...Should We Legalize Marijuana? In most countries, possession and use of marijuana, also commonly known as cannabis is considered legal, even in some states in United States. In fact, it can be noted that for many years, cannabis has been considered an illegal drug in most countries. Nevertheless, today, some countries have legalized cannabis while other countries have not. In particular, small quantities of cannabis have been allowed in regions such as Europe, North America and South America and the United States, where some states such as California, Washington and Colorado have legalized the possession and usage of marijuana for medical purposes. Federal government should legalize marijuana due to benefits toward patient health care, government tax subsidy and reduction in drug wars can strongly favorize the legalization of marijuana. Opponents of marijuana legalization, support their beliefs by using objections such as marijuana is not a proper medical treatment. They believe marijuana can be as efficient as any other painkiller or other drugs that mimic similar results. Opposers also claim that by legalizing marijuana will allow more people to abuse this drug. Primarily, cannabis should be legalized since it is used for medical purpose. Marijuana can offer individuals a higher standard of living. For example, Sativex is a recent drug that contains a major active ingredient derived from cannabis and it has been discovered to cure Multiple Sclerosis (Kmietowicz 89)...
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...Legalization In most countries, possession and use of cannabis that is also commonly known as marijuana is considered illegal. In fact, it can be noted that for many years, cannabis has been considered to an illegal drug in most countries. Nevertheless, today, some countries have legalized cannabis while other countries have not. In particular, small quantities of cannabis have been allowed in regions such as Europe, North America and South America. Moreover, in the United States, some states such as Washington and Colorado have also legalized the possession and usage of marijuana for medical purposes. On the other hand, various penalties are imposed for use or possession of cannabis in most countries. The penalties generally range from simple to severe punishments. Possession of small quantities of marijuana is not punished the same way as possession of large quantities. In this argumentative essay, I seek to argue the reasons why cannabis should be legalized, and why it should not. Primarily, cannabis should be legalized since it is used for medication, and its legalization means better and higher quality health standards. For example, Sativex is a recent drug that has been discovered to cure Multiple Sclerosis (Kmietowicz 89). The drug has been used in the United Kingdom to treat MS patients, and it has been found to work effectively. Therefore, banning of cannabis would be a disadvantage to people who suffer from diseases that use cannabis as a major component in their medicine...
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...Marijuana, also known as cannabis, is a form of the cannabis plant. In 1923, marijuana was added to the Confidential Restricted List as a prohibited drug in Canada. However, many Canadians believe that marijuana should be legalized because it can play a significant role in the medical industry. However, others hold the opposite attitude toward Marijuana legalization. This serious controversy has lasted for many decades. Canada’s neighbor, the U.S. government, has forbidden this drug since the early 1900s. However, this implementation didn’t produce a satisfactory result. (National Prevention Strategy, 2011) Marijuana should be legalized in Canada because its advantages outweigh the disadvantages. These advantages are likely to promote the Canadian economy, eliminate social issues and benefit the health of its residents. In terms of the economy, legalizing marijuana could conduct not only negative effects, but also positive effects. In the past decade, underground trade of marijuana has caused harm to Canada’s income. Werner Antweiler, the UBC professor, believes that the marijuana market is sizable. (2013) In B.C., the estimates show that Canadians consume at least 3 billion dollars in marijuana products annually. (Barmak, 2013) Other data from The International Journal of Drug Policy indicate that the retail value of marijuana consumption in B.C is between $443 million and $564 million. In addition, further estimates point out that marijuana legalization is likely to help the...
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...Marijuana Cannabis legislation has never been closer to legalization in the whole country. The issue of marijuana legalization can be viewed from a few different perspectives. An individual can be opposed to legalization of marijuana, approve marijuana legalization, or feel that marijuana legalization does not affect him or her. Why not legalize cannabis? Legalizing Marijuana could potentially lead to a drop in the crime rate. Legalization could also help the economy by bringing in a new industry rivaling that of tobacco and alcohol. Marijuana can also be used medicinally to benefit those unfortunate individuals who are suffering from pains and illnesses. Marijuana Legalization would decrease the crime rate substantially. The social consequences of Marijuana policy making are large and unproductive. The Editorial Board of the New York Times stated that," There were 658,000 arrests for marijuana possession in 2012, according to FBI figures, compared with 256,000 for cocaine, heroin and their derivatives." Inmates incarcerated on marijuana-related charges cost U.S. prisons $1 billion annually, according to a 2007 study. Legalizing Cannabis would directly effect this variable because most individuals are arrested for possession alone. Especially African Americans. Even the police themselves condone marijuana legalization. "(LEAP) Law...
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...Lecturer Institution Course Date Legalization of marijuana Introduction In most regions, the use and possession of marijuana are considered illegal. Marijuana is also known as cannabis. For many years, cannabis has been termed as an illegal drug. Today some countries in the world have legalized marijuana. To be specific, a small amount of cannabis has been legalized in regions such as Europe, South America and North America. In USA, some states such as Washington and Colorado have also legalized the possession and the usage of marijuana for medical reasons. Most countries in the world have great penalties for the usage and possession of cannabis. It should be observed that these penalties range from very simple to severe punishments. The punishment for the small amount of marijuana is not the same as the punishment for the possession of a large amount (Earleywine, 2005). The paper does explain as to why cannabis should be legalized. Lack of evidence The main reason as to why the legalization of marijuana should be lawful is that there is lack of evidence for its legalization. From a philosophical point of view, people have the right to make choices and decision for themselves. Of course, it is the function of the government to limit those choices and decisions if the action that is taken by a person does not affect with the rights of other persons. Persons who choose and decide to use cannabis do so because of their free will. Marijuana should be legalized because for its medicinal...
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...you think legalizing marijuana would bring to the U.S? Legalizing cannabis would actually generate 8.5 billion dollars in federal and state tax revenue per year, according to a 2013 study from Cato Institute in Washington D.C. Purpose (state specific purpose, relate topic to audience and establish credibility): Throughout the years, we have yet to legalize cannabis after all the facts of this topic have been completely laid out. It’s time we take this industry into our country’s hands and not let it go unregulated and untaxed. State Thesis & Main Points: The legalization of cannabis would be another step closer to the way out of this economic crisis our country is in today. the regulation of this product would bring economic improvement, new-found resources, and medical aid. however, we must establish both the positive and the negative sides to truly comprehend this movement. Body (3-5 MAIN POINTS PREFERRED (USE ONLY COMPLETE SENTENCES I. MAIN POINT (state as a single declarative sentence): A major upside in the legalization of cannabis is the benefit of economic improvement. A. SUBPOINT: Legalizing this drug would bring about millions to billions of dollars in tax revenue. 1. Marijuana growers account for 14 billion dollars a year in sales in CA, making it the states most valuable cash crop which is a perfect reason to tax it. a. Economist Stephen Easton estimated in 2012 that legal marijuana could be a 45-100 billion...
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...The Blunt Truth Many people wonder what marijuana is and if it should it be legalized. Marijuana comes from the hemp plant, it is the dried leaves of female flowers. Marijuana has been called a gateway drug for years, making many people believe that if they use it they will then become addicted to hard drugs. However, unlike cigarettes that contain tobacco and other illegal drugs such as speed, cocaine, and heroin, marijuana is not addictive. Marijuana is a misunderstood plant that many people assume is dangerous. The usage of marijuana (also known as cannabis) can actually be very beneficial not only to oneself but also to their country. The legalization of marijuana in the United States would benefit the States society economically, socially, and medically. The economic benefits that the legalization of marijuana would bring to the U.S are enormous. Oregon, Colorado, and Washington have already legalized marijuana for both medical and recreational use. When the rest of the U.S legalizes marijuana and places the high tax on it, it will create a larger budget for every state. In the state of Colorado, According to the article Experimenting with Pot: The State of Colorado's Legalization of Marijuana “By regulate marijuana like alcohol the state collect about $134 million in taxes from medical and recreational marijuana sales in fiscal year 2014-2015” HICKENLOOPER, G. W. (2014). If all of the states in the U.S was able to bring in at least that much extra revenue imagine what...
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...Should Marijuana Be Legalized? “Herb is the healing of the nation, alcohol is the destruction.” –Bob Marley. Bob Marley believed that marijuana should be legalized for anyone and everyone to use how they want to. The legalization of marijuana would be beneficial to the government, and to the many people that suffer from several medical conditions such as nausea and chronic pain. Many others also agree that the legalization of marijuana would significantly benefit America. The legalization of marijuana for medical use would help out thousands of people with their physical and mental disabilities. First of all, “marijuana helps prevent nausea and vomiting. Two FDA-approved cannabis-based drugs helped to reduce chemotherapy-related nausea and vomiting in cancer patients. When taken orally, the drugs “worked as well as or better than some of the weaker FDA-approved drugs to relieve nausea and vomiting.” (5 Common Uses of Medical Cannabis) Also, medical marijuana helped patients with their loss of appetite. Cannabis stimulated appetite in cancer and AIDS patients in many studies. Animal studies have proven that inhaling cannabinoids increased food consumption. Furthermore, cannabis relieves muscle tension and spasms. Liquid extract used by MS experienced a decrease in muscle spasms and shacking. Studies on MS patients had a decrease in tremors and muscle stiffness when they had an intake of THC. Additionally, marijuana helped relieve pain. A Canadian team has found...
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...Hunter Scott JD Simpson ENG 1201-928 04 May 2018 Should Marijuana Be Legalized in All States for All Uses? When people hear the words “weed” or “marijuana,” they often think and say that it is bad or no good because of the events that occur when people use it. They also are aware that the drug is illegal across most of the United States of America. What most people do not understand is the positives that making marijuana legal across the nation entails. An abundance of controversial topics exist throughout today’s society, and the debate of whether or not marijuana should be legalized for all uses in all states is just one of many of them. Today, nine states and Washington D.C. have the drug legalized for all uses. However, other states only...
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...Ryan Kidwell English 101 March 26, 2014 Should Medical Marijuana Be Legalized? A major debate currently being discussed within the Senate and House of Representatives is a topic that has caused a great amount of controversy throughout the United States. This topic only really has two sides to it. One side is completely against it and the other is completely for it, there is no middle ground. The topic that has caused such a great amount of controversy is the discussion as to whether or not medical marijuana should be legalized within the U.S. Those who support the legalization of marijuana usually have three supporting arguments: Medical marijuana has various medical benefits, it is less expensive in comparison to other drugs, and other drugs are addictive whereas medical cannabis is not. But others who are against the legalization of marijuana have their own arguments. These people who are against legalizing medical cannabis typically have three main reasons as to why they disagree with legalizing it. These three main reasons are that marijuana is has no true medical benefits, that medical marijuana is already being abused by cardholders, and that marijuana is a gateway drug. Both sides have various supporting arguments, but with the evidence I have gathered, I believe that the legalization of medical marijuana is beneficial to those in need of it’s benefits. Ever since Congress placed medical marijuana in Schedule 1 of the Controlled Substances Act, 20 out of...
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...Dean January 15, 2015 Article Rebuttal The legalization of marijuana has been a controversial topic for many years now. Do the pros of the legalization of marijuana outweigh the cons of the legalization of marijuana? I believe so. The fact is Marijuana legalization would have an abundance of positive effects for not only the U.S. but for the world as well. Cannabis is not a deadly plant. However some choose to argue that the crime rate would rise as of a result of the legalization of marijuana. However legalization of cannabis would lessen the prison population, allow marijuana to be table and create billions of dollars that would be used in the United States and other countries. Marijuana legalization would allow cannabis to become it’s own industry. Marijuana legalization would reduce the impact of gangs in the streets. Cannabis would be become more effective and better for ones health because the Government would be in control of regulation. The Alaskan Association of Chiefs of Police Inc. posted an article against the legalization of marijuana stating numerous preconceived cons against the cannabis plant. The statement in the article I didn’t agree with was “After medicinal marijuana became easy to get in Colorado, seizures of smuggled marijuana quadrupled in roughly 4 years as legal marijuana was diverted to other markets. No comparable studies have been found addressing this problem in Alaska, but if legalization in this state results in a similar increase in diversion...
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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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...Legalization of Cannabis Amanda Philmon Com 156 October 09, 2011 Diana Marquez Legalization of Cannabis The controversial issue of legalizing cannabis is a topic worth discussing. Let’s look at each aspect of health risks and benefits to the legalization of cannabis. Legalizing cannabis could have a positive effect on the crime rate in America as the statistics will show this. The most beneficial part of legalizing cannabis will be the economic gains that will come from legalizing marijuana. While there are some health risks associated to the legalization of cannabis the benefits of a decrease in crime and increases in the economy greatly out weigh the cons to legalizing cannabis. There are many health benefits and risks to the legalizations of cannabis. Cannabis is used to treat patients who have pain associated with certain diseases like human immunodeficiency virus. The pain that these patients endure is called neuropathic pain. In a study done by “Dr. Ellis and colleagues found that 46 percent of patients administered medical marijuana experienced at least a 30 percent reduction in pain” (Uddin, 04/11). Having a pain reduction without having to take a pill is a plus as there are many side effects that go along with some pain pills. Another benefit to the use of cannabis is an increase in appetite. This is very important in patients undergoing cancer treatment. “Medicinal marijuana can signal a food craving within a patient's body, encouraging...
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...Legalization of Marijuana Marijuana, also known as cannabis, hash, or weed, is the new trend rising in America. This psychoactive drug has been used for thousands and thousands of years; from Ancient China, to Colonial America. It has recently come into the light because of the legalization of the plant in two states: Colorado and Washington. This law legalizes the use of the plant for recreational purposes, and allows the growing of 12 plants in each household for personal use. How will this affect our economy? What are the health benefits / advantages? The use of the Cannabis plant throughout history is surprisingly large. The earliest documented use of it was in Ancient China, around 4000 B.C. To most cultures, Marijuana was viewed as a gift, or treasure, from the Divine spirit. It was used during ceremonies, ingested for deep meditation, smoked for pleasure, or used as clothes. The Chinese emperor and herbalist Cheng-Nung wrote about its medicinal uses 5000 years ago, stating its effects on malaria, and many other illnesses. In England, King Henry VIII required the cultivation of one quarter acre of it for every sixty acres of farming land. When the Pilgrims landed in early America as early as 1632, the Native American people taught them about the farming of Marijuana. The first president of the United States, George Washington, grew Indian Hemp, or Cannabis sativa, on his farm. Marijuana is the dried blossom of the Cannabis sativa and Cannabis indica plants. Parts...
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...For the Legalization of Marijuana Naomi H. Marquez Brad Lycan October 16, 2013 As we venture on the topic of legalizing marijuana these paper will analyze several crucial points of this discussion and review several articles and their position on this controversial topic. We will analyze the main topics of concern for the legalization of cannabis which will include, the history of the prohibition of cannabis, the potential health risks compare to alcohol and tobacco, the criminal affect that this drug can have if legalize and finally the economical side of cannabis. The following paragraphs will dissect the following topics with the help of several articles and experts in the topic. The first topic of discussion will be the history of the prohibition of cannabis which became illegal in September of 1937. To understand this topic we need to submerge ourselves into its history. In the article “How Hemp Became Illegal: The Marijuana Link” explains the detailed history on how this miracle plant became illegal. The main concern of marijuana was that it was a plant that was so versatile not only because it can be used in so many ways but because marijuana can be grown pretty much in any climate and with a minimal water supply. This article goes into detail of all the inside meetings between politicians and multimillionaire tycoons who wanted cannabis to become illegal because marijuana could be used as paper, food, fiber, fuel, plastic and of course medicine...
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