Regardless of current, laws marijuana has become a part of Canadian culture and is here to stay. Marijuana should be decriminalized under the same controls as are alcohol and tobacco. The decriminalization of marijuana would help benefit individuals, society, as well and the government in several ways. It may come as a surprise that the drug marijuana has very little to
Recent polls taken by the Pew Research Center and General Social Surveys show that the main reason for support of marijuana is that the American public fails to see marijuana has a major moral issue (Galston, Dionne 1). Compared to gay marriage or abortion, many more Americans are indifferent when it comes to others using marijuana. Those against legalization who consider marijuana to be a gateway drug and a vice argue that legalization will lead an overall increase in consumption of the drug. They argue that legalization will decrease productivity in the workplace, influence children negatively, and increase drug induced automobile crashes. However, the pro-legalization Americans respond in saying increased marijuana use has no lasting health effects, legalization will allow for better regulation of distribution, and marijuana legalization will reduce alcohol consumption in America.
Marijuana legalization would have social benefits. The most obvious benefit is the reduction of alcohol and hard drugs abuse. If marijuana were more readily available, the abuse of more harmful drugs like cocaine, heroin, and PCP would decline rapidly. It would also lead to a decrease in black-market drug activity, which means less crime on the streets as a result of drug related standoffs and "turf
Dylan Kelley Rough Draft 11-15-10 Yes We Cannabis Should marijuana be legalized in the United States? Should people be punished for smoking a harmless natural plant? The legalization of marijuana is a topic that most Americans have a powerful say in. Some believe it should remain illegal because they believe it’s a “gateway” drug or because it causes violence. Others, like me, think that the government shouldn’t have the power to outlaw if it’s not harming or endangering others.
Legalizing Marijuana Pamela Horton SOC 120 Introductions to Ethics & Social Responsibility George Greaves October 29, 2012 Some people believe that marijuana is not a drug it is a plant. Many my agree that it is a natural herb planted to help cope with stress of everyday hectic lives. Anything that alters your state of being, or have you doing things out of the norms is a drug. The pro-legalization argument was that if we legalize marijuana it could not be controlled and the efforts to try to control marijuana uses causes more problems than they solve. I feel that if we legalize marijuana we would have a bunch of fried brain lunatics running around committing all kinds of crimes.
Marijuana; Not Just a Counter Culture For many people the choice to use drugs is an easy one; no, but for other people when it is a life or death situation, or their depression is great enough, they will do and try anything to help gain relief from pain. With the legalization of Marijuana, medical patients would have the ability to seek other ways of treatment via medicine. Also with the legalization of Marijuana the gateway theory would be proven false. Along with these two solid reasons why Marijuana should be legalized, the federal government would also reap astonishing amounts of revenue that could be used to pay off debts and pay into social security. Marijuana has been used for thousands of years, not always for the “high effect,” but
To Legalize Marijuana or Not.. General Goal: To persuade Specific Goal: To persuade individual to legalize marijuana Central idea: To educate individuals on what the benefits are for legalizing marijuana. Organization pattern: Introduction Attention step: We all have an opinion on the use of marijuana. Is it safe for us on a medical view or will it get out of hand and still be abused. Thesis statement: Marijuana has been decriminalized in several states on the basis that it will benefit the sick and boost the economy. Credibility statement: Marijuana has come along way from being the illegal substance that people abuse.
There is a number of evidence to support both side of this debate. For the pro of medical marijuana, researchers have found it to be useful for cancer pain, MS, tourette’s, and other types of chronic pain. Nevertheless, there are cons for the use of medical marijuana, such as, the smoke can be harmful to our bodies, cannabis is damaging to the brain, and a bad image for children, and one can become addicted easily. Even though medical marijuana is legal in 15 states as of November 4, 2010; we still have to take account the research that has happened and is still happening. There are side effects to this drug and it is not meant for
It is then left up to the patient to find a medical marijuana clinic and obtain a legal medical marijuana card. Marijuana has a plethora of benefits not only to our society but more for medical purposes. In an article written by John Burnett, he discusses possible outcomes if marijuana was legalized. He states that legalizing marijuana would drop crime and addiction rates. People who are addicted to narcotics due to chronic pain, would more than likely stop using if they could legally obtain marijuana.
“Total marijuana arrests increased 155% during the 1990s, from 287,850 in 1991 to 734,498 in 2000. However, these increased arrest rates have not been associated with a reduction in marijuana use, reduced marijuana availability, a reduction in the number of new marijuana users, reduced treatment admissions, reduced emergency room mentions of marijuana, any reduction in marijuana potency, or any increases in the price of marijuana.” (Gettman 21) And the enforcement of state and local marijuana laws annually costs US taxpayers an estimated $7.6 billion dollars. Researchers say, “Replacing marijuana prohibition with a system of legal regulation would save approximately $7.7 billion in government expenditures on prohibition enforcement.” (Miron) Legalizing marijuana also creates the possibility of taxation. Studies show that revenue from taxation of marijuana sales would range from $2.4 billion per year if marijuana were taxed like ordinary consumer goods to $6.2 billion if it were taxed like alcohol or