Marijuana Prohibition

Marijuana prohibition in America has become a much heated debate over the past decade or so which has launched countless campaigns both for and against legalizing the plant for a variety of reasons. Unfortunately, excessive propaganda has been used to distort the facts and prevent education on the matter. It may surprise you to know that 100 years ago this was not even an issue. Most people in America simply assume that marijuana was criminalized due to the result of scientific research which determined that it fell into the category of a dangerous drug. This is completely false and the history of marijuana’s criminalization is filled with fear and corrupt legislation. The laws that were created as a result were made for the wrong reasons using false evidence. Despite what the opposition says, legalizing marijuana is beneficial to everyone for several reasons: it is a healthier alternative to pharmaceutical drugs, it will free the court system and jails from unnecessary time and expenses, and it will create a substantial source of revenue for the country.

For nearly a century, health care personnel and government officials have stressed the potentially dangerous side effects of marijuana usage. Currently marijuana is the most commonly abused illicit drug in the United States. (NIDA, 2010) Marijuana is the dried flowers that come from the hemp plant Cannabis Sativa. The main active chemical in marijuana is delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol which is also called THC. The most common method of marijuana ingestion is through smoking. Marijuana can also be consumed by mixing it with foods and drinks. It can also be found in a highly concentrated form known as hashish, which is a sticky black liquid. (NIDA, 2010) When marijuana is smoked the THC passes through the lungs into the bloodstream and into the brain. Once in the brain the THC reacts with the cannabinoid receptors inside the brain which results in the user feeling the “high” associated with marijuana usage. These cannabinoid receptors are found in various parts of the brain; however, the areas with the highest density of these receptors are areas of the brain that influence pleasure, memory, thinking, concentrating, sensory and time perception, and coordinated movement. (NIDA, 2010)
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, long-term marijuana abuse can lead to addiction which can cause problems with family, school, work, and recreational activities. Research suggests that nine percent of marijuana users become addicted to the drug. Once addicted, the user will exhibit signs of irritability, sleeplessness, decreased appetite, anxiety, and drug craving. (NIDA, 2010) Some studies on marijuana usage have shown an association between chronic marijuana use and increased rates of anxiety, depression, and schizophrenia. However, at this time, it is not clear whether marijuana use causes these mental problems, increases them, or just reflects the users attempt to self-medicate their already existing symptoms. (NIDA, 2010) Marijuana also has several effects on the heart and lungs. A user’s heart rate increases by 20-100 percent after smoking and can last for up to three hours. Research also shows that users are 4.8 times more likely to have a heart attack after smoking Marijuana. (NIDA, 2010) Marijuana smoke contains 50-70 percent more carcinogens than found in tobacco smoke. This is dangerous because people who smoke marijuana generally inhale deeper and hold the smoke in longer. This extra exposure to the carcinogens found in marijuana smoke causes an increased risk for cancer. (NIDA, 2010)
Substantial research has also been done on the potential health benefits that are associated with marijuana usage. The US Government Accountability Office (GAO) has noted that marijuana usage can provide relief for patients who experience symptoms with various ailments such as Alzheimer’s disease, Anorexia, AIDS, Arthritis, Cachexia, Cancer, Crohn’s disease, Epilepsy, Glaucoma, HIV, Migraines, Multiple Sclerosis, Nausea, and Chronic Pain. (ProCon.org, 2008) Lester Grinspoon, MD, Emeritus Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, wrote the following passage in his Mar. 1, 2007 editorial in the Boston Globe titled "Marijuana as Wonder Drug"
The mountain of accumulated anecdotal evidence that pointed the way to the present [marijuana as treatment for HIV neuropathic pain] and other clinical studies also strongly suggests there are a number of other devastating disorders and symptoms for which marijuana has been used for centuries; they deserve the same kind of careful, methodologically sound research.

While few such studies have so far been completed, all have lent weight to what medicine already knew but had largely forgotten or ignored: Marijuana is effective at relieving nausea and vomiting, spasticity, appetite loss, certain types of pain, and other debilitating symptoms. And it is extraordinarily safe -- safer than most medicines prescribed every day. If marijuana were a new discovery rather than a well-known substance carrying cultural and political baggage, it would be hailed as a wonder drug. (ProCon.org, 2008)

Grinspoon mentions that marijuana is safer than most medicines currently prescribed to patients with these conditions. On June 24, 2005 ProCon.org sent a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to find the number of deaths caused by marijuana compared to the number of deaths caused by 17 FDA-approved drugs. Twelve of these FDA-approved drugs were chosen because they are commonly prescribed in place of medical marijuana, while the remaining five FDA-approved drugs were randomly selected because they are widely used and recognized by the general public. (ProCon.org, 2009) The results of this request, shown in figure 1, indicate a staggering difference in the number of deaths from marijuana usage in comparison to the deaths related to commonly prescribed drugs.
Fig.1 (ProCon.org, 2009)

Another area of concern is that ending marijuana prohibition will lead to an increase in crime which in turn will cause an increased need for criminal justice resources to fight the growing crime rates. The opposition believes that if marijuana was legalized then it create a more delinquent attitude, boost the crime rate, and contribute to less economic productivity. This view is known as the correctional analysis. According to Drugwatch.org, many violent crimes such as murder, child and spouse abuse, rape, property damage and assault are often committed while the offender is under the influence of drugs. Many of these drug users are unable to hold a job so crimes like robbery is a way for them to buy more drugs while still being able to purchase necessities like food, shelter, and clothing. Legalizing drugs will not rid us of drug trafficking or the violence associated with the drug trade. A black market will still exist unless all drugs in all strengths were made available to people of all ages in unlimited quantity. In the 1960s the Swedish Government decided to “medicalise” their drug problem in hopes that addicts would no longer have to commit crimes in order to obtain money to buy their drugs. However, the results showed that crime rates actually increased despite the fact that narcotics were then freely available. Similarly, The Netherlands gained the reputation of the crime capital of Europe in 1990. (Drugwatch.org, 2002)

While the opposition states that crime rates will increase there is actually very little facts to back up this claim. In fact, most research shows the exact opposite. It is a well-known fact that a high proportion of the seven million plus people in the adult correctional system are drug users. Many people seem to think that drug use causes crime. The logic behind that argument stems from the fact that so many offenders have used illegal drugs and because of that it must be the root of most criminal activity. However, one could argue that drinking milk could be the cause of crime since all criminals have consumed milk… some just before they committed the crime. The problem with this thought process is that there are many other factors we have to take into consideration. There are other demographic factors associated with criminal activity that are also associated with drug use such as age and gender. Those in addition with socio-economic factors are more powerful factors of criminality. “As such drug use, either because it predates criminal behavior or is more associated with the lifestyle of lower socio-economic male life-styles, may simply represent a spurious relationship with crime.” (Austin)

The fact is that there is little evidence of a direct link between marijuana consumption and criminal behavior. Marijuana is neither a gateway drug nor does it cause people to commit crimes. According to NORML, approximately 25 million people in the United States, consume marijuana each year with nearly 15 million of them consuming the drug in the past month. By comparison only four percent of Americans have used harder drugs such as crack, heroin, cocaine, or other inhalants in the past thirty days. That alone is proof that marijuana does not cause users to move on to more dangerous drug usage. Out of all drugs, including alcohol, marijuana is least likely to cause a spike in criminal activity.

Legalizing marijuana would also free up valuable resources within the justice system. As of 2003, the number of marijuana related arrests have grown to approximately 755,000. While that still only equates to 5-6% of all arrests it is easy to see how those resources could be better used for my dangerous and violent crimes. (Austin) Our county spends approximately $68 billion a year to house and feed our prisoners. One third of our prisoners are imprisoned for nonviolent drug crimes. Half of these criminals have been charged with marijuana related crimes. This means that nearly one sixth of all prisoners have been convicted on marijuana related charges. This adds up to approximately $11.3 billion a year we are spending on marijuana related criminals. (Wolff, 2009) If we were to legalize marijuana in the United States that money could be reallocated to other areas of the justice system that are in much need of the additional funding.

The economic impact of the legalization of marijuana is another large area of concern. The opposition believes that legalizing marijuana would have a major detrimental effect on the economy of the United States. They believe that the tax revenue would be offset by higher social costs. The basis on this claim is from looking at the economic effects of alcohol and tobacco. Both of these substances are legal and taxed, however, the cost to society is much higher than the revenue they generate. (Office of National Drug Control Policy, 2010) In 2007, taxes collected from alcohol totaled nearly $15 billion. This is less than ten percent of the estimated $185 billion a year that is spent on alcohol related costs to health care, criminal justice, and a loss of productivity within the work place. Tobacco on the other hand does not even yield any net revenue from taxation because as a country we spend nearly $200 billion on the social costs of smoking but only make approximately $25 billion in tax revenue. (Office of National Drug Control Policy, 2010)

While these figures seem substantial, not all people agree with the stance that we have nothing to gain from legalizing marijuana. The war on drugs has been incredibly costly and we are no closer today at stopping the underground market than we were decades ago. This means that we are wasting approximately $40 billion a year trying to keep marijuana out of the hands of Americans. Rather than wasting that money on a futile mission we could tax it and reallocate those funds where they are needed most. “It is estimated that pot is the largest cash crop in California, with annual revenues approaching $14 billion. A 10% pot tax would yield $1.4 billion in California alone.” (Klein, 2009) Now if we used the same reasoning and applied it to the entire country it is easy to see the enormous boost to the economy. Thousands of new jobs would be created in agriculture, packaging, marketing, and advertising. Legalizing marijuana would also open the door for farmers within the United States to grow hemp. Each year the United States spends billions of dollars each year importing hemp from other countries, mainly Canada. Hemp can be used to make thousands of products from paper to bio-fuel, which would increase the revenue of our country dramatically.

Although there appear to be some concerns with legalizing marijuana, the facts prove the benefits from legalization far outweigh prohibition. With legalization we have the potential to save lives, lower crime related expense, and add a tremendous source of revenue to our overburdened country. The facts and statistical evidence contained in this essay should be enough to prove that we, as a country, need to take another look at our stance on marijuana prohibition. With proper planning and education the United States could use this plant to solve problems that have been around for decades. This is important for everyone not just those who use marijuana. I am not a religious man but I would like to close with a quote from Genesis 1:29 “And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.”

References

Austin, J. (n.d.). Norml - The Decriminalization Movement. Retrieved from http://norml.org/component/zoo/category/rethinking-the-consequences-of-decriminalizing-marijuana
Drugwatch.org. (2001, May 15). Against the legalization or decriminalization of drugs. Retrieved from http://www.drugwatch.org/Against Legalization of Drugs.htm
Drugwatch.org. (2002, January 12). Why cannabis must remain illegal. Retrieved from http://www.drugwatch.org/Cannabis Illegal.htm
Klein, J. (2009, April 02). Time magazine - why legalizing marijuana makes sense. Retrieved from http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1889166,00.html
NIDA. (2010, November 12). National institute on drug abuse. Retrieved from http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/marijuana
Office of National Drug Control Policy. (2010, October). Marijuana legalization: A bad idea. Retrieved from http://www.iowa.gov/odcp/docs/mj_legal.pdf
ProCon.org. (2008, June 16). Medical marijuana procon.org. Retrieved from http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org/view.answers.php?questionID=000087
ProCon.org. (2009, July 08). Medical marijuana procon.org. Retrieved from http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=000145
Wolff, M. (2009, November 09). Legalizing marijuana can reduce crime, increase revenue for state. Retrieved from http://sundial.csun.edu/2009/11/legalizing-marijuana-can-reduce-crime-increase-revenue-for-state/