Would Legalizing Marijuana be Good or Bad?

Ashley Ignacio HSCI 120 Winter Quarter 2012

Abstract The legalization of marijuana has been a huge controversial issue to happen in the U.S. Before it was criminalized, it was mainly used for medical purposes for those who experienced pain. It was then announced illegal in the 1930s because it was used for recreational purposes and not just for medical purposes. The government had thought that this decision would help lower its recreational use since it is a drug.' However, many people have found ways to get a hold of it till this day and have been arrested for its possession. In the U.S., there have been over 15 million Americans that were arrested for committing such a crime.' Furthermore, hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars are wasted enforcing the prohibition of marijuana. So why did the federal government decide to criminalize marijuana in the first place if all it did was increase the crime rate? Many Americans have tried to find reasons why the government should decriminalize the possession and use of marijuana. On November 2, 2010, Proposition 19 was placed on the ballot, which states that California law will be changed to legalize marijuana and allow it to be regulated and taxed. Although it was not passed, there are other reasons to decriminalize marijuana such as free up our jail system so the government does not have to pay for the criminals to be in jail. But legalizing marijuana can help the economy and free us from debt.

Would Legalizing Marijuana be Good or Bad? Introduction Though federal government by authorization believed that marijuana had no medical use, various studies have proven it wrong. Since the 1950s, there have been scientific studies and research of marijuana. The studies have concluded that marijuana did have medicinal qualities and that it is not a narcotic even though the federal government and most states consider it so. Furthermore, unlike narcotics, marijuana is not physically addictive. In 2005, the U.S. Supreme court ruled that states laws that do allow medical marijuana could not overrule the federal laws that did not allow it. Recently, the Obama Administration's Department of Justice releasing a letter announcing that it would not forcibly contest those who are permitted to grow, possess, and use marijuana under state medicinal laws. The City of Ann Arbor, Michigan made possession of marijuana within the city limits a formal violation with a $5 fine. In 1996 California passed the first medical marijuana law and later, thirteen states passed this law (Block, 2010). On November 2, 2010, California voters were able to decide to either decriminalize marijuana or keep it illegal in the state, which was known as Proposition 19. On the Left A Moderate-to-Liberal Interpretation. According to Jeffrey Miron, who is the author of Liberal versus Libertarians Views on Drug Legalization, he says that liberals think the government should adopt policies that try to discourage drug use. Liberal legalizers do not like violence when it comes to achieving this goal, even when it is towards drug users as opposed to drug sellers (Miron, 2004). They believe to have a better, legal approach to

decriminalize rather than trying to prohibit its use. Also, to decriminalize the use of marijuana, they would want the government to have complete control of it, which leads the medical dispensaries. Not would it help decriminalize the drug, but it also helps people who really need it. As we all know, marijuana was first used for medical purposes. Many people use it for keep themselves from suffering from different ailments. It provides a relief from nausea, various pains such as stomachaches, backaches, and people suffering from diseases who have not had luck with prescribed medications. Recreationally, many people, especially Americans, use it as a way to relax. Americans use marijuana because of personal choice. It is a known fact that marijuana is not addictive and the side effects are easy to manage, and those who cannot handle the side effects choose to stop taking it. There are more benefits to it than there are disadvantages. The biggest disadvantage from marijuana is not the side effects, but the risk of getting arrested. A More Extreme Liberal Position. The War on Drugs is an expensive flaw. The prohibition of marijuana has done nothing but increase the crime rate. Just because it was announced illegal in 1937 does not mean it stopped people from using it. Law enforcement has more responsibilities to do than arresting more than 750,000 people a year for the possession of marijuana (Marijuana, 2007). For example, police officers, judges, juries, and other law enforcers can concentrate on more important crimes such as murder, terrorism, more lethal drugs (heroin, cocaine, etc.), and so on. Furthermore, most drug dealers would be put out of business. They make large amounts of money and they compete with one another. When drug dealers compete, they not only increase or lower their prices but they also physically compete with each other such as killing each other to

remove the other competition. If marijuana were to be legalized, it would drop the crime rate considerably since majority of the crimes are marijuana related. On the Right A Moderate-to-Conservative Interpretation. On a more conservative approach, a conservative interest group called The Eagle Forum stated, "there is no legitimate need for marijuana as medicine. Pills containing THC are already available with a physician's prescription. The legalization of raw marijuana for medicine is merely an indirect means of legalizing pot for recreational use ("Eagle forum," 2009)." Many would try and persuade a conservative person to vote for the legalization of marijuana or at least change his or her view on it. One dramatic exception is California, where Proposition 19, which proposes to "regulate, control and tax cannabis," will be on the statewide ballot on November 2. In California alone, the illegal market for cannabis, or marijuana, has been estimated to be worth about $14 billion per year, and the legalization initiative aims to redirect the flow of these massive profits from violent drug cartels toward government coffers (Wood, 2010). This would mean that crime rates were drop dramatically and taxing marijuana would financially save the U.S. economy. A More Conservative Interpretation. To most conservatives, they have a strong belief against the use of marijuana and find it absurd to hear that people want to legalize it to tax it. Looking at a conservatives point of view, they see it as coming from the devil and are afraid that it will not stop crime rates. If it were to be legalized, they believe that there would be a lot more users versus the 15.2 million current ones out there today. Not only would there be more users but more users addicted to the drug and therefore, lead to marijuana abuse (DuPont, 2010). Another reason conservatives are against the

legalization of marijuana is because its harmful. They think that because other illegal drugs will get out of hand like Ecstasy to the youth that drug dealers have marketed to (DEA, 2010). Also, there is the belief that crime, violence, and drugs are compatible with one another. Six times as many homicides are committed by people under the influence of drugs, as by those who are looking for money to buy drugs. Most drug crimes arent committed by people trying to pay for drugs; theyre committed by people on drugs (DEA, 2010). The way they see it is the more conservative America is, the safer it is. Conclusion After looking through both sides on the topic of legalization of marijuana, I feel that both parties should come to an agreement. This is complicated topic to find recommendations on since it focuses on the legalization of a drug. Some recommendations I do have is that if marijuana were to become legal, they should have strict policies for it like there are for alcohol use. Only people 21 and over could purchase and use it, no smoking it in public which would show some respect to those who are conservative, and to not be under the influence when driving. As for what I believe, there is no reason why the federal government should keep it criminalized when it has helped relieve people from all sorts of ailments and as a form of relaxation and stress relief. Since 7,000 B.C marijuana has been used throughout the world. Marijuana also has agricultural value. It has been used to make rope, clothing, and much more with the hemp fibers. It would only make financial sense to legalize it because the United States could make a huge profit out of it and we all know how badly our economy needs money to get out of debt. The crime rate would decline considerably with marijuana being legal. There would be fewer drug dealers and the law enforcement

would be able to focus on more important crimes. Not to mention our taxes would not have to go towards keeping these criminals in jail. Lets face it, we all know the prohibition of marijuana has failed so it is best that the federal and state governments decriminalize this so-called drug.'

References Block, B. A. (2010). How and why marijuana became illegal. Bruce Alan Block, PLC. Retrieved November 21, 2010, from http://www.brucealanblock.com/pages/Why_Marijuana-Became_Illegal.html DEA. (2010). Speaking out against drug legalization. Retrieved from http://www.justice.gov/dea/demand/speakout/index.html DuPont, R. (2010, April 20). Why we should not legalize marijuana. Retrieved from http://www.cnbc.com/id/36267223/Why_We_Should_Not_Legalize_Marijuana Eagle forum. (2009, October 21). Retrieved from http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org/view.source.php?sourceID=000440 Marijuana. (2007). Drug War Facts. Retrieved December 6, 2010, from http://drugwarfacts.org/cms/?q=node/53 Miron, J. (2004). Liberal versus libertarian views on drug legalization. Retrieved from http://www.economics.harvard.edu/faculty/miron/files/masters_blog.pdf Wood, E. (2010, October 21). Why conservatives should legalize marijuana. Retrieved from http://articles.cnn.com/2010-10-21/opinion/wood.war.on.drugs_1_control-andtax-cannabis-drug-supply-legalization?_s=PM:OPINION