...As public attitudes towards drugs begin to change, and the failure that is prohibition slowly dies, the populace is demanding a better drug policy from the state. The status quo of developed nations’ drug policies is prohibition, which has had minimal success to date. It continues to unfairly punish those who choose to use narcotics, and only harming themselves. In 2008, the United Nations estimated that globally, approximately 200 million people took illicit drugs at least once in the past year. The use of illicit drugs has proven to be nearly impossible to control, and the state would be better off allocating its drug enforcement resources to other sectors, such as drug treatment. Portugal portrays an accurate depiction of the effectiveness of a decriminalized state focusing on harm reduction. The state’s drug policy should be a total legalization of all drugs, with an emphasis on harm reduction, public health, and strict regulations. Prohibition has caused more harm than good for minorities and developing nations. For over a century, prohibition was believed to be the only effective method of controlling drug usage; this is no longer the case. Thus, the main objectives of prohibition are pointless to begin with. The current prohibition laws have created vast economic disparities for millions of minorities. The skewed enforcement of drug laws on minorities allows for discretionary arrest, making victimization is all too easy. Tougher drug laws are the reason why 29% of black...
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...Paraphrasing Practice Decriminalization of Marijuana Author: Lucia Pizzo Throughout the early 2000s, many states decriminalized marijuana. Levels of decriminalization varied with regard to the amount of marijuana in possession and whether the drug was for personal use, cultivation, or distribution. By 2010, marijuana had been at least partially decriminalized in Arkansas, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Washington, and Wisconsin. In Alaska and Massachusetts possessing one ounce of marijuana was deemed legal. Various groups supported decriminalization and pushed for state reform. These groups included National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (commonly known as NORML), Americans for Safe Access, and Law Enforcement Against Prohibition. Advocates of the legalization of marijuana argued from the standpoint of freedom of choice, with supporters clamoring against unnecessary government interference. Promoting the therapeutic aspects of cannabis, some groups presented marijuana access as a human-rights issue and proposed that the drug be available for medical purposes. As more states decriminalized marijuana, and as proponents of decriminalization argued widely against prohibition, the argument for protecting “cherished values” began to weaken. “Charles Kelly’s Paraphrase...
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...A drug is defined as “chemicals that can affect bodily functions and/or structures” (217). That doesn’t narrow it down, considering many substances are capable of altering our bodies in one way or another, including but certainly not limited to alcohol and nicotine. While many times opinions clash on what is and isn’t a drug, the true moral issues are the following: Is the nonmedical use of drugs OK? And if so, can the state intervene when it comes to usage? To what degree (218)? As far as ethical theories are concerned, the choice seems clear to one side. Aristotle’s virtue ethics suggest that we ought to condemn drug use because it hinders our development. Kant says that we should never use ourselves as a means to an end, and addiction is...
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...Decriminalization and Legalization of Drugs in Canada The Decriminalization and/ or legalization of drugs is a highly contentious issue regarding political, legal, economic, and social implications. It is also a highly contagious issue that the media cannot seem to cure its self of. Then again the public definitely cares about this issue intensely and so do many politicians whether they are users themselves or just simple supporters (of the tax revenues that legalizing certain narcotics will bring in to the country), especially in the United States and Canada where people are being thrown in jail for years only because of small possession charges (more so in the USA). Prisons in The United States are overcrowded with people who shouldn’t be...
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...Why the Decriminalization and Legalization of Cannabis Would Improve Canadian Society Criminology 101 - Section 02 Nikaya Mirhadi-Pathon Capilano University Cannabis, the plant from which marijuana is derived, is the most widely used, produced and trafficked drug worldwide (Ducatti Flister, 2012). The decriminalization of marijuana has been a widely debated topic on a global scale as many advocate for it’s therapeutic purposes. In the city of Seattle, there are reportedly more medicinal marijuana dispensaries than Starbucks outlets. With the recent rise of dispensaries, two Washington University students are preparing to capitalize on this phenomenon by releasing an app for iPhones called Canary, billed as “Uber for marijuana” where an illegal delivery service can bring high-grade cannabis to your home within the hour (Altman, 2014). Governments world wide have invested copious amounts of money in fighting drug production and consumption, even though, the war on drugs has increased cannabis seizures, we see in countries like Canada, that regulated distribution of marijuana, has made it more readily available for both recreational and medicinal users (Ducatti Flister, 2012). Although, police within the Canadian jurisdiction are capable of pursuing criminal charges for cannabis possession for those who are distributing and consuming illegally, there is still a lack of consensus on the legal status of cannabis in Canada. Though the drug is illegal in Canada, with exceptions...
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...Economics of Decriminalization or Legalization of Cannabis Introduction Capitalism: an economic system characterized by private or corporate ownership of capital goods, by investments that are determined by private decision, and by prices, production, and distribution of goods that are determined mainly by competition in a few markets. This unique system allows for a merchant to market just about any product to the masses dependent on a public opinion of the commodity, legality, availability, and profitability. Some commodities, although carrying high demand are regulated heavily and sometimes even ban from the market place for reasons pertaining to public safety. Others, however, showing to be a health hazard are still allowed to remain on the market. This definition is according to Merriam-Webster.com. This paper will focus on the economics of cannabis and how by its decriminalization, or legalization, it can be a profitable commodity in the marketplace by the following. Providing an overview of cannabis and how political games have caused an unearned negative public opinion on the commodity. Listing arguments that support the claim that by legalizing this commodity not only crime rates in general, but violent crime rates, will drop noticeably if not substantially providing a savings in the cost of enforcing and prosecuting such crimes. And, that by decriminalization, the federal government can regulate this commodity much like alcohol and tobacco providing new sources...
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...and charged with a DUI or DWI. Can you imagine the amount of money the government puts into criminalizing this drug? Our research consists of the economic effects of both the legalization as well as the criminalization of marijuana, specifically through government spending and budgets. Additionally, we will be explaining whether if there would be any sort of correlation between the prohibition of marijuana, government allocation on legalization,...
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...Decriminalization of Marijuana. Marijuana is a drug that comes in many forms and strains. The decriminalization of marijuana could have outstanding effects on our country. Decriminalization is to make something no longer a criminal act but was marijuana always illegal. The benefits of decriminalization are double to triple the negatives of decriminalization. Four groups of people would be hurt by this. You may be wondering can this be regulated by government. The answer may shock you but California already has it well regulated. I believe it best we decriminalize it when the time is right and some states are already seeing that the time is right. We can’t talk about why something needs to be decriminalized without first discussing why it was criminalized in the first...
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...Legalization of Marijuana Tina Washington Everest University March 3, 2015 Abstract The prohibition of marijuana has brought forth multiple passionate debates for many years in reference to its effects on the human body, its medicinal properties, and its effect on society. Even though there are many people who are opposed to the legalization of marijuana, this paper will dispute that the legalization of marijuana is justified. This paper will provide proof by measuring marijuana’s effects on the human body when ingested by inhalation against the effects on the body when consuming alcoholic beverages and smoking tobacco, by submitting research facts on its medicinal qualities, and providing you with information on how the use of marijuana can benefit a lot of people as well as our nation as a whole. Legalization of Marijuana Legalization of marijuana is wide spread. There are so many benefits to it such as helping those with medicinal issues like anxiety, AIDS, Cancer, glaucoma, etc. Being able to assist someone without throwing pills down their throat is certainly a better approach. Most people don’t know this, but there are 18 states that have already gotten on the band wagon of legalizing marijuana. Colorado and Washington are the two most recent states that adopted this law. Not only is it a great way to aid in certain medical issues, but it is also a way for the states and our government to generate revenue...
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...responsible. A basic tenant of free trade is mutually beneficial exchange, a simple enough idea, but within the frame work of this “simple” idea lays a variety of taboo subjects that one might not initially expect to encounter. These subjects include but are not limited to ideas such as the decriminalization of narcotics, the legalization of prostitution, and even assisted suicide. I’ll exclusively explore the idea of voluntary exchange within drug markets, and analyze some of the social and economic costs and benefits to society. I’m going to present statistics and viewpoints that will evoke feelings...
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...The Decriminalization of Drugs: Costs and Benefits to Society The University of Pennsylvania Michael F. Harker March 21, 2009 Criminology 200-401 Instructor: John MacDonald Abstract History In 1973 the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) was formed to control drugs in America. Cocaine became popular again towards the end of the 1970’s followed by crack in the 1980’s (DuPont, 1995, p. 463). These two drugs helped to account for a large increase in violence that was spreading like a pandemic. Today the DEA still faces large problems with crime due to drugs;however it is now in the form of organized crime. It is becoming increasingly difficult to stop shipments of drugs into and out of the U.S. as the leaders of drug cartelsare beginning to set up headquarters in foreign countries. If the U.S. does not take some action with reducing the penalty for certain drugs, then these drug lords will continue with their violent ways, and America will face even more problems with drugs than it currently does. The Problems Faced Today and Their Solutions A major concern of many proponents of decriminalization is that of the economic burden on society. Gary E. Johnson, former governor of New Mexico, stated,“legalization means we educate, regulate, tax and control the estimated four hundred billion dollar a year drug industry” (Johnson, 2001). By reducing the amount of money that is spend on the whole system for controlling drugs, the government would have more money to spend...
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...For the country as a whole, more than half, 52 percent favor the legalization of marijuana up to an ounce, according to the national survey by Pew Research Center. Washington and Colorado have already legalized marijuana up to an ounce for recreational use. (“If you”) Fifty-two percent of America is a lot of support for a supposedly dangerous drug. Many doctors, health professionals, and American citizens in general wonder why marijuana is illegal. “According to Marijuana Facts and Stats, at least 100 million Americans have tried marijuana at least once in their lives.”(“If you”) 100 million people and no deaths from marijuana so is there really a problem with it? According to the Pew Poll 50 percent of Americans see nothing wrong with Marijuana. (“Marijuana Legalization”) So marijuana isn’t a moral issue to half of Americans, which is just again a lot of people. Because of jail overcrowding and the opportunity for millions of tax dollars, Marijuana should be legalized for recreational use. First let’s talk about marijuana in general and talk about some history behind the plant. Marijuana is a dry, shredded mix of flowers, stems, seeds and leaves of the hemp plant Cannabis sativa. The active ingredient in marijuana is THC. That's short for delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol.(“Marijuana”) THC is rapidly absorbed after smoking marijuana. Within minutes, THC and the other substances in marijuana smoke cause short-term medical effects.(“Marijuana”) In 1545 the Spanish brought marijuana...
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...What are the benefits of decriminalizing any drug? “A drug is not bad. A drug is a chemical compound. The problem comes in when people who take drugs treat them like a license to behave like an asshole,” – said Frank Zappa, the American composer and rock musician and I absolutely agree with him. The dawn of the twenty first century has ushered in a new age of optimism and wonder. Despite the proclamations of television, all is not in well in our part of the world. Our societies have waged a war on drugs, but this war is far from being won. Being fought against our own citizens and citizens abroad, an international effort to eradicate drug production and use has undoubtedly failed leaving in its wake social unrest and political chaos. Assault, property crime, homicidal tendencies, racial and economic marginalization, murder, corruption and many other undesirable things are burning through society fanned by the drug war's cold and inhuman policies. In addition to these problems there are the initial problems that drug users incur on themselves and society; the same ones the drug war was supposed to eliminate. Prohibition is an old idea that is not practically attainable in a democratic society that values individual rights. – short generalization+quotation For one, experiments with the prohibition of alcohol failed miserably and cost many people their lives. If the justification behind the drug war is human health and wellbeing, as governments would have us believe, then refraining...
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... * 1) Prohibition * 2) Decriminalization * 3) Legalization * 4) Medicalization * 5) Harm Reduction * For Legalization: (short answer) * Policies creating more harm than drugs * Legalize so they don’t have to commit criminal acts * So many people are using it, should be legalized * Failed to reduce use and addiction * Prohibition has negative health consequences * Reduced drug price reduced violence * Crime would decrease less crowded courts and jails * Focus too much on illegal drugs focus on legal drugs * Against Legalization: * Alcohol has history of social acceptance in US * Prohibition is affective against illicit drugs * Legalization of drugs increases consumption increase in overdose and death * How come crack involves higher level of violence than cocaine if less expensive drugs results in less crime? * If legalized more people will start using drugs * Good Country Policies (essay question) * England: * Marijuana is not prescribed for medical use * Prescribe heroin for heroin addicts * Reach out to people to get treatment through the Justice System * When you want help you get help * Portugal: * Jail time replaced with treatment * People caught with small amount sent to a panel * Decriminalization decline illegal drugs, HIV, people seeking treatment...
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...The topic I’m discussing today is the legalization of marijuana in the United States. There are so many opinions and views throughout the United States. People that are not for it like the politicians and non-smokers believe that if marijuana was legalized that it would just be everybody getting high everyday and it would just be a “high society” throughout the country. Also the increase of the people that end up getting addicted and have no money have no option but to do illegal actions, which increases the crime rate. Obama explained that legalizing it wouldn’t even grow the economy, and that “legalizing marijuana is not part of America’s plan”. Also violence would increase because of the intake of the drugs on a daily basis. In contrast, there are advantages to legalizing marijuana. The prices on the drug would hit rock bottom which means there would be no more drug dealing for this drug, also that people would be able to get the drug at a government price which would mean no illegal action to obtain the drug. It would also keep more non-violent people out of jail which saves money for the jail system. Even though both sides of this argument are very understandable, I believe that marijuana should be legalized. People that are against it believe that so many more people would start using the drug, and the people that were using it already would start using it way too much. I think that if it was legalized we could regulate it like we regulate alcohol. Just as the...
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