Nationwide marijuana legalization: policy implications and outcomes

Abstract
There is a need to legalize marijuana and allow people an alternative source of health care to that which is provided by the pharmaceutical industry.  Big Pharma is responsible for the opioid epidemic devastating lives today.  Marijuana is a naturally occurring plant that people have used responsibly for thousands of years.  It is time to take back control of the lives of people and legalize marijuana.  This proposal explains why that would be beneficial and how the government can take action now.
Introduction (Purpose and Problem)
Marijuana has been legalized by many different states in recent years.  However, it still remains a schedule 1 narcotic according to the federal government, which means under federal law it is considered a substance as dangerous as heroin and cocaine (DEA).  The history of marijuana usage in the U.S. shows that the plant was always legal up until the era of Prohibition and that from that time onward, it never again regained status as a plant with health values or with recreational positives (Deitch).  Today, however, many researchers and advocates are out to show that marijuana has medicinal benefits and is socially acceptable.  The problem remains that the federal government so far refuses to budge on the issue of marijuana.  This is a problem that needs to be addressed because as several states show, legalizing marijuana can increase tax revenues and decrease the amount of black market crime.  Marijuana should be legalized nationwide and this proposal will explain why and how it can be.
Discussion
Analysis of Problem
Marijuana is a drug with medicinal attributes that can help people to relax and relieve pain (Advanced Holistic Health).  However, it is still illegal under federal law and many people have been incarcerated for growing, selling and even possessing marijuana.  Additionally, the federal government needs to increase tax revenue to offset the tax cuts under the Trump Administration.  As the national debt grows, something needs to be done to get the government’s revenue back up to where it needs to be.
Details of Proposal
This proposal aims to fully legalize marijuana nationwide.  This would require an amendment to the Constitution similar to the 21st Amendment, which repealed Prohibition of alcohol.  Once fully legalized it would no longer require a medical card to purchase marijuana as is the case in states like Ohio and Florida.  It would be fully legal as a recreational drug, though states could still regulate the sale of it to ensure quality of product.
Analysis of Political Climate
The political climate is currently favorable to the nationwide legalization of marijuana.  Former Attorney General Jeff Sessions was not in favor of the idea, but his departure has opened the door to decriminalization.  Democratic Presidential candidate Cory Booker has even introduced a bill to legalize marijuana nationwide and that bill has been supported by other presidential candidates as well (Chappell).  The political climate is thus very favorable to this idea.
Barriers
There are no substantial barriers to marijuana legalization other than those presented by the pharmaceutical industry, which views the natural plant as a threat to its own market.  
Literature Review
Deitch is in favor of legalizing marijuana as he shows that it was grown and used by the Founding Fathers and that it was never deemed dangerous or criminal until the pharmaceutical industry came to power.  Smith shows that legalization of marijuana can increase tax revenues exponentially and this would be great for the economy.  Advanced Holistic Health shows marijuana has been used for medicinal purposes for ten thousand years and has never been viewed as a harm to society the way it is criminalized in the U.S. today.
Budget
No budget is actually required for legalizing marijuana nationwide.  The reason is that legalizing marijuana requires no investment:  it brings in money, as has been proven in Colorado.  Since 2014, the state has brought in more than half a billion dollars in tax revenue thanks to sales of marijuana (Smith).  If individual states wish to regulate the sale of marijuana it would be up to them to do so—but as far as the federal government would be concerned, no oversight on its part would be required.  
Who Needs to be Involved
Congress needs to get involved because to pass a new Amendment to the Constitution, it would require two-thirds vote in both chambers.  However, a bill only requires a simple majority in both chambers to pass, so Booker’s bill could be the simplest way to go.  From there the President has to sign the bill into law—or he can veto it, but Congress can override the veto with two-thirds vote in both chambers.  This is the chain of command for this process.
Options for Solutions
There are other bills floating around Congress that include regulating marijuana the way alcohol is regulated.  Another bill has been introduced to have marijuana removed from the controlled substances act, which would effectively make it legal.  These are alternative approaches.
Plan of Action
The plan of action proposed herein is for a truly bipartisan bill to be introduced by a Republican and Democrat in one chamber of Congress with additional support manifested in another chamber of Congress that would call for the nationwide legalization of marijuana.  The president should express his support of the bill.  The bill could proceed swiftly through Congress that way.
Schedules for Implementation
This bill could be introduced rapidly and make its way through Congress within a year so that the President can sign it before the 2020 election.
Conclusion/Recommendation
It is recommended that Congress vote to legalize marijuana nationwide and that a separate bill be introduced to regulate the sale of marijuana similarly to the way alcohol is regulated.  This would allow tax revenue to be collected on marijuana and it would allow banks to begin processing charges for marijuana purchases, which they currently cannot do because marijuana is banned federally and banks would get into trouble for processing drug money.
The problem of illegal marijuana is that it is leading to a high incarceration rate, and it is keeping a natural plant from being used for medicinal and recreational purposes.  Throughout all of human history marijuana has been recognized for its healing powers and it was a staple crop among the Founding Fathers.  It was only outlawed so as to allow the pharmaceutical industry to push its highly addictive and deadly products onto the population.  Now the population is suffering from an opioid epidemic.  Legalizing marijuana would help to curb the opioid addiction and would save lives.  It would also increase tax revenues for the government.  All it would require is a bill to be passed in both chambers with a simple majority vote and a signing into law by the president.  This could be achieved by year’s end in time for the 2020 election and could be a true bi-partisan bill that both parties could take credit for.
Works Cited
Advanced Holistic Health.  10,000 year history of marijuana in the world.  
http://www.advancedholistichealth.org/history.html
Chappel, Carmin.  Cory Booker introduces bill to legalize marijuana nationwide, with 
support from fellow 2020 candidates.  CNBC, 2019.  https://www.cnbc.com/2019/02/28/cory-booker-introduces-bill-to-legalize-marijuana-nationwide.html
DEA.  Drug scheduling. DEA, 2018.  https://www.dea.gov/drug-scheduling
Deitch, R. (2003). Hemp: American History Revisited: The Plant with a Divided History. 
New York, NY:  Algora Publishing.
Smith, Aaron.  Colorado passes a milestone for pot revenue.  CNN Money, 2017.  
https://money.cnn.com/2017/07/19/news/colorado-marijuana-tax-revenue/index.html