Marijuana has been prevalent in the United States of America since its birth in 1776. Currently, there is a prohibition on marijuana, similar to the prohibition of alcohol from 1920 to 1933. Most arrests in the United States are first time nonviolent offenders who are in possession of the illegal substance, due to this prohibition. Despite being illegal at a federal level, Colorado and Washington have passed laws to legalize medicinal and recreational use of the substance. On top of that sixteen other states offer medicinal marijuana, including the nation’s capital, the District of Columbia. Marijuana should be legalized in the United States of America as a whole, because of the amount of revenue that it would generate, the medicinal benefits that it can offer to those who are sick, and the legalization would stop the incarceration of nonviolent offenders who wish to use marijuana. …show more content…
According to The Encyclopedia of Criminal Justice Ethics, by Bruce Arrigo, a study by the National Household on Drug Abuse and Health reported that “18.1 million Americans are current users”( par 1). This is a solid chunk of the America’s population that is buying an untaxed illicit substance. Colorado was the first state to legalize marijuana for legal use and Jacob Sullum states in Americans Love Pot Taxes that “voters approved pot taxes three times in four years, each time by a bigger margin.”(par 2). If marijuana was sold in gas stations or even just strictly dispensaries the tax revenue would be incredible. If other states followed Colorado’s lead, which most likely would
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.
The legalization of marijuana has been a very hot topic across Canada since the 2015 federal elections.
“According to the United Nations, 158.8 million people around the world use marijuana—more than 3.8% of the planet’s population” (Drugfreeworld.org, 2014). Marijuana is one of the most widely used illicit drugs in the world (Sewell). It has received a plethora of criticism in the past and its negative reputation has carried on throughout history, making the legalization of marijuana one of the most controversial topics today. Marijuana does not deserve the reputation it receives, and in actuality it serves many medicinal purposes for the human body. Marijuana should be legalized in all 50 states for medical use.
In 1545, the Spanish brought marijuana to the New World. It was introduced in Jamestown in 1611, where it became a major commercial crop grown as an innocent source of fiber (specifically, hemp). By 1927, the production and possession of marijuana had been outlawed throughout the United States, causing a prohibition that is still in effect 80 years later. Since then, the world has seen the violent rise of drug cartels and the high price of fighting illegal marijuana use (Narconon). Marijuana should be legalized because significant research shows that legalization will benefit our society socially and economically.
Marijuana is the third most popular recreational drug in America (behind only alcohol and tobacco), and has been used by nearly 100 million Americans. According to government surveys, some 25 million Americans have smoked marijuana in the past year, and more than 14 million do so regularly despite harsh laws against its use. Our public policies should reflect this reality, not deny it.(keith stroepe). Marijuana should be legalized for medical use across the country. Marijuana has been used medically, recreationally and spiritually for about 5,000 years. Under the Controlled Substances Act of 1970, marijuana was classified as a Schedule I drug because it was considered to have no “accepted medical use in treatment in the United
Should marijuana be legalized? Many Americans have been asked this question or have heard some type of news about the issue. Marijuana is commonly known as cannabis which refers to the dried up hemp plant cannabis sativa, even though marijuana is a plant and has no chemical additives it has been a tropic of controversy for many years but nowadays it is in the spotlight more than ever. For centuries, marijuana has been used by people throughout the world for religious, recreational and medical use. A few countries like the Netherlands and Uruguay have already legalized marijuana for recreational use and many other countries are taking a step towards doing so. Is it finally time for the United States to take a closer look into possibly legalizing marijuana. Marijuana should be legalized for medical and recreational purposes because it would aid in the War on drugs, it would become an important source of revenue for the government and reduce overpopulation of American jails.
Marijuana has a long standing history of being one of the most controversial substances in America. While the history or the Cannabis plant indicates not only acceptance as a useful plant, but even advocated as a source of revenue and medicinal usage, much of the United States government propaganda over the last 100+ years has led Americans to accept very slighted and often false information about the plant and its uses. Based on the origin of the illegalization of marijuana and the inconsistent findings of its effects in comparison to other substances, both legal and illegal, marijuana should be decriminalized and treated as a recreational substance just as alcohol and tobacco are.
Marijuana, a speculated harmful gateway drug where ‘Marijuana raids are more harmful than the drug itself”(Ingraham, 2017). Is Marijuana really that harmful to be illegal? Marijuana is currently illegal in some states in the U.S. and Canada for recreational use, medical use or both. Some areas already legalized the use of Marijuana like California, Nevada, etc. which is causing controversy since other states and countries won’t. Marijuana should be legal as the facts and statistics are coming out, like, the health benefits, the Economic benefits and how a low-risk drug like Cannabis compares to other legal drugs.
Statistics have shown that being addicted to marijuana poses no problem to that individual’s health and the persons associated with this individual. Hence, marijuana should not only be legalized for medicinal purposes but also for recreational purposes. The government should take into account improving revenue by legalizing marijuana and grab the earning opportunity from the drug faction. Additionally, marijuana prisoners are costing America millions annually, which could have been used to improve the educational or healthcare system of the country. Taking out marijuana from the illegal status would save the country millions of dollars in federal expenditure that could be used for development and numerous other programs that would have a more long-term and beneficial effect for the people. Moreover, legalization of marijuana sales would contribute significant tax revenues if it was going to be taxed like alcohol and tobacco. It is unnecessary for government to keep spending so much to enforcement the marijuana law, when in fact the law and law enforcement efforts are inadequate in keeping marijuana from
Should medical marijuana be legal across the United States? Imagine a world where individuals who have chronic pain did not have to suffer anymore. Envision a cure for cancer, a disease many Americans are killed by daily. Picture people with severe, violent mood disorders being treated. Most people think the answers to these problems are simple and could be solved by over medicating patients. Today, there are twenty states in America who have legalized medical marijuana for specific health and medical related conditions (Medical Marijuana 1). The United States should legalize medical marijuana so patients who suffer from chronic pain can be treated, cancer could be cured, and mood disorders can be treated.
Possession and use of marijuana is illegal in over half of the United States, but it is still the third most popular recreational drug in the United States. The debate for this drug to be legal has been going on for many years; some states have legalized the drug for medical use, and some for recreational use as well. Other states seem to disagree; they are not in favor of making the drug legal for medical use or recreational use. It has been proven that marijuana has a positive impact on society. Marijuana should be legalized as it would reduce crime, provide health benefits, and it is a safe drug.
2014, excellentessaywriters.wordpress.com/2014/01/23/legalizing-marijuana-individual-and-societal-benefits/.This means that not only is it fully illegal to have privately and use, but doctors cannot prescribe it. Almost 40 states in the union allow some form of legalized marijuana. Most of these states passed laws in the last ten years. However, very few states allow it for purely recreational use. As a start the usage of marijuana can have so many benefits that come with it. A state that legalizes marijuana by allowing limited private sales creates a privilege to sell it. That privilege is worth money, and maybe that could mean lots of money. In 2012, Colorado legalized the recreational use of marijuana. The state has garnered over 10 million in taxes from retail sales in the first 4 months. The first 40 million of this tax revenue is attributed for the public schools in the state,buildings, and structures, as well as for youth educational campaigns. You could call this the “present day gold rush”. There's a lot of green going for Colorado’s legalization of weed. Colorado, which was the first state to allow retail for the recreational use of marijuana
Views on marijuana use and its legal status are slowly shifting across America. What was once viewed as a dangerous gateway drug is slowly being legalized across the nation for medicinal and recreational purposes. Alcohol is often used as a comparator to marijuana for good reason. Banning alcohol was attempted before and it was not successful. Marijuana is currently progressing through a similar phase alcohol went through during the Prohibition Era. Four states, including Washington, Oregon, Colorado, and Alaska, now allow the use of recreational marijuana. Ironically, despite marijuana use still being illegal under federal law, Washington D.C., the nation’s capital, allows it as well. Marijuana should be legalized, both medically and recreationally, across the nation because it is less deadly than alcohol, stimulates the economy and generates tax revenue, and provides medical relief for serious ailments.
The debate over whether marijuana should be legalized has long troubled many American citizens. There are many political aspects that have to be taken into account when making a big federal decision such as this. However, long before America was even an idea, many cultures had harnessed the plant, and used it for many primitive medical procedures. Within certain states it is legal to use marijuana for medical treatments, but this is a relatively new idea in the United States. However, marijuana was not always deemed an illegal substance and because of its inherent medical value should be legalized at the federal level.
When marijuana was illegal, many Americans were labeled as criminals because of the addiction they had with marijuana.”Marijuana is widely used, especially in adolescents and young adults. In the US, there are about 20 million users (about 7.5% of people aged 12 or older)” (Wynne,2016). Americans were obsessed with drugs especially marijuana which means, even if marijuana was illegal americans would still utilize it because it felt satisfying. “The states are taking the lead because they’re wary of locking up thousands of their own citizens for possessing a substance that has less potential for abuse and destructive behavior than alcohol”(Firestone,2014). The states fear locking up thousands of citizens