Marijuana Decriminalization and Legalization - 636 Words

The validity of marijuana decriminalization (and even legalization) is illustrated in the following analysis of the social, fiscal, political, and medical attributes and conceptions associated with the drug. Marijuana has been used for thousands of years, in 2008; archeologists discovered over two pounds of cannabis in a 2,700-year-old grave of a shaman found in Central Asia. (Armentano, 1) Should marijuana be legalized or at least decriminalized in America? The following information may give the reader a reason to consider scenarios inconsistent with current policies. Socially, marijuana being legal has virtually little to no impact on use. Use of marijuana in states with some kind of decriminalization or legalization measure in place did increase, but use in states that do not increase at a similar or even a higher rate. Over 41% of Americans have tried marijuana, thats over 102 million people. In comparison with the 41% of Americans that have tried marijuana only 15% of Americans have ever tried cocaine, the second most popular illegal drug, there goes the gateway effect. (Armentano, 1) Marijuana being decriminalized or legalized does not increase the use of marijuana and has virtually no effect on the use of alcohol or other harder illegal drugs. From a fiscal standpoint, the legalization of marijuana is nothing but beneficial. California, Washington, and Colorado have all legalized to some extent, and are already raking in taxes on the purchase of this, now legal,Show MoreRelatedShould Drugs Be Decriminalized?1666 Words   |  7 Pagesother options exist? This paper will discuss the pros and cons about one option: decriminalizing drugs. The obvious place to start is by defining terminology. What does decriminalization mean? Decriminalization is not the same thing as legalization; these are two different options for dealing with illegal drug use. Legalization means that the government authorizes the use and sale of certain drugs to adults (The Drug Policy Forum of Texas [DPFT], 2004). A current example of this would be restaurantsRead MoreCommunications1510 Words   |  7 PagesParaphrasing Practice Decriminalization of Marijuana Author: Lucia Pizzo Throughout the early 2000s, many states decriminalized marijuana. Levels of decriminalization varied with regard to the amount of marijuana in possession and whether the drug was for personal use, cultivation, or distribution. By 2010, marijuana had been at least partially decriminalized in Arkansas, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, NevadaRead MoreShould Marijuana Be Legalized?1714 Words   |  7 Pagesthought of legalizing drugs in the U.S and the effects of legalizing or not legalizing drugs. There are several drugs such as cocaine, heroin, opium, to name a few, with the most common being marijuana. The question raised on this topic is whether we should prohibit drug use, making it illegal or only allow marijuana to be legal. Discussions on this topic mention that drugs will be available in the market despite marking it illegal and will still be accessible in the black market regardless whether weRead MoreThe Encyclopedia Of Drug Abuse760 Words   |  4 Pages1. Brien, Roberts. Marijuana. â€Å"The Encyclopedia of Drug Abuse. 2nd ed. New York: Facts on File, 1992. 175-79. Print. Summary: The article in this reference source also offers an overview of what marijuana is, but provides a more thorough overview of its ancient history than the above reference source. What is truly excellent about this article is that it examines the effects of marijuana usage. Also, the article discusses how the effects are highly subjective and dependent on several variablesRead MoreLegalization of Drugs Essay1305 Words   |  6 Pages The current hot-topic debate about the legalization of marijuana for medical exposes the long lasting debate about the economic viability of prohibiting certain kind of drugs considered illicit. Many social costs to society are attributable to illicit drugs, along with tobacco, alcohol, and guns. In fact, each of these vices is allegedly responsible for $200 billion annual expenditure in social costs of the USA (Donohue, 2010). Interestingly, all these commodities mentioned above have common characteristics:Read MoreStigma And Stigma Of Marijuana Essay1603 Words   |  7 PagesThe stigma of marijuana started in the 1930s when it was first prohibited nationwide, but since then, the stigma has changed quite drastically to the point where the sigma could be completely eradicated in the near future. The stigma that was created from the prohibition of marijuana is something that still affects every American today. In a brief history of the stigma, it can be traced back to the 1930s where its prohibition would begin, by the 1960s, no one would do it in their right mind becauseRead MoreShould Marijuana Be Legal?1590 Words   |  7 PagesAttitudes toward the legalization due to the shifts over time take into consideration a shockingly exact reproduction of four decade of American social history. In November 2012, voters in Colorado and Washington State passed a law allowing, dispersion, and ownership of marijuana for medical and recreational use. This paper does not address the subject of whether cannabis ought to be legal; it c oncentrates on the configuration contemplation of making an adjustment in cannabis strategy. RegardlessRead MoreShould Marijuana Drugs Be Legalized?932 Words   |  4 Pagesdeaths. These same consequences can be seen in Portugal before their drug decriminalization, but have reduced immensely after 2001. When we think about drugs, we think about children and teens succumbing into peer pressure to use drugs. While people think decriminalizing drugs will make it easier for adolescents to use drugs, in the case of Portugal, drug use has actually decreased. According to the graph on Drug Decriminalization in Portugal: A Health-Centered Approach, you can see that drug use inRead MoreEssay on Why Marijuana Should Not be Legalized1595 Words   |  7 PagesLegalization or decriminalization of marijuana is opposed by a vast majority of American’s and people around the world. Leaders in Marijuana prevention, education, treatment, and law enforcement adamantly oppose the substance, as do many political leaders. However, pro-drug advocacy groups, who support the use of illegal drugs, are making headlines. They are influencing decision making thru legislation and having a significant impact on the national policy debate here in the United States andRead MoreThe Drug Prohibition Of The United States Of America1629 Words   |  7 Pagesevidence that exists does not support the notion of souring drug consumption. For instance, in the Netherland and Switzerland, where marijuana is legalized, the consumption rate is lower than in the United States of America, where consumption of Marijuana is prohibited in most of the states. This study argues for the legalization of the consumption of drugs and decriminalization of possession and use of drugs in the United States of America. Drugs were legal for many years before the 1914 Harrison Act