Legalizing Marijuana: Pros and Cons, Research Paper Example

Abstract

Since ancient times, marijuana has been used to achieve a state of euphoria, having been described in a Chinese medical reference dating from approximately 2737 B.C.. In modern times, marijuana has been used both recreationally as well as for medicinal purposes. Although it is illegal in the United States on a federal level, more recently, several states have put the issue of legalizing marijuana on referenda to ascertain public support for decriminalizing it.  There are many people who support can oppose the legalization of marijuana for moral, financial, and recreational reasons.  This paper summarizes schools of thought on both sides of the issue, ultimately expressing support for the legalization of marijuana.

Introduction

Since ancient times, marijuana has been used to achieve a state of euphoria, having been described in a Chinese medical reference dating from approximately 2737 B.C. (History of Marijuana, 2012.) It was used as a remedy for such conditions as rheumatism, gout, malaria, and even absentmindedness. In modern times, marijuana has been used both recreationally as well as for medicinal purposes. Although it is illegal in the United States on a federal level, more recently, several states have put the issue of legalizing marijuana on referenda to ascertain public support for decriminalizing it. This paper will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of legalizing marijuana, ultimately supporting the stands that for various reasons–both economical and social–legalizing pot would be beneficial in the United States.

History

The changing attitudes towards marijuana are evident when one looks at the United States government’s policies and practices regarding the drug. There has been a long history of marijuana use in the country. By the late 1900s, issues of American medical journals recommended hemp seeds and roots to be used for the relief of inflamed skin, incontinence, as well as the venereal disease (Stack, 2009.). In addition, marijuana was found to relieve the pain of rheumatism and was also useful in treating discomfort and nausea when people were afflicted with rabies, cholera, and tetanus. The attitudes of Americans towards marijuana involves at the end of the 19th century, when between 2% and 5% of Americans were addicted to morphine although they were unaware of this; it was a frequently used ingredient in patent medications that had lively names, such as “The People’s Healing Liniment for Man or Beast” or “Dr. Fenner’s Golden Relief.” In order to reduce the use of morphine, the Pure Food and Drug Act in 1906 was created, ultimately becoming the FDA. Although, these regulations do not apply to marijuana and only brought opium and morphine under the control of doctors, the act represented a significant change in American drug policy by regulating chemical substances (Stack, 2009.)

In 1914, drug use (morphine and opium) was labeled as a crime under the Harrison Act. By 1937, however, marijuana was outlined by 23 states in an effort to prevent morphine addicts from switching to a new drug; in addition, the move was a backlash against Mexican immigrants, who frequently arrived carrying marijuana. That same year, the federal government passed the Marijuana Tax Act, making nonmedical use of marijuana against the law. During World War II, an exception was made to the ban on marijuana because the government planted tremendous hemp crops to provide naval rope needs that were depleted because Asian hemp had been supplied by the Japanese. In the 1950s, Congress passed legislation that included mandatory sentences for drug offenders, including possession and sale of marijuana.

Although marijuana laws were eased in the 1970s, the Reagan Administration adapted a policy of getting-tough-on-drugs, including marijuana. Overall, though, in the United States, the long-term tendency towards marijuana has been a relaxation of penalties. California became the first state to legalize medical marijuana in 1996, and since then, 12 more states have followed suit. Opponents of the medical marijuana issue believe that legalizing it has created an underground pot network in states that allow its use. Currently, although the use and sale of marijuana is illegal on a federal level, the United States Justice Department has recently said that federal prosecutors would not make efforts to arrest medical marijuana users and distributors as long as they follow state statutes. Currently, 13 states permit physicians to write prescriptions for medical marijuana for patients who are suffering from a range of illnesses, from AIDS to glaucoma as well as who are suffering the side effects of chemotherapy treatments (Stack, 2009.)

Case for Support

People who support the legalization of marijuana provide a range of arguments to make their case. They are based on the following points:

• Marijuana generally is no more harmful than alcohol or tobacco, as long as it is used moderately.
• Curtailing the use of marijuana violates personal freedoms.
• Legalization would lead to lower prices, and as a result, the crime rate would decrease because of fewer instances of theft.
• Marijuana provides medical benefits to certain people, including those who are going through chemotherapy.
• Street crimes relating to sale and distribution of marijuana would be minimized.
• Potentially, marijuana could offer additional tax revenues if regulated.
• Police and the legal system would have a great deal of time freed up to focus on more serious crimes.
• Drug dealers, which often include terrorists, would lose most or all of their businesses.
• The FDA, or similar agencies, could regulate the quality and safety of the drug.
• Similar to sex, alcohol or cigarettes, marijuana provides pleasure for certain people.
• Besides recreational drug use, marijuana has a range of industrial and commercial uses, since more than 25,000 products can be made from.
• Drug arrests often put young people into a criminal justice system where they can become lifelong criminals (Should Marijuana Be Legalized under Any Circumstances?)

Case Against Legalizing Marijuana

On the other hand, the opponents of legalizing marijuana have a host of substantial arguments as well. Among their points are: that marijuana is frequently a gateway drug, which leads to addictions to heroin, cocaine, and other more dangerous drugs; if marijuana were legalized, driving under the influence would present dangers on the road; use of marijuana is morally wrong; and the legalization of marijuana would maximize the chances that children would use pot. In addition, if marijuana remains a crime then people who have been arrested for its use or sale and who are more likely to commit other crimes can be taken off the streets. It is argued that people who abuse marijuana sustained physical damage, and the widespread use of it would increase the likelihood of secondhand smoke damage to people around the smokers. Finally, people who oppose the legalization of marijuana often do so because they believe that decriminalizing it would eventually lead to legalizing harder drugs, or even all drugs, which would present a danger to society.

Conclusion

In my opinion, prohibiting marijuana use is unnecessary government intrusion into the individual freedom of choice that is inherent in civil liberties in this country. In addition, marijuana is less harmful to a person’s health and alcohol or drugs, both of which are legal, widely used, and regulated by the FDA (White, 2012.) There are many health benefits to patients with a variety of illnesses including cancer, AIDS, and glaucoma. In addition, keeping marijuana illegal promotes violent crime in the United States, as well as near the US-Mexico border because of the legality of the marijuana trade. Criminal behavior connected with the marijuana drug cartels would automatically put an end to those dangers.

A major reason to support legalizing marijuana is also the tremendous amount of time and resources invested by law enforcement due to arresting marijuana users and sellers; given how much serious crime exists in the United States, it makes much more sense to use those resources to pursue and arrest people who are committing serious and violent crimes. In addition, when young people are arrested for marijuana offenses, they frequently receive severe punishment that can cause unnecessary personal and social harm, and consequences that can last for a lifetime. These are people that may not be able to find employment because of their drug convictions, and they may have difficulty in interpersonal skills because of time served in prison and the way that experience can corrupt a person’s ability to engage in healthy relationships.

There are also many financial reasons that support the legalization of marijuana. The crop is one of the country’s top-selling agricultural products, with an estimate that marijuana sales in California are over $14 billion each year (White, 2012.) If marijuana was legalized, it could be taxed, providing revenues that could go a long way towards resolving the country’s fiscal crisis. Another financial advantage to legalizing marijuana would be saving the billions of dollars that the government spends each year in waging their War on Drugs, which has been an abysmal failure anyway.

Public attitudes towards legalizing marijuana have been steadily changing for years. In 2012, Colorado and Washington became the first states to legalize both the possession and sale of marijuana to be used for recreational purposes (Coffman, 2012.) Certainly, the drive to legalize marijuana also has many opponents, demonstrated recently when a ballot measure to remove criminal penalties for personal possession and growth of recreational marijuana was defeated in Oregon. However, overall, the attitudes of Americans towards legalizing marijuana have been trending in a liberal direction for years. The use of marijuana is legal in many other countries, and for all of the reasons cited previously, it would be in the best interests of all involved if it became legal in this country as well.

References:

History of Marijuana. (2012). Retrieved December 2, 2012, from Narconon International: http://www.narconon.org/drug-information/marijuana-history.html

Should Marijuana Be Legalized under Any Circumstances? (n.d.). Retrieved December 2, 2012, from Balance Politics.org: http://www.balancedpolitics.org/marijuana_legalization.htm

Stack, P. (2009, October 21). The Brief History of Medical Marijuana. Retrieved December 2, 2012, from Time: http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1931247,00.html

White, D. (2012). Pros and Cons of Legalizing Marijuana. Retrieved December 2, 2012, from About.com: http://usliberals.about.com/od/patriotactcivilrights/i/MarijuanaProCon.htm