...alcohol in the 1920s, marijuana should be legalized because doing so would not only reduce crime, but make the substance more reliable and safer and would generate tax dollars. Background/History: Why is marijuana illegal? Why is it legal in some states and not in others? Marijuana became widely criminalized in 1937 when congress passed the “Marijuana Tax Act” 1 as a result of a national propaganda campaign against the substance. Harry J. Anslinger 1 led the campaign as the first commissioner of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics from 1930 to 1962. He used the themes of racism and violence to cause widespread hatred and fear of the drug in order to make it illegal. He was often quoted saying "Colored students at the Univ. of Minn. partying with (white) female students, smoking [marijuana] and getting their sympathy with stories of racial persecution. Result: pregnancy" and "Two Negros took a girl fourteen years old and kept her for two days under the influence of hemp. Upon recovery she was found to be suffering from syphilis." 2 In 1996, Proposition 215 was passed in California and this allowed for the medical use of marijuana. Since then, 22 other states, D.C, and Guam have enacted similar laws. These laws have now decriminalized possession and/or legalized medical marijuana in the state.1 How is it similar to the prohibition era before and after? It is similar to the prohibition era in that both the prohibition of alcohol and the prohibition of marijuana were country wide...
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...| Marijuana Legalization: Why Marijuana Should be Legalized in All Fifty States English 102 Final Paper Table of Contents I. Introduction …………………………………………………………………………… 1 II. Is Marijuana a “Gateway Drug?” ……………………………………………………... 2 III. Arguments against Legalization ………………………………………………………. 3 VI. Recent Legalization Efforts …………………………………………………………… 4 V. Medicinal Uses of Marijuana …………………………………………………………. 5 VI. Economic Arguments Against Criminalization ………………………………………. 7 VII. Marijuana Cultivation and DTO ……………………………………………………... 8 VIII. From Decriminalization to Legalization …………………………………………… 8 IX. Conclusion …………………………………………………………………………… 10 Marijuana Legalization: Why Marijuana Should be Legalized in All Fifty States I. Introduction The issue of marijuana legalization in the United States is a charged one that brings forth supporters and opponents arguments alike. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) Uniform Crime Reports, one marijuana-related arrest occurs every forty-two seconds in the United States. The government conducted over 1.53 million drug-related arrests in 2011, 90% for possession alone, and nearly 50% due to marijuana (FBI Uniform Crime Report). State governments are currently responding to shifts in public opinion, especially given the recent legalizations that passed in Colorado and Washington. According to Gallup Polls, more Americans supported the legalization of marijuana than not in 2011 (50% vs. 46%)...
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...America’s Cash Crop “Why is marijuana against the law? It grows naturally upon our planet. Doesn’t the idea of making nature against the law seem to you a bit . . . unnatural?” ― Bill Hicks The legalization of marijuana is a debate being held all over the country. Everyone has their own opinion on the whole idea of marijuana. There are legislators who think that if marijuana is legalized that it will be grown illegally, and medically abused. There are potheads who think it would be cool and that they would get cheaper weed. But what it comes down to are the numbers. Marijuana is a cash crop. How can Wisconsin say no to numbers like fourteen billion, and thirty five billion dollars? Can legalizing marijuana rescue Wisconsin’s economy? Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, DC, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington. In seventeen states, and DC it is legal to have at least an ounce of marijuana. In fourteen of them it is legal to even have plants (ProCon). Should Wisconsin be state number eighteen? NBC News produced an article Marijuana Called US Cash Crop and within that article they state “The study estimates that marijuana production, at a value of $35.8 billion, exceeds the combined value of corn ($23.3 billion) and wheat ($7.5 billion).” Wisconsin is in forty six billion dollars of debt and increasing every second (WisconsinDebtClock). If marijuana can bring in millions of...
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...How Legalization Leads to Financial Benefits Alex Bradford ITT Technical Institute Marijuana. It is highly debated topic; this is due to different parties beliefs. The controversy lies within its legalization, and how it should be handled, or if it even should be legalized. It is my intent to use this paper as a way to point out how legalizing marijuana would be good for the economy. I believe the legalization of marijuana would benefit the economy with the generation of jobs, creation of tax revenue, and it would vacate some jail cells which could be used for more worthy purposes. How can the legalization of marijuana generate new jobs? One way they can do this is through the shops that could and would open up as specialty shops, designed to sell precisely marijuana products and accessories. It would also open up new positions for glass blowers, for the pipes and hookahs that people use to self-medicate. There have also been comparisons made between the legalization of marijuana now and when prohibition was repealed back in the early 1900s. “Making alcohol legal again has paid off. Just last year, the industry generated $91 billion in wages and over 3.9 million jobs for U.S. workers. In 2008, alcohol contributed over $40 billion to state and local revenues.” (http://www.forbes.com/sites/kellyphillipserb/2012/04/20/stirring-the-pot-could-legalizing-marijuana-save-the-economy/) Some people have the opinion that marijuana can damage tax more than aid. Well I have supported...
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...NORML-National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws By Abigail Galicia PID: A09469570 POLI 100E Final Paper Prof. Galderisi 12/13/2012 Abigail Galicia POLI 100E Galderisi 12/13/12 Final Paper NORML-National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws “It’s NORML to Smoke Pot.” How is NORML organized, and how does it pursue its policy interests? I. Introduction. The issue of the legalization of marijuana has been a hotly-debated and increasingly bitter confrontation among Americans. On the one side lie those who oppose everything about the drug and believe it to be a threat to society’s health and well-being, while the other side is composed of “the millions of smokers, many of them well educated, successful people who resent being defined as criminals for using what they regard as a mild but enjoyable drug (Anderson 3).” Both sides—for and against the legalization of marijuana—have presented proper research and evidence on either the virtually harmless or life threatening effects of marijuana along with either the economically beneficial or detrimental effects drug policy reform will have on the US. Either way, this debate has gained political momentum in the past decades and can no longer be seen as one-sided. Fueling this debate and whole-heartedly representing the pro-marijuana lobby organization, is the interest group NORML. NORML stands for the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws and has been the top main advocate in leading the...
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...epilepsies allowing her to grow and learn for the first time in five years. (Gupta, 2013) This is just one of many ways marijuana has helped people with their diagnosis and has continued to work. In 1930 medicinal marijuana was put on the Schedule 1 list for narcotics by Harry J. Anslinger, the Commissioner of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics (FBN). Decades later, after marijuana became illegal, states around America are starting to take a new position on the drug and have legalized marijuana. Knowing this, people around the nation are still hesitant of pro-legalization and the Federal Government is taking little interest in the matter. The legalization of marijuana would increase crop cultivation in America, provide jobs for those in need during this economic downfall, and decrease the amount of criminal activity involved with the use and distribution of marijuana. Before marijuana was made illegal by the FBN and before the roaring twenties, marijuana cultivation produced valuable products such as paper, rope, canvas, and textiles. Canvas is a Dutch word in which its meaning is cannabis, hemp or marijuana. All around the world professionals are finding ways to recycle materials in order to avoid cutting down trees and greenhouse gasses. These professionals are aware of hemp and its increase production, for example; an acre of hemp can produce four times more paper than...
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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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...these ideas and form my paper. I am pleased especially with the topic I have decided to discuss about, because I am very familiar with the subject and I’ve had a certain feeling about this topic for the past few years. I specifically want my audience to focus on the comparison between alcohol and marijuana as far as, the government implementing marijuana into the economy as alcohol. In this case, marijuana would take on the same laws and restrictions as alcohol does as far as age limit and those matters. I want my audience to give their honest opinion about my topic and how they feel about the situation. The main aspect I want to hear from people when reading my paper is what is their feel on marijuana and why do that feel that way. I believe this is an important issue in today’s society and I would love to know how people feel towards the drug. I was able to implement comments and suggestion into this draft fairly well. The suggestions people gave me were very helpful and I found out they helped me with some grammar errors I had no idea were in my paper. Marijuana is a topic of significant public discourse in the United States, and while many are familiar with the discussions, it is not always easy to find the latest, research-based information on marijuana to answer to the common questions about its health effects, or the differences between Federal and state laws concerning the drug. The debate continues to be over whether or not marijuana is a harmful drug and whether...
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...Marijuana Legalization in the United States Elisha Havraniak Ottawa University LAS 30012 Writing and Critical Thinking in the Liberal Arts October 11, 2013 Marijuana Legalization in the United States Marijuana has had a long history as an illicit drug, but is quickly becoming a mainstream issue. Some people use marijuana to ease their pain and treat their illnesses. Many others use it because of it mood-altering effects. Laws have been passed to regulate both of these uses of the drug. Those who advocate legalization favor easing or overturning laws against the possession and use of marijuana for recreational purposes, medical use, or both. In general most proposals for legalization fall into one of three categories: decriminalization for recreational use, legalization for recreational use, or legalization for medical use. In opposition to these three choices is the option to keep marijuana illegal for both recreational and medical purposes. The purpose of this paper is to explore the facts, pros and cons, regarding the legalization of marijuana. The information for this paper was obtained from scholarly and peer reviewed journal articles, books, and online sources. The research questions answered are as follows; * Could the legalization of marijuana rescue our struggling economy or could it provide much need relief to the overcrowded prison system? * Will the legalization of marijuana lead to a regulation nightmare…can it even be regulated...
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...Legalizing Marijuana: A Utilitarian Perspective Whitney T. Hall SOC120: Ethic and Social Responsibility Tim Carter May 7, 2012 Legalizing Marijuana: A Utilitarian Perspective The legalization of marijuana in the United States remains a major issue and has caused much controversy due to opposing views. With the economy being in the state that it is, we need to utilize all available resources and set aside personal emotion regarding “smoking weed”. While some support decriminalization, there are many reasons why other individuals, including the government, do not. From a utilitarian point view, legalizing marijuana will produce the greatest good for the greatest number of people affected by the choice (Mosser, 2010, sect. 1.7) Misleading perception and harmful effects influence the decision of marijuana remaining illegal. But, the best way to control its use is to legalize it for its positive effects on the environment, medical uses, and revenue it generates for the government; therefore, producing the best results for the greatest number of people. Marijuana is the third most popular recreational drug in America following alcohol and tobacco. It is most commonly smoked out of a pipe, or rolled like a cigarette. The active ingredient in marijuana that causes the “high” followed by smoking it is delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol or THC for short. This is the most common perception of individuals who encounter the drug but what is failed to be considered are its environmental...
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...Legalizing Marijuana Cynthia Jones SOC120: Intro to Ethics & Social Responsibility Instructor Dr. Marnie Carroll Aug 27, 2012 Marijuana has been placed on the control substances list as a schedule 1 class drug along with heroin, mescaline, and LSD; the government is claiming that marijuana is harmful and addictive. I will disprove these claims. The United States government has made the possession and use of marijuana illegal, but nicotine a known addictive drug and alcohol are legal for personal use. I believe as a personal choice medicinal marijuana should be legalized and this paper will be a utilitarian’s view on legalizing marijuana. I will begin with some information about marijuana or a more common name of Cannabis comes from the plant, Cannabaceae. Along with Cannaboids, there is another main cannabinoid the most prominent and psychoactive called THC, or delta 9 tetrahydocannabinol, this is what causes the effects of marijuana. This is the most popular illicit drug that has been around for thousands of years. These particular extracts from the plant have several medicinal purposes and legalizing marijuana for medicinal uses would benefit several people with serious illnesses. As of now it is still illegal in most states and federally. Relativism is “the idea that one’s beliefs and values are understood in terms of one’s society, culture, or even one’s own individual values” (Mosser, K., 2010) Society has made marijuana illegal so for the relativist...
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...fight the war on Marijuana. Marijuana has been a hot topic lately, and the debates really been heating up. The main question is how much would our country benefit from the legalization of recreational marijuana? Our citizens and political leaders have a chance to cash in on one of the biggest cash crops in existence today. Legalizing marijuana for recreational use has the potential to be very lucrative and beneficial to our country and society. To fully understand the debate on legalizing marijuana, you must know what marijuana is and how it came to be outlawed in the U.S. in the first place. Marijuana is a plant that produces flowers or buds that can be smoked to produce...
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...SAPP 407- Pharmacology Fall term junior yr. Term Paper Marijuana – Medicine, Menace, or What? There have been many arguments throughout history about whether marijuana is a source of medicine or whether it’s a gateway drug. This question may never truly be solved but there have been valid arguments for both sides. I would like to delve in on the topic by analyzing what the effects of marijuana are, what the positive and negative aspects of the drug are, and whether or not cannabis should be illegal. The first topic I would like to discuss is what the effects of marijuana are when it is used. The article Marijuana in Medicine: Past, Present and Future in the Western Journal of Medicine wrote about an experiment where marijuana was tested on animals. One reason why they found a lot of variability of reactions among the animals tested was because: “different batches of cannabis derivatives vary greatly in strength” (36). They go on to explain “there is a wide variation among humans in their individual responses to cannabis” (36). This brings light to a very important effect of marijuana, which is that it varies in strength from batch to batch. This is important to know when using the drug because it can affect people very differently based on the strength of the drug. Another effect of marijuana discussed by the Western Journal of Medicine is that cannabis “mildly stimulates, and then sedates the higher centers of the brain” (36). The article continues on to say that...
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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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...Legalization of Marijuana Marijuana is the third most popular recreational drug in the United States. Despite the harsh laws against marijuana use, approximately twenty five million Americans have used the drug in the past year and more than fourteen million continue to use marijuana on a regular basis (norml.org). In turn, not only is the criminal justice system over-flooded with marijuana cases, but law enforcement is focusing valuable time on finding marijuana “criminals”. With the legalization of marijuana, the United States judicial system would be able to handle more important cases in a timely manner and law enforcement officers would be able to spend more time on more important crimes. However, the judicial system is not the only one standing to benefit from the legalization of marijuana. The United States stands to greatly benefit economically on the legalization of marijuana as well. The legalization of Marijuana would benefit our society in many ways. Being aware of all of this, I was curious to know why so many people oppose legalization of the drug. However, it was important for me to gather knowledge from credible sources. I did not want to learn the benefits of marijuana from a “stoner” blogging from his parent’s basement, nor did I want to learn about the negatives of the drug from an extremely right wing conservative who will stand against it- just to be against it. First, I went straight to George Mason University’s online library in the hopes...
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