Almost every American has heard of marijuana and its many nicknames such as weed, MJ, Mary Jane, cannabis, etc. “Nearly 100 million Americans use marijuana.” (“About Marijuana”) NORML, an organization that advocates changing marijuana laws, states, “Marijuana is the third most popular recreational drug in America behind alcohol and tobacco.” (“About Marijuana.”) If this many people are using it, why has it not been legalized? Some would say it should remain illegal because it hurts people and is harmful to society. To a point, it can be hurtful to people and harmful to society by creating overeaters and mellowed out, couch-bums; however, marijuana itself has never been shown to kill anyone. It is just like alcohol and tobacco. It has been a controversial topic for many years. Government leaders have debated about its therapeutic use and affect on society. Some strongly believe that it should be legalized for recreational and medicinal purposes, others are against legalization, others feel decriminalizing it should be sufficient, and the rest feel that it should be strictly used for medicinal purposes. Many states are moving in the direction to legalize marijuana for medicinal purposes while a few have casted a ballot to legalize it and create revenue off of it. Legalizing marijuana should be up to the people. Decriminalizing it does not seem to be enough. This means that marijuana would still be illegal but the consequences of using it are not criminal. This still leads to corruption, drug cartels, the black market, and prohibiting the right to make choices. If the people want it legalized, the government should legalize it and regulate it like alcohol and tobacco. The benefits of legalization would help the Unit... ... middle of paper ... ...Want to Legalize Marijuana." Rolling Stone. 27 Jun 2013: n. page. Web. 28 Oct. 2013. . Messamore, Wesley. "This Cartoon Proves Why It's Time to Legalize Marijuana in America." PolicyMic. Mic Network Inc, 13 October 2013. Web. 23 October 2013. . "Organized Crime and Prohibition." University of Albany. State University of New York. Web. 12 Nov 2013. . "Pennsylvania." Marijuana Policy Project. N.p., 10 Sep 2013. Web. 1 Nov 2013. . Schuette, Ryan. "Marijuana Legalization: The Republican Argument for Doing It." Policy Mic. Mic Network Inc, 17 Sep 2013. Web. 22 Oct 2013.
Sandbrook is incorrect to remark that from the moment the Volstead Act came into effect, America’s National gangsters saw it as a business opportunity. This is because the early years of Prohibition were years where enforcement was particularly strict, which made the distribution of alcohol very risky. Yet regardless, by far criminals who had the most to gain were gangsters such as Al Capone, who made $100 million a year from speakeasies and casinos alone. Violence played a large role in organised crimes during the years of Prohibition, with an increase in burglary, theft and battery assaults by a total of 22%. There were also wars between gangsters over each other’s territory, and the most famous act of violence during the years of Prohibition came from Capone’s army of 700 gangsters, who committed over 300 murders in Chicago. Willoughby points out that although organised crime existed in the years before and after Prohibition, it was “albeit on a smaller scale.” This is convincing as the affluence that the twenties created, along with demands for alcohol provided alternative opportunities for organised crime. Arguably, Clements acknowledges that even after the repeal of Prohibition, the wealth that corrupted illegal organisations accumulated made them turn to other areas where they could make a vast amount of profit, such as prostitution, gambling and drugs. Certainly,
It is said that for every market that is destroyed, a new underground market is created. This was exactly the case with prohibition. Though domestic violence did decrease, much crime increased. Bootlegers (people who made/sold their own whiskey) popped up everywhere. Speakeasies, which were underground bars, were frequented by virtually everyone. Seceret drinking was considered a glamorous thing-even in Washington parties. Bootlegging gangs began to increase, thus an increase in street crime occured. One of the most famous of these gangsters was Al Capone. Capone's bootlegging ring earned him approximately 60,000,000 dollars a year. One example of gang related crime was the St. Valentines Day Massacre, in which Capones's gang gunned down and killed seven members of "Bugs" Morgans' gang.
Works Cited "The California Marijuana Vote." New Yorker 23 Dec 1996: 62+. Brookhiser, Richard. "Pot Luck." National Review 11 Nov 1996: 27+ Simmons, Michael. "Give Pot a Chance." Rolling Stone 26 Dec 1996: 111+. Rist, Curtis and Harrison, Laird. "Weed the People." People 21 Oct. 1996: 75+. Funk and Wagnall's Volume 23 "Marijuana" 1996 Baum, Dan. "California's Separate Peace." Rolling Stone 30 Oct. 1997: 43+ Brookhiser, Richard. "Lost in the Weed." U.S. News & World Report 3 Jan. 1997: 9 Buckley, William "Legalization of Marijuana Long Overdue" The Albuquerque Journal. Online. 8 June 1993.
middle of paper ... ... Should Marijuana Be Legalized? San Diego, CA: Reference Paint, Zoll.
The. Nishi, Dennis. A. Prohibition. San Diego, CA: Greenhaven, 2003. Print.
America is in a war. A drug war with marijuana.Marijuana is a hallucinogen grown naturally as the cannabis plant. Smoking pot clearly has far fewer dangerous and hazardous effects on society than legal drugs such as alcohol, yet it is federally illegal. It is established scientific fact that marijuana is not toxic to humans; marijuana overdoses are nearly impossible, and marijuana is not nearly as addictive as alcohol or tobacco. But, the marijuana prohibition continues to be thriving. Marijuana prohibition causes more problems than it solves. This nation spends too much money where it could be making more money. If America were to legalize marijuana, it would cause a healthier economy, improve health care, and it would be safer than legal drugs like alcohol and cigarettes. The prohibition ruins thousands more lives than it supposedly tries to save and it should stop.
Ever since marijuana’s introduction to the United States of America in 1611, controversy of the use and legalization of the claimed-to-be Schedule I drug spread around the nation. While few selective states currently allow marijuana’s production and distribution, the remaining states still skepticize the harmlessness and usefulness of this particular drug; therefore, it remains illegal in the majority of the nation. The government officials and citizens of the opposing states believe the drug creates a threat to citizens due to its “overly-harmful” effects mentally and physically and offers no alternate purposes but creating troublesome addicts hazardous to society; however, they are rather misinformed about marijuana’s abilities. While marijuana has a small amount of negligible effects to its users, the herbal drug more importantly has remarkable health benefits, and legalizing one of the oldest and most commonly known drugs would redirect America’s future with the advantages outweighing the disadvantages.
Swift, A. (2013, October 22). For first time, americans favor legalizing marijuana. Retrieved from http://www.gallup.com
The legalization of marijuana is a very prominent and controversial topic in today’s society. Many people will argue against the legalization because of the lies and stereotypes that have been posed against the typical “pot smoker.” The skewed perception of lazy and unmotivated Americans spread over the last century have distorted the truth about cannabis. There are many different reasons for legalizing marijuana including an easy tax to profit from, medical reasons, and also many drugs and substances that are already legal are much more dangerous.
On November 5th, 1996 Ballot Proposition 215 was approved which removed criminal penalties for the use, possession, and cultivation of marijuana by anybody who has a written recommendation from their doctor saying he/she would benefit from medicinal marijuana. In recent years, the use of recreational marijuana has increased. More and more adolescents and adults are using marijuana on a day to day basis and that number is only just increasing. Marijuana has become not a big issue in our culture. In California, the use of recreational marijuana is still illegal but with the help of the media, the horrible stigma tied along to it is surely fading. Marijuana can be used everywhere now with the tools that are available. Just recently, “vape pens” have become a big thing in society making the intake of marijuana not only more potent but more discreet. The use of recreational marijuana can be used anytime throughout the day depending on the user’s wants and needs. Many marijuana users use this drug for its health benefits. “Doctors prescribe medicinal marijuana to treat muscle spasms by mul...
The newly established Federal Prohibition Bureau had only 1,550 agents, and “with 18,700 miles of vast and virtually unpoliceable coastline, it was clearly impossible to prevent immense quantities of liquor from entering the country.” Not even 5% of smuggled liquor was ever actually captured and seized from the hands of the bootleggers. Bootlegging has become a very competitive and lucrative market with the adaptation of prohibition. This illegal underground economy fell into the hands of organized gangs who overpowered most of the authorities. Most of these gangsters, secured their businesses by bribing an immense number of city officials.
Rosenthal, Ed, and Steve Kubby (2004) "Marijuana Should Be Legalized for Medical Use." Retrieved from Opposing Viewpoints: The War on Drugs.
For thousands of years human beings have attempted to find ways to get passed the struggles of their lives. With the pain of the world stopping people from enjoying simple pleasures, sometimes there is a need for help. Marijuana brings millions of people relief from the pain they feel on a day-to-day basis. This completely natural plant which helped so many people has puzzled the leaders of our nation for a long time. The THC in marijuana causes its users to experience a mild-huluciginic or high. The effect that marijuana has on a person has prevented the product from being legalized. Many other details about the plant, like the speculation of it being a gateway drug, have put another blockage on its legalization. Even though there are speculations about the plant, the benefit that it brings to the table most definitely out way its disadvantages. Marijuana can also alleviate several symptoms associated with cancer and Aids treatments and disorders. While Marijuana is effective as a medicine, it is also extremely lucrative. The economic benefits that Marijuana brings to the table are endless. Upon marijuana’s legalization, the economy would experience an immediate influx. Legalization of Marijuana would also drastically reduce crime in our cities and form a more productive society through its positive uses. The benefits that marijuana brings medically and economically are considerable enough to legalize its use medically or recreational.
As of today the nation stands behind three basic ideas of what to do with marijuana; legalize marijuana, make it legal only as a prescription drug, or keep it as it is, illegal. People, who are pro-marijuana like me, argue that marijuana is considerably less harmful than tobacco and alcohol, the most frequently used legal drugs. Furthermore marijuana has never directly caused anyone's death. People who side with the legalization of marijuana for medical purposes believe that the ends justify the means. But the people who want to keep it illegal think that the medical uses do not outweigh the harmful side effects.
Marijuana continues to be one of the most used illegal drugs in the United States. Marijuana has been used for many years and at one time was legal to consume. Throughout the years, marijuana has been used for treatment of different medical conditions and has been used recreationally by people of all ages. While the use of medicinal marijuana has proven to be effective in treating medically ill patients, society continues to question its recreational use and the long term effects it will have on its users. Some feel that legalizing marijuana will only open up avenues for the use of more potent drugs, causing an increase in criminal activity. However, a number of people question why it is considered illegal being it is a naturally growing