Marijuana Legalization Essays (Examples)

Marijuana legalization
The debate around the legalization of marijuana has been around for a number of decades now and from the political podiums to the confines of medical consultation rooms and laboratories, marijuana has raised mixed reception and reactions from those who want it legalized as those who abhor it in equal measure. There are however various reasons why marijuana needs to be legalized in the US.
Logically speaking, a significant 40% have admitted to have used marijuana in one way or the other. This shows that if it has adverse health side effects then it could have already manifested itself as in the case with the hard drugs like cocaine. Indeed, it is said that marijuana has far much less health impact as compared to the already legalized recreational drugs like alcohol and tobacco.
There is a misconception that marijuana is addictive yet there are no backing data to…

References
Head T., (2017). 8 Reasons Why Marijuana Should Be Legalized. Retrieves September 24, 2017 from  https://www.thoughtco.com/reasons-why-marijuana-should-be-legalized-721154 
 

Marijuana

ecently, Uruguay became the first country to legalize in its entirety and without qualification the marijuana trade. Uruguayan senators spent a total of twelve hours debating the issue, which was proposed by the country's President. The bill was described by its proponents as "an unavoidable response to reality, given that the 'war' on drugs had failed" (BBC, 2013, 1). The law allows registered citizens to buy up to 40g per month. The law is the first of what could be many as South American nations in particular are coming to the realization that drug prohibition, backed by American interests with the support of the United Nations, has left the continent with powerful and violent gangs that control the trade, while doing nothing to stem consumption (Ibid). Indeed, the UN has already weighed in by stating that Uruguay's legislation is in contravention of the international treaties that are enforced by…

References

BBC. (2013, 1). Uruguay becomes first nation to legalise marijuana trade. BBC.co.uk. Retrieved December 12, 2013 from  http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-25328656 

BBC. (2013, 2). Uruguay marijuana move 'illegal' -- UN drugs watchdog. BBC.co.uk. Retrieved December 12, 2013 from  http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-25340324 

Chaloupka, F. & Laixuthai, A. (1997). Do youths substitute alcohol and marijuana? Some econometric evidence. Eastern Economic Journal. Vol 23 (3) 253-275.

Chokshi, N. (2013). After legalizing marijuana, Washington and Colorado are starting to regulate it. Washington Post. Retrieved December 12, 2013 from  http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/govbeat/wp/2013/10/09/after-legalizing-marijuana-washington-and-colorado-are-starting-to-regulate-it/

The active chemical ingredient, THC, is accessed by smoking marijuana and is used for both recreational and medical reasons. The pro-legalization supporters and the anti-legalization supporters are divided by ethical and medical viewpoints. The use of marijuana is linked with health risks, but it is also associated with beneficial medical and therapeutic uses. Opponents of legalization also raise concerns about marijuana abuse, dependency, and its stance as a "gateway" drug which could lead a user to try "harder" drugs. Tobacco smoking and drinking alcohol give concerns for abuse, dependency, and have been linked with the use of "harder" drugs, however these substances remain legal.

A total of 14 states have allowed for the use of marijuana for medical purposes, and some studies have indicated the benefits of decriminalization of marijuana as law enforcement efforts and resources can be used for more significant crimes. There is a concern that the legalization…

Works Cited

Drewe, M, F Drewe, and A Riecher. "Cannabis and risk of psychosis." Swiss Medical Weekly. 134. (2004): 659-663. Print.

Grossman, M, F Chaloupka, and K. Shim. "Illegal Drug Use and Public Policy." Health Affairs. 21.2 (2002): 134-145. Print.

Joffe, A, and W. Yancy. "Legalization of Marijuana: Potential Impact on Youth." Pediatrics. 113. (2004): e632-e638. Web. 5 Dec. 2011. .

Leung, Lawrence. "Cannabis and its Derivatives: Review of Medical Use." Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine. 24.4 (2011): 452-462. Print.

It has been proved that drug dealers succeed in selling their drugs, even with the measures introduced by the American government.

Countries like the Netherlands have become famous due to their tolerance of cannabis and millions of tourists visit them every year as a result. Considering the fact that the Netherlands has continued to have a great cultural value, and, that it has continued to have more tourists visiting it because of reasons other than its cannabis coffee shops, it is obvious that the Dutch have not been affected by the legalization of Marijuana.

Buckley Jr. illiam F. "Is Marijuana Fear a Myth?" National Review, Vol. 49, December 8, 1997.

Goode, Erich. "Marijuana." (Atherton: 1969)

isheit, Ralph A. "Domestic Marijuana: A Neglected Industry." (Greenwood Press: 1992)

Gerber, Rudolph J. Legalizing Marijuana: Drug Policy Reform and Prohibition Politics. (Praeger: 2004)

Chambliss, illiam J. "Another Lost ar: The Costs and Consequences of…

Wolf Shenk, Joshua. "Why You Can Hate Drugs and Still Want to Legalize Them." Washington Monthly, Vol. 27, October 1995.

"The War on Drugs: Fighting Crime or Wasting Time?" American Criminal Law Review, Vol. 38, 2001.

Souder Mark, Zimmer Lynn. "Q: Is the Government's War against Marijuana Justified as Public Policy?" Insight on the News, Vol. 13, January 12, 1998.

References

Cherry, Kendra. (2013). What is a cross-sectional study? About.com. Retrieved:

http://psychology.about.com/od/cindex/g/cross-sectional.htm

Cross-sectional vs. longitudinal studies. (2009). At Work, 55. Retrieved:

https://www.iwh.on.ca/wrmb/cross-sectional-vs.-longitudinal-studies

Guns don't kill people; people kill people

While I appreciate your efforts to apply the three criteria of judging causation to the question of gun control, I think there are other variables that must be taken into consideration in evaluating the first criteria. Even if the intention may be present regarding the desire to kill another human being, regardless of whether there is a gun present or not, it is difficult to argue that the presence of guns make the commission of a crime far easier than many other weapons. Stabbing or harming someone in a fist fight can be deadly, but it is much easier for someone to coolly and impersonally use a gun to commit murder from a distance.

Perhaps a better way of phrasing the…

" Moreover, instead of spending billions of dollars on fighting the war, the Mexican government could channel this money -- which is significant for the Mexican economy -- into meeting the population's social needs, thus decreasing the incentives for Mexico's youth to resort to crime.

Prohibition of marijuana, one might even argue, is the lead cause of violence in Mexico. It is the prohibition that drives the drug market to the underground. In the underground world, the disputes between buyers and sellers cannot be resolved through legal means such as lawsuits and arbitration. So, they are often resolved through violence. hen the United States banned alcohol during Prohibition in 1930s, the level of violence increased but as soon as the ban was lifted, the level of crime and violence dropped to the pre-Prohibition levels. As Miron points out, [v]iolence is the norm in illicit gambling but not in legal ones.…

Works Cited

Camin, Hector Aguilar and Jorge G. Castenada. "California's Prop 19, on Legalizing Marijuana, Could End Mexico's Drug War." Washington Post. 5 September 2010. Web. 3 May 2011.

Forsyth, Jim. "U.S. Should Legalize Drugs, Says Former Mexican President Fox." Reuters. 3 May 2011. Web. 3 May 2011.

Johnson, Gary. "Legalize Marijuana to Stop the Drug Cartels." Huffington Post. 26 August, 2010. Web. 3 May 2011.

Miron, Jeffrey, a. "Commentary: Legalize Drugs to Stop Violence." CNN Online. 24 March 2009. Web. 3 May 2011.

The design of the study was to compare the patterns and frequency of recreational drug use of various types, and of the attitudes expressed by residents of California to the behavior and attitudes on the same issues in the 10 other states after California legalized marijuana for medicinal use in 1996. The number of respondents in California was 2,651 and a total of 12, 916 in the other 10 states. The Trevino and ichard study (2002) involved a sample of 188 drug users and non-drug users surveyed for their responses to questions about their opinions about the legalization of marijuana, and also of other illicit recreational drugs such as cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamines.

The Page, Verhoef, Stebbins, Metz, and Levy study (2003) utilized a self-reported questionnaire developed specifically as a tool for this study designed to identify differences in the choices made by patients with MS to use marijuana as…

References

Khatapoush, S. And Hallfors, D. "Sending the Wrong Message': Did Medical

Marijuana Legalization in California Change Attitudes about and Use of Marijuana?" Journal of Drug Issues, (Fall 2004): 751 -- 770.

Page, S.A., Verhoef, M.J., Stebbins, R.A., Metz, L.M., and Levy, J.C. "Cannabis Use

as Described by People with Multiple Sclerosis." Canadian Journal of Neurological Science, Vol. 30 (2003): 201 -- 205.

legalization marijuana. Your written proposal include elements listed address considerations: •An analysis public policy criminal justice interrelate. •Why feel social change relevant criminal justice system important policy initiate foster change improvement.

There has been much controversy regarding the legalization of marijuana in recent years, as its number of supporters has increased directly proportional to the number of individuals opposing it. When considering matters from a perspective involving public policy, the legalization of marijuana is going to cause increased marijuana use. Consuming more marijuana can lead to people's health being negatively affected but it can also generated more revenue for the government as a result of taxes. Even with this, the fact that governments would gain control over marijuana sales would mean that they would be able to control the amounts that people use as a result of introducing more or less harsh taxes. Education would make the difference between a…

Fox, S., Armentano, P., & Tvert, M. (2009). Marijuana Is Safer: So Why Are We Driving People to Drink?. Chelsea Green Publishing.

Galston, W.A. & Dionne, E.J. "The New Politics of Marijuana Legalization: Why Opinion is Changing," Retrieved September 9, 2013, from  http://www.brookings.edu/research/papers/2013/05/29-politics-marijuana-legalization-galston-dionne 

Ruschman, P. (2009). Legalizing Marijuana. Infobase Publishing.

legalization of marijuana and its benefits to the society. Our arguments are focused on its medicinal value, income generated (economic value) to the state as well as the possible losses to tax payer's money as a result of trying to implement its prohibition. Our analysis is done via a thorough review of relevant literature containing expert opinions. We support our proposition that marijuana can be a benefit to society through its legalization. This is due to its medicinal value, revenue stream to the state and the reduced cost attributed to decreased prohibition budgets.

Marijuana which is the most commonly used illicit drug has faced has been heavily debated on issues of legalization and safe use. The debate has been so intense to an extent of which it has turned political (NYT, 2008). A recent study by Angus eid concluded that a majority of Americans are in support of marijuana legalization…

References

Angus-Reid (2009).Majority of Americans Support Legalizing Marijuana

 http://www.visioncritical.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/2009.12.09_Drugs_US.pdf 

British Medical Association (1997). Therapeutic Uses of Cannabis. Harwood Academic Pub.

Bensinger, P. (2010, Octobe 15). Legalizing marijuana unacceptable, danger to society. Chicago Tribune .

One very important aspect related to smoking marijuana concerns the number of deaths reported on an annual basis linked to using other legal and illegal substances. For example, according to the U.S. ureau of Mortality Statistics, 400,000 Americans die annually as a direct result of smoking cigarettes; 100,000 die prematurely from drinking alcohol; some 20,000 die from abusing legal prescription drugs like Oxycontin, Valium, Percodan, and other drugs prescribed by physicians; 2,000 die from the effects of consuming too much caffeine, mainly from heart failure, while the number of Americans who die from smoking marijuana currently stands at zero, an indication that smoking marijuana does not directly cause any known fatal and debilitating disease ("The Legalization of Marijuana," Internet).

Therefore, considering the number of Americans who die prematurely from consuming alcohol which has been legal since the end of Prohibition in the early 1930's, there is no logical reason not…

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Franklin, Michael J. The Pros and Cons of Marijuana Legalization in the United

States. New York: Random House, 2006.

"The Legalization of Marijuana." 2009. Internet. Accessed November 24, 2009

from  http://www.legalizationofmarijuana.com .

The exact amount lost under prohibition is difficult to estimate, but probably approaches several billion dollars.

Secondly, the projected problems for youth and workers and the state of the nation as a whole are far grimmer than the reality, which has been shown in other countries to actually decrease abuse of the substance. Dr. Lester Grinspoon assures that, "Marijuana itself is not criminogenic; it does not lead to sexual debauchery; it is not addicting; there is no evidence that it leads to the use of narcotics." (4).

Finally, the facts show that the war on drugs has undeniably failed. Illegal street drugs continue to frustrate law enforcement officials who have yet to make a noticeable dent in the status quo. Ed Rosenthal and Steve Kubby quote U.S. District Judge Thomas eisman as saying, "e've just about lost a generation of young people. e're building new prison beds at the rate…

Works Cited

Benjamin, Daniel K. And Miller, Roger Leroy. Undoing Drugs. New York: Basic Books. 1991. Print.

Bowman, Tom. "Schmoke Says Debate On Decriminalization Of Drugs Is Gaining Momentum." The Sun, 13 July 1999: 8A. Print.

Bruce, Cara. "The Economics of Marijuana Reform." Young Money. 7 December, 2009. Web. 3 January 2010.

Grinspoon, Lester.(1996) Marihuana reconsidered. Oakland, Quick American Archives. Print.

Medical Marijuana Use and the National Drug Policy

It is clear that the marijuana plant covers numerous elements that may prove prized when it comes to treating a variety of symptoms illnesses or, leading numerous individuals to argue that it should be made legally obtainable for medical determinations. The states of Colorado and Washington in the United Sates have legalized marijuana for fun use. However, there is a quantity of other states which have legalized basic marijuana for "medical" utilization. esearch shows that even more states are passing laws that permitting individuals to start practicing medical marijuana. Therefore, if an individual lives in a state where medical marijuana is permitted and their physician trusts that it would benefit, they will get what is called a "marijuana card." With that said, this paper will discuss medical marijuana use and the national drug policy.

When it comes to national policy, twenty-three states…

References

Drug Policy: Marijuana. (2014, December 23). Retrieved from National Association of Drug Court Professionals: http://www.nadcp.org/drugpolicy

Marijuana Resource Center: State Laws Related to Marijuana. (2013, January 12). Retrieved from State of the Union:  http://www.whitehouse.gov/ondcp/state-laws-related-to-marijuana 

Marijuana, M. (2015, Janurary 18). Have Medical Marijuana Laws Contributed to Greater General Marijuana Use by Adults? Retrieved from  http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org/view.answers.php?questionID=000242 

State Medical Marijuana Laws. (2014, Janurary 17). Retrieved from National Conference of State Legislatures:  http://www.ncsl.org/research/health/state-medical-marijuana-laws.aspx

Marijuana Legalization and Public Health

Issues associated with the Public Health Implications of Marijuana Legalization

The legalization of marijuana use in various states in the U.S. has contributed to a surge in of a public health problem associated with marijuana use. A significant increase in the use over the past two decades points to an estimated quarter of the American population that has used the drug. Marijuana use amongst senior high school students has surpassed cigarette-smoking cases. Consequences of marijuana use emanate from a comprehensive and scientific research by the World Health Organization (WHO) and other health organizations on this subject (Department of Health and Human Services, 1982).

Findings on the health hazards caused by marijuana use include interference of mental functioning by marijuana due to the acute intoxication of the drug. The use has curtailed coordination of tasks, a skilled performance of activities such as driving, and complex tasks…

References

Basharat, P., Sussman, G., Beezhold, D. & Leader N. (2011). Hypersensitivity Reactions To Marijuana. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2011 Feb; 127(2)(Suppl. 1): AB178. From  http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jaci.2010.12.707 

CDC. (2013). Notes from the Field: Severe Illness Associated with Reported Use of Synthetic Marijuana -- Colorado, August -- September 2013. Retrieved from  http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6249a7.htm?s_cid=mm6249a7_w 

Department of Health and Human Services (13 August 1982). "The Surgeon General's Warning on Marijuana." MMWR Weekly, 31(31);428-9. Retrieved from  http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00001143.htm 

Frizell, S. (2014). Obama on Marijuana Legalization: 'It's Important for It to Go Forward. Time. Retrieved from  http://swampland.time.com/2014/01/19/obama-on-marijuana-legalization-its-important-for-it-to-go-forward/#ixzz2qzPk6zX1

Despite the fact that certain parties (as in Chicago) may be arguing that the war on drugs cost billions a year, it must not be forgotten that the war on drugs also yields revenue for the government, and that legalizing drugs would cost more than it saved. "Marijuana... harms society by causing lost productivity in business...and by contributing to illnesses and injuries that put further strain on the health care system." (National Drug Council) if drugs were legalized, they would increase health costs, especially among poor and black communities (which are more likely to take drugs and to be on federal support) and from there on the medical support system and taxpayers of the country. Additionally, such use would negatively effect businesses and families, and the loss in taxes from income earned could be significant.

In conclusion, marijuana restrictions should in no way be relaxed, because marijuana is a serious…

Bibliography

Hager, Paul. "Marijuana Myths  http://www.cs.indiana.edu/hyplan/hagerp/myths.html 

Maginnis, Robert L. "Legalization of Drugs: the Myths and the Facts http:www.sarnia.com/groups/antidrugs/argument/myths.html

National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws  http://www.norml.org 

Office of the National Drug Control Policy  http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/

Legalization of Marijuana

Marijuana is one of the most popular recreational drugs in the United States, exceeded in popularity by only alcohol and tobacco. Recent research reveals that "more than 70 million Americans have smoked marijuana at some point in their lives, and that 18-20 million have smoked during the last year (NORML, 1999)."

According to R. Keith Stroup, Esq., the executive director of National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML, 1999), "Like most Americans, the vast majority of these millions of marijuana smokers are otherwise law-abiding citizens who work hard, raise families and contribute to their communities..." A national survey revealed that 32% of voting adults in the U.S. have acknowledged having smoked marijuana at some point in their lives.

The legalization of marijuana has been a topic of controversy for several years. Many proponents of the drug argue that marijuana should be legalized for both medical…

Bibliography

Marijuana Policy Project (MPP). (March 30, 1998). Multiple Sclerosis Patient Arrested for Using Medicinal Marijuana in U.S. Rep. Jim Rogan's Office. Retrieved from the Internet at  http://www.mpp.org/releases/nr033098.html .

National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML). (1999). Federally Commissioned Study Supports Medical Marijuana, Dismisses Drug's "High Potential For Abuse. Retrieved from the Internet at  http://www.norml.org /medical/iomresponse.shtml.

National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws. (1999). Testimony of R. Keith Stroup, Esq. Retrieved from the Internet at

" In fact, the hite House admits that "a direct cause and effect relationship between marijuana use and subsequent use of other drugs is hard to prove." At the same time, the hite House tries to convince readers that adults who were early marijuana users were more likely to have used cocaine, heroine, and other drugs. Both websites offer a balanced viewpoint on the gateway drug issue, but the MPP makes a more convincing argument.

The hite House publication called "hat Americans Need to Know About Marijuana" is available in PDF format, either as a full file or in sections. The PDF format is convenient for people who wish to save the document to their hard drive and read it at a later date, and is also easy on the eyes. However, there are drawbacks to PDF files, such as the lack of hypertext and the amount of memory usage…

Works Cited

Marijuana Policy Project website at  http://www.mpp.org/index.html .

What Americans Need to Know About Marijuana." 2003. Online at  http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/ publications/amer_know_marij/.

Legalization of Marijuana

Marijuana or Cannabis is actually a plant, which has the scientific name 'cannabis sativa' and was originally used for ordinary purposes such as for fabric making and cloth weaving. Some are of the view that it was also used as sails when shipping industry had not become technologically sophisticated. The plant was also once used for the treatment of psychiatric conditions but after it was banned in the country, marijuana was forced to vanish from the medical field too.

Marijuana became a problem when people started using it as a drug in the form of powder. This is because marijuana affects chemical processes in the brain and puts a person in a state of elation. But all this is temporary and a person becomes so addicted to this drug that he cannot stay away from it. The dangerous impact on marijuana on the brain is also evident…

References

Cannabis" Accessed online 27 April 2004:  http://www.cannabis.net 

Richard Rudgley, The Encyclopedia of Psychoactive substances, Little, Brown and Company (1998),

The process is even unlikely to stop if dealers are arrested, given that clients remain and support the market. The government however is not probable to change its convictions concerning marijuana in the near future, most probably because marijuana continues to be linked to crime and more dangerous drugs.

Weisheit, Ralph a. Domestic arijuana a Neglected Industry (New York: Greenwood Press, 1992)

The masses continue to absurdly blame marijuana, even though they are unaware of its potential. Numerous people (even marijuana consumers) are indifferent toward the industry marijuana could produce and prefer to keep it at the present level, most probably because they are afraid of the law and for the fact that they are reluctant to go through what they perceive as being a great deal of trouble.

Yacoubian, George S. "Assessing the Relationship between arijuana Availability and arijuana Use: A Legal and Sociological Comparison between the United States…

Marijuana supporters lobby regarding how the substance cannot possibly produce any harm, to its users or to society in general. However, given that accidents of all kinds frequently happen as a result of people consuming marijuana, conditions are critical and the government needs to define an agenda that would effectively fight the substance.

"Official Statement of the Yes on Proposition 19 Campaign in Response to Election Results." Retrieved November 19, 2010, from the Yes on Proposition 19 Website: http://yeson19.com/node/316 http://yeson19.com/node/316

Cannabis is no longer the drug that had little supporters in the past, as more and more people have discovered that it is not actually as harmful as those against it have preferred to think it is. In spite of the recent failures in legalizing marijuana in California, the state has nonetheless experienced a notable change in convictions regarding the drug, as numerous people are no longer against it.

Others believe that it is no better than other drugs and can even be more dangerous when used for long periods of time ("Medical Marijuana," 2008).

After centuries of use, it seems ridiculous that the government would get up in arms about marijuana proliferation for personal or medical use in the United States. If marijuana can relieve the symptoms of deadly diseases, allowing those suffering from them to be more comfortable, it should be used. In addition, Guither (2009) makes it clear that the reason marijuana was made illegal was not a result of scientific evidence or the opinions of experts. Instead, the illegalization of marijuana was fueled by political, economic, and social incentives. By legalizing marijuana, the United States would free law enforcement from focusing on this problem to train their focus on real crime.

eferences

Guither, P. (2009). Why Is Marijuana Illegal? etrieved June 18, 2009, from Salon.com.…

References

Guither, P. (2009). Why Is Marijuana Illegal? Retrieved June 18, 2009, from Salon.com.

Web Site:

http://blogs.salon.com/0002762/stories/2003/12/22/whyIsMarijuanaIllegal.html

"Medical Marijuana." (2008). Retrieved June 18, 2009, from Pro-Con.org. Web Site:

He argues that 15 million Americans used drugs over and over again last year, but very few harms were actually produced. To punish all 15 million users for the few harms is unfair, but again he does say that. He also argues that racial inequalities make the system unfair. Minorities are no more likely to use drugs, but they are far more likely to be arrested, tried, and convicted, and minority communities are devastated because of this selective enforcement. He finally takes a stand and admits Americans should be outraged by this.

The author effectively refutes arguments that drug use would soar if it were decriminalized. The price of drugs would not go down, he claims, even if it became legal to sell them. Taxes would take care of that. Lawsuits would be allowed against producers for harmful effects. To remain in business, drug producers would have to pay the…

Works Cited

Goldberg, Raymond (Ed.), Taking Sides: Clashing Views in Drugs and Society, 7th edition.

New York: McGraw-Hill/Dushkin.

Husak, Douglas. "Drug Legalization," Criminal Justice Ethics, (Winter/Spring, 2003), 21-29.

This is largely because there are two major reasons for the legalization of marijuana i.e. medical grounds and the potential revenues it could bring to the government. The decriminalization of the use of the drug can be a major point of governmental revenue through taxation of the sale of the drug. Secondly, as evident through history, the value of the drug to the medical field outweighs the disadvantages of its potential abuse in addition to its significance to both the paper and clothing industries ("Legalizing Marijuana," n.d.).

The decriminalization of the use of the drug will be of huge profit to the government because of the huge amounts related to the average price of the drug. Through this initiative, entrepreneurs are likely to begin their own operations because of the noticeable huge profits made in the marijuana market. Consequently, the supply of the drug on the streets will increase significantly…

References:

"Legalizing Marijuana." (n.d.). Marijuana Leaf. Retrieved from the University of Rhode Island

website:  http://www.uri.edu/personal/atro6990/ 

Messerli, J. (2011, June 8). Should Marijuana be Legalized under any Circumstances? Retrieved

March 8, 2012, from  http://www.balancedpolitics.org/marijuana_legalization.htm

Drug treatment represents only part of the equation to combat drug-related crime. Alternatives to the war on drugs such as legalization, decriminalization and harm reduction may initially sound like they are more compassionate approaches to the drug problem, but the reality is that they won't work as shown by the Netherlands's experience with decriminalization of drugs. The truth is that the war on drugs has accomplished a great deal more than these alternatives ever could and that Americans are a lot better off because of it. For all the reasons presented in this paper, the legalization of drugs is a really bad idea.

ibliography

10 main pros and cons on medical marijuana. ProCon.org. Retrieved August 8, 2006 from Web site: http://www.medicalmarijuanaprocon.org/pop/conflicts.htm

Cromie, W.J. (1998, March 19). War on drugs a failure, Americans say." Harvard University Gazette Retrieved August 8, 2006 from Web site: http://www.news.harvard.edu/gazette/1998/03.19/WaronDrugsaFail.html

Drug use trends (2002, October) Office…

Bibliography

10 main pros and cons on medical marijuana. ProCon.org. Retrieved August 8, 2006 from Web site:  http://www.medicalmarijuanaprocon.org/pop/conflicts.htm 

Cromie, W.J. (1998, March 19). War on drugs a failure, Americans say." Harvard University Gazette Retrieved August 8, 2006 from Web site: http://www.news.harvard.edu/gazette/1998/03.19/WaronDrugsaFail.html

Drug use trends (2002, October) Office of National Drug Control Policy. The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy. Retrieved August 8, 2006 from Web site:  http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/ publications/factsht/druguse/

Effectiveness of the war on drugs (2002). Drug Policy Alliance. Retrieved August 8, 2006 from Web site:  http://www.drugpolicy.org/library/factsheets/effectivenes/index.cfm

Marijuana

The author of this report has been asked to analyze and expand upon a particular issue or matter within the law as it exists in the United States. The author of this report has chosen to look at the use of medical and/or recreational marijuana. The laws that exist as it relates to marijuana are quite different from jurisdiction. It is quite intriguing as marijuana is completely illegal in some states, legal only for medicinal applications in other states and legal for any use in states like Washington and Colorado. While it does not make sense from a law standpoint, there does seem to be a so-called method to the madness thus far even if some laws are obviously being ignored or at least relaxed.

Analysis

Even more intriguing is that marijuana is technically still illegal at the federal level but enforcement of banking regulations surrounding marijuana-related commerce where…

References

Economist. (2014). The difference between legalisation and decriminalisation. The Economist. Retrieved 23 April 2016, from  http://www.economist.com/blogs/economist-explains/2014/06/economist-explains-10 

Roberts, M. (2016). Kansas Attempting to Prove Colorado Marijuana is Wreaking Havoc on State.

Westword. Retrieved 23 April 2016, from  http://www.westword.com/news/kansas-attempting -

to-prove-colorado-marijuana-is-wreaking-havoc-on-state-7484055

Even proponents of medical legalization concede marijuana cannot cure or even alleviate the symptoms of MS or glaucoma, merely act as a narcotic. True, other narcotics exist on the market today -- and like marijuana, they are also addictive. Whether they are more or less addictive than marijuana remains uncertain, but advocates say the chronically ill should be able to choose what works best for them while opponents say only tested, carefully titrated drugs should be used as palliatives.

Weighing the rights of the sick with marijuana's long and short-term side effects is a delicate balance. When marijuana is smoked, users often suffer similar short as well as long-term problems to those of regular smokers, including a smoker's cough and breathing problems. In fact, "marijuana smoke contains 50% to 70% more carcinogenic hydrocarbons than does tobacco smoke" (Legalization of marijuana, 2010, Legalization of marijuana). The active agent in marijuana, THC,…

References

Amsterdam drugs. (2005). Amsterdam Info. Retrieved July 14, 2010 at  http://www.amsterdam.info/drugs/ 

DuPont, J. (2007, October 30). On the legalization or not of marijuana. The New York Times.

Retrieved July 14, 2010 at  http://freakonomics.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/10/30/on-the-legalization-or-not-of-marijuana/ 

Legalization of marijuana. (20110). Legalization of marijuana.

Fact 9:

Europe's more liberal drug policies are not the right model for America.

Fact 10:

Most non-violent drug users get treatment, not jail time. (Legalization, 2010).

Conclusion

There are no benefits for society in the legalization of marijuana. The money from the taxing of the marijuana will end up being use to regulate and enforce the dispensaries. The money to treat the addiction will be another source of lost revenues from the taxation.

Increased usage by underage teens will be the same as cigarettes and alcohol and will increase as the price drops as it did in the Dutch experiment. Kids will be introduced onto the drug culture that leads to the use of the harder narcotics as a result of the increased access to the marijuana. The benefits will be just moved from one area to other areas of criminalization.

eferences

DEA website. 2010. etrieved on May 10,…

References

DEA website. 2010. Retrieved on May 10, 2010 from  http://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/features/jan-june01/drugs_marijuanaharm.html 

"Feature: Hundreds of Los Angeles Medical Marijuana Dispensaries Face Closure Under New Rules Passed by Council" 2010. Retrieved on May 10, 2010 from  http://stopthedrugwar.org /' target='_blank' REL='NOFOLLOW'>

Criminalisation, legalization and the mixed blessing of medicalisation in the U.S.A." einarman discusses the issues related to the use of Marihuana. Marijuana or Marihuana has long been used to in America for recreational and medicinal purposes. As Manderson stated, "Debates on the reasons and rationalizations behind drug laws, their cost-effectiveness and their possible moral justification, have for a long time and will continue to rage" (Manderson, 1995, p. 800). Even with the recent mainstream shift towards legalizing of marijuana use from California to Colorado, many still attach negative connotations to marijuana, maintaining the image of marijuana as a deviant and immoral behavior. Keeping this in mind, one must understand the origins of marijuana use in America to see why it was deemed a deviant and illegal activity.

Marihuana was first introduced into America on a substantial scale during the 1910's by migrant Mexican workhands in the Southwest. During this time,…

References

Bulman-Pozen, J. (2013). Unbundling Federalism: Colorado's Legalization of Marijuana and Federalism's Many Forms. University of Colorado Law Review, 85(4), 1-14. Retrieved from  http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2366388 

Fraser, S., & Moore, D. (2011). Cannabis in cultural and legal limbo: Criminalisation, legalisation and the mixed blessing of medicalization in the U.S.A. In The drug effect: Health, crime, and society (pp. 171-184). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

HALL, W.D., & LYNSKEY, M. (2005). Is cannabis a gateway drug? Testing hypotheses about the relationship between cannabis use and the use of other illicit drugs. Drug and Alcohol Review, 24, 39-48.

Himmelstein, J.L. (1983). Contemporary Crises Crime law social policy. Elsevier Scientific Publishing Company, 7, 13-38.

Legalization of Marijuana in Washington State

The legalization of Marijuana would allow for the government to have more regulation over the drug and its users. This of course does not come without rules and blankets like how cigarettes and alcohol come with warnings when purchased. If Marijuana were to be legalized, it can be sold with a list of active ingredients, purity levels and warnings like those of pharmaceutical drugs; this would let people know more about the drug. Marijuana does not have any harmful effects besides for the user, who is willing to accept those risks when in taking the drug. Countries that have legalized Marijuana, such as Amsterdam, have had positive results. The legalization of Marijuana has more benefits for the state of Washington than negative aspects.

The state of Washington has enacted laws on the legalization of medical Marijuana. This is due to modern research which suggests…

References

Alan W. Bock, The Politics of Medical Marijuana (Santa Ana, CA: Seven Locks Press, 2000), null7,  http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=98432636 .

Erich Goode, The Marijuana Smokers (New York: Basic Books, 1970), 211,  http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=99522922 

Erich Goode, ed., Marijuana (Chicago: Atherton, 1969), 16,  http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=96962183 .

James S. Frideres, and Lyle G. Warner, "Attitude-Action Relationships," Canadian Review of Sociology and Anthropology 17, no. 2 (1980): 109,  http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=95707042 .

Future of Marijuana in America:

Marijuana or cannabis was first identified by the Chinese in c. 2737 BCE and has since been used for medicinal purposes for millennia. The introduction or arrival of medicinal cannabis in America was characterized with an amazingly colorful and checkered history. Medicinal cannabis was characterized with initial robust use in the United States, which faded after the development of aspirin and opioids. The decreased used culminated in the criminalization of cannabis in America in 1937 despite of the contradictory advice of the American Medical Association, which was submitted on record to Congress. However, the use of marijuana has emerged as a major issue in the past few decades because of the renewed interest in medicinal cannabis. Actually, several stakeholders in the health care sector including the American College of Physicians, the Institute of Medicine, and the National Institutes of Health have supported further research and…

References:

Aggarwal et. al. (2009, June). Medicinal Use of Cannabis in the United States: Historical

Perspectives, Current Trends, and Future Directions. Journal of Opioid Management, 5(3), 153-68.

Cardinale, A. (2014, January 14). A Brief History of How Marijuana Became Illegal in the U.S.

Retrieved July 16, 2014, from  http://mic.com/articles/78685/a-brief-history-of-how-marijuana-became-illegal-in-the-u-s

There is much more to the issue and how it is addressed than that (Seamon, 2007). These states are:

Alaska

California

Colorado

Hawaii

Maine

Maryland

Michigan

Montana

Nevada

New Mexico

Oregon

Rhode Island

Vermont

Washington (Seamon, 2007)

Criticisms of Decriminalization

Gateway Drug

The war on drugs has been in the news for some time now, and marijuana has been included in that war. It continues to be listed as important in the speeches of many politicians, and it continues to be at the forefront of a great many debates about how our tax money should best be spent (Gray, 2005; Pacula, 2003b). One of the main concerns of the war on drugs, however, does not deal with what politicians think about it. Rather, it deals with what police think about it. Police are, after all, the ones that are out there on the streets every day, trying to fight the…

Bibliography

Anslinger, H.J. & Tompkins, William F. n.d. "The traffic in narcotics." Drug Library. Retrieved at  http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/people/anslinger/traffic/appendix1.htm 

Austin, James. 2005. "Rethinking the Consequences of Decriminalizing Marijuana." Washington, DC: The JFA Institute.

Brazaitis, Tom. 2002. "U.S. Should Concede Defeat in the War on Drugs." Media Awareness Project. Retrieved at  http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v02/n1827/a09.html?397 

Clements, Kenneth, et al. 2005. "Two Short Papers on Marijuana, Legalisation and Drinking: (1) Exogeneous Shocks and Related Goods: Drinking and the Legalisation of Marijuana; and (2) Notes on Projections of Alcohol Consumption Following Marijuana Legalisation." Perth, Australia: The University of Western Australia Working Paper no. 05-14. Perth, Australia: The University of Western Australia, Department of Economics.

In the shifting views about the health effects of marijuana, there is a general trend for states to relax the rules around this substance across the nation. Some states have already lifted the ban against marijuana for recreational purposes. The state of California set the pace in this discussion and shifting perceptions when it passed a proposal now popularly known as proposal 215 to allow possession of small amounts of the substance for medical uses (Murphy and Carnevale 2016). Other states have followed suit. The most notable among these states are the District of Columbia and six other states. They represent about 6% of the population of the nation. They have all allowed possession of marijuana; not for medical use only, but for recreational purposes.

There are several contributing factors to this phenomenon. One of the most outstanding reasons is that the much-touted war on drugs across the nation has…

Legalizing Marijuana

Recent ballot initiatives in states like California and Oregon asking for the decriminalization of marijuana use reveals a growing public acceptance of marijuana. The perception that marijuana is not dangerous has made drug enforcement even more difficult. Indeed, the debate over marijuana goes beyond health concerns, and touches issues such as crime and privacy as well.

This paper examines the debate to legalize marijuana. The first part of the paper examines the arguments of the pro-marijuana side, focusing on those who argue that the drug can have medicinal purposes. The next part then examines the potential dangers of legalized marijuana use, both to the individual and to public health in general. In the conclusion, the paper argues that marijuana use is not a "victimless" crime. The potential dangers that marijuana present to individual and public health are best upheld by keeping marijuana illegal.

Pro-legalization arguments

Prohibitions against the…

Works Cited

Glasser, Ira. "Spotlight: Why Marijuana Law Should Matter to You." Marijuana. Louise I. Gerdes, ed. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2002.

Gottfried, Ted Should Drug Use Be Legalized? Connecticut: Twenty-First Century Books, 2000.

"Marijuana as Medicine: A Subtle Syllogism." The Economist. August 16, 1997. ProQuest Database.

Marshall, Donnie. "Drug Prohibition is Effective." Drug Legalization. Scott Barbour, ed. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2000.

Decriminalize Marijuana in Canada

The question as to whether Canada should decriminalize the use, sale, and cultivation of marijuana has been debated over the past few years, and the debate has taken a sharper turn now that it is being decriminalized in Colorado and soon in ashington State.

hat are the economic and social benefits of making marijuana legal in Canada -- and what is the residual impact on human health? Given that today there are glaring inconsistencies in Canadian law regarding marijuana -- as opposed to the legal sale of alcohol and tobacco -- how does the Canadian government propose to adjust its current laws if indeed marijuana becomes legal? These are the pertinent questions to be answered in this paper.

Thesis: The position of this writer is that Canada should proceed to decriminalize marijuana and remove the label of "controlled substance" -- because marijuana does less harm to…

Works Cited

Danovitch, Itai. "Sorting Through the Science on Marijuana: Facts, Fallacies, and Implications for Legalization." McGeorge Law Review, 43.1 (2013): 91-108.

Flister, Larissa Ducatti. "The Economic Case for Marijuana Legalization in Canada."

Journal of Alternative Perspectives in the Social Sciences, 5.1 (2012): 96-100.

Riley, Diane. "Drugs and Drug Policy in Canada: A brief review and commentary." Canadian

Canada boasts one of the highest cannabis usage rates in the world in spite of prohibition (Fischer, Kuganesan, & oom, 2015). Cannabis is also the most widely used illegal drug in the country by a wide margin (Hajidazeh, 2016). The complete decriminalization of cannabis in Canada would be unlikely to have any appreciable effect on raising rates of usage except potentially an initial spark of interest subsequent to the lifting of prohibition. Unfortunately, a dearth of literature exists on the actual effects of decriminalization given that the phenomenon has yet to occur, and given the fact that there are few case studies from other countries. The only country in the world to have outright legalized marijuana has been Uruguay; several other countries have relatively relaxed policies toward the drug but Canada's proposal to fully legalize would be revolutionary. This research can potentially contribute to the growing understanding of what consequences…

References

Fischer, B., Kuganesen, S. & Room, R. (2015). Medical Marijuana programs: Implications for cannabis control policy -- Observations from Canada. International Journal of Drug Policy 26(1): 15-19.

Government of Canada (n.d.). "Toward the Legalization, Regulation, and Restriction of Access to Marijuana," Discussion Paper. Retrieved online:  http://healthycanadians.gc.ca/health-system-systeme-sante/consultations/legalization-marijuana-legalisation/alt/legalization-marijuana-legalisation-eng.pdf 

Hajizadeh, M. (2016). Legalizing and Regulating Marijuana in Canada: Review of Potential Economic, Social, and Health Impacts. International Journal of Health Policy Management 5(8): 453-456.

Hall, W. & Lynskey, M. (2016). Why it is probably too soon to assess the public health effects of legalisation of recreational cannabis use in the USA. The Lancet Psychiatry 3(3): 900-906.

Marijuana Be Legalized Nationally According to the Terms of California Prop. 64?

People have been using Cannabis Sativa, also known as marijuana, for a number of centuries now. The plant from which marijuana is made grows in several locations around the world. Cannabis Sativa plant's flowering top is the source of marijuana as it has Tetrahydrocannnabinol (THC), a chemical that induces the state changes among users of marijuana. Studies show that using marijuana has both long-term and short-term health effects. Marijuana's short-term effects include distorting the senses including the sense of time and a reduced ability to concentrate. Long-term effects can be more damaging health wise and include a drop in testosterone and sperm levels among men, respiratory problems similar to those suffered by those who smoke tobacco, fatigue, lower libido, reduced fertility and alterations of body composition where the body records a drop in muscle mass as fat mass…

References

Bates, B. (2010, Feb). Teen cannabis use predicts depression. Clinical Psychiatry News, 38(2).

Bender, S. W. (2017). The Colors of Cannabis: Reflections on the Racial Justice Implications of California's Proposition 64.

Blake, D., & Finlaw, J. (2014). Marijuana legalization in Colorado: Learned lessons. Harv. L. & Pol'y Rev., 8, 359.

Caulkins, J. P., Kilmer, B., & Kleiman, M. A. (2016). Marijuana Legalization: What Everyone Needs to Know? Oxford University Press.

Drug Legalization

Pros

Most of the arguments for legalization of drugs are based on the pragmatic realities that it is difficult or impossible to legislate morality. Drug use has always been part of society and even though it may not be socially desirable there are many benefits that can be gained through legalization. One primary benefit is definitely financial. In a study by the Cato Institute, the report estimates that drug legalization would reduce government expenditure about $41.3 billion annually; roughly $25.7 billion of this savings would accrue to state and local governments, and roughly $15.6 billion to the federal government; about $8.7 billion of the savings would result from legalization of marijuana, $20 billion from legalization of cocaine and heroin, and $12.6 billion from legalization of all other drugs (Miron & aldock, 2010).

There are many other benefits beyond money as well. The United States has an expensive and…

Works Cited

Ghosh, P. (2010, October 19). The pros and cons of drug legalization in the U.S. . Retrieved from International Business Times:  http://www.ibtimes.com/pros-cons-drug-legalization-us-246712 

Lowy, J. (2014, September 1). Driving stoned? States prep for marijuana DUI. Retrieved from The Christian Science Monitor:  http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Latest-News-Wires/2014/0901/Driving-stoned-States-prep-for-marijuana-DUI 

Miron, J., & Waldock, K. (2010, October 3). Making an Economic Case for Legalizing Drugs. Retrieved from CATO Institute:  http://www.cato.org/publications/commentary/making-economic-case-legalizing-drugs

The Arguments for and against the Legalization of Marijuana
• Issue Identification
Today, more than half of the states have already legalized marijuana in some form for various purposes and several more are slated to follow suit this year (see Figure 1 below). The reasons for this trend are multiple, but include fundamental changes in social attitudes about marijuana, the recognition that the federal government’s so-called “war on drugs” has been an abject failure, and the realization on the part of state lawmakers that marijuana sales can provide an enormous boon to state coffers in the form of additional excise taxes and a reduction in the costs that are associated with more serious substance abuse practices.
Figure 1. Status of marijuana laws by state: as of January 2020
Source: https://disa.com/map-of-marijuana-legality-by-state
• Position Statement
At first blush, the push for the nationwide legalization of marijuana at the federal level would appear…

References
Domestic cannabis suppression, 2020). U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. Retrieved from  https://www.dea.gov/domestic-cannabis-suppression-eradication-program .
Janda, K., Berry, J. M. & Goldman, J. (2017). The challenge of democracy: American government in global politics, 14th ed. New York: Wadsworth/Cengage.
McAllister, W. B. (2019, Spring). Harry Aslinger saves the world: National security imperatives and the 1937 Marihuana Tax Act. The Social History of Alcohol and Drugs, 33(1), 37-41.
Overdose death rates. (2020). National Institutes on Drug Abuse. Retrieved from https://www. drugabuse.gov/drug-topics/trends-statistics/overdose-death-rates.
Paluszek, E. (2020, January 2). Side effects of smoking marijuana every day according to science. Yahoo! Life. Retrieved from  https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/side-effects-smoking-marijuana-every-205845314.html .
Reduced fatalities for third consecutive year. (2020, May 5). Reduced fatalities for third consecutive year. U. S. Department of Transportation. Retrieved from  https://www.nhtsa.gov/press-releases/early-estimates-traffic-fatalities-2019 .
St. John, V. J. & Lewis, V. (2019, January 1). \\\\"Vilify them night after night\\\\": Anti-Black drug policies, mass incarceration, and pathways forward. Harvard Journal of African American Public Policy, 20, 18.
The history of prohibition of marijuana in the United States. (2020). Leafly. Retrieved from  https://www.leafly.com/learn/legalization/marijuana-illegal-history .

For example, in the state of Montana, initiative organizers and supporters "face much opposition from local law enforcement and youth substance abuse prevention groups" that claim legalizing marijuana will lead to a great increase in the number of users. However, as the organizers of the low police priority initiative point out, the evidence to support this assertion does not exist; in fact, "We know that liberalizing drug laws in other places has not led to an increase in drug use. This assertion has also been equated with the "eefer Madness mentality," a reference to the film "eefer Madness" of the 1930's which depicted marijuana smokers as deranged criminals ("Lowest Law Enforcement Priority," 2006, Internet).

According to statistics provided by the National Organization for the eform of Marijuana Laws, voters in the city of Oakland, just north of San Francisco, "overwhelmingly approved the nation's first-ever business tax on retail marijuana sales,"…

REFERENCES

"Ban with the Bull, Chill with the Bear: The Coming Collapse of Marijuana

Prohibition." (2009). NORML. Internet. Accessed July 22, 2009 from  http://norml.org .

"California: Oakland Voters Approve Nation's First Marijuana Business Tax." (2009).

NORML. Internet. Accessed July 22, 2009 from

Medical Marijuana Legislation and Civil Liberties

When the historic passage of legislation permitting medical marijuana use in states like Arizona (2010), Delaware (2011) and Massachusetts (2012) is considered in conjunction with the fact that 13 other states have similar legislation or ballot measures pending, the traditional conception of marijuana ingestion as a criminal act is being reexamined on a societal level. Further bolstering this assertion is the legal situation in California, Colorado and Washington, where marijuana has been decriminalized entirely and permitted for recreational sale by licensed dispensaries, providing the platform for a restoration of basic rights in these jurisdictions. With approximately half of the states in the union already affording citizens with medical needs the liberty to seek relief in the form of marijuana, while the federal government's ostensible ban on the substance remains in effect, the stage has been set for a national debate over the merits of…

References

Mill, J.S., Smith, J.M., & Sosa, E. (1969). Mill's Utilitarianism: Text and criticism. Belmont, Calif: Wadsworth Pub. Co.

That compared with 19% for alcohol and a secondary drug; 12% for alcohol alone; 3% for smoked cocaine; 2.4% for methamphetamines; and 2.3% for heroin (Abrams).

It is estimated that by 2010 there will be 35 million teens in America (Levinson). This is a significant demographic to be concerned about. There would also be an increased chance of illicit drugs falling into the hands of children, just like cigarettes and alcohol now that are prohibited from being sold to kids. A greater availability, in general, would increase the likelihood of children being able to obtain them (Messerli).

Harm reduction is one of the primary benefits of legalizing illicit drugs; however, opponents feel that this theory is fatally flawed. Although the suffering of drug users should be reduced, their destructive habits shouldn't be tolerated. "Harm eduction advocates forget the thousands of impressionable teenagers for whom the law is a reminder that…

References

Abrams, J. "Report: Teen Use of Pot Will Jump with Legalization - Move to Harder Drugs Follows, Group Says." Seattle Times 13 Jul, 1999: A5. ProQuest. ProQuest. University of Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ. December 5, 2006  http://proquest.umi.com .

An Unethical Reason for Legalizing Drugs." Business Week (3678) 24 Apr. 2000: 6. Academic OneFile. Thomson Gale. University of Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ. December 5, 2006  http://find.galegroup.com .

Burden, K. "What's the Fuss About Legalizing Drugs? Many People Advocating a "Harm Reduction" Approach to Illegal Drugs are Well-Meaning but Misguided." Presbyterian Record 70(10) Nov. 1996: 10-11. Academic OneFile. Thomson Gale. University of Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ. December 5, 2006

marijuana should be legalized only for medicinal purposes.

The debate over medicinal marijuana usage and legality is a controversial one. Many experts argue the drug costs society too much money in terms of law enforcement and incarceration costs when the monies could be better spent in other law enforcement areas. A large majority of the American people does believe marijuana should be decriminalized for medical usage. In 2001, 34% of adult Americans believed marijuana should be legal, at least in small amounts, the largest percentage since 1969, and up to 70% of adults approved of using medicinal marijuana for certain ailments (Cauchon 01A). However, several questions regarding medicinal marijuana usage that must be addressed.

First, is marijuana a safe and effective medicine? Proponents maintain marijuana has been used medicinally for thousands of years and for a variety of uses. They claim that it is safe, no one has ever "died…

References

Author not Available. "Medical Marijuana Briefing Paper." Marijuana Policy Project. 2003. 22 March 2004.  http://www.mpp.org/medicine.html 

Cauchon, Dennis. "Marijuana Attains Record Support." USA Today, 24 Aug. 2001, pp 01A.

Fackelmann, Kathleen. "Marijuana on Trial." ScienceNews.org. 22 March 1997. 22 March 2004.  http://www.sciencenews.org/pages/sn_arc97/3_22_97/bob1.htm 

Frood, Arran. "Dope at the Wheel." NewScientist.com. 23 March 2002. 22 March 2004.  http://www.newscientist.com/hottopics/marijuana/dopeatthewheel.jsp

Legalizing Marijuana

Any drug that alters the brain chemistry, impairs cognitive functions, and creates an addictive personality cannot be recommended as safe. While there is no suppressing the fact that controlling illegal marijuana use continues to be a financial and administrative bottleneck, they are overridden by the potential harmful health consequences of legalizing marijuana.

Marijuana has been in use for thousands of years for its medicinal properties. With the development of new synthetic drugs there was a gradual decline in its use from the early part of the 20th century. Today however, though illegal, it continues to be a widely used drug in the United States for both recreational and medicinal purposes. In the year 2000 alone there were more than 2.4 million new users of marijuana and the drug is supposedly consumed by more than 76% of all drug users. [NCADI] The comparatively safer and proven remedial properties of…

Bibliography

1) Edward A. Jacobs, "Legalization of Marijuana: Potential Impact on Youth,"

PEDIATRICS Vol. 113 No. 6 June 2004, pp. 1825-1826

2) Wayne Hall, Louisa Degenhardt and Michael Lynskey, "The Health and Psychological Effects of Cannabis Use," Chapter 5, Monograph Series No 44, 2nd Edition,

Accessed on March 24th 2005,

Legalization of marijuana has been a controversial topic in the media as of lately. Completely legalizing marijuana would mean allowing just about anyone to have access to it -- of course with some government regulation. However, opponents of this process argue that the health detriments are enough to merit harsher punishments and the complete ban of this substance. Despite opposition to marijuana's legalization, there are many more benefits that need to be taken into consideration before rushing to any particular judgment. Marijuana should be legalized because it will bring a much needed boost to the economy, it has documented health benefits, and it is a safer drug than alcohol and cigarettes, which are already considered to be legal substances (ABC 20/20). In order for the welfare of all of the aforementioned entities to be established, marijuana needs to be legalized.

As of 2012, the states of Colorado and Washington have…

References:

ABC 20/20. "Should Marijuana Be Legalized?" ABC News. ABC News Network, 27 Aug. 0000. Web. 01 May 2013. .

Astaiza, Randy. "All The Reasons Pot Is Good For You." Business Insider: Science. Business Insider, 08 Nov. 2012. Web. 01 May 2013. .

Ferner, Matt. "Why Marijuana Should Be Legalized: 'Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol' Campaign Discusses Why Pot Prohibition Has Been A Failure." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 28 Aug. 2012. Web. 01 May 2013. .

Robesonian.com. "Legalization of Marijuana Paying off." The Robesonian - Legalization of Marijuana Paying off. The Robesonian, 30 Apr. 2013. Web. 01 May 2013. .

Legalization of Marijuana

SHOULD MARIUANA BE LEGALIZED IN THE UNITED STATES?

For over 40 years the United States has struggled with how the use of marijuana should be governed. On one side, proponents argue that it should be legal in the same way alcohol and cigarettes are, or legal in small amounts. They do not feel that people who have small amounts for personal use should be prosecuted in any way. Recently, the prestigious medical journal The Lancet has suggested that keeping marijuana illegal may do more harm to society than its actual use does. They point out that the negative effects from use of alcohol are far greater than any negative effects from the use of marijuana (offee & Yancey, et. al., 2004).

However, those in favor of maintaining marijuana's status as an illegal substance argue that marijuana is not harmless and that in some ways it is very…

Joffee, Alain, MD, MPH, and Yancey, Samuel, MD., with the Committee on Substance Abuse and the Committe on Adolescence. 2004. "Legalization of Marijuana: Potential Impact on Youth. American Academy of Pediatrics Technical Report." Pediatrics 113:6, June.

Portillo, Ely. 2005. "Web sites selling marijuana, paraphernalia proliferate." Knight-Ridder/Tribune News Serice, July 7.

Staff writers. 2005. "Safety - how alcohol affects the brain." New Straits Times (Science section), December 5.

Marijuana

Why Marijuana Should Be Legalized in United States

Marijuana is a plant with extreme strong fragrance, and its dry leaves are an active ingredient of a number of hallucinogenic drugs. The liberty endorsing and preaching societies of the world are still in a fit to either legalize the usage of marijuana or not. The argument that forms the mainstream of the authorization of the usage and legal selling of marijuana in the United States has long been a subject of contention. Health hazards pertaining to the usage of marijuana are a common stance used to justify the illegalization of this drug in United States. The following paper tends to highlight the various aspects that will justify that marijuana should be legalized in the United States.

The most important reason that forms the mainstream of the stance that marijuana should be legalized in the United States is the rational choice…

References

Bowman, K. (2001, July). Attitudes toward Marijuana. The American Enterprise, 12, 62. Retrieved August 20, 2011, from Questia database:  http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5000083032 

Conservative Forum. (2002, February 4). Human Events, 58, 16. Retrieved August 20, 2011, from Questia database:  http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5035784226 

Marandino, C. (1998, March). Fired Up. Vegetarian Times 18. Retrieved August 20, 2011, from Questia database:  http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5036612328 

Notes & Comments: September 2002. (2002, September). New Criterion, 21, 1+. Retrieved August 20, 2011, from Questia database:  http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5000823678

Business Research

Research into the legalization of marijuana will seek to determine what people's views on the issue are. The population is going to be the entire United States, as we are seeking to determine national views about the issue. The sampling will be done at random, using databases of phone numbers and computer-generated dialing. The operators will only know of and gather non-personal information such as age bracket, gender and state of residence. The major downside to this form of sampling is that many younger people will not be sampled because they often do not have landlines.

Random sampling is the "purest form" of probability sampling in that it is free from researcher bias and is more likely to accurately reflect the total population as a result (StatPac, 2012). Landline ownership is a reasonable proxy for the total population, with the caveat noted above. However, other sampling methods are…

Works Cited:

StatPac. (2012). Survey sampling methods. StatPac. Retrieved November 25, 2012 from  http://www.statpac.com/surveys/sampling.htm 

Statistics.com. (2012). Glossary of statistical terms: sampling frame. Institute for Statistics Education. Retrieved November 25, 2012 from  http://www.statistics.com/index.php?page=glossary&term_id=851 

CRS. (2012). Sample size calculator. Creative Research Systems. Retrieved November 25, 2012 from  http://www.surveysystem.com/sscalc.htm

Paternalistic legislation, even when warranted, must be logically consistent both in theory and in practical application, in the case of marijuana, prohibitions against its medicinal use, even if still unproven in clinical trials, is logically and ethically inconsistent with the legal status of substances like tobacco which are devoid of any possible beneficial use and which, unlike marijuana, have actually been proven to cause disease and premature death.

Governmental paternalism is appropriate in many instances, including ensuring the safety and efficacy of substances used for medicinal purposes. However, the application of paternalistic legislation must, if nothing else, be logically consistent.

Federal prohibition criminalizing marijuana, even for medicinal purposes, is completely unjustified, particularly in light of the legal status of tobacco, which has absolutely no beneficial medical use and whose recreational use accounts for tremendous human harm.

References

The American Medical Marijuana Association website, (2007)

Retrieved November 21, 2007, at http://americanmarijuana.org/…

Critical literary work on constitutional law, civil rights, and the moral justification for paternalistic legislation authored by attorney and Harvard University law professor, Arthur Miller.

Taylor, R. (1982) Freedom, Anarchy, and the Law: An Introduction to Political Philosphy. Buffalo: Prometheus

Critical literary work on the logical basis for social norms, laws, civil rights, and the morality of ethical principles in human life authored by renowned ethicist, and Cornell philosophy professor Richard Taylor.

Communication

Legalization of Marijuana

Pro-Side: There are many good reasons for the legalization of marijuana. While there are few jurisdictions from which to pull evidence on the positive benefits of legalization, we do have extensive experience with the negative impacts of marijuana prohibition. Marijuana prohibition has resulted in high arrest rates, in particular for minorities, which has created social chaos in those communities as young men are incarcerated long-term for what is a victimless crime. Marijuana prohibition also denies governments a potentially important source of tax revenue, as there is a fairly high consumption rate of the plant already. Marijuana prohibition costs law enforcement millions, has created a massive and bloody gang war in Mexico, and has done nothing to stem the use of the plant. These financial and law enforcement resources would be put to better use elsewhere. It is the interests of law enforcement, many politicians and the…

Resources

ProCon.org. (2014) Medical marijuana. ProCon.org. Retrieved January 8, 2014 from  http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=000141 

LegalizationOfMarijuana.com (2014). Pros for legalizing marijuana. LegalizatoinOfmarijuana.com. Retrieved January 8, 2014 from  http://legalizationofmarijuana.com/ pros-and-cons-of-marijuana.html

Economists are concerned with the impact that the sale of drugs has on both individual and economic freedoms and frame their argument from this perspective. Others argue that reliance on the criminal justice system has not produced significant results and that it is time to reframe the argument to focus on the education, prevention, and treatment of drugs.

From the economic perspective, there are apparent differences between government prohibition and legalization of drugs. It has been estimated that total government expenditures devoted to the enforcement of drug laws is well in excess of $26 billion. These figures are also significant in state and local law enforcement agencies with drug related incidents making up one fifth of the total investigative resources and drug enforcement activities. Approximately 25% of the total prison population, municipal, state and federal, is made up of drug law violators. In fact, ten percent of all arrests are…

References

Millhorn, M., Monoghan, M., Montero, D., Reyes, M., Roman, T., Tollasken, R., & Walls, B. (2009). North Americans' attitudes toward illegal drugs. Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment, 19(2), 125-141.

Miron, J.A. (2001). The economics of drug prohibition and drug legalization. Social Research, 68(3), 835-855.

National Institute on Drug Abuse (1998). The economic cost of alcohol and drug abuse in the United States. National Institute of Health Publication, 98-4327.

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2009, April). National household survey on drug abuse main findings, 1998.

President Richard Nixon chose to ignore and through the whole report into the garbage. Instead, he had the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) created and were given authority enter homes without knocking and to use wiretaps and gather intelligence virtually on anyone Milestones. In the 1980's President Ronald Reagan continued the war by advocated his own war and it was estimated that due to these wars, someone was arrested on a violation of a marijuana law every 38 seconds.

Thankfully, these wars have become more focused on the real drug problems that are primarily synthetic or man made or used in ways never imagined. But heroin and methamphitamines are clearly not health regimens. They kill people every day, cause real crimes and ruin families, lives and destroys entire groups.

The first step in changing the view of marijuana began with the legalization for medical usage. The compassions for the ill allowed…

Works Cited

"42.0 Milestones in the History of Marijuana." N.p., 9 May 2010. Web. .

Buchanan, Wyatt. "State's Voters to Decide on Legalizing Pot." San Fransisco Chronicle, n.d. Web. 9 May 2010. .

"Campaigns That Matter - Legalizing Marijuana in California." Campaigns That Matter - California Politics, California Political News, California Legislative News, Public Policy Information, California State Elections, California Political Campaigns, California Propositions. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 May 2010. .

Gray, Jim. Judgejimgray.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 May 2010. .

S.

Conclusion:

Like alcohol and tobacco, marijuana has been consumed in human societies for thousands of years, and likely since before recorded history. Also like alcohol and tobacco products, marijuana is associated with certain dangers that warrant appropriate government paternalism in the form of legislation prohibiting its use by minors, regulating its manufacture and sale to ensure its relative safety and quality, and preventing the use of any substances capable of altering human perception in connection with the operation of motor vehicles. However, there is no logical basis whatsoever for distinguishing between alcohol and marijuana in terms of criminal legislation, and both substances are considerably less harmful to human health in the manner of their typical consumption than tobacco products.

Instead of subjecting marijuana users to criminal prosecution, government authorities should simply apply the same approach to marijuana as has been traditionally applied to alcohol and tobacco. The Prohibition era…

Bibliography

Brecher, E.M. (1972). Licit and Illicit Drugs: The Consumers Union Report. Boston: Little, Brown & Co.

Dershowitz, a. (2002). Shouting Fire: Civil Liberties in a Turbulent Age. New York: Bantam Books.

Drug Policy Alliance. (2008). Medicinal Marijuana. Retrieved February 17, 2009 from the Drug Policy Alliance website, at  http://www.drugpolicy.org/marijuana/medical/ 

Friedman, a. (2005). A History of American Law. New York: Touchstone.

 When the Affordable Care Act was upheld by the Supreme Court, several people commended the Court for refusing to remove the only social protection they had which was established and improved by the New Deal as well as the Great Society. The House of Congress agreed to allow certain states have a significant level of command on the way federal programs such as Medicaid were implemented on the condition that it would be free to set up and enlarge its planned national entitlement schemes (Brown-Nagin, 2013). A huge disagreement in the beliefs of federalism has been bared for all via the suits contesting the Obamacare mandate. A school of thought believes that the government should get involved even constitutionally in situations when certain states do not have individual capabilities to settle a particular dispute. This school also believes that the main reason why the Constitution clearly specifies national bodies is…

Introduction

Medical marijuana has increasingly been in the news as a growing number of states throughout the U.S. have passed measures or at least put on the ballot an initiative to legalize either medicinal or recreational marijuana usage.  The history of marijuana in the U.S. is one that goes back as far as the country itself:  hemp (a type of marijuana plant) was used for rope, paper and a number of other purposes because of its strong fibrous tissue.1  It was not until the Prohibition Era of the 1920s that marijuana began to be prohibited by law in the U.S.—and within a decade, it was regulated among most states under the Uniform State Narcotic Act.2  Thus, from its very first days as a crop grown by the Virginia Company for exporting to England by decree of James I—and in fact from the days of the first President of the U.S.…

Legalize Marijuana Now!

Today, the United States enjoys the dubious distinction of incarcerating more of its citizens than any other industrialized nation on earth. Perhaps even more troubling still, the majority of these citizens have been imprisoned for nonviolent crimes involving drugs, with marijuana being one of the most prominently drugs. Furthermore, these issues have assumed new importance and relevance in recent years. As the country continues to struggle to recover from the Great Recession of 2008, dwindling federal and state budgets have forced lawmakers to scramble to identify ways to save money in order to turn the tide for economic recovery. One initiative that has been advanced time and again is the legalization of marijuana because it would reduce the number of people being incarcerated and help generate new tax revenues. To determine if this is the legalization of marijuana is a truly viable option, this paper provides a…

Works Cited

Cameron, Kenzie A., Campo, Shelly and Brossard, Dominique. (2003). "Advocating for Controversial Issues: The Effect of Activism on Compliance-Gaining Strategy

Likelihood of Use." Communication Studies 54(3): 265-266.

Dripps, Donald A. (1998). "The Liberal Critique of the Harm Principle." Criminal Justice Ethics

17(2): 3.

Legalize Marijuana?

Considering the Legalization of Marijuana

The federal government outlawed marijuana in 1937, a decision that remains controversial to this day. Proponents argue that growers have profited for decades and should be taxed accordingly. In the health care arena, medical marijuana is legal in a number of states, a decision with which seventy percent of Americans agree (Vlahos 18). Those against legalization cite potential health hazards, similar to those faced by smokers of tobacco. Although only mildly physically addictive, marijuana can be psychologically addictive. It is often called the "gateway" drug since users sometimes progress to more powerful illegal substances. Members of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) are against legalization for reasons that some may find surprising.

Marijuana is called a "soft" drug and seems more socially acceptable than other drugs; after all "smoking and eating are more naturally associated with pleasure than is…

Works Cited

"15 Legal Medical Marijuana States and DC." ProCon.org. (n.d.) Web. Retrieved from  http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=000881  2 May

2011.

"Medical Marijuana and the Mind." Harvard Mental Health Letter. 26.10 (2010): 1-3. Academic

Search Premier. 2 May 2011.