Running Head: Legalization of Marijuana

Legalization of Marijuana
Cory Do
University of Texas at El Paso

Legalization of Marijuana

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Abstract

In my essay, I will be discussing the legalization of marijuana. Over the past years
legalization on a federal scale has just been a small idea, however as more states begin to
legalize, many benefits have come about. Medical marijuana has helped many patients in
the World however not everyone has access to it. Those who have had access to the
medicine have been able to overcome cancer and even large amounts of seizures. On a
economic scale, marijuana is nothing but good news. For example in Colorado, many of
the taxes made from the sale of marijuana has been given to the public school systems to
further increase the health programs. The health programs in public school systems in
Colorado had undergone large budget cuts and were unable to keep nurses properly
staffed. Another point, Id like to explain are the social aspects of the drug. As the years
pass, it is becoming more and more socially acceptable. In comparison to alcohol,
marijuana is a much more safer alternative.

Legalization of Marijuana

Introduction
In the United States the legalization of marijuana has been a topic of much
discussion. There has been significant advancements when considering the plant of
marijuana. Such as in the medical field, economically, and even in some states socially.
When looking at how much marijuana has benefited all those named categories I strongly
believe marijuana should be legalized federally for social use in the United States due to
the vast growth it can bring to the United States.
Body 1
This plant has helped countless patients with several medical problems. The
science behind this is important to understand so marijuana can be taken seriously, and
not be just seen as a drug to get high with. Marijuana contains two cannabinoids that

Legalization of Marijuana

are of medical interest which consist of THC and CBD. THC increases both appetite and
it also helps with people that have nausea. Patients that suffer from pain also benefit from
the cannabinoid of THC. The second cannabinoid which is named CBD helps with
several disorders. According to Scott , Dalgleish ,Liu (2015) , CBD is a cannabinoid that
does not affect the mind or behavior. It may be useful in reducing pain and inflammation,
controlling epileptic seizures, and possibly even treating mental illness and
addictions(pg.1). Taking these professionals statements in consideration we can see that
marijuana has many purposes in the medical field. If marijuana is legalized in the U.S it
could help a large amount of people. In investigating this topic and researching for stories
that show the users used this viable option of medical marijuana I found countless stories
of where the patients ranging from months old to people who are up to 90 years old used
medical marijuana and it benefited their treatment immensely . Currently there are 23
states that have legalized medical marijuana. There also has been a lot work done for this
cause with specific rules and regulations. For a better understanding we see this statement
from Drug Policy(2016), Marijuana product testing is becoming a standard requirement
for legalized marijuana markets. This allows consumers to become better informed about
the cannabinoid profile and potency of marijuana they consume(pg.1). Here we see a
reliable resource stating that the medical marijuana being used is being standardize and
professionals are making sure this product is safe for the users. Taking a look at what we
have looked at only in the medical field we can conclude several things. First we see that
scientifically there are resources in the marijuana that can use to treat medical disorders.
Second we know that there is a procedure that is taken in order to assure the customer
that the product he/she is consuming is safe and regulated. Furthermore we know that

Legalization of Marijuana

marijuana can be helpful for countless symptoms, disorders, and sickness. Now the
question presented is why sick people are not allowed to use this medication. We
continue looking at Drug Policys statements, One of the most egregious outcomes of
marijuana prohibition is that many sick people cannot legally access the medicine that
works best for them. For many seriously ill people, medical marijuana is the only
medicine that relieves their pain and suffering, or treats symptoms of their medical
condition, without debilitating side effects. Marijuana has been shown to alleviate
symptoms of a huge variety of serious medical conditions including cancer, AIDS, and
glaucoma, and is often an effective alternative to synthetic painkillers.(pg.2). Medical
marijuana is a tool that can be very helpful in the medical field. It serves as a medication
for countless illnesses, and is a safe regulated drug for the public. Also keeping in mind
the professionals opinion of how useful it is. I strongly believe that this important
medication should be made legal in the United States.
Body 2
This plant can also serve for other purposes as well. For example this medication
can really help the economy in several ways. People argue that this cannot be proven, but
there are countries that have prospered from the profits of marijuana selling. According to
NORML(2016) Similarly, in Bengal, with a population of 50 million, the Indian Hemp
Drugs Commission reported total tax revenues from ganja of 24 million rupees in the
year 1892-3, or about $10 million (1892 dollars).23 Extrapolated fivefold to the current
U.S. population, this would work out to $700 million in 1992 currency. The tax on ganja
was about 8 rupees per kilo in Bengal, or just $.04 per joint in current dollars.24 Were the
tax increased tenfold to the level we have proposed, revenues would presumably increase

Legalization of Marijuana

to $7 billion, minus a substantial amount due to decreased demand from higher

prices.(pg.3). as you can see other countries in the world have put a taxation on this
product which is fair and justified. To continue with, these are numbers and stats that
were taken a while back. In a modern economy such as the United States that number
would be a much bigger amount. Not only that but the demand for the product is there.
People do not want to face the reality that societys members break the law everyday by
smoking weed. But if you think about this for a second, you realize that smoking weed
does not have such negative connotations as people claim. Instead of spending millions of
dollars to put these smokers into jail. Why not legalize the product and have a high tax on
it. Both sides win, the side of the government of the United States wins by making money
and regulating drug usage. Regulating marijuana usage is important for the government
because if the smokers are not buying weed from a regulated smoke shop they are just
buying marijuana of a dealer of the streets. Not only is the individual exposed to a
dangerous environment when going to buy the weed. But larger amounts are being sold
with dirty money and this leads to violence, gang related destruction, and much more
consequences. Due to the possibility of large profit, less money being spent on
incarceration, and reducing violence I strongly convey that marijuana is legalized
federally for recreational use.
Body 3
We have seen that marijuana helps both for medicine and to help boost the
economy in a positive manner. But know I would like to present another aspect of
marijuana that no one takes in consideration. To what extent those this plant help reduce
violence and helps the social aspect in life in general. The side effects of marijuana as

Legalization of Marijuana

seen earlier are that it makes you hungry, it reduces pain, and it helps with mental illness.
Meaning the side effects are not the same as other drugs or even alcohol. Think about a
situation where friends are gathered around in a social gathering drinking in excessive
amounts as is tradition in adolescent events as such. Once the event is over the drunken
teens climb inside their cars and endanger not only their lives but the passengers and the
other people driving as well. Now consider a situation where teenagers are at a social
event maybe smoking some marijuana that was bought from a legal dispensary that is
medically approved and shows that it is safe for the teenagers. The side effects are quite
different, everyone becomes friendlier, hungrier, and the laughter comes in large
amounts. When it's time to go home the teenager is not drunk out of their mind but is
high of marijuana. It is not recommended when driving under the influence of anything
but there is a huge difference between driving drunk and high. You can control your body
to an extent on marijuana but when talking about alcohol the control over your body is
hardly there. Yes the image of teenagers smoking marijuana is not a pretty one. At the
same time conservatives would not approve of this what so ever. But once again in reality
countless of people smoke marijuana every day. Both culture and time is changing and
people need to understand that new customs are made as a progress of humankind itself.
Instead of fighting the majority come to a compromise with them so it is done in terms of
how the government would like it to be. Due to the harmless side effects, positivity
brought by marijuana, and increasing safety I once again state that the legalization of
Marijuana would benefit the United States to a vast extent.
Conclusion

Legalization of Marijuana

Marijuana is a plant that was discovered centuries ago. It has become a topic of
much talk in recent years. I believe this has become a topic of importance because society
is realizing that this can become an acceptable custom or even past time. We saw the
many useful ways marijuana can be used for. The first example was the marijuana was
being used for medical use. This plant is considered medication and it can be used as
such. To continue that thought, if marijuana is scientifically proven to help with illness
without a question it should be accessible to any sick person. Then we continued our
research with exploring the economic aspect of the topic. We saw that other countries
benefitted greatly from making this product legal for it to be sold. We could use the tax
money in several things here in the United States considering we are a couple of billions
of dollars in depth to other countries. Not only does it benefit the economy but the
government. They are able to keep records on the marijuana being sold, consumed, and
transported. This would help decrease the problem of violence and drugs on the streets.
The last aspect we saw was the one it would have for the public. Based on the side effects
of marijuana which are significantly less threatening than alcohol. It makes you think
why alcohol is legal but weed is not. Marijuana can provided a safe alternative for
drinking and then endangering your life. Based on the positive effect marijuana has on all
this incredibly important aspects of society I believe Marijuana should be legalized
federally for recreational use.

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Resources

[NORML.org - Working to Reform Marijuana Laws.] Retrieved from

http://norml.org/library/item/revenues-from-legalization
Is Marijuana Medicine? (n.d.). Retrieved from
https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/marijuana-medicine
Marijuana. (n.d.). Retrieved from
https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/marijuana
Medical Marijuana. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://www.drugpolicy.org/medical-marijuana
Legalization of Marijuana. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://legalizationofmarijuana.com/
Legal Pot. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/legal-pot
Walter Simpson. (n.d.). [Sample Marijuana Legalization Resolution For
Organizational Use.] Retrieved from http://whylegalizemarijuana.com/