...Should Marijuana Be Legalized? With the recent election season that has just gone by, this question has become more prevalent in society. In 2010 California became the first state to legalize marijuana only for medicinal use. In this election season, both Colorado and Washington state legalized marijuana for recreational use. Marijuana usage has been going on since ancient times and the fight to legalize it has grown steadily throughout United States History. There are two sides to every story – one side supports legalization and one side opposes it. Everyone has the right to their own opinion on this matter so I will let you decide after reading this. Marijuana has been used, according to ancient medical references, since about 2737 BC in China. In 1545 the Spanish brought marijuana to the New World. It was introduced to Jamestown around 1611 where it became a major commercial crop along with tobacco. Marijuana was listed in the United States Pharmacopeia from 1850 until 1942. It was prescribed for conditions ranging from labor pains to rheumatism. In the 1930s A campaign by the U.S. Federal Bureau of Narcotics portrayed marijuana as a powerful addicting substance and it would lead users into using harder drugs. In the 1950s it was an accessory of the beat generation; in the 1960s it was used by college students and hippies and it eventually became a symbol of rebellion against authority. When the Controlled Substances Act of 1970 was passed, marijuana was classified...
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...Should Marijuana be Legalized? BCOM/275 November 26, 2012 Should marijuana be legalized? Throughout the years, the topic should marijuana be legalized is often heavily debated. For many years the use of marijuana was forbidden and outlawed in the United States, but in more recent years marijuana seems to be becoming accepted. Scientist has found many useful applications for marijuana. Recently, here in the United States, many states have approved legislation for marijuana for medical purposes. Most recently, two states Colorado and Washington have passed referendums that will allow people over the age of 21 recreational use of marijuana without the penalty of a criminal offense. These two states will oversee the use of marijuana for its constituents similar to how alcohol is controlled. Whereas, the government at the state level in Colorado and Washington is in favor for the legalization and passed legislation for the legalization of marijuana, the federal government has not. This causes legal, moral, and ethical issues and begs that questions; should marijuana be legalized? Pros of Legalization One benefit of the legalization of marijuana would be the ability for state and local governments to tax the legal production and sale of it. Currently, because marijuana is illegal the sale of it is not taxed so the local, state, and federal governments do not reap any of the benefits of this “$10.5 billion dollar industry” (Miron, 2005, p.4). In a report written by Jeffrey A....
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...The legal status of cannabis during 1619-1915, coupled with a ban on alcohol during 1920-1933, has provoked questioning of the rationality of the current US federal legislation on both drugs, as marijuana is currently illicit whilst alcohol is not. Research has suggested that marijuana could be equally if not more beneficial than alcohol to the economy, with fewer negative externalities. This discussion has been sparked anew after the states of Colorado and Washington infringed federal legislation by instating the open legality of marijuana. The topic, in current debate, must be viewed objectively to reach a valuable conclusion, since much of the argument is highly opinionated and biased owing to the stigma attached to such substances. Marijuana is currently a Schedule I substance under federal law whereas alcohol is federally regulated through the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) alongside stringent state and county laws. Existing federal law makes alcohol legal to those over the age of 21, with high taxation placed on consumption. Hence, the substance is highly regulated, although not currently prohibited. We intend to examine the economic effects that alcohol has on the economy and compare these findings with the hypothetical benefits of legalised marijuana. Analytically considering the reasoning behind its current illegal status, we will compare the negative externalities of cannabis against those of alcohol to determine whether there is logic behind...
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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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...Legalizing Marijuana makes Pennsylvanians Rich Introduction Growing up on the gritty streets of West Philadelphia I was exposed to many drugs. From an early age I can remember seeing guys hang out on the corner. It wasn’t until I became a preteen that I realized that these young men weren’t just “hanging out”. They were actually hustling and making drug transactions. In high school I was offered my joint. Scared of my parents finding out and remembering the negative effects of drugs that I learned about in school forced me to decline. Many of my peers were not as strong and fell into peer pressure. The smell of marijuana on the way to school became a familiar scent. As I got older and began to explore the City of Brotherly Love I learned that Philly is drug infested. I’ve met a lot of good people who have fallen into addiction. Their drug usage impedes their everyday life. I have a friend who I went to high school with. My friend was a top athlete and scholar. After a terrible car accident he developed an addiction to prescription pain killers. He ran from doctor to doctor trying to keep his fix alive. The process lingered on for a couple years, One day I asked him why he didn’t get help or try to stop. His main argument was that he wasn’t doing anything illegal like crack or heroine, so he didn’t think he had a problem. His argument got me thinking about the government and how they dictate what medications are okay and not okay for people...
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...Legalization of Marijuana In November 2012, Colorado voters approved Amendment sixty-four. Amendment sixty-four was approved to legalize and retail the sale of marijuana (Hudak, 2015). The amendment was passed even though there was opposition from everyone on the state level as well as law enforcement. In this essay it will be explained to you the medicinal, manufacturing and economical values of legalizing marijuana. Medicinal marijuana has shown promising therapeutic effects in conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease as well as rheumatoid arthritis. Multiple cannabinoids including delta nine, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol make up most of the chemical additives of marijuana and have been proven to be much less addictive than alcohol (Grotenhermen,2015). Inhalation through smoking and vaporization are the most common route to administer medical marijuana. Other methods have included rectal, transdermal, and intravenous ways routes as well. Medicinal Marijuana has also been found to help the appetites of HIV/AIDS as well as cancer patients. The cannabinoids in medicinal marijuana have pain reducing properties when given to patients who suffer from numerous ailments and medical conditions, including but not limited to Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, and glaucoma. Tests have been successfully conducted on patients who use medicinal marijuana since the 1990’s (ProCon.org, 2015). Medical marijuana has been proven to help in the natural...
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...public health risks and benefits of cannabis. Legalization of cannabis for medicinal and recreational use has been a one of most disputed issues in the United States. This has become an important issue in public health because, although some risks and benefits are known, more research is needed to determine other harmful and therapeutic effects (Wilkinson, 2016). There is not enough evidence for wide-spread clinical or recreational use. Laws, initiatives and policies for making marijuana legal may lead to, “increased clinical and recreational usage, a wide range of methods for consumption, and conflicts between state and federal laws. However, these policies would focus on guarding the health and safety...
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...Legalizing Marijuana: An Ethical Perspective In today’s society, many ethical concerns arise on a daily basis, especially when it comes to the topic of legalizing marijuana. Many individuals have relied on the fact that marijuana was illegal, when determining whether smoking it should be considered unethical. However, many studies have shown that the effects of marijuana are not as detrimental as they were once made out to be. Legalizing marijuana can be an extremely controversial topic because several people have strong beliefs concerning why it should not be legalized, while a significant amount of people have stronger arguments, as to why it should be legalized. When it comes to looking at the ethical standpoint of legalizing marijuana, everyone has a different interpretation as to why marijuana should or should not be legalized. This is because everyone’s sense of morals and values differ. Legalizing marijuana for medicinal and recreational use would be beneficial for large amounts of people for many reasons. The theory of utilitarianism implies that the proper course of action should be the one, which benefits the greatest number of people. Many aspects of legalizing marijuana should be considered when determining if the benefits outweigh the risks. Several states have passed laws, which govern the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes. In fact, over twenty states, as well as the District of Columbia have enacted laws that govern the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes...
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...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 for medicinal use and distribution, its recreational use is often tolerated more in Canada, due to it’s...
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...Decriminalize the use of Marijuana American cultural views are in flux. Marijuana, once depicted as a menace to society in the classic film “Reefer Madness” is now considered to be a panacea for a multitude of health issues. While it is debatable that usage leads to more powerful drugs it is certain that the tax revenue generated by the sale of marijuana has been a financial boom to the western states that have implemented newer regulation. The time has come to unclutter the court system and move into the 21st century and decriminalize the personal and medicinal use of marijuana. Marijuana is a very widely used illegal drug in the world today. Marijuana was made illegal through prohibition in 1905. Before 1905 you could go into any local drug store and purchase marijuana (Stuart). Marijuana is a natural remedy for many illnesses. According to many users medicinal marijuana offers relief from pain related to cancer, AIDS and multiple sclerosis. Said side effects, that are psychological, include hallucinations, mood swings and impaired judgment. Some consider marijuana a drug that would lead to other drug dependences, but this has not been scientifically proven. There has been millions of dollars spent to reduce the use of illegal drugs in the United States (Hausk 14). This type of spending is one reason to push to decimalize marijuana. “According to a 2010 study from Cato, legalizing marijuana would regulate the system and offer rehabilitation service to those addicted...
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...of marijuana for medicinal purposes. The need for laws to be passed in order to legalize marijuana for medicinal purposes, in the state of Ohio changes need to be made to our state laws, protecting individuals from prosecution for the use of medical marijuana. History of medical marijuana 2900 BC – 2013: Marijuana has been used for medicinal purposes as far back as 5000 years ago. It was first documented as being used by the Chinese Emperor Chen Nung for illnesses such as; malaria, constipation, rheumatic pains and female disorders and has over the centuries been used for ailments from treating venereal diseases, depression, glaucoma, inflammation, edema, depression and snake bites. It was in 1611 that the Jamestown settlers first brought the marijuana plant, which was commonly called “hemp” to North America; the hemp fiber was an important export at that time. Marijuana was used throughout North America for many years and was even grown by some of our Presidents such as; George Washington who it is said had an interest in the medical uses of marijuana. It was in 1850 that the United States added marijuana to their Pharmacopeia which at that time was the public authority which set the standards for prescriptions and over the counter medications. Up until the 19th century marijuana had been used all over the world for medicinal purposes. The following are events that led to marijuana being classified as a harmful and illegal drug which contained no medicinal purposes...
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...1 Running head: TWEED MARIJUANA, SUPPLIER OF MARIJUANA FOR MEDICINAL PURPOSES Tweed marijuana, supplier of marijuana for medicinal purposes December 1, 2015 1 Running head: TWEED MARIJUANA, SUPPLIER OF MARIJUANA FOR MEDICINAL PURPOSES Tweed marijuana, supplier of marijuana for medicinal purposes December 1, 2015 Table of Contents Introduction…………………………………………………………………………3 Company Background (Team Members)……………………………………………4-6 Company History (Motivation behind the idea)…………………………………….6 Product Innovation………………………………………………………………….6 Current Position…………………………………………………………………….7 Challenges and successes…………………………………………………………...7 Future Potential……………………………………………………………………..8 Conclusion………………………………………………………………………….8 References………………………………………………………………………….9 Introduction This report is about Tweed Marijuana Inc. a Canadian Company licensed to supply medicinal marijuana under the marijuana for Medical Purposes Regulations. They are a subsidy of Canopy Growth Corporation a company that produces marijuana in Canada. Bruce Linton, the co-founder and CEO of Tweed, has positioned the company in a competitive market and his main objective is to continue to raise the capital to fund this venture. Tweed’s sister company, Tweed farms grows large quantity of the medical marijuana. To date, Tweed farm’s greenhouse is the largest greenhouse in the world. In this report, I will be discussing the medical marijuana history and how it is regulated in Canada, how the company...
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...11, 2014 Abstract: Marijuana legalization has been a controversial topic requiring a public policy solution in the political realm. There have been various arguments made for and against the legalization of marijuana. There are several states that have legalized marijuana use for medicinal purposes while others have let their guards down completely allowing citizens to use it not only medicinally, but recreationally as well. While the use of marijuana is still illegal at the federal level, there is much discussion by other states regarding policies to support marijuana legalization and many policy makers proactively planning for the possibility of such policies. Such discussion is necessary to ensure the policy implemented supports the intended use of the drug and to reduce illegal use that is not specified in the policy. Currently, there are a total of 21 states that have laws governing the use of marijuana in some form. The state of Florida has a policy in place that is closely monitored as it applies to patients suffering from severe medical conditions such as AIDS, cancer, and other diseases that leave patients in excruciating pain. This paper will discuss the great controversy of legalizing marijuana pointing out policies that are currently in place for the state of Florida and the need for small municipalities to establish policies to ensure proper monitoring of the drug. Problem Definition The legalization of marijuana is a controversial topic that...
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...With recent legalization of marijuana in some states will there be a widespread across the united states? While Federal and State Laws may prohibit Marijuana use, many states are Considering legalization and some have already done so with both medicinal and recreational, its Likely of a widespread across the United States. Federal government has set regulations that are developed, these regulations are followed by what is called the Controlled Substance Act (CSA), which does not recognize the difference in the use between recreational and medicinal use. (Americans For Safe Access, 2014) According to Americans for safe access(2014) The Controlled Substance Act has classified Marijuana as a schedule one drug, its a controlled substance that is treated as any other drugs such as heroin, or cocaine. Along with the CSA, there is the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), According to Dea.gov (n.d.) The Drug Enforcement Administration has a mission to “is to enforce the controlled substances laws and regulations of the United States and bring to the criminal and civil justice system of the United States " Marijuana is illegal, and use is prohibited through federal laws, but many state laws have legalized the use for recreational and medicinal. State laws vary state to state. There are so many different laws on marijuana use, whether it be for recreational or medicinal. Many people feel that the laws on marijuana have to do with whether the state considering legalization...
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...The topic of marijuana as a medical drug for treatment has sparked much controversy. Generally people tend to be fiercely on one side, for or against medicinal marijuana, while many remain undecided, believing much more research is needed. Recent studies on medicinal marijuana show benefits in its use for cancer, seizures, and post-traumatic stress disorder but conflicting reports cause doubt in its benefits. Some studies have found that both compounds found in marijuana tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which is a psychoactive chemical and cannabidiol (CBD) which is a non-psychoactive chemical found in the marijuana plant, to have cancer fight properties. Cancer research has shown that marijuana can drastically reduce nausea associated with chemotherapy...
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