Essay on Legalization of Marijuana

Anonymous
Essay on Legalization of Marijuana Cannabis has been around since the dawn of mankind. It is said that the plant originated from Asia, perhaps on the slopes of the Himalayas or the Altai Mountains to the north. The exact origin, obscured by Stone Age trails that cross the continent is not known. Cannabis, also known as marijuana, is a leafy plant which grows in many tropic areas around the world. It can be cultivated easily both indoors and out for the production of its flowering tops. The most common use of Marijuana is smoking these flowering ‘buds’, or sometimes eaten cooked with sweets. There are two main types of Cannabis -- Cannabis Sativa and Cannabis Indica, which are usually interbred for recreational use. Besides its recreational purposes, Marijuana can be used in a variety of ways. You can make clothing, paper and even food out of hemp, which low-THC varieties of cannabis which are grown for industrial uses. THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol) is the main active ingredient in the plant that produces the effects analgesic effects and can be utilized for pain relief and other medical purposes. Currently Both Cannabis and Tetrahydrocannabinols, the active chemicals contained in Cannabis plants, are Schedule I in the United States. They are federally illegal to cultivate, buy, possess, or distribute in all forms except synthetic THC (Marinol) which is Schedule III. In 1988, Judge Francis Young, an administrative law judge for the DEA “[…] Recommended that marijuana be reclassified as schedule II on the grounds that if a respectable minority of doctors endorse it, then it has a "currently accepted medical use" (DEA Judge Francis Young, Docket No. 86-22). Even though Marijuana is currently federally illegal in the United States, many reforms are taking place to legalize and tax the plant for the benefits of economy. Many other countries such as Argentina, Belgium and Nepal have legalized the production and use of the plant and utilize it as a general resource by taxing it and make use of its industrial uses. Marijuana is not a harmful drug to the body like cocaine or crystal meth is. It grows naturally and has little to none harmful effects, even in long term usage. It has been clinically proven to help cancer patients with pain and help people with glaucoma. Legalization of Marijuana in the United States would benefit the economy, reduce crime in our cities and help form a more productive society through its positive uses. Government expenditures on criminalization of marijuana have been the least effective and most wasteful of resources compared to how they combat more serious drugs. Government prohibition of marijuana is subject of ongoing debate. One of the issues is regarding the spending of taxes and government budget on enforcement of laws prohibiting production and distribution of the plant. According to Jeffrey A. Miron, a professor of economics at Harvard University, “Reports estimates that legalizing marijuana would save $7.7 billion per year in government expenditure on enforcement of prohibition” (Jeffrey A. Miron, Executive Summary). $5.3 billion of this savings would accrue to state and local governments, while $2.4 billion would accrue to the federal government. Taxation and legalization of Marijuana production would not only reduce these costs almost completely, but also benefit the economy in many ways, including helping current the budget crisis due to recession. Jeffrey Miron also estimates in his report that “Marijuana legalization would yield tax revenue of $2.4 billion annually if marijuana were taxed like all other goods and $6.2 billion annually if marijuana were taxed at rates comparable to those on alcohol and tobacco” (Jeffrey A. Miron, Executive Summary). Advocates believe that prohibition will reduce marijuana trafficking and use and thus improving productivity and reduce ongoing crime and illegal drug traffic. It is said that prohibition of Cannabis has minor effects on the transport of the plant and only causes more problems for the government. Criminalization has been proven ineffective during the Prohibition of 1920 due to increased crime and alcohol trade. This represented a conflict between urban and rural values emerging in the United States. Because the alcohol industry provided much revenue for the government, the ban was lifted in 1933. This greatly reduced crime in cities such as New York and Boston and helped with the stock market crash of 1929, which led to the Great Depression in the U.S. Legalization of Marijuana can help the economy in the same way due to the Recession in the United States. A regulated market in marijuana would reduce marijuana sales and use among teenagers and help reduce the potential exposure to other, heavier and lethal drugs such as meth-amphetamines and heroin. Illegality of Cannabis makes it more valuable, thus providing the drug cartels to return bigger profit from the plant which goes into purchasing of weapons, counterfeit documents and promotes the gang wars in the U.S. and abroad. If the excessive profits of Marijuana sales were ended it would give less incentive for the cartels to focus their efforts on distribution of the plant, thus providing control of production and distribution to the government and help decrease crime. Teens and young adults would have less incentive to steal money from their parents, and getting arrested for use and distribution of Cannabis which can have a harmful impact on their future lives and careers. As posted on alternet.org, “Teenage use of alcohol and tobacco remain serious public health problems even though those drugs are legal for adults, however, the availability of alcohol and tobacco is not made even more widespread by providing kids with economic incentives to sell either one to their friends and peers” (Alternet.org). All in all, there are many reasons for legalization of the plant in the United States that would benefit the economy and help reduce crime, such as positive impact on the budget and decrease of interest in drug trade for the drug gangs and cartels. The positive effects of legalization on the economy in the U.S, Marijuana has many influences on medicine. One of the most prominent medical uses of Cannabis is its help with cancer patients. Kelli Stacy reports in her article called “Marijuana Chemical May Fight Brain Cancer” that “Guillermo Velasco and colleagues at Complutense University in Spain have found that the active ingredient in marijuana, THC, causes brain cancer cells to undergo a process called autophagy.” (Kelli Miller Stacy). Studies have shown that cancer patients undergoing treatment with Marijuana have shown positive outcomes by helping track cancer cells and combating them. As Stacy states, “After receiving the THC, there was evidence of increased autophagy activity” (Kelli Miller Stacy). There were not toxic effects on the patients and the study authors on the use of THC in treatment “[…] could lead to new strategies for preventing tumor growth” (Kelli Miller Stacy). "The beauty of this study is that we are showing that a substance of abuse, if used prudently, may offer a new road to therapy against lung cancer," said Anju Preet, Ph.D., a researcher in the Division of Experimental Medicine (Science Daily). Besides the prominent use in treating cancer and brain tumors, Cannabis has many other clinical uses. Marijuana can stimulate appetite and alleviate cachexia, control nausea and vomiting and decrease intraocular pressure caused by glaucoma. Initial studies by Helper and Frank (1971), and Helper and Petrus (1976) showed that smoked marijuana lowered intraocular pressure. The 1976 study showed that marijuana cigarettes with 4% THC lowered intraocular pressure by as much as 27 percent when compared to placebo (Altmed). Previously Cannabis was considered as ineffective as a therapeutic agent. However, the plant has been proven to help the patients with certain diseases to cope with the effects of harsh treatment and recuperate afterwards. Cannabis can help with insomnia, asthma, digestive disorders and many other chronic or persistent medical symptoms that can restrain a person form daily activities. Today there are many medical clinics in California where a sure with a medical marijuana card can obtain a certain amount of the plant to treat these symptoms. With the Proposition 215, California among a few other states has legalized marijuana for its medical use and allows for doctors to recommend the use of the plant for seriously ill patients. Among its medical use, Marijuana’s recreational usage is still illegal due to the laws enforced by the federal government. It is important to note the many positive uses of the plant. Medical research, industrial uses and if legalized controlled production and taxation can help boost the economy. Marijuana is not nearly as dangerous as tobacco and alcohol and its legalization is necessary to end the war on drugs and continuous crime in the U.S. and abroad. Marijuana does not contain severe harmful substances, and can help people with many medical problems. Its legalization can help with the flow of money from the American government towards the drug cartels. Legalization can free innocent people from prisons, allowing the government to spend more money on more serious cases, such as murder and theft and provide the space to imprison those individuals. Marijuana’s recreational use has not been decreased due to prohibition and only makes matters worse in the long run. As the country moves forward, it is important to see the value of legalization of Marijuana in the United States and to recognize how beneficial it is to move towards lifting the laws on prohibition.

Works Cited
Abramsky, Sasha. "Altered State." Nation 27 Dec. 2010: 17-22. Academic Search Premier. Web. 25 Nov. 2011. <http://web.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.ivc.edu:2048/ehost/detail?sid=086b8594-5d69-4190-a714-b01203814d37%40sessionmgr11&vid=5&hid=13&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=aph&AN=55745321>. In this article the author discusses aspects of the legalization of marijuana in California. The article notes that Proposition 19, a measure in California that would have made recreational marijuana use legal for anyone over the age of 21, was soundly defeated in the 2010 midterm elections. A number of topics are addressed including a theory that legalization of the substance will result in marijuana production being taken over by corporations, the growth of the medical marijuana industry, and the reduction of criminal penalties for marijuana possession.
Cohen, Peter J. "Medical Marijuana 2010: It’s Time to Fix the Regulatory Vacuum." Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics 38.3: 654-66. Academic Search Premier. Web. 12 Dec. 2011.
"Dennis Kucinich: 'The American People Are Mature Enough to Make Their Own Choices '." Interview by Nick Gillespie. Reason Dec. 2011: 36. Print. This article presents an interview with Dennis J. Kucinich, Republican of Ohio. When asked about the possibility of the enforcement of marijuana legalization in the U.S., he says that the cost of enforcing these laws is prohibitive; because it has been proven that marijuana is not a gateway drug. Kucinich says that there are many libertarians in the U.S. who can bring about the legalization. He also talks about the need for a social change in the U.S.
Miron, Jeffrey A. "The Budgetary Implications of Marijuana Prohibition." Costs of Marijuana Prohibition: Economic Analysis. Web. 12 Dec. 2011. <http://www.prohibitioncosts.org/mironreport.html>.
ScienceDaily. "Marijuana Cuts Lung Cancer Tumor Growth In Half, Study Shows." Science Daily: News & Articles in Science, Health, Environment & Technology. ScienceDaily, 17 Apr. 2007. Web. 12 Dec. 2011. <http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/04/070417193338.htm>.
Seamon, Matthew. "Medical Marijuana and the Developing Role of the Pharmacist." American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy 64.10 (2007): 1037-044. Academic Search Premier. Web. 12 Dec. 2011.
Thornton, Mark. "Prohibition versus Legalization: Do Economists Reach a Conclusion on Drug Policy?" Independent Review 1 Jan. 2007: 417-33. Print. The article presents the two surveys concerning the economists ' policy on drug policy involving 117 randomly selected professional economists from the American Economic Association in 1995. The results showed that most of the professional economists (58%), favored changes in public policy in the general direction of decriminalization. On the other hand, findings regarding the 1991 opinion poll of Americans contrast with a survey of college freshmen in 1988, wherein 19.3 percent of the college freshmen favored the legalization of marijuana. A survey of the high school class of 1987 revealed that around 80 percent favored the prohibition of Lysergic acid diethylamide and heroin. The charts related to the study were presented.
Times, High. "The Top Ten Reasons Marijuana Should Be Legal | Drugs | AlterNet." Home | AlterNet. Web. 12 Dec. 2011. <http://www.alternet.org/drugs/60959/>.

Cited: Abramsky, Sasha. "Altered State." Nation 27 Dec. 2010: 17-22. Academic Search Premier. Web. 25 Nov. 2011. &lt;http://web.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.ivc.edu:2048/ehost/detail?sid=086b8594-5d69-4190-a714-b01203814d37%40sessionmgr11&amp;vid=5&amp;hid=13&amp;bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=aph&amp;AN=55745321&gt;. In this article the author discusses aspects of the legalization of marijuana in California. The article notes that Proposition 19, a measure in California that would have made recreational marijuana use legal for anyone over the age of 21, was soundly defeated in the 2010 midterm elections. A number of topics are addressed including a theory that legalization of the substance will result in marijuana production being taken over by corporations, the growth of the medical marijuana industry, and the reduction of criminal penalties for marijuana possession. Cohen, Peter J. "Medical Marijuana 2010: It’s Time to Fix the Regulatory Vacuum." Journal of Law, Medicine &amp; Ethics 38.3: 654-66. Academic Search Premier. Web. 12 Dec. 2011. "Dennis Kucinich: 'The American People Are Mature Enough to Make Their Own Choices '." Interview by Nick Gillespie. Reason Dec. 2011: 36. Print. This article presents an interview with Dennis J. Kucinich, Republican of Ohio. When asked about the possibility of the enforcement of marijuana legalization in the U.S., he says that the cost of enforcing these laws is prohibitive; because it has been proven that marijuana is not a gateway drug. Kucinich says that there are many libertarians in the U.S. who can bring about the legalization. He also talks about the need for a social change in the U.S. Miron, Jeffrey A. "The Budgetary Implications of Marijuana Prohibition." Costs of Marijuana Prohibition: Economic Analysis. Web. 12 Dec. 2011. &lt;http://www.prohibitioncosts.org/mironreport.html&gt;. ScienceDaily. "Marijuana Cuts Lung Cancer Tumor Growth In Half, Study Shows." Science Daily: News &amp; Articles in Science, Health, Environment &amp; Technology. ScienceDaily, 17 Apr. 2007. Web. 12 Dec. 2011. &lt;http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/04/070417193338.htm&gt;. Seamon, Matthew. "Medical Marijuana and the Developing Role of the Pharmacist." American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy 64.10 (2007): 1037-044. Academic Search Premier. Web. 12 Dec. 2011. Thornton, Mark. "Prohibition versus Legalization: Do Economists Reach a Conclusion on Drug Policy?" Independent Review 1 Jan. 2007: 417-33. Print. The article presents the two surveys concerning the economists ' policy on drug policy involving 117 randomly selected professional economists from the American Economic Association in 1995. The results showed that most of the professional economists (58%), favored changes in public policy in the general direction of decriminalization. On the other hand, findings regarding the 1991 opinion poll of Americans contrast with a survey of college freshmen in 1988, wherein 19.3 percent of the college freshmen favored the legalization of marijuana. A survey of the high school class of 1987 revealed that around 80 percent favored the prohibition of Lysergic acid diethylamide and heroin. The charts related to the study were presented. Times, High. "The Top Ten Reasons Marijuana Should Be Legal | Drugs | AlterNet." Home | AlterNet. Web. 12 Dec. 2011. &lt;http://www.alternet.org/drugs/60959/&gt;.