essays on legalizing weed

Marijuana Legalization - Free Essay Examples And Topic Ideas

Marijuana legalization is a contentious issue with implications for health, economy, and society. Essays might explore the arguments for and against legalization, the experiences of regions where marijuana has been legalized, and the legal, economic, and social ramifications of legalization. Additionally, discussions might extend to the medical uses of marijuana, its impact on the criminal justice system, and its societal perceptions. We have collected a large number of free essay examples about Marijuana Legalization you can find in Papersowl database. You can use our samples for inspiration to write your own essay, research paper, or just to explore a new topic for yourself.

Marijuana Legalization and Regulation

Medications/Drugs are a part of everyday life. We take medications for various ailments, to return ourselves to good health. Yet, as time and healthcare technology have moved along, we have discovered that some medications or drugs are inherently good (i.e.: antibiotics, cancer medications, and insulin) and some are inherently bad or, at least, can be used for bad purposes (i.e.: mind altering substances such as LSD, and cocaine). The "bad" drugs can be deadly. They have effects that can addict […]

Medical Marijuana and Marijuana Legalization

Thursday, June 09, 2011 Much debate has been conducted regarding the legalization of marijuana, with an unusual amount of contradicting research. There are many perspectives to take into account, and they always seem to come down to the personal motives of the debater. Whether it's being argued from a medical, political, or economical perspective; it continually comes down to whether Federal Government should be our dictators or we should be responsible for our actions. The Canadian medical Association Journal reports […]

Marijuana should be Legalized?

We are living in an era where noxious things like alcohol, rum and cigarettes -that lead us to nothing but a dreadful death- are legal, and a plant which has no obnoxious effects on our body and mind is illegal. For years and years, marijuana has been used as a mean to achieve elation. The criterion to impose a ban on something, or to term it illegal, is that its cons should overshadow its pros; and that it will have […]

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Medical Marijuana Legalization the Good Bad and Ugly

The legalization of medical marijuana has been discussed amongst the country's states for decades. Medical marijuana legalization has taken a positive shift throughout these years and is now legal in 20 states and the District of Columbia. The initial drug, marijuana, was band for the dangerous effects it brought to people. Throughout the year's people have turned to marijuana to ease anxiety, pain, and stress. Legalizing marijuana has brought multiple perspectives on the topic. Differences such as medical marijuana legalization, […]

Medical Marijuana Legalization

Marijuana legalization has become a topic of relevance in the United States as recent changes in various state legislations fuel the controversial issue relating to its effects on society. With more than thirty states legalizing marijuana for medicinal or recreational uses, the once taboo topic has reemerged into the spotlight for policymakers to consider the benefits and adverse effects of cannabis for state legislation. Although the legal status is changing nationwide, the uncertainties surrounding marijuana today stem from the political […]

Pros and Cons of Legalizing Marijuana

When we first picked our topic for our presentations I had an idea of what we were going to do. Ideas from school shootings to you and human trafficking were some I was thinking of. The drug epidemic was what first came to thought but I felt that was to broad of of a topic. With state after state legalizing Medical or Recreational Marijuana it is becoming more likely within the near future will become federally legal. Today there are […]

Against Marijuana Legalization

In my high school years I met a lot of people, I’ve meet hundreds of people who ruined their lives by just “trying” a drug. One of those friends is named Carmen, my dear friend Carmen smokes marijuana recreationally everyday, she’s tried everything under the rainbow; pot brownies, gummi bears, cookies, anything that you can think of is probably an edible. She’s even forced me to try marijuana when we were in high school once. It was the worst experience […]

Marijuana Legalization in Texas: an In-Depth Examination of the Ongoing Debate

The contentious issue of marijuana legalization has engendered fervent discourse across the United States, resulting in a patchwork of divergent legislation among different states. The state of Texas, renowned for its traditionally conservative ideology, is now grappling with a pivotal juncture as it engages in more prevalent deliberations around the legalization of marijuana. The primary objective of this essay is to critically analyze the complex and intricate discourse pertaining to the subject matter in the state of Texas. This analysis […]

Legalization of Marijuana: Good or Bad

The legalization of marijuana is a hot topic these days. Marijuana has been legalized in many different states. Colorado legalized marijuana for recreational use in 2012. Since then, Texas has been talking of legalizing it as well. Although the legalization of marijuana has brought quite a bit of controversy over the nation, I believe the good outweigh the bad. Marijuana is used for different medical reasons, ranging from anxiety all the way to helping some side effects of cancer. Many […]

Legalization of Recreational Marijuana

Marijuana, also known as pot, weed, kush, or dank, is a debated topic nationwide. Surveys have shown that " more than half of American adults have tried marijuana at least once in their lives ...nearly 55 million of them, or twenty two percent, currently use it"(Ingraham). Many people believe that there are only few negative effects affiliated with smoking weed, but there are many poor and preventable outcomes that are not always taken into consideration. The effects of marijuana on […]

A Legalized Drug in the United States

In the United States, marijuana is one of the most commonly used drugs that should have been legalized a long time ago along with alcohol. Although, 15 states in the United States have already legalized the use of marijuana, many others still lag behind at the thought of even legalizing Cannabis. In addition, many people think that marijuana is a bad drug, while on the other hand, people like myself believe for many reasons that it should be legalized. Marijuana […]

Pro-Legalization of Marijuana

Marijuana has always been a much-discussed subject that has sparked heated discussions among experts and officials, in addition to a perpetual dialogue among family and associates. This is primarily due to the fact that people are still divided on whether cannabis should be legalized or not. While many people are aware of the dangers of cannabis for recreational purposes, many states are pushing for the legalization of medical cannabis. Several studies of cannabinoid elements have revealed its medicinal qualities, which […]

Proposal One: Impact on Warren, MI’s Future

Proposal One is the allowing of individuals age 21 and older to purchase, possess and use marijuana and marijuana-infused edibles, and grow up to 12 marijuana plants for personal consumption. Impose a 10-ounce limit for marijuana kept at residences and require that amounts over 2.5 ounces be secured in locked containers. Creating a state licensing system for marijuana businesses including growers, processors, and transporters. Ryan Mainer (Libertarian party) supports proposal one. How do we know this is true? He has […]

The Legalization of Marijuana Today

Over the last decade, there has been plenty of speculation revolving around the whether the legalization of marijuana is even ethical, well it is here, and it is legal. For the time being it happens to be in only a select number of states. Despite some people not agreeing with various laws that have decriminalized marijuana because they still believe it is a harmful "drug" for humans. Well when the facts reveal the real benefits from marijuana and how it […]

Legalization of Marijuana: the Current Situation

Scholars are increasingly exhibiting interest in matters concerning marijuana legalization especially considering laws related to healthcare. The increments in interest emanate from concerns that legalization of this drug is not in alignment with existing health-related laws according to the federal government (Kilmer et al., 2010). According to Hopfer (2014), the government has failed to fully support legalization because few studies have been conducted to prove its medicinal worth. Nonetheless, medical legalization of this particular drug is increasingly gaining support. A […]

Marijuana Decriminalization in all States

The government should legalize marijuana on the federal use due to the multifaceted health, economic, and criminal benefits now outweigh the outdated downsides of use. Many researchers have come to the conclusion of outdated research not being correct. "One function of government is to protect citizens from harm, whether it is from foreign enemies or from internal causes such as poisonous food or contaminated water." Researchers believe that legalizing marijuana will not help the people only harm them and the […]

The Cost and Benefit of Legalization of Marijuana

In recent years, marijuana has become a controversial topic, and the United States government has been struggling to find a solution for the legalization of marijuana. Some argue that the government should legalize marijuana because it is less harmful than alcohol and tobacco. They also believe legalizing marijuana will decrease crime rates, especially drug trafficking. It is because marijuana is illegal in most states, and its penalties are often quite harsh, which can deter people from committing related crimes. Others […]

Legalization of Marijuana Throughout States

Legalization of marijuana use is spreading throughout states in the nation. There are many people who want to make recreational marijuana legal in the state of Texas. Some opponents of keeping marijuana criminalized argue that it would decreased alcohol and tobacco consumption, makes people passive and peaceful and that it aids those who are in pain. However after researching the effects that long-term marijuana use has on people, one will find that those are not realistically always the case and […]

The Impacts of Legalizing Marijuana

The impacts of legalizing marijuana have been far reaching. Legal or not, there are health issues to consider when it comes to medicinal purposes or recreational purposes. Studies show that non-medical marijuana users are at an increased risk for physical ailments involving the respiratory system and pulmonary functions. Psychological problems are also a concern, involving depression, insomnia, anxiety, and drug addiction. Other things associated with marijuana use are criminal justice involvement and lower academic achievement and functioning (Lankenau, et al., […]

Legalization of Marijuana and Economic Growth

These would make occupations as well as set the ball moving for financial action in the pot business in these regions. On account of states like California and Nevada where such foundation as of now exists, the financial effect has turned out to be more quantifiable as the part has developed. A RCG Economics and Marijuana Policy Group consider on Nevada says that legitimizing recreational marijuana in the state could bolster more than 41,000 employments till 2024 and produce over […]

Marijuana as a Psychoactive Drug

Marijuana is a psychoactive drug from the Cannabis plant used for medical or recreational purposes. It is sold in the form of dried leaves which can be smoked. Recreational marijuana was introduced in the U.S in the early 20th century by immigrants from Mexico. Marijuana is a controversial topic in the United States because many people think it shouldn't be legalized . Some will agree on making it legal throughout the United States, and some would think otherwise. Many debates […]

Persuasive Speeches on Legalizing Weed: Exploring the Benefits and Concerns

Introduction Legalizing marijuana is a controversial topic for many states. If marijuana is legalized, it would save prisons and jails funds because they could release people who have been convicted of felonies with the dealing of this incidental drug. This means that the government would have more money to use towards education on the safe use of the product and the prosecution of dealers who control the use of extremely dangerous hard drugs. However, people against legalizing marijuana argue that […]

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How To Write an Essay About Marijuana Legalization

Introduction to marijuana legalization.

When embarking on an essay about marijuana legalization, it's crucial to begin with a comprehensive overview of the topic. Marijuana legalization is a multifaceted issue that encompasses legal, medical, social, and economic dimensions. Your introduction should briefly touch upon the history of marijuana use and its legal status over time, setting the stage for a deeper exploration of the arguments for and against legalization. Establish your thesis statement, outlining the specific aspect of marijuana legalization you will focus on, whether it's the potential medical benefits, the social implications, or the economic impact of legalizing marijuana.

Examining the Arguments for Legalization

In this section, delve into the arguments commonly made in favor of legalizing marijuana. These arguments often include the potential medical benefits of marijuana, such as its use in pain management and treatment of certain medical conditions. Discuss the viewpoint that legalization could lead to better regulation and quality control of the substance, as well as potentially reduce crime rates related to illegal drug trade. It's also important to consider the economic aspect, such as the revenue generated from taxing legal marijuana sales. Provide well-researched evidence and examples to support these arguments, ensuring that your essay presents a balanced and informed perspective.

Exploring the Counterarguments

Next, address the arguments against marijuana legalization. These may include concerns about the health risks associated with marijuana use, such as potential impacts on mental health and cognitive function, especially among young people. Discuss the fears that legalization might lead to increased usage rates, particularly in adolescents, and the potential for marijuana to act as a gateway drug. There's also the argument regarding the challenges of enforcing regulations and controlling the quality and distribution of legal marijuana. Like the previous section, ensure that you present these counterarguments with supporting evidence and a fair analysis, demonstrating an understanding of the complexities of the issue.

Concluding the Essay

Conclude your essay by summarizing the main points from both sides of the argument. This is your opportunity to reinforce your thesis and provide a final analysis of the issue based on the evidence presented. Reflect on the potential future of marijuana legalization, considering the current trends and policy changes. A well-crafted conclusion should provide closure to your essay and encourage the reader to continue contemplating the nuanced aspects of marijuana legalization. Your concluding remarks might also suggest areas for further research or consideration, underscoring the ongoing nature of the debate surrounding marijuana legalization.

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2018 Theses Doctoral

Essays on Cannabis Legalization

Thomas, Danna Kang

Though the drug remains illegal at the federal level, in recent years states and localities have increasingly liberalized their marijuana laws in order to generate tax revenue and save resources on marijuana law enforcement. Many states have adopted some form of medical marijuana and/or marijuana decriminalization laws, and as of 2017, Washington, Colorado, Maine, California, Oregon, Massachusetts, Nevada, Alaska, and the District of Columbia have all legalized marijuana for recreational use. In 2016 recreational marijuana generated over $1.8 billion in sales. Hence, studying marijuana reforms and the policies and outcomes of early recreational marijuana adopters is an important area of research. However, perhaps due to the fact that legalized recreational cannabis is a recent phenomenon, a scarcity of research exists on the impacts of recreational cannabis legalization and the efficacy and efficiency of cannabis regulation. This dissertation aims to fill this gap, using the Washington recreational marijuana market as the primary setting to study cannabis legalization in the United States. Of first order importance in the regulation of sin goods such as cannabis is quantifying the value of the marginal damages of negative externalities. Hence, Chapter 1 (co-authored with Lin Tian) explores the impact of marijuana dispensary location on neighborhood property values, exploiting plausibly exogenous variation in marijuana retailer location. Policymakers and advocates have long expressed concerns that the positive effects of the legalization--e.g., increases in tax revenue--are well spread spatially, but the negative effects are highly localized through channels such as crime. Hence, we use changes in property values to measure individuals' willingness to pay to avoid localized externalities caused by the arrival of marijuana dispensaries. Our key identification strategy is to compare changes in housing sales around winners and losers in a lottery for recreational marijuana retail licenses. (Due to location restrictions, license applicants were required to provide an address of where they would like to locate.) Hence, we have the locations of both actual entrants and potential entrants, which provides a natural difference-in-differences set-up. Using data from King County, Washington, we find an almost 2.4% decrease in the value of properties within a 0.5 mile radius of an entrant, a $9,400 decline in median property values. The aforementioned retail license lottery was used to distribute licenses due to a license quota. Retail license quotas are often used by states to regulate entry into sin goods markets as quotas can restrict consumption by decreasing access and by reducing competition (and, therefore, increasing markups). However, license quotas also create allocative inefficiency. For example, license quotas are often based on the population of a city or county. Hence, licenses are not necessarily allocated to the areas where they offer the highest marginal benefit. Moreover, as seen in the case of the Washington recreational marijuana market, licenses are often distributed via lottery, meaning that in the absence of an efficiency secondary market for licenses, the license recipients are not necessarily the most efficient potential entrants. This allocative inefficiency is generated by heterogeneity in firms and consumers. Therefore, in Chapter 2, I develop a model of demand and firm pricing in order to investigate firm-level heterogeneity and inefficiency. Demand is differentiated by geography and incorporates consumer demographics. I estimate this demand model using data on firm sales from Washington. Utilizing the estimates and firm pricing model, I back out a non-parametric distribution of firm variable costs. These variable costs differ by product and firm and provide a measure of firm inefficiency. I find that variable costs have lower inventory turnover; hence, randomly choosing entrants in a lottery could be a large contributor to allocative inefficiency. Chapter 3 explores the sources of allocative inefficiency in license distribution in the Washington recreational marijuana market. A difficulty in studying the welfare effects of license quotas is finding credible counterfactuals of unrestricted entry. Therefore, I take a structural approach: I first develop a three stage model that endogenizes firm entry and incorporates the spatial demand and pricing model discussed in Chapter 2. Using the estimates of the demand and pricing model, I estimate firms' fixed costs and use data on locations of those potential entrants that did not win Washington's retail license lottery to simulate counterfactual entry patterns. I find that allowing firms to enter freely at Washington's current marijuana tax rate increases total surplus by 21.5% relative to a baseline simulation of Washington's license quota regime. Geographic misallocation and random allocation of licenses account for 6.6\% and 65.9\% of this difference, respectively. Moreover, as the primary objective of these quotas is to mitigate the negative externalities of marijuana consumption, I study alternative state tax policies that directly control for the marginal damages of marijuana consumption. Free entry with tax rates that keep the quantity of marijuana or THC consumed equal to baseline consumption increases welfare by 6.9% and 11.7%, respectively. I also explore the possibility of heterogeneous marginal damages of consumption across geography, backing out the non-uniform sales tax across geography that is consistent with Washington's license quota policy. Free entry with a non-uniform sales tax increases efficiency by over 7% relative to the baseline simulation of license quotas due to improvements in license allocation.

• Cannabis--Law and legislation
• Marijuana industry
• Drug legalization
• Drugs--Economic aspects

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THREE ESSAYS ON THE EFFECT OF LEGALIZING MARIJUANA ON HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND SOCIAL SECURITY

The legalization of marijuana has emerged as a critical public policy issue, with far-reaching implications for health, education, and government programs at both the state and federal levels. The three essays of this dissertation show that medical marijuana legalization (MML) has a negative effect in each of these areas. The first essay shows, that the enactment of MMLs can exacerbate the crisis of overdose deaths in the United States. The study analyzes three key areas: the rate of overdose deaths caused by both legal and illegal drugs, the impact of MML on social norms regarding the perceived harm of marijuana, and an investigation into the gateway theory by examining the use of other addictive drugs. I find that MMLs increase deaths attributed to overdose by 21.5% population. MMLs s also indicate increase the number of deaths due to prescribed opioids by 44.6%, and deaths from all opioids (heroin and cocaine in addition to prescribed opioids) by 37.2 % Results suggest an overall increase in the use of marijuana, primarily due to lower perceived risk among adolescents. Additionally, results show an increase in hospital admissions due to substance abuse. The analysis suggests that legalizing medical marijuana may exaggerate the current problem of drug overdose in the United States. The second essay examines the impact of improved access to medical marijuana, measured by the proximity of schools to the nearest dispensary, on the academic performance of high school students in California. Students in schools farther from a marijuana dispensary have higher academic performance as measured through AP, ACT, SAT scores, and average GPA, and lower number of suspensions due to violence and illicit drug use. To show this, I construct the first geocoded dataset on marijuana dispensary and high school locations, use newly developed difference-in-differences estimators that rule out any bias due to heterogeneous treatment effects over time, and explore dynamic responses. This essay reveals the importance of ensuring a largest possible distance between schools and dispensaries to protect adolescents from the potential harm caused by medical marijuana. Finally, the third essay shows that in the long term, MMLs increase the number of disabled workers who receive Social Security Disability Income (SSDI) because of mental health issues. SSDI is a major social insurance program that provides benefits to workers who become disabled, and understanding how policy changes in other areas may impact this program is important. In this study, there were important differences between the results of a two-way fixed effects model and a new model by Callaway and Santa’Anna. MMLs, in theory, could either increase or decrease the number of SSDI recipients, and traditional fixed effects models suggest both could be at play; however, only the negative effect is robust to correction for heterogeneous effects. This highlights the need for future research to understand the true impact of medical marijuana legalization

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The Evidence—and Lack Thereof—About Cannabis

Research is still needed on cannabis’s risks and benefits. 

Lindsay Smith Rogers

Although the use and possession of cannabis is illegal under federal law, medicinal and recreational cannabis use has become increasingly widespread.

Thirty-eight states and Washington, D.C., have legalized medical cannabis, while 23 states and D.C. have legalized recreational use. Cannabis legalization has benefits, such as removing the product from the illegal market so it can be taxed and regulated, but science is still trying to catch up as social norms evolve and different products become available. 

In this Q&A, adapted from the August 25 episode of Public Health On Call , Lindsay Smith Rogers talks with Johannes Thrul, PhD, MS , associate professor of Mental Health , about cannabis as medicine, potential risks involved with its use, and what research is showing about its safety and efficacy. 

Do you think medicinal cannabis paved the way for legalization of recreational use?

The momentum has been clear for a few years now. California was the first to legalize it for medical reasons [in 1996]. Washington and Colorado were the first states to legalize recreational use back in 2012. You see one state after another changing their laws, and over time, you see a change in social norms. It's clear from the national surveys that people are becoming more and more in favor of cannabis legalization. That started with medical use, and has now continued into recreational use.

But there is a murky differentiation between medical and recreational cannabis. I think a lot of people are using cannabis to self-medicate. It's not like a medication you get prescribed for a very narrow symptom or a specific disease. Anyone with a medical cannabis prescription, or who meets the age limit for recreational cannabis, can purchase it. Then what they use it for is really all over the place—maybe because it makes them feel good, or because it helps them deal with certain symptoms, diseases, and disorders.

Does cannabis have viable medicinal uses?

The evidence is mixed at this point. There hasn’t been a lot of funding going into testing cannabis in a rigorous way. There is more evidence for certain indications than for others, like CBD for seizures—one of the first indications that cannabis was approved for. And THC has been used effectively for things like nausea and appetite for people with cancer.

There are other indications where the evidence is a lot more mixed. For example, pain—one of the main reasons that people report for using cannabis. When we talk to patients, they say cannabis improved their quality of life. In the big studies that have been done so far, there are some indications from animal models that cannabis might help [with pain]. When we look at human studies, it's very much a mixed bag. 

And, when we say cannabis, in a way it's a misnomer because cannabis is so many things. We have different cannabinoids and different concentrations of different cannabinoids. The main cannabinoids that are being studied are THC and CBD, but there are dozens of other minor cannabinoids and terpenes in cannabis products, all of varying concentrations. And then you also have a lot of different routes of administration available. You can smoke, vape, take edibles, use tinctures and topicals. When you think about the explosion of all of the different combinations of different products and different routes of administration, it tells you how complicated it gets to study this in a rigorous way. You almost need a randomized trial for every single one of those and then for every single indication.

What do we know about the risks of marijuana use?  

Cannabis use disorder is a legitimate disorder in the DSM. There are, unfortunately, a lot of people who develop a problematic use of cannabis. We know there are risks for mental health consequences. The evidence is probably the strongest that if you have a family history of psychosis or schizophrenia, using cannabis early in adolescence is not the best idea. We know cannabis can trigger psychotic symptoms and potentially longer lasting problems with psychosis and schizophrenia. 

It is hard to study, because you also don't know if people are medicating early negative symptoms of schizophrenia. They wouldn't necessarily have a diagnosis yet, but maybe cannabis helps them to deal with negative symptoms, and then they develop psychosis. There is also some evidence that there could be something going on with the impact of cannabis on the developing brain that could prime you to be at greater risk of using other substances later down the road, or finding the use of other substances more reinforcing. 

What benefits do you see to legalization?

When we look at the public health landscape and the effect of legislation, in this case legalization, one of the big benefits is taking cannabis out of the underground illegal market. Taking cannabis out of that particular space is a great idea. You're taking it out of the illegal market and giving it to legitimate businesses where there is going to be oversight and testing of products, so you know what you're getting. And these products undergo quality control and are labeled. Those labels so far are a bit variable, but at least we're getting there. If you're picking up cannabis at the street corner, you have no idea what's in it. 

And we know that drug laws in general have been used to criminalize communities of color and minorities. Legalizing cannabis [can help] reduce the overpolicing of these populations.

What big questions about cannabis would you most like to see answered?

We know there are certain, most-often-mentioned conditions that people are already using medical cannabis for: pain, insomnia, anxiety, and PTSD. We really need to improve the evidence base for those. I think clinical trials for different cannabis products for those conditions are warranted.

Another question is, now that the states are getting more tax revenue from cannabis sales, what are they doing with that money? If you look at tobacco legislation, for example, certain states have required that those funds get used for research on those particular issues. To me, that would be a very good use of the tax revenue that is now coming in. We know, for example, that there’s a lot more tax revenue now that Maryland has legalized recreational use. Maryland could really step up here and help provide some of that evidence.

Are there studies looking into the risks you mentioned?

Large national studies are done every year or every other year to collect data, so we already have a pretty good sense of the prevalence of cannabis use disorder. Obviously, we'll keep tracking that to see if those numbers increase, for example, in states that are legalizing. But, you wouldn't necessarily expect to see an uptick in cannabis use disorder a month after legalization. The evidence from states that have legalized it has not demonstrated that we might all of a sudden see an increase in psychosis or in cannabis use disorder. This happens slowly over time with a change in social norms and availability, and potentially also with a change in marketing. And, with increasing use of an addictive substance, you will see over time a potential increase in problematic use and then also an increase in use disorder.

If you're interested in seeing if cannabis is right for you, is this something you can talk to your doctor about?

I think your mileage may vary there with how much your doctor is comfortable and knows about it. It's still relatively fringe. That will very much depend on who you talk to. But I think as providers and professionals, everybody needs to learn more about this, because patients are going to ask no matter what.

Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast , an editor for Expert Insights , and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

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9 facts about Americans and marijuana

The use and possession of marijuana is illegal under U.S. federal law, but about three-quarters of states have legalized the drug for medical or recreational purposes. The changing legal landscape has coincided with a decades-long rise in public support for legalization, which a majority of Americans now favor.

Here are nine facts about Americans’ views of and experiences with marijuana, based on Pew Research Center surveys and other sources.

As more states legalize marijuana, Pew Research Center looked at Americans’ opinions on legalization and how these views have changed over time.

Data comes from surveys by the Center,  Gallup , and the  2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health  from the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Information about the jurisdictions where marijuana is legal at the state level comes from the  National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws .

More information about the Center surveys cited in the analysis, including the questions asked and their methodologies, can be found at the links in the text.

Around nine-in-ten Americans say marijuana should be legal for medical or recreational use,  according to a January 2024 Pew Research Center survey . An overwhelming majority of U.S. adults (88%) say either that marijuana should be legal for medical use only (32%) or that it should be legal for medical  and  recreational use (57%). Just 11% say the drug should not be legal in any form. These views have held relatively steady over the past five years.

Views on marijuana legalization differ widely by age, political party, and race and ethnicity, the January survey shows.

While small shares across demographic groups say marijuana should not be legal at all, those least likely to favor it for both medical and recreational use include:

• Older adults: 31% of adults ages 75 and older support marijuana legalization for medical and recreational purposes, compared with half of those ages 65 to 74, the next youngest age category. By contrast, 71% of adults under 30 support legalization for both uses.
• Republicans and GOP-leaning independents: 42% of Republicans favor legalizing marijuana for both uses, compared with 72% of Democrats and Democratic leaners. Ideological differences exist as well: Within both parties, those who are more conservative are less likely to support legalization.
• Hispanic and Asian Americans: 45% in each group support legalizing the drug for medical and recreational use. Larger shares of Black (65%) and White (59%) adults hold this view.

Support for marijuana legalization has increased dramatically over the last two decades. In addition to asking specifically about medical and recreational use of the drug, both the Center and Gallup have asked Americans about legalizing marijuana use in a general way. Gallup asked this question most recently, in 2023. That year, 70% of adults expressed support for legalization, more than double the share who said they favored it in 2000.

Half of U.S. adults (50.3%) say they have ever used marijuana, according to the 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health . That is a smaller share than the 84.1% who say they have ever consumed alcohol and the 64.8% who have ever used tobacco products or vaped nicotine.

While many Americans say they have used marijuana in their lifetime, far fewer are current users, according to the same survey. In 2022, 23.0% of adults said they had used the drug in the past year, while 15.9% said they had used it in the past month.

While many Americans say legalizing recreational marijuana has economic and criminal justice benefits, views on these and other impacts vary, the Center’s January survey shows.

• Economic benefits: About half of adults (52%) say that legalizing recreational marijuana is good for local economies, while 17% say it is bad. Another 29% say it has no impact.

• Criminal justice system fairness: 42% of Americans say legalizing marijuana for recreational use makes the criminal justice system fairer, compared with 18% who say it makes the system less fair. About four-in-ten (38%) say it has no impact.
• Use of other drugs: 27% say this policy decreases the use of other drugs like heroin, fentanyl and cocaine, and 29% say it increases it. But the largest share (42%) say it has no effect on other drug use.
• Community safety: 21% say recreational legalization makes communities safer and 34% say it makes them less safe. Another 44% say it doesn’t impact safety.

Democrats and adults under 50 are more likely than Republicans and those in older age groups to say legalizing marijuana has positive impacts in each of these areas.

Most Americans support easing penalties for people with marijuana convictions, an October 2021 Center survey found . Two-thirds of adults say they favor releasing people from prison who are being held for marijuana-related offenses only, including 41% who strongly favor this. And 61% support removing or expunging marijuana-related offenses from people’s criminal records.

Younger adults, Democrats and Black Americans are especially likely to support these changes. For instance, 74% of Black adults  favor releasing people from prison  who are being held only for marijuana-related offenses, and just as many favor removing or expunging marijuana-related offenses from criminal records.

Twenty-four states and the District of Columbia have legalized small amounts of marijuana for both medical and recreational use as of March 2024,  according to the  National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws  (NORML), an advocacy group that tracks state-level legislation on the issue. Another 14 states have legalized the drug for medical use only.

Of the remaining 12 states, all allow limited access to products such as CBD oil that contain little to no THC – the main psychoactive substance in cannabis. And 26 states overall have at least partially  decriminalized recreational marijuana use , as has the District of Columbia.

In addition to 24 states and D.C.,  the U.S. Virgin Islands ,  Guam  and  the Northern Mariana Islands  have legalized marijuana for medical and recreational use.

More than half of Americans (54%) live in a state where both recreational and medical marijuana are legal, and 74% live in a state where it’s legal either for both purposes or medical use only, according to a February Center analysis of data from the Census Bureau and other outside sources. This analysis looked at state-level legislation in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

In 2012, Colorado and Washington became the first states to pass legislation legalizing recreational marijuana.

About eight-in-ten Americans (79%) live in a county with at least one cannabis dispensary, according to the February analysis. There are nearly 15,000 marijuana dispensaries nationwide, and 76% are in states (including D.C.) where recreational use is legal. Another 23% are in medical marijuana-only states, and 1% are in states that have made legal allowances for low-percentage THC or CBD-only products.

The states with the largest number of dispensaries include California, Oklahoma, Florida, Colorado and Michigan.

Note: This is an update of a post originally published April 26, 2021, and updated April 13, 2023.  

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Home » Uncategorized » Five Reasons Why We Should Legalize Cannabis

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Five Reasons Why We Should Legalize Cannabis

Cannabis use in the United States has had a long and complicated history. For decades, people who used cannabis were subject to social ostracization and criminal prosecution. However, attitudes toward cannabis have been evolving in recent years. An increasing number of states have started to legalize cannabis for medical or recreational use. This shift in policy has been driven by a variety of factors including changing public attitudes and the potential economic benefits of legalization. In this article, we will explore the potential benefits of legalizing cannabis in our country.

1. Legalization for the Environment

Legalizing cannabis can have significant benefits for the environment. When cannabis is grown illegally, it is often done in environmentally damaging ways, such as using chemical pesticides or clearing primary forests to make room for crops. Legalization could allow customers to support more environmental growers. This will incentivize more responsible growing practices, such as the use of organic farming methods or the use of renewable energy sources to power indoor grow operations. In addition, the culture of growing cannabis can help to discover and preserve precious marijuana seeds , increasing biodiversity and facilitating a deeper understanding of cannabis plants and their cultivation.

2. Legalization for Justice

Where cannabis is illegal, people are being arrested and charged for possession or sale, which leads to costly court cases and a burden on the criminal justice system. Legalization would free up law enforcement resources to focus on more serious crimes and simultaneously reduce the number of people incarcerated for non-violent drug offenses. This could help to reduce the overall prison population and save taxpayers money.

In addition, legalization can have significant benefits for justice and equity, particularly for marginalized communities that have been disproportionately affected by the criminalization of cannabis. Communities of color have been particularly affected by the war on drugs, with Black Americans being nearly four times more likely to be arrested for cannabis possession than white Americans, despite similar rates of use.

By regulating cannabis cultivation and sales, legalization can help to eliminate the black market and reduce the involvement of criminal organizations in the cannabis industry. This can lead to safer communities and reduced drug-related violence in communities that have been most affected by the criminalization of cannabis.

3. Legalization for Public Health

Cannabis has been shown to have many beneficial and therapeutic effects on both physical and mental health. However, people may be hesitant to seek medical marijuana treatment due to fear of legal repercussions if cannabis is illegal. Legalization can allow more people to enjoy better health outcomes. It can also promote the safer use of cannabis by educating the public on appropriate cannabis use and providing quality control measures for cannabis products. Legalization can also lead to increased research into potential medical applications of cannabis and could lead to the development of innovative treatments.

Another potential perk of cannabis legalization is that it could reduce the use of more harmful drugs. In the absence of cannabis, people may turn to more dangerous drugs like heroin or fentanyl to manage chronic pain or other conditions. By legalizing cannabis, we can provide a safer alternative for these individuals and could reduce the overall demand for these more dangerous drugs. States that have legalized cannabis found a decrease in opioid overdose deaths and hospitalizations, suggesting that cannabis are an effective alternative to prescription painkillers.

4. Legalization for the Economy

The legalization of cannabis can generate significant tax revenue for governments and create new economic opportunities. When cannabis is illegal, it is sold on the black market, and no taxes are collected on these sales. However, when it is legal, sales can be regulated, and taxes can be imposed on those sales. In states that have legalized cannabis, tax revenue from cannabis sales has been in the millions of dollars , with California registering a whopping $1.2 billion in cannabis tax revenue in 2021. This impressive income can be used to reduce budget deficits, fund various public services such as education and healthcare, and create new opportunities for investment in projects that revitalize the economy.

Aside from tax revenue, legalizing cannabis can create new jobs. The cannabis industry is a rapidly growing industry, and legalization could lead to the creation of new jobs in areas such as cultivation, processing, and retail sales. This can help to reduce unemployment and create new gainful opportunities for people who may have struggled to find employment in other industries. Legalization can also lead to increased investment in related industries, such as the development of new products or technologies to improve cannabis cultivation or the creation of new retail businesses. There are now several venture capital funds and investment groups that focus solely on cannabis-related enterprises.

5. Legalization for Acceptance

Finally, legalization could help reduce the stigma surrounding cannabis use. Before cannabis legalization, people who use the plant were often viewed as criminals or deviants. Legalization can help change this perception and lead to more open and honest conversations about cannabis use. Ultimately, legalization could lead to a more accepting and inclusive society where individuals are not judged or discriminated against for their personal and healthcare choices. By legalizing cannabis, we can harness the power of a therapeutic plant. Legalization can heal not just physical and mental ailments of individuals but also the social wounds that have resulted from its criminalization.

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Essay on Legalizing Weed

Students are often asked to write an essay on Legalizing Weed in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Legalizing Weed

What is weed.

Weed, also known as marijuana, is a plant people use for medical reasons or to feel relaxed. It has a chemical called THC that affects the brain. Some countries say it’s okay to use, while others do not allow it.

Reasons for Legalizing Weed

Many believe legal weed can help sick people feel better. It’s also thought that if the government controls it, they can make sure it’s safe and even collect money from its sales.

Concerns About Legalizing Weed

Others worry that allowing weed might lead to more people, especially kids, trying it. They fear it might also increase the number of car accidents because it can make users feel sleepy or less alert.

The Effect on Society

If weed is legal, it’s important to teach people about using it safely. Laws could limit who buys it and how much they get. This way, society can benefit from its good uses while keeping risks low.

250 Words Essay on Legalizing Weed

Introduction to legalizing weed.

Legalizing weed, also known as marijuana, is a hot topic. Some places have made it legal to use weed for fun or as medicine. This essay talks about why some people think it should be legal everywhere.

Medical Benefits

Firstly, weed can help sick people feel better. It can take away pain and help people who can’t eat well to get hungry and eat. Doctors sometimes give it to people with cancer or other big diseases.

Safety and Control

When weed is illegal, it can be dangerous because no one is making sure it’s safe. If it were legal, the government could check it, just like they check food and other medicine. This means people would know it’s clean and safe.

Money for the Government

Also, if weed were legal, the government could make money from taxes on it. This money could help build schools, roads, and parks. It’s like how the government makes money from alcohol and cigarettes.

Another point is that when weed is illegal, it can lead to more crime. People might steal to get it or fight over it. If it’s legal, there would be fewer reasons for such crimes.

In conclusion, legalizing weed could help sick people, make sure it’s safe to use, bring money to the government, and reduce crime. It’s important to think about these points when deciding if weed should be legal or not.

500 Words Essay on Legalizing Weed

What is legalizing weed.

Legalizing weed means making it okay by law for people to have and use marijuana. Marijuana is a plant that some people use to feel relaxed or happy. In many places, it is not allowed by law because it is thought to be bad for health and can lead to other problems. But, some people think it should be legal, just like alcohol or cigarettes.

One big reason to make weed legal is for medicine. Doctors have found that it can help people with certain illnesses feel better. For example, it can help people who feel very sick from cancer treatments. Also, when weed is illegal, it can lead to more crime because people still try to buy and sell it in secret. If it were legal, the police could focus on other, more serious crimes.

Another reason is money. If the government allows weed and also makes rules on how to sell it, they can collect taxes from the sales. This money can be used for things like schools and roads. In places where weed is legal, a lot of money has been made from these taxes.

Safety and Rules

If weed is legal, it can be made safer. Right now, when people buy it secretly, they might get something that is not safe. Legal weed would be checked to make sure it is clean and not mixed with anything harmful. Also, there would be rules about who can buy it. Just like with alcohol, there would be an age limit to protect young people.

Some people are worried about making weed legal. They think that it might lead to more people using it, especially young people. They also worry that people might use weed and then drive, which can be very dangerous. Another concern is that some people might use weed too much and it could affect their health or their life at school or work.

Looking at Other Places

We can learn from places where weed is already legal. In some of these places, they have seen good things happen, like less crime and more money for the government. But they have also learned that they need to have good rules to deal with the worries people have.

Making weed legal is a big decision. It has reasons that are good, like medicine, safety, and money for the government. But it also has worries, like the effect on young people and safety on the roads. Each place that thinks about legalizing weed has to look at all these things and decide what is best for their people. It’s important to look at what has happened in other places and learn from them. Legalizing weed is not just a simple yes or no. It’s about making the right rules to help keep people safe and healthy.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

• Essay on Legalizing Divorce
• Essay on Legalization Of Abortion
• Essay on Legalization Of Divorce In The Philippines

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NC Cannabis Laws: What to Know About Hemp, Marijuana

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Hemp is legal in North Carolina, but marijuana isn’t. The result for residents? It’s complicated.

Experts say the state’s legal system has yet to recognize the paradigm shift that hemp legalization has created. And state legislators have not done anything to fix the problems that legalizing hemp without decriminalizing marijuana created.

As Michael Hewlett reported in a recent feature story , this has led to a boom in legal hemp-derived products that are very similar to their illegal marijuana counterparts–and created a legal morass now being challenged in court.

Here’s what you need to know:

When did hemp become legal in NC?

In 2018, Congress passed a federal farm bill that legalized hemp-growing across the country, positioned as a way for farmers to take advantage of an industry that was expected to grow to $18.1 billion globally in the coming decade. 

The following year, North Carolina legislators proposed a bill that would bring the state in line with federal law. The General Assembly permanently declassified hemp as a controlled substance in 2022.

What’s the difference between hemp and marijuana?

Both hemp and marijuana are from the same plant species, Cannabis sativa .

The psychoactive ingredient in marijuana is delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC. It is what gets people high. Under federal and state law, marijuana is defined as cannabis having 0.3 percent delta-9-THC. Anything lower than that is legal. 

Hemp has low levels of THC and high levels of cannabidiol, or CBD, which is not psychoactive and is often used to treat medical conditions such as epilepsy.

Are hemp-infused products available in NC?

Yes. The emergence of hemp-infused products such as delta-8 and delta-10 has made things even more complicated. Those products are different cannabinoids that have similar psychoactive effects as delta-9-THC. But they are considered legal and there are few regulations on who buys or sells those products. 

THC-A, which stands for tetrahydrocannabinolic acid, is another naturally occurring chemical abundant in cannabis that is sold in stores as flowers and pre-rolled cigarettes. Heat, however, changes its chemical composition into delta-9-THC through a process called decarboxylation.

People can smoke or vape those hemp products, and they look and smell just like marijuana.

Can NC law enforcement tell the difference?

In 2020, law-enforcement leaders warned that many hemp products look and smell just like marijuana. They’d urged lawmakers to explicitly ban smokable hemp, which they did not. 

The State Bureau of Investigation even issued a five-page memo warning about the very scenario playing out today: “The unintended consequence upon passage of this bill is that marijuana will be legalized in NC because law enforcement cannot distinguish between hemp and marijuana and prosecutors could not prove the difference in court.”

The Smell Test

Police could once use the smell of marijuana as probable cause to search a vehicle. Now that hemp is legal, the system faces a quandary.

How is this uncertainty playing out in the NC court system?

Several cases before the state Court of Appeals raise the question of whether law enforcement can still use the odor of marijuana as probable cause to search vehicles, homes, or businesses. On April 16, the Court of Appeals ruled in State v. Dobson that the odor of marijuana can still be used as probable cause.

In that case, Tyron Dobson was arrested in January 2021 after Greensboro police searched the vehicle he was in after claiming they’d smelled a faint odor of marijuana. The court ruled that police officers had other reasons, other than smell, to justify the search.

Home — Essay Samples — Law, Crime & Punishment — Marijuana Legalization — The Benefits of Legalizing Marijuana

The Benefits of Legalizing Marijuana

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Published: Mar 16, 2024

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Economic benefits, medical benefits, criminal justice and public health.

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Argumentative Essay On Marijuana Legalization

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Why Marijuana Should be Legalized Argumentative Essay Outline

Introduction.

Thesis: Marijuana should be legalized as it is more beneficial that it may be detrimental to society.

Paragraph 1:

Marijuana has not caused turmoil in some of the countries where it has been legalized.

• Marijuana does not increase violent, and property crimes as many suggest.
• Studies reveal that in Colorado, violent crimes have declined following the legalization of marijuana.

Paragraph 2:

Prohibiting use of marijuana does not limit its consumption.

• In spite of the many laws prohibiting the use of marijuana, it is one of the most highly abused drugs.
• 58% of young people from all over the world use marijuana.
• It has not been attributed to any health complications.

Paragraph 3:

Legalization of marijuana would help state governments save taxpayers money.

• Governments spend lots of funds on law enforcement agencies that uphold laws restricting the use of marijuana.
• They also spend vast sums of money on sustaining arrested dealers and consumers in prison.
• Legalizing marijuana would result in saving vast sums of money.

Paragraph 4:

Marijuana is less noxious than other legal substances.

• Marijuana has less health side effects than other legal substances such as alcohol and tobacco.
• Alcohol is 114 times more destructive than marijuana.

Paragraph 5:

Marijuana has been proven to have medical benefits.

• Marijuana helps stop seizures in epileptic patients.
• It helps stop nausea in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy .

Paragraph 6:

Marijuana has been proven to be a stress reliever.

• Marijuana relieves stress and depression in their users by causing excitement.
• Its use reduces violence and deaths related to stress and depression.

Conclusion.

There are many misconceptions about marijuana existent in the modern world. People have continued to ignore health benefits linked to this substance citing their unproven beliefs. Owing to its ability to stop seizures, nausea, and stress in individuals governments should highly consider marijuana legalization. Its legalization will also help state governments reduce expenses that result from maintaining suspects convicted of marijuana possession and consumption.

Why Marijuana Should be Legalized Argumentative Essay

The argument that marijuana use should be made legal has gained momentum both in the U.S. and elsewhere in the world in recent years. This has seen the drug being legalized in some states in the U.S. such that by 2013, twenty states had legalized medical marijuana. As of the same year, Colorado and Washington had legalized recreational marijuana. The arguments behind the push for legalization majorly revolve around the idea that the drug has medicinal effects. However, there are also arguments that there are serious health effects associated with the drug and this has only further fueled the already raging debate. This paper argues that marijuana should be legalized as it is more beneficial that it may be detrimental to society.

Marijuana has not caused any notable negative effects in countries where it has been legalized. There is a general belief that marijuana consumers are violent. However, no authentic research can prove these assertions. As already seen, some states in the United States have legalized both medicinal and recreational marijuana. In spite of this, no cases of marijuana-related violence have been recorded so far in such states (Markol, 2018). Reports reveal that the rate of violence and property crimes have decreased in Colorado following the legalization of the drug. If marijuana does not increase violent crimes, there is no reason as to why it should not be legalized.

It is also noteworthy that prohibiting marijuana use does not limit its consumption. Less than 10% of countries in the world prevent the use of marijuana, but according to research, 58% of young people in most of these countries are marijuana users (Head, 2016). General reports reveal that marijuana is one of most commonly abused drug in the world. It is also readily available in most states as it is a naturally growing plant (Head, 2016). In spite of its continued use, there are few cases, if any, of marijuana-related health complications that have been reported in any of these countries (Head, 2016). Therefore, if the illegality of marijuana does not limit its consumption, then state governments should consider its legalization.

Legalization of marijuana would further help state governments save taxpayers’ money. It is widely known that in countries where marijuana is illegal, authorities are stringent and will arrest any individual found in possession of the drug (Sanger, 2017). However, as earlier mentioned, laws prohibiting the use of the drug do not prevent its consumption, and this means that many people are arrested and prosecuted for possessing it (Sanger, 2017). State governments therefore use a lot of funds to support law enforcement agencies that seek to uphold laws prohibiting the use of marijuana (Sanger, 2017). Many people have been arrested and incarcerated for either possessing or consuming the drug, and the government has to use taxpayers’ money to sustain such people in prison. Since these actions do not limit consumption of marijuana, state governments should legalize the drug so as to save taxpayers money.

Another advantage of marijuana is that it is less noxious than other legal substances. According to research, marijuana is the least harmful drug among the many legal drugs existent in the world today (Owen, 2014). There are millions of campaigns every year cautioning people against smoking cigarettes, but there has been none seeking to warn people about marijuana consumption (Owen, 2014). Lobby groups have even been making efforts to push for legalization of marijuana. If marijuana had severe health effects as many purport, state governments would be investing heavily in campaigns aimed at discouraging its consumption (Owen, 2014). According to studies, alcohol, which is legal in many countries, is 114 times more harmful than marijuana (Owen, 2014). Therefore, if such harmful substances can be legalized, then there are no justifications as to why marijuana should not be legalized.

Further, marijuana has been proven to have medicinal benefits. Several countries, particularly in Europe, and the United States have legalized both medicinal and recreational marijuana. Their move to legalize marijuana was based on medical reports that showed a variety of health benefits linked to the drug (Noonan, 2017). Research shows that marijuana can reduce seizures in epileptic persons. Several studies have also proven that the drug indeed has a variety of health benefits. For instance, Charlotte Figi, who is now aged 10, used to have more than 100 seizures every month at age three, but since Colorado legalized medicinal and recreational marijuana, her parents started treating her with the substance, and today her seizures have significantly reduced (Noonan, 2017). Marijuana has as well been proven to reduce nausea in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. Owing to this medicinal value, state governments should consider legalizing the drug.

Additionally, marijuana has been proven to be a stress reliever. Consumption of the drug causes excitement among its users enabling them to forget about troubling situations. Unlike alcohol which is likely to aggravate stress and depression, marijuana works wonders in alleviating anxiety and depression (Sanger, 2017). There are many health and social effects associated with stress, including mental disorders and violence against others (Sanger, 2017). To avoid cases of stress-related violence and mental disorders, state governments should make marijuana consumption legal.

There are many misconceptions about marijuana in the world today. People have continued to ignore the health benefits linked with this substance and have instead focused on citing yet-to-be proven misconceptions. Owing to the ability of the drug to stop seizures, nausea, and stress in individuals, governments should seriously consider its legalization. The legalization will also help state governments reduce expenses that result from sustaining suspects convicted of marijuana possession and consumption. So far, there is more than enough evidence proving that marijuana has lots of benefits to individuals, the society, and the government, and therefore should be legalized.

Head, T. (2016). “8 reasons why marijuana should be legalized”. ThoughtCo . Retrieved June 27, 2020 from https://www.thoughtco.com/reasons-why-marijuana-should-be-legalized-721154

Markol, T. (2018). “5 reasons why marijuana should be legalized”. Marijuana Reform . Retrieved June 27, 2020 from http://marijuanareform.org/5-reasons-marijuana-legalized/

Noonan, D. (2017). “Marijuana treatment reduces severe epileptic seizures”. Scientific American . Retrieved June 27, 2020 from https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/marijuana-treatment-reduces-severe-epileptic-seizures/

Owen, P. (2014). “6 powerful reasons to legalize marijuana”. New York Times . Retrieved June 27, 2020 from https://www.alternet.org/drugs/6-powerful-reasons-new-york-times-says-end-marijuana-prohibition

Sanger, B. (2017). “10 legit reasons why weed should be legalized right now”. Herb . Retrieved June 27, 2020 from https://herb.co/marijuana/news/reasons-weed-legalized

Why Marijuana Should be Legal Essay Outline

Thesis:  Marijuana has health benefits and should thus be legal.

Benefits of Marijuana

Marijuana slows and stops the spread of cancer cells.

• Cannabidiol can turn off a gene called Id-1 and can therefore stop cancer.
• In an experiment, researchers were able to treat breast cancer cells with Cannabidiol.

Marijuana helps with pain and nausea reduction for people going through chemotherapy.

• Cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy suffer from severe pains and nausea.
• This can further complicate their health.
• Marijuana can stir up their appetite, decrease nausea, and reduce pain.

Paragraph  3:

Marijuana can control epileptic seizure.

• Marijuana extract stopped seizures in epileptic rats in ten hours.
• The seizures were controlled by the THC.

Disadvantages of Marijuana

Marijuana is addictive.

• One in ten marijuana users become addicted over time.
• If one stops using the drug abruptly, they may suffer from such withdrawal symptoms.

Marijuana use decreases mental health.

• Users suffer from memory loss and restricted blood flow to the brain.
• Users have higher chances of developing depression and schizophrenia.

Marijuana use damages the lungs more than cigarette smoking .

• Marijuana smokers inhale the smoke more deeply into their lungs and let it stay there for longer.
• The likelihood of lung cancer can be increased by this deeper, longer exposure to carcinogens.

Why Marijuana Should Be Legal

Paragraph 7:

Improved quality and safety control.

• Legalization would lead to the creation of a set of standards for safety and quality control.
• Users would know what they exactly get in exchange for the money they offer.
• There would be no risks of users taking in unknown substances mixed in marijuana.

Paragraph 8:

Marijuana has a medicinal value.

• Medical marijuana treats a wide assortment of “untreatable” diseases and conditions.
• Public health would be improved and the healthcare system would experience less of a drain.  

Paragraph 9: 

Among the major arguments against marijuana legalization is often that legalization would yield an increase in drug-impaired driving.

• This argument holds that even now when the drug is yet to be fully legalized in the country, it is a major causal factor in highway deaths, injuries, and crushes.
• It however beats logic why marijuana is illegalized on the ground that it would increase drug-impaired driving while alcohol is legal but also significantly contributes to the same problem.

Legalization of marijuana would have many benefits. The drug is associated with the treatment of many serious illnesses including the dreaded cancer. Legalization would also save users from consuming unsafe marijuana sold by unscrupulous people.

Why Marijuana Should Be Legal Essay

There is an ongoing tension between the belief that marijuana effectively treats a wide range of ailments and the argument that it has far-reaching negative health effects. There has nevertheless been a drive towards legalization of the drug in the United States with twenty nine states and the District of Columbia having legalized it for medical and recreational purposes. It was also found by a study that there is a sharp increase in the use of marijuana across the country (Kerr, Lui & Ye, 2017). Major public health concerns are being prompted by this rise. This should however not be the case because marijuana has health benefits and should thus be legal.

Marijuana slows and stops the spread of cancer cells. A study found that Cannabidiol can turn off a gene called Id-1 and can therefore stop cancer. A 2007 report by researchers at California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco also indicated that the spread of cancer may be prevented by Cannabidiol. In their lab experiment, the researchers were able to treat breast cancer cells with this component (Nawaz, 2017). The positive outcome of the experiment showed that Id-1 expression had been significantly decreased.

Marijuana also helps with pain and nausea reduction for people going through chemotherapy. Cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy suffer from severe pains, appetite loss, vomiting, and painful nausea. This can further complicate their already deteriorating health. Marijuana can be of help here by stirring up the appetite, decreasing nausea, and reducing pain (Nawaz, 2017). There are also other cannabinoid drugs used for the same purposes as approved by the FDA.

It was additionally shown by a 2003 study that the use of marijuana can control epileptic seizure. Synthetic marijuana and marijuana extracts were given to epileptic rats by Virginia Commonwealth University’s Robert J. DeLorenzo. In about ten hours, the seizures had been stopped by the drugs (Nawaz, 2017). It was found that the seizures were controlled by the THC which bound the brain cells responsible for regulating relaxation and controlling excitability.

Some scientists claim that marijuana is addictive. According to them, one in ten marijuana users become addicted over time. They argue that if one stops using the drug abruptly, they may suffer from such withdrawal symptoms as anxiety and irritability (Barcott, 2015). However, the same argument could be applied to cigarette smoking, which is notably legal. There is need for more studies to be conducted into this claim being spread by opponents of marijuana legalization.

It is also argued that marijuana use decreases mental health. Those opposed to the legalization of recreational marijuana like to cite studies that show that users of the drug suffer from memory loss and restricted blood flow to the brain. They also argue that users have higher chances of developing depression and schizophrenia. However, these assertions have not yet been completely ascertained by science (Barcott, 2015). The claim about depression and schizophrenia is particularly not clear because researchers are not sure whether the drug triggers the conditions or it is used by smokers to alleviate the symptoms.

It is further claimed that marijuana use damages the lungs more than cigarette smoking. It is presumed that marijuana smokers inhale the smoke more deeply into their lungs and let it stay there for longer. The likelihood of lung cancer, according to this argument, can be increased by this deeper, longer exposure to carcinogens. However, the argument touches not on the frequency of use between marijuana and cigarette smokers (Barcott, 2015). It neither takes into account such alternative administration methods as edibles, tinctures, and vaporizing.

Legalization of marijuana would lead to improved quality and safety control. Purchasing the drug off the street provides end users with no means of knowing what they are exactly getting. On the other hand, legalizing it would immediately lead to the creation of a set of standards for safety and quality control (Caulkins, Kilmer & Kleiman, 2016). This would certainly work in the marijuana industry just as it is working in the tobacco and alcohol industries. Users would be able to know what they exactly get in exchange for the money they offer. Additionally, there would be no risks of users taking in unknown substances mixed in marijuana sold on the streets.

Marijuana should also be legal because it has a medicinal value. It has been proven that medical marijuana treats a wide assortment of “untreatable” diseases and conditions. These include problems due to chemotherapy, cancer, post-traumatic stress disorder, migraines, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, and Crohn’s disease (Caulkins, Kilmer & Kleiman, 2016). Public health would be improved and the healthcare system would experience less of a drain if medical cannabis products were made available to those suffering from the mentioned conditions. Consequently, more public funds would be available for such other public service initiatives as schools and roads.

Among the major arguments against marijuana legalization is often that legalization would yield an increase in drug-impaired driving. This argument holds that even now when the drug is yet to be fully legalized in the country, it has already been cited to be a major causal factor in highway deaths, injuries, and crushes. Among the surveys those arguing along this line might cite is one that was conducted back in 2010, revealing that of the participating weekend night-time drivers, “8.6 percent tested positive for marijuana or its metabolites” (“Why We Should Not Legalize Marijuana,” 2010). It was found in yet another study that 26.9% of drivers who were being attended to at a trauma center after sustaining serious injuries tested positive for the drug (“Why We Should Not Legalize Marijuana,” 2010). It however beats logic why marijuana is illegalized on the ground that it would increase drug-impaired driving while alcohol is legal but also significantly contributes to the same problem.

As the discussion reveals, legalization of marijuana would have many benefits. The drug is associated with the treatment of many serious illnesses including the dreaded cancer. Legalization would also save users from consuming unsafe marijuana sold by unscrupulous people. There are also other health conditions that can be controlled through the drug. Arguments against its legalization based on its effects on human health also lack sufficient scientific support. It is thus only safe that the drug is legalized in all states.

Barcott, B. (2015).  Weed the people: the future of legal marijuana in America . New York, NY: Time Home Entertainment.

Caulkins, J. P., Kilmer, B., & Kleiman, M. (2016).  Marijuana legalization: what everyone needs to know . New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

Kerr, W., Lui, C., & Ye, Y. (2017). Trends and age, period and cohort effects for marijuana use prevalence in the 1984-2015 US National Alcohol Surveys.  Addiction ,  113 (3), 473-481.

Nawaz, H. (2017).  The debate between legalizing marijuana and its benefits for medical purposes: a pros and cons analysis . Munich, Germany: GRIN Verlag.

Why We Should Not Legalize Marijuana. (2010). In  CNBC . Retrieved June 25, 2020 from  https://www.cnbc.com/id/36267223 .

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Ben Lowenthal: Opponents Of Legal Cannabis Say They Want To 'Keep Hawaii, Hawaii.' Which Hawaii Are They Talking About?

The rhetoric and attitude don't remind me of the Hawaii I know.

By Ben Lowenthal

April 19, 2024 · 6 min read

About the Author

Ben Lowenthal

The rhetoric and attitude don’t remind me of the Hawaii I know.

The statutes directing how people grow, use and transport a certain plant for medical purposes call it cannabis. That’s because in 2017, the Legislature noted the different terms and found that the word “marijuana” has “no scientific basis but carries prejudicial implications rooted in racial stereotypes from the early twentieth century when cannabis use was first criminalized in the United States.”

But “marijuana” is still the name preferred by those who call it a “gateway drug” to harder narcotics and the one still used in parts of our penal code.

Criminal laws prohibit the possession and distribution of cannabis for any purpose other than medical ones.

It’s a misdemeanor to have an ounce. Selling a joint in or near a public park is still a felony with the threat of five-year imprisonment. And unregulated operations involving more than 100 plants or growing 25 plants or more on someone else’s land without permission is a class A felony exposing people to up to 20 years imprisonment or 10 years of probation.

That hasn’t changed. Even when Gov. David Ige took the modest step in 2019 of “decriminalizing” cannabis for people using up to 3 grams, the pejorative stayed on the statutes. It’s still a criminal “ violation ,” still punishable with a fine for up to $130, and it’s still an “ offense against public health and morals .”

This year could have been different. A bill originated in the Senate aimed to regulate “all aspects of the cannabis plant” by legalizing its use for adults, setting up a sales tax and restricting its use in relation to traffic offenses got through the Senate and crossed over to the House.

The bill prompted a loud cry of opposition from the usual suspects. Police chiefs of every county and every county prosecutor’s office lined up against legalization. Honolulu’s top prosecutor, Steve Alm, seemed to head the public opposition and didn’t mince words.

In his written testimony, during interviews and at rallies, Alm argued that legalization would have adverse impacts on tourism and paraphrased the comments of the president of a Japanese tourism agency by stating that “ Japanese tourists will stop coming to Hawaii. ”

But the opposition wasn’t working — at least not at first. Despite the growing no votes from a bipartisan group of Democrats and a few Republicans, the bill advanced.

That’s what prompted a rally against the bill in February. Speakers included the police chiefs, Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi and former governor Linda Lingle who all united against legalization.

They took an old slogan from a Honolulu City Council campaign a few years back that sought to educate tourists about the economy, culture and the environment. The words “Keep Hawaii, Hawaii” were printed on colorful signs posted in front of the stage. It was repeated again in the speeches and in written testimony urging legislators to uphold the status quo.

It’s a troubling slogan. I’m still not sure what it really means.

So what exactly does it mean to “Keep Hawaii, Hawaii” by preventing legalization?

Sure, the argument is that it’s intended to prevent large, corporate cannabis producers from setting up shop here, but why target them? How is that different than any other industry selling cigarettes, vapes, booze and red meat? Should law enforcement oppose that?

Is this even new to Hawaii? These islands have a long history of large corporations and entities, be it sugar and pineapple companies, hotel chains and even the United States military, coming here and influencing the economy.

I grew up on Maui nearly 20 miles from Wailuku. Other than Hana Highway, most of the roads of my childhood were narrow, winding and oftentimes unpaved. My classmates, friends and neighbors lived in gulches, under thick groves of trees and surrounded by pastures.

In my elementary school, we’d talk about the helicopters.

They flew low enough to shake people’s houses. They were loud enough to frighten animals and babies. These helicopters were part of “Operation Green Harvest.” Armed, militarized police officers patrolled the airspace above our homes flying low enough to look for cannabis. Those programs are gone now. Their popularity waned at the turn of this century.

Is that the Hawaii we’re trying to keep?

Then there’s the ACLU’s testimony in support of the bill. It cites the Office of Hawaiian Affairs’ report on the disparate treatment of Native Hawaiians in our prison system . The ACLU noted that Native Hawaiians “go to prison for drug offenses more often than people of other races or ethnicities.” What about that Hawaii? Should we keep it that way?

Police still use the smell of what they call marijuana as a basis for what criminal defense lawyers call a warrantless detention. They use it as an excuse to seize your car, pat down your pockets and try to question you about it. Is that the Hawaii worth keeping?

Apparently so. 

In the end, the bill died. Despite the projected revenues of $4.4 million in 2026 and $17 million in 2027 , Maui Rep. Kyle Yamashita cut off further deliberation of the bill because the timing wasn’t right and we need to “navigate challenges of managing the largest wildfire recovery efforts in Hawaii’s history.”

I’m still troubled by the slogan. The rhetoric and attitude didn’t remind me of Hawaii at all. When I found out the bill died, I thought about Merle Haggard’s 1969 country hit, “ Okie from Muskogee. ” The opening verse went like this:

“We don’t smoke marijuana in Muskogee.

We don’t take no trips on LSD.

We don’t burn no draft cards down Main Street.

We like livin’ right, bein’ free.”

Despite the irony of that last line, the song goes on to chide hippies and proudly “wave Old Glory down at the courthouse.” It’s an anthem for the right-wing conservatives who ramped up the War on Drugs.

The next time lawmakers try to legalize cannabis, the opposition should use the song and tinker their slogan: Keep Hawaii, Muskogee.

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Ben Lowenthal grew up on Maui. He earned his undergraduate degree studying journalism at San Francisco State University and his law degree at the University of Kansas. He is a deputy public defender practicing criminal defense in trial and appellate courts. He also runs “Hawaii Legal News,” a blog covering Hawaii appellate courts . The author's opinions are his own and don't necessarily reflect those of Civil Beat. You can reach him at  [email protected] .

Latest Comments (0)

People will smoke weed anyway, regardless of the law. Not making pot legal just leaves the money in the black market pot, financing low level criminals. The other problem of course is purity or whether it is laced with something potentially lethal, like fentanyl. And of course Hawaii Nei is missing out on another logical source of revenue!

DrDeb · 3 hours ago

I'm old enough to know that cannabis is not ruining society nor is it a detriment to it. People have used it forever. No, I do not like the smell of it, but those I know who use it are normal taxpaying citizens with jobs, house payments, integrity and substance.It is astonishing that the federal government ever classified it as a Schedule One drug or caused people to be jailed for using it, as well as seizing their property like houses, vehicles, etc., without court cases. Fortunately these things are slowly beginning to chance. But not soon enough.Marijuana is known to stay in the human system for many weeks after the person used it. If tested at their job and found positive, that was reason to fire them in most cases, regardless of not using it on the job.This is a ridiculous bunch of hype about nothing. Legalize it already.

Valerie · 3 hours ago

I am opposed to legalizing cannabis and keeping it a misdemeanor. Do we really want to rely on cannabis to build our economy? Will be encouraging not only tourists but our own citizens to use as much as they can to make as much money as we need? What will our new marketing slogans be? Come to Hawai'i ... have fun ... get HIGH! What kind of image will be projecting and what kind of tourists will we be inviting. Think before you vote! Kathy J

manapua · 3 hours ago

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The Unlikely Force Behind a Push to Legalize ‘Shrooms’ in New York

A lobbying effort led in part by religious groups has state lawmakers considering two different measures that would legalize psilocybin, a drug known as “magic mushrooms.”

By Claire Fahy and Grace Ashford

Reporting from the State Capitol in Albany, N.Y.

Religious texts state that when Moses climbed to the top of Mount Sinai, he was spoken to by God and inscribed that message onto stone tablets that became known as the Ten Commandments. Thunder rumbled, trumpets blared and lightning shot across the sky.

It was, by biblical and other standards, an extraordinary moment. Moses had been fasting and was clearly in an altered state of consciousness when God appeared to him, scholars say.

But what if, as at least one Jewish scholar has suggested, Moses was also high?

It may sound like blasphemy, but some religious scholars say they see an overlap between the pursuit of the divine and the use of psychedelic drugs — an unlikely partnership that underpins one of the most unusual legislative efforts in New York this session.

The goal is to expand access in the state to psilocybin, a psychedelic compound found in over 200 types of mushrooms that has been used as a part of religious experiences — as well those of a spiritual and existential sort — for thousands of years.

“There has been a long, documented history of humans interacting positively on religious, spiritual and cultural grounds with psilocybin,” said Aaron Genuth, president of Darkhei Rephua , a Jewish nonprofit that pushes for the legalization of psychedelics.

That history could trace as far back as biblical times. Benny Shanon, a psychology professor at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem , argued in 2008 that the Israelites may have come across hallucinogenic plants as they wandered in the desert ahead of Moses’ revelation.

Many Jewish scholars and leaders caution against searching for evidence of drug use in religious texts, and find Professor Shanon’s theory offensive. But Mr. Genuth and others assert that psychedelics can deepen religious practice.

“I think the momentum is continuing to grow and the issue is becoming more mainstream and less stigmatized,” Mr. Genuth said.

Religion aside, researchers have discovered the compound’s remarkable effects on neuroplasticity and its potential as a treatment for various mental and physical health issues. In 2020, Oregon became the first state to legalize psilocybin for medical use, and a handful of cities, including Seattle; Oakland, Calif.; and Ann Arbor, Mich., have more broadly decriminalized hallucinogens.

New York is considering several proposals to make psilocybin available for public use, two of which are pending in committee. The first, sponsored by Assemblyman Pat Burke of Buffalo, takes a relatively conservative approach, allowing trained “facilitators” to dispense psilocybin in a controlled setting to help treat conditions like anxiety, depression and substance abuse.

The second, carried by Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal of New York City’s Upper West Side, would legalize some plant- and fungus-based hallucinogens for personal use, including psilocybin and mescaline. The bill would allow for the substances to be used, cultivated and given as gifts; sales would remain prohibited.

Ms. Rosenthal said the measure was intended in part to help people cope with anxiety toward the end of their lives. “I thought people should be able to have access for that kind of use without being prosecuted and without having to buy it illegally,” she said.

Neither bill seems like it has enough support to come to the Assembly floor for a vote this session. Even so, proponents believe that change is possible.

On a lobbying day earlier this year, advocates including several rabbis, a culinary mushroom purveyor, and representatives of a handful of nonprofits blanketed the main artery between lawmakers’ offices and the Capitol with tables offering mushroom-shaped stickers, chocolate and free soap from Dr. Bronner’s — one of the highest-profile corporate supporters of psychedelic medicine — in an effort to persuade lawmakers of the fantastic possibilities of the fungus.

Those lobbying for the bill’s passage come from a range of faiths that have found psilocybin and other drugs can enhance users’ religious experiences.

But the largest religious contingent features a number of Orthodox Jewish people fighting to legalize psilocybin, colloquially known as “magic mushrooms.”

The Jewish community is not by and large pro-drugs, Mr. Genuth said, but he contended that some people have come around after having positive experiences with psilocybin that made them feel closer to God.

“I have connected to people who are Methodist, Buddhist, Rastafarian and other faith streams,” he said.

One of those connections is Zachary Stamp, a practicing Buddhist who is not involved in lobbying efforts but does support the legalization of psilocybin.

Mr. Stamp suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder, bipolar disorder, opioid addiction and alcohol dependency after serving in the Marine Corps in Afghanistan. One night at a party, he was offered the psychedelic LSD, which he described as a profound experience that led to his using psilocybin and giving up alcohol and pain medication.

Mr. Stamp, 31, added that in the Buddhist faith, some look at Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha, who sat meditating under a tree for seven weeks until he achieved enlightenment, as having entered an altered state similar to that of Moses when God appeared before him. The psychedelic experience, Mr. Stamp said, can mirror that of long-term fasting, helping modern-day followers of many religions deepen their practices.

“There’s just something about having this profound spiritual awakening,” Mr. Stamp said. “By legalizing it, it helps to normalize something that probably shouldn’t have been made illegal in the first place.”

The movement to legalize psychedelics like psilocybin grew in 2022, when voters in Colorado approved a referendum to decriminalize possession and use of certain psychedelic plants. Some states have resisted: In California, Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed an attempt to legalize psilocybin , citing the need for stricter frameworks “to prevent against exploitation during guided treatments.”

The National Institutes of Health has cited psilocybin’s long history of use for treating mental illnesses, but said that substantive research remains to be done into the drug’s medicinal uses. High doses can lead to hallucination, and side effects include “ increased heart rate or nausea .”

Despite those findings, a paper published in The Journal of the American Medical Association found that, based on the model of cannabis legalization, the majority of states will legalize psychedelics by 2037. According to data from LexisNexis , a research software site, more than 70 bills related to psilocybin have been introduced across 26 states since December.

The proposals in New York come as the state is facing the repercussions of its uneven efforts to build a legal cannabis marketplace. In 2021, the Legislature legalized recreational marijuana use and allowed those who had been harmed by the war on drugs to have the first opportunity to get dealer licenses. But legal and logistical challenges have delayed the rollout of legal products in the years since, allowing the illicit market to proliferate.

Despite broad cultural and chemical differences between the two substances, psilocybin could nonetheless face similar barriers thanks to severe restrictions at the federal level. That prohibition has the potential to seriously complicate even those efforts that would keep the substance tightly controlled.

Corinne Carey, who leads lobbying efforts for New Yorkers for Mental Health Alternatives, said the group was so far agnostic about approaches — supporting both Ms. Rosenthal’s blanket legalization and Mr. Burke’s medicalized approach, which she acknowledged could be more politically acceptable in the short term.

“Our goal is to expand access as much as possible, in any possible way,” Ms. Carey said.

A political strategist who turned to psilocybin for burnout and discovered a new sense of purpose, Ms. Carey is one of many who have come to embrace psychedelics with the fervor common among religious converts.

Members of law enforcement and the military have also played a critical role in advocating the use of psychedelics to ease anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder, which they experience at higher rates than civilians.

That includes Ethan Abend, a former New York City police detective who said he turned to psychedelics after pharmaceutical options failed to help him cope with the traumatic brain injury he received on the job.

“That changed my life,” Mr. Abend said. He has since become involved in a group that helps others in his situation travel outside the United States to obtain psychedelics. Not all of the feedback has been positive.

“I bumped into some resistance,” he said, “from old-school people that bought into the war on drugs” and became convinced that illegal products must be harmful.

“Why,” he added somewhat playfully, “would the government mislead us?”

Claire Fahy reports on New York City and the surrounding area for The Times. She can be reached at [email protected]. More about Claire Fahy

Grace Ashford covers New York government and politics for The Times. More about Grace Ashford

Politics in the New York Region

State Budget: New York State leaders have agreed on the outline of a $237 billion state budget  that includes a sweeping package  aimed at stemming one of the worst housing shortages in the nation.

Jail Project: The demolition of a Manhattan jail complex in Chinatown to make way for a bigger one has damaged a neighboring building  and raised concerns about years of dust and disruption.

Adultery as Crime: An antiquated but seldom-enforced state law categorizes adultery as a crime, and past efforts to repeal it have gone nowhere . But that seems poised to change.

Limiting Social Media’s Hold: New York’s governor and attorney general joined forces to pass a law  trying to restrict social media companies’ ability to use algorithms to shape content for children. Big Tech is putting up a battle with a high-stakes lobbying effort.

Targeting Trans Athletes: A proposed ban on transgender women playing on women’s sports teams  has turned a Long Island county into the latest battleground for conservatives who have put cultural issues at the center of a nationwide political strategy.

The Reasons Why Marijuana Should be Made Legal Research Paper

Introduction, arguments against marijuana, arguments for marijuana, works cited.

Drugs that cause addiction and have negative effects health has been illegalized in most constitutions. These drugs are seen to have minimal benefits and enormous side effects. Among drugs that have been illegalized include: heroin, cocaine and marijuana among others. On the other hand those that are legalized include tobacco and alcohol. This research paper main interest is in the legalization of marijuana.

Marijuana has been illegalized because it is considered to be risk factors in people’s health and is believed to temper with the brain. It is also associated with criminal acts such as gang behavior and is discouraged. The purpose of this research paper is to address the reasons why marijuana should be made legal.

Among the reasons that support the legalization of marijuana include: the medical basis that marijuana has some benefits and that the state could gain revenue from the trade of marijuana as opposed to the costs incurred in the implementation of the laws against use the controlled drug. Furthermore, the legalization would enable the state to monitor and introduce legal outlets that would enforce the correct use of the drug (Barnes: 11).

Medical reasons against use of marijuana as medically unfit to use

In the argument against marijuana to be made illegal, Barnes (9) ascertains that marijuana should not be made legal in the medical field. There are certain cases that marijuana has negatively affected the immune system of the person taking the drug. In other cases, side effects like the damage of the brain and poisonous forms have occurred.

Testing must be done

Before marijuana is fully accepted as a medication, extensive testing of the drug must be done to establish the adverse effects as well as the benefits. This is because the state has the responsibility of ensuring that the drug is harmless before legalizing it. The state can consider thorough investigations before it is legalized. They may also consider what other institutions have assessed and made conclusions about the use of the drug (Barnes 11).

Measurements of elements contained in marijuana

Another reason against the use of marijuana in the medical field is the inability to have power over the purity of the drug. Marijuana is not a synthetic drug and hence it may be difficult to establish control over the natural growing marijuana. It may also develop other challenges concerned with the way productions and distribution of the drug.

However, this argument is challenged with the tobacco industry where it has been established and seems to be doing well. This is because the manufacturers of tobacco have been able to follow directives as by the government and controlled it. So, if the same measures are employed with marijuana the control may be successful.

Marijuana should not be prescribed

In his argument against marijuana to be prescribed in medical institutions Barnes (12) disputes that the state will be able to uphold its uprightness in the testing of the drug. This is because it may not be able to follow keenly the patients under testing of marijuana for medical purposes and therefore may fail to accurately get the right assessment. This is because monitoring the marijuana consumers may be difficult, thus paralyzing the testing of the drug.

Marijuana is replaceable

Barnes (11) states that the medical field does consider the use of marijuana as unnecessary as there are other drugs that could replace it and have fewer side effects. Therefore, marijuana can be avoided and the alternative drugs be used in its place. Despite some medical practitioners ignoring the use of marijuana for cancer cases like vomiting, patients have proffered marijuana to the synthetic drugs. In other cases marijuana has been argued to be of benefit to cancer patients as well as other diseases (Cervantes: 6).

Marijuana may be misinterpreted to be safe on human health

Barnes (15) mentions that if marijuana is legalized for medical reasons it may be misinterpreted by the public. This is because they may consider use of marijuana safe for their health following the states approval for medical use. As a result, marijuana would be used for leisure hence create more health problem among the public especially if excessively smoked.

Illegal businesses will be encouraged

If legalized, businesses will be set up to sell marijuana. The traders will sell it assuming that it helps cancer patients whereas just a few may benefit. This is because the people selling may be unauthorized to sell. This implies that those taking the drug may lack monitoring from a professional in the medical field hence the treatment may be inadequate or in excess or even wrong. Consequently, the state may welcome more harm instead of good.

Marijuana is different from alcohol

Smith (8) argues against marijuana saying that marijuana is harmful to health just like cigarettes. When smoked after a long time the person may develop lung problems. For expecting mothers smoking may lead to death of the fetus or cause births with deformities.

Marijuana be used only when necessary

Despite the fact that legalized marijuana may bring more evil than good, the state can consider the use of marijuana for medical situations that require the specific intervention of the drug. The use of the drug will purely be made possible by a qualified professional who by careful consideration of all options recommends the use of marijuana. Therefore, the government should not abolish the use marijuana even for medical reasons.

Marijuana does not cause health problems

Marijuana rarely causes biological problem. The persons using marijuana cannot be affected in the mind destroy the immune system or transfer effects to through inheritance. However, persistence use of marijuana can make one suffer from bronchitis if they smoke it.

This is a preventable cause because marijuana can be consumed in food for instance baked products. Additional marijuana is not known to cause serious illnesses like those caused by other drugs like cocaine. Marijuana cannot cause death if simply taken in large quantities (Legalization of marijuana.com Para 8).

On the contrary Stimson says that “the scientific knowledge is clear that marijuana is addictive and that its use significantly impairs bodily and mental functions. Marijuana use is associated with memory loss, cancer, immune system deficiencies, heart disease and birth defects, among other conditions. Even where decriminalized, marijuana trafficking remain a source of violence, crime and social integration” (p. 1)

Marijuana is a source of revenue

Another reason why marijuana should be legalized is that it is a source of revenue for the government and a source of income for the individual. Those trading marijuana gain profits that can support the family besides paying all the taxes. When the breadwinner is arrested for being in possession of the illegal drug, the family suffers. Children are transferred to children’s home separating them from their parent (Legalization of marijuana.com Para 5).

The other concern that is raised as a source of income is the spread of drug network in the name of legalized trade. Stimson (2) notes that legalization of marijuana may lead to expansion of the drug associations that sell drugs under ground. This may be an opportunity for them to sell other drugs that have much worse adverse effect. In addition, the groups selling drugs may end up selling it to underage children who should be protected from taking the drug.

Marijuana has medical benefits

As Barnes (8) point out, marijuana can be used for medical treatment of some illnesses and therefore should be legalized. Marijuana may have fewer side effects when compared to other drugs in the medical field when used to treat a certain illness. As a matter of fact, marijuana as a medical drug would work effectively and be the best drug for particular patients. For instance, marijuana is very effective in managing nausea in patients and the side effects can be tolerated to treat this symptom.

Marijuana get equal treatment as alcohol and tobacco

Gieringe (2) supports the legalization marijuana just like other drugs that have been legalized like the prominent tobacco and the consumption of alcohol. Like other drugs it has benefits and short comings which in most cases may be equal to those of the legalized drugs.

Furthermore, the use of marijuana hardly encourages the use of much superior drugs and therefore should be considered safe for the users. Another consideration is that the consumers of marijuana are not involved in unlawful behaviors and thus it is unfair to consider those consuming it to be criminals.

Stimson (3) argues against the treatment of marijuana as being similar to alcohol. In his article, he makes it clear that although both marijuana and alcohol have similar side effects, alcohol have adverse effects that are less acute as those of marijuana. On further considerations, alcohol is more widely accepted in many cultures of the world and accepted by many. Legalizing the drug would therefore go against many cultures and societies.

Report findings from the COMPAS (2) reveal that most people believe that crime will increase if marijuana is legalized. Others strongly believe that it will increase consumption behavior and some people will develop dependency. The results of being dependent will be an increase in people with deteriorating health.

Crime is believed to increase because the people who have developed dependency must keep taking the drug. Since the drug is costly, they look for more money after they have used whatever they had. Consequently, the persons may neglect their obligations perhaps in the family or at work to acquire the drug. This is undesired in the society because it affects the economy of an individual negatively.

Retractions lead to increased consumption

The individuals who are use marijuana controllably remain capable of driving as well as remain not addicted. Driver’s judgment on the road is not affected and therefore those under the influence of the drug can drive safely. For this reason, Gieringe (2) argues that restricting the marijuana will lead to increased consumption. This is because it is impossible to eradicate societal vices as they tend to increase when prohibited. Therefore, it is appropriate to legalize marijuana.

Illegal measures have failed

Punishments given for being in possession or using marijuana are futile. Regardless of whatever measures the state puts to control the use of prohibited drugs like marijuana, the public continues the consumption. Gieringe (4) indicates that strict punitive measures do not deter the users from using it.

In most cases they have secretive ways of producing and selling the same as well as consume it without being noticed. It is necessary to consider that consumption of the drug is an individual choice hence limiting or availing the drug may not be the factors to consider but rather it is an individual choice.

An example of the case of California

According to Gieringe (5) the law against the use of marijuana turned to be ineffective. The law was introduced with an aim to stop the broadening of the consumption as was introduced by a group of people. Following prohibition, the drug gained prominence as many learned to use. Apart from the consequences illegal marijuana on the people, the government used a lot of funds to curb the problem of illegal drugs.

When the public is introduced to prominent drug use Stimson (6) insists that a majority become addicted. Accordingly, the brain is affected making them unable to perform like other members of society, who do not use the drug. As a result, the affected at times have little ability to learn as before and so students who take drugs discontinue education for failure or inability to concentrate. The people who work and have jobs most often fail to perform well and are relieved from work.

Legalizing marijuana would contradict the law. Most governments have prohibited the production, distribution and consumption of illegal drugs. A law that would legalize one of the controlled drugs would send a message that with time even other drugs can be made legal. The argument is that the law would contradict itself since some of the other illegal drugs posses same adverse effects as those of marijuana (Stimson: 8). Instead the law should remain constant so that such laws do not fail as Rosenthal & Kubby (174) notes.

The budget after legalization of marijuana

Legalizing marijuana not only has advantages in the decrease in unlawful activities but also bring economic benefits in the budget of the state. Miron (2) indicates that the budget drastically incur large expenditure in the implementation of laws against marijuana.

This is opposed to the fact that, if legalized, marijuana such costs would not be realized and the state would therefore gain revenue for transactions involved in marijuana. Caputo and Brian (480) also point out that the sales made in the illegal sale of marijuana are not taxed. If the government would implement taxation, then the state would have increased revenue.

Some of the costs are as follows: The police are funded by the state budget to conduct arrests of those found with marijuana. Other cost is spent in the justice system. After the sent the criminal to prison another cost is incurred. This cost can be scraped off and the government would gain instead (Miron: 2).

Control Measures by the state

Upon legalization there should be restrictions that the state can enforce to monitor the production distribution and consumption of marijuana. First, it can consider making the any individuals who is concerned with marijuana trade to obtain a license given the state. Additionally, the concerned people must surrender the marijuana before selling for inspection of its contents and grading.

This will make it possible for the state to standardize the product assess whether there are harmful contents and allow only the safe product to be sold. Upon the assessment for the elements, the trader will then be taxed. Selling will also be done by authorized persons through specific channels. As with the use of other tobacco, it can be sold to adults in specific areas at a particular time.

Obtaining of a licenses should not be made difficult by the state or remain within the reach of a few. Those who wish for a medium scale business can be allowed to have such licenses. It may also be relevant to consider allowing individuals to plant some marijuana for own consumption although in small quantities as allowed by the state. This is similar to the home made wine made for own use and is also in line with individual liberties.

The challenged face with implementing the home grown marijuana is the control of the plant in terms of production. Another challenge is to be able to discourage children from accessing and using the drug before they are of the legal age Stimson (2). Punitive measures can also be made similar to those of the tobacco trade where the trader forfeits the license and risks being fined if they fail to adhere to rules.

Benefits of legalizing marijuana

The state will have reduced expenditure concerned with the unlawful trade of marijuana. This implies that, there will be fewer criminals the laws against will have been withdrawn. Therefore, the responsibility of taking the drug will be left upon individual judgment and for medical interventions.

More individuals will conform to the regulations about the consumption and encourage legal trade as opposed to illegal trade. The monitored distributers will make it impossible for people bellow the recommended age to obtain the drug. In addition, the quality and elements in the plant will be assessed and thus individuals will obtain safe marijuana. Lastly, the distributors will pay levy just like other businesses (Gieringer: 10).

Gieringe (7) notes that marijuana can be made legal and most problems associated with the consumption would be eliminated. If licensed individuals would be allowed to produce the crop and sell it through controlled channels of adults then the problems of misuse would decline.

There would be revenue generated and some individuals would support their families without fear of separation due to arrests. The drug can be categorized in the same group as alcohol and tobacco and receive equal treatment. With time, the sale will decline and be similar to that of tobacco. The production will also decline with the increase in production and lowering of prices. Consequently, the government will gain taxes from the sale as it loses in the illegal trade of marijuana.

The use of marijuana has adverse effects that are undesirable. The negative effects they have on human health when used for a long time are to be avoided by moderate use of the substance. Criminals are known to be drug users of among others marijuana hence it bring social evils. Since it damages the brain, students suffer and drop from school while those working fail to keep up to the task.

Although, those who are associated with marijuana are thought to be criminals the society can view them differently and legalize the use of the drug while monitoring its use. Marijuana has medical benefits and should be considered. The state also benefit from the taxes collected from the legal sale of marijuana.

Barnes, Eric. Reefer madness: Legal and moral issues surrounding the medical Prescription of marijuana , 2000. Web.

Caputo, Michael and Brian, Ostrom. “Potential Tax Revenue from a Regulated Marijuana Market: A Meaningful Revenue Source.” American Journal of Economics and Sociology , 1994, 53, 475-490.

Cervantes, Jorge. Marijuana horticulture: the Indoor/Outdoor Medical grower’s bible. North America: Van Patten Publishing, 2006.

COMPAS. Legalization of marijuana: A Compass Report for the National Post, 2004. Web.

Gieringer, Dale. Testimony of the legalization of Marijuana , 2009. Web.

Legalization of marijuana.com. Legalizing marijuana , 2010. Web.

Miron, Jeffrey. The budgetary implications of marijuana legalization in Massachusetts, 2003. Web.

Rosenthal, Ed & Kubby, Steve. Why marijuana should be legal. New York: Thunder Mouth press, 2003.

Smith, Sandra . Lee Marijuana . New York: The rasen publishing group, 1995. Web.

Stimson, Charles. Legalizing marijuana: why citizens should just say no , 2010. Web.

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Bibliography

IvyPanda . "The Reasons Why Marijuana Should be Made Legal." February 7, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/legalizing-marijuana/.

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