to make a purchase. The drug, which is controversial in many states’ legislations, is currently legal for medical use in 20 states, but Colorado and Washington were the first to approve of recreational use (Healy). The geographical concepts involved in the legalization of marijuana include migration, movement and flow, and private/public space.

Marijuana legalization has been a controversial topic requiring a public policy solution in the political realm. There have been various arguments made for and against the legalization of marijuana. There are several states that have legalized marijuana use for medicinal purposes while others have let their guards down completely allowing citizens to use it not only medicinally, but recreationally as well. While the use of marijuana is still illegal at the federal level, there is much discussion by other states regarding policies to support marijuana legalization and many policy makers proactively planning for the possibility

Marijuana is the most common drug in America and all over the world. It is legalized in some countries, but most countries prohibit its use. It has proven medical abilities and was used for this purpose for a while before being federally criminalized. The United States has been debating on the legalization of marijuana with some states supporting the move and others against it. ("10 Facts About Marijuana") Despite all these debates, the legalization of marijuana is the better option of the two. Legalizing marijuana will result in medical, economic and social benefits all over America.

The legalization of marijuana for recreational usage could may be a new trend in America but the Federal government will likely oppose usage through the end of time. The Drug Enforcement Administration's (DEA) stance is that marijuana is an illegal drug and that using this drug whether for medicinal or recreational purposes is illegal. I chose this topic to research because of awareness bright to light prior to the recent elections. Until researching this topic, I was unaware that marijuana usage is legal in some states and that other states were pushing legislation to get

There has been talk about the decriminalization of marijuana for many years, and it is a very controversial subject. The Liberal government stated in its platform that it intended to decriminalize marijuana if elected and since being elected, they have promised to decriminalize it by April 2017. A 2012 poll by Angus Reid showed that 57% of Canadians are in favor of legalizing marijuana (MacLean’s 2013). Many people believe that even if it is not decriminalized, there should be less harsh penalties to those who are caught with it. There are many reasons marijuana should be decriminalized such as the many health

The topic of legalizing recreational marijuana in the United States has been a very controversial one. States such as Colorado and Washington have gone on the offensive and have legalized recreational marijuana and have enjoyed the high revenues brought in from cannabis sale. On the other hand other states have kept low profiles because they are wary of the possible negative outcomes of legalizing recreational marijuana and are using the states of Colorado and Washington as guinea pigs to see what their next course of action on this controversial topic should be. This is not only a highly debated topic among politicians, but also by the people. According to a poll conducted by the Pew Research Center, 52% of Americans support the

European countries have differing policies by country in regards to marijuana. European countries such as the Netherlands, Spain, Portugal and Switzerland categorize marijuana as a soft drug and its use has been decriminalized. These countries focus less on punishing users, and place the emphasis on education and prevention. In the Netherlands marijuana can be bought in neighborhood coffee shops and not sold by dealers on the streets. Because there will always be portions of any population that will eventually experiment with some form of drugs the coffee shops are regulated by authorities and provide a safer alternative to buying hard drugs being pushed by dealers on the streets. (Government of the

Marijuana (cannabis, hemp, or hash) has been argued upon amongst the United States for over fifty years. As well its various functions, both therapeutic and in trade, our government insists on preserving the status quo that the development, possession and use of marijuana is criminal despite the evidence that the legalization of marijuana would have a positive influence on America.

    In 2016, close to 600,000 people were jailed for possession     of marijuana, a harmless drug, regardless of the amount (Ingraham 1). In the eyes of the law, these innocuous offenses are seen as serious crimes, and are often treated harshly.  The executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance, Maria Moreno, agrees that the cruel punishment over marijuana “has devastated families across the US...for no good reason” (Ingraham 2). Marijuana has been proven to be safer than tobacco and alcohol, there is a road test for the prevention of impaired driving, and its taxation would provide money to the government that could then be used similarly to Colorado, who put most of their profit from marijuana sales towards school funding (Smith 1). The taxation of marijuana would provide the government with an abundance of revenue; If regulations on the amount of marijuana one can purchase and age minimums are set into place, combined with new methods to test for marijuana use while driving, legalizing and taxing recreational marijuana would be beneficial for the United States government.

Since 1920, the dangers and harms of marijuana have been exaggerated. Many of the stories of films like "reefer madness (reefer madness)" were used to support anti-marijuana laws, these stories still remain in use today by the government in its anti-drug campaigns and reports.

Legalize, control, and discourage is a way to fix the problem. Evident by Colorado and Washington, “the legalization of marijuana can stop most of these possession arrests” (Levine). After the first opening of the first retail marijuana stores on January 1, 2014, Colorado had decreased crime rates, decreased traffic fatalities and increase in economic output (DPA). Since 2010, the marijuana possession arrest have went down 84% since its legalization. The tactic of legalizing, controlling, and discouraging has been proposed by the Economist, a weekly news magazine, in the late 80’s.

The legalization of marijuana exists as a perennial “hot topic,” as it would have serious social implications if any legislation of this type were to occur. It should be obvious that the legalization or decriminalization of marijuana would mean that weed would no longer be illegal. That is to say, with the legalization of marijuana, individuals would no longer be penalized for possession or use, and law enforcement agencies would no longer be burdened with the task of carrying out these laws (Pot Politics 10). The number of people incarcerated for marijuana possession would obviously go down if it was no longer against the law, and police wouldn’t have to spend time or resources to bring these individuals to justice. In the two cases, legalization