The Legalization Of Marijuana

Imagine a world where marijuana became legalized.Most believe that legalizing marijuana would would be a be dangerous thing to do and should stay illegal , while others see it as a use of good reliable sources.From a philosophical point of view, individuals deserve the right to make choices for themselves. Marijuana has been tested and proven to provide a very positive impact on the American society for many reasons. Some of these reasons are for America’s economy, health and even crime. The debate to legalize marijuana in the United States of America has been fought over nonstop since the existence of the drug and its effects. Marijuana should become legal in the state of New Jersey.

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

For many years, there has been a war against society and the federal government on whether or not marijuana should be legal in the U.S., for medicinal and recreational purposes. There are so many positive aspects as to why it would be a highly viable asset to communities all over the U.S. Though there are some aspects to be looked at and taken into consideration when it comes to legalizing this drug, it still stands as an important fact that marijuana should be in fact legalized by the federal government, so that the development of hemp crops can be used as a valuable agricultural crop in the U.S., creating a new bio-fuel to reduce carbon emissions we consume every day, so that we can expose majority of the prohibitions on the dangers of marijuana are solely based on disinformation and lies, and so that dollars collected in tax revenue from marijuana sales can be used for bettering our communities instead of spending our earned taxed dollars on criminalization costs keeping it illegal.

In the United States, we have enacted numerous bans and restrictions against certain drugs and substances with the purpose of protecting the general public from their negative effects. On this list of illegal drugs are harmful and addictive substances such as cocaine, methamphetamines, and heroin. A substance called cannabis, also known as marijuana, is also on this list. As of now, it is illegal to buy, sell, possess, or use marijuana in any shape or form in the state of Louisiana. However, due to the advancement of technology and of human perspective and innovation, it has come to light that marijuana could actually be of benefit to our society through its medicinal uses in treating a range of conditions and diseases as well as its possible social benefits in helping individuals stray from heavier drugs by acting as a substitute. Now that the wheels of time are turning and that medical marijuana is becoming a budding industry, the question remains: should marijuana be legal all across the United States of America? With the benefits it could bring with its medical, social, and economic uses, marijuana could be a profitable asset to our society if it were to be legalized, and I believe that we should strive for that outcome.

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”

Legalization of marijuana is an important issue; most people recognize it as “harmful and addictive,” from the essay “Marijuana Should Not Be Legalized,” while others regard the ban on marijuana as ineffective, expensive, and unjust (1). According to Senator Bernie Sanders, “too many Americans have seen their lives destroyed because they have criminal records as a result of marijuana use. That’s wrong.” The ban is unjust for Americans because it is a complete waste of our tax dollars to continue criminalizing citizens for marijuana use. Legalization of marijuana in every state will be beneficial; for our economy, medical value and breakthroughs, lowering crime rate, aiding people who are victims of drug abuse, and more. The following paragraphs will explain further.

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

Legalization keeps progressing in advance, but because of many years of government obstructions on research, there is nearly not enough known about the dangers of marijuana, or the benefits. Marijuana in the United States is classified as a Schedule 1 substance, which is defined for substances that have significant risks, such as addiction, but, in theory, have no medical benefits, making it difficult to obtain medical marijuana to do clinical trials (Doctor's Case for Medical Marijuana 14). With four states permitting its use for both medicinal and recreational purposes and 24 states only for pharmaceutical, there has been many thoughts whether this plant should be kept unlawful in the United States or not (Ingraham 2). Activists believe that the legalization will provide many benefits to the citizens as well as the economy, but antagonists think it will just make it easier for people to obtain it for recreational purposes. Although this may seem true, study proves that there was a significant decrease in the underground market after legalizing marijuana in Colorado, which meant less people were consuming it recreationally. Enforcing laws against something that is naturally grown is unnatural; therefore, marijuana usage for recreational and medicinal purposes should

Marijuana legislation in the United States seems to be divided between very subjective and objective credence’s. The objective perspective seems to be that marijuana is a substance that has medicinal properties and merits further research into its utilize as a substance that can be utilized for medical treatment. While the subjective perspective seems to be more fueled by propaganda than scientific research. All too often, arguments for and against the utilization of marijuana have been predicated more on emotion and personal opinion shaped by propaganda and the taboo subject of illicit drug use, than genuine scientific fact. This should not be what decides if there should be legitimate scientific research on the subject. Currently, marijuana is a schedule I controlled substance, indicating it is considered highly addictive and of no medical use. Due to the many claims that marijuana is of medical benefit, many states have passed laws that allows limited access of

The legalization of medical marijuana has become a nationwide issue among US citizens that is both sensitive and fierce in nature. In 1972, president Nixon declared a "war on drugs" that lead to the U.S. Congress prohibiting medicinal marijuana use in the Controlled Substances Act under the notion that it bore no medical value. Since then, citizens, physicians, and politicians alike have battled over the veracity of this avowed Act. The fact that was neglected, however, is that the cannabis plant has been used for medicinal purposes for centuries, and has been widely attested to relieving the harsh symptoms of physical ailments of users. Because of the vast amount of evidence of the benefits of marijuana use in patients, it is therefore accurately deemed as a legitimate form of medicine in the 23 US States and Washington D.C. that have legalized it since 1996.

Society’s view of the legalization of marijuana is rapidly changing. Many states have accepted cannabis as a valuable form of medicine, and some states have legalized its use for recreational purposes. Citizens operating within the parameters of established law should have the legal right to grow marijuana. Restricting adults from the independent choice to cultivate this plant creates unnecessary issues for both medical patients and recreational users, as well as a strain on the judicial system.

The legalization of marijuana has been a debate in the public eye within the United States for quite some time now; however, as time progresses many states continue to pass legislation. As of, March 2017, 26 states and the District of Columbia have laws legalizing marijuana use in some fashion and 24 remaining states with pending legislation. Although states are in debate for legalization it remains that federal law still prohibits any form of usage, selling, or buying. Federal law supersedes state law on this issue as it is written, “Legalizing Marijuana: Why Citizens Should Just Say No” from the Legal Memorandum Published by the Heritage Foundation,

“The government's position is that marijuana is currently categorized as a Schedule I controlled substance, and is therefore subject to the most severe restrictions contained within the CSA”(Garvey 2). The federal law believes that marijuana can be abused which is why it is not accepted as a treatment in the United States. The federal laws make the result in having marijuana very severe. Though not so severe, the state laws have restrictions on marijuana too. Additionally, all states but

Marijuana is a controversial topic all across the United States. Recently marijuana has been voted on, legalized, and denied legalization in multiple states. There are still more states trying to fight the green fight for marijuana. The fight for legalization hasn’t been an easy one for cannabis supporters; they have been fighting tooth and nail to make it happen. One of the main concerns in the marijuana debates are whether or not marijuana is a gateway drug, one of the main reasons it was first made illegal (Narconon). What the long term effects of marijuana use are is another key question that must be posed before legalization can be determined. The economic effects have been, using Colorado as an example, increasingly positive. All of these factors must be taken into account in order to create an educated opinion on the topic of marijuana legalization.

“Many hard drugs such as painkillers, herione, and cocaine are drugs that are very destructive to your health and possibly even your life. Marijuana should not be put under the same category as these drugs. It should be under the category that includes alcohol, tobacco, and even sugar. These drugs are more commonly related to marijuana than hard drugs (Nathan). Also, it is clear that alcohol and tobacco are more harmful to a person that marijuana. That’s why I don’t understand how the policy on marijuana isn’t equal if not more in favored than the policies on alcohol and tobacco. Even sugar in many health aspects can be considered more harmful