Marijuana Legalization Should recreational marijuana be legalized in the United States? NORML (pg. 145-146) is the (National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws) and they support the removal of penalties for private possession of small amounts of marijuana. This process is known as the Decriminalization of marijuana smokers. More than thirty percent of the United States population lives under the Decriminalization laws and studies show that there hasn’t been any negative effect on adolescents in any way. Also studies have shown that the amount of consumption of marijuana has virtually stayed the same. The enforcement of prohibition has cost tax payers over ten billion dollars a year in annual taxes. Prohibition also results in the arrests of over 829,000 in marijuana related charges. Former president Jimmy Carter had this to say, “Penalties against drug use should not be more damaging to an individual then the use of the drug itself. Nowhere is this more clear than in the laws against the possession of marijuana in private for personal use.”(pg. 146) according to NORML marijuana is the least dangerous drug in America. The two products of alcohol and tobacco are responsible for more than 400,000 deaths per year. Marijuana on the other hand is a nontoxic substance and cannot cause death due to overdose. (Pg.146-147) NORML supports the eventual development of a legally controlled marked for marijuana, where consumers could buy marijuana for personal use from a sage legal source. The policy, commonly known as legalization, exists on different levels in a handful of European countries. For example the Netherlands and Switzerland both use the legalization policy and both countries enjoy lower rates of adolescent marijuana use than the United States. The system of legalization would reduce many of the problems presently associated with the prohibition of marijuana. These problems include serious crime rate, corruption and violence all things that come with the territory of a “black market”. (pg. 148)
A main issue when talking about the legalization of marijuana is the effects of prohibition on government funds. As of now with prohibition in effect there is a direct cost for the enforcement of marijuana laws. If legalization were in effect these costs would be at zero and the government could put taxes on
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known as cannabis, THC, and herbs. According to Tuturo (2013), “The government classified marijuana as a schedule 1 type of drug. This means it has potential to become abused by those who consume cannabis” (pg.1). This made marijuana prohibited throughout the United States. Prohibition created a controversy between whether to permit the use of marijuana for special cases. In some research, “58% of Americans are in favor of legalizing marijuana” (Rhodan, 2014, pg.1). Marijuana is already legal in Colorado…
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Schedule 1 drug, one that is believed to have a high potential for abuse and no medical use. This classification is hotly debated and for a variety of reasons. There is a benefit both economically and socially to legalize marijuana a so-called “Schedule I drug”. Three sources will be used to illustrate the topic of marijuana legalization: An academic article, Leagalizing Marijuana Would Save Money and Generate Tax Revenue by Jeffrey Miron, A policy article from the National Organization for the Reform…
misunderstanding, which is why the marijuana laws regarding both medical and recreational uses are directly conflicting, and challenging all Americans with a rapidly growing, increasingly puzzling, social problem. Its controversial recreational use, medical properties, and financial opportunities all greet us with the questions we face today: Should America legalize and tax marijuana on a federal level? Do scientific advancements in medical science now legitimize marijuana as a medicine? Marijuana is…
Can I see a show of hands how many people here have ever smoked Cannabis sativa, commonly known as marijuana? I see none of you raised your hand. Well obviously no one would want to admit to a criminal activity in front of their teacher. But why is it that smoking pot is so taboo in our society? After all numerous famous intellectuals support marijuana. Al Gore is considered by many to be the leading figure in climate change awareness and environmental preservation. But few people know that Al Gore…
Medical Marijuana Medical marijuana is a hot button topic, and with good reason. There is lot of conflicting information. One doesn’t have to search very hard to find information supporting the medical use of marijuana. Marijuana has been proven to be beneficial treatment for many conditions such as chronic pain, post-traumatic stress disorder, nausea from chemotherapy, and glaucoma among others. Yet, despite scientific evidence of marijuana’s therapeutic benefit, it remains on the DEA’s list of…
legality of medical marijuana possession is as hot a topic as exists in the discussion of possible drug decriminalization in the United States. Some agencies, both federal government and non-governmental advisors, urge continued vigorous prosecution of marijuana offenders because they see medical marijuana as both a gateway to hard drugs like heroin and cocaine and as a smokescreen for an effort to decriminalize marijuana for general use (Marshall, 2005). In contrast, various medical authorities…
forms: medical or recreational. But the question is, should marijuana be legalized for recreational purposes? There are many people who believe that marijuana should be legalized for recreational use. While legalizing this drug would be the easiest solution, there are concerns that prevent this from happening such as negative impact on your health physically and mentally, altering your perception, and just the fact that it can be an addictive drug. ”It would be malpractice to say that cannabis isn't…
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