For years the cry out for the legalization of marijuana has been a hot issue for many Americans particularly in the last several years with activist petitioning for the legalization in the many ballots throughout the United States. Now, even more so with Colorado and Washington decriminalizing marijuana for medical and recreational use even though in doing so it violates federal law which regulates drugs through the Controlled Substances Act of 1970 (Americans For Safe Access). These activists claim that with the legalization marijuana the United States can place a tax on marijuana, use marijuana for medical purposes, use marijuana as a resource, and that the crime rates can possibly go down. On the other hand, many Americans, oppose the legalization of marijuana for a number of reasons because it is morally wrong and it goes against core family values, that marijuana is a gateway drug, the crime rate will not decrease but in fact rise, and that the legalization of marijuana goes against federal drug law therefore should not be legalize. Pros: Taxing Marijuana Many activists have this notion that by placing a tax on marijuana the way United States does on alcohol, tobacco, and on the owners that grow and distribute medical marijuana that the generated funds can be used for pulling America out of its financial debt. As crazy as this idea may sound it actually makes a great deal of sense to legalize and tax marijuana. For example, Colorado and Washington are trying to establish a bill that would place a fifteen percent tax rate on recreational use and an excise tax on pot transfers between pot growers and sellers (Bowen) since the voters legalized it for recreational and medical use. Furthermore, the State of Colorado has already ge... ... middle of paper ... ...n saying that it is ok to do drugs. It is bad already that we have television glamourizing drug use, pop culture expressing drug use is fun to do, and young children in seventh grade and up doing marijuana excessively. How are we as parents supposed to compete against marijuana if our government says it is ok to do? In conclusion, although there are many advocates that claim that with the legalization of marijuana the United States can place a tax on it, use marijuana for medical purposes, and use marijuana as a resource. There are still many Americans that condone the legalization of marijuana and therefore this issue is going to continue to attract many spectators throughout our nation even if it gets legalized or not. One thing is for certain marijuana is still a crime to sell, possess, and grow in the United States through the Controlled Substances Act of 1970.
...Marijuana is also a major cash crop and has the potential to be America’s largest cash crop. Medical Marijuana has been legalized in twelve United States including California. California has legalized medical marijuana and has had great success. Marijuana is California’s largest cash crop, raking in billions of dollars a year which is helping California’s debt. If America legalized and taxed marijuana, we could see the economy flourish and could help us break this recession.
Legalizing and Taxing marijuana has its ups and its downs. The United States federal government makes cannabis illegal to sell and own. Many States now are legalizing the selling of marijuana and owning of it even though Federal Law makes it illegal but State and Federal government are separate. Taxing marijuana would be a huge revenue producer for taxpayers. You can tax it as much as you want.
Legalizing marijuana on a federal level can prove to be very beneficial to America in various ways, especially if it is taxed and regulated the same as alcohol or tobacco products. Of course opposes of marijuana legalization proclaim that there are no benefits and that legalization would only add to drug abuse in America especially with adolescents. However, tobacco and alcohol are used far more among teens; marijuana use among teenagers has decreased to 7.2% in 2007 as opposed to 8.2% in 2002, yet all three are illegal for teens (Johnson). Not to mention that marijuana use has proved to be less harmful than drugs that are legal such as alcohol, tobacco, prescription painkillers, and a new popular drug known as synthetic marijuana or K2. Synthetic marijuana is a non-cannabis product that contains chemicals and dried plant material and produces psychoactive effects similar to marijuana, but it is more dangerous (Wanlund, 865-88). Unlike marijuana, synthetic marijuana is cheaper and readily available; it can cause death, seizures, psychotic episodes, heart attack and strokes (865-88). In fact, within the first six months of 2015, synthetic marijuana claimed the lives of 15 people, yet it is still sold at local stores (865-88). By legalizing and regulating marijuana, the U.S can increase the safety of its citizens using the drug, restrict minors’ access to the drug and decrease its death count of citizens using similar or far worse drugs. Street dealers do not check ID’s or provide childproof packaging and carefully label products. “When we take cannabis out of the underground market and put it behind a legal, regulated counter, we create a safer more responsible system” (865-88). Furthermore, cannabis is not addictive. “A small min...
Marijuana is a drug that can be consumed by either smoking or eating; this drug is typically used for medicinal or recreational use, however, in the United States it is the most popular illegal drug used on a daily basis by many users. Under federal law marijuana is classified as a schedule one controlled substance, also in this category includes heroin, LSD, and PCP. Marijuana has many street names such as Pot, herb, weed, Mary Jane, grass, and reefer just to name a few. Marijuana is considered a gateway drug and may lead to potential use of other hardcore illicit drugs. American’s spend roughly 100 billion dollars worth of marijuana a year, which is about thirty-two million pounds of weed, annually. Regardless if marijuana is legal or illegal people are going to continue using it. Legalizing marijuana brings much controversy; there isn’t much research available on marijuana to prove whether it would be beneficial to legalize. However, the government makes it very difficult for researchers to investigate the affects marijuana would have on our society, because it is prohibited. If American’s were educated on the use of weed, they would understand it isn’t any more dangerous than consuming alcohol. Marijuana prohibition creates an illegal economy, allows easy access to youth, and is costly to tax payers.
Suppose your government made the decision that Christmas or your favorite coffee was suddenly criminalized. How would you react? America faced the prohibition of many substances throughout time, however, no law has been so controversial as the criminalization of marijuana. As a result of the criminalization of the drug, it has been illegal for citizens to use cannabis recreationally and medically, as well as for practical purposes. Marijuana has many medical uses as well as practical uses, such as using hemp instead of rope or taking advantage of marijuana as a paper resource instead of our diminishing trees.With marijuana still illegal in the United States, our country is taking a huge loss by squandering money by putting citizens in jail, wasting a valuable cash crop, as well as sponsoring violence and corruption throughout the streets.
The cannabis plant has been the topic of much debate throughout the history of this country. Many people don't know that it was not the effect of cannabis that originally spurred its banning. It was actually originally the work of the cotton industry who put big money behind illegalization for the plant's mind altering effects. The cotton industry was afraid that hemp, a product of the cannabis plant, would soon overpower the strong hold of cotton since it was a more durable textile that required less work, less ground depletion, and could be grown almost anywhere. Since the time when cannabis first became illegal it has been grouped with other narcotics as a counterpart. The truth is cannabis has many benefits to society and other than the effects of smoke inhalation has very few negatives. Those against legalization try to put cannabis in the same light as other more potent drugs like cocaine and heroin. There are many misconceptions about the substance and it is clear it should be looked at separately.
With the growing number of people supporting the legalization of marijuana is it time to pass laws and make recreational use legal, or do all faults outweigh the good? The debate on whether marijuana should be legalized is currently a controversial topic. Many people have expressed their views on the topic, supporting their reasons for whether they think marijuana should be legalized. For some states it was easier to decide if the pros of legalizing marijuana outweighed the cons; such as Colorado and Washington. These states have already legalized the recreational use of marijuana.
In the last fiscal year alone, marijuana brought 70 million dollars in tax revenue in the state of Colorado. Colorado was the first state to legalize marijuana recreationally in the fall of 2012, and since then three other states and the District of Columbia have legalized the plant. Based off of sales in states that have legalized marijuana recreationally, if all fifty states legalized marijuana, they would bring in a combined 3 billion dollars in tax revenue yearly. That much money from sales of the plant alone could help to stabilize the suffering economy. Moreover, the American Government would be able to control the plant and distribute it how ever they see fit. The economic growth marijuana legalization could bring to the United States outweighs any argument against
The legal status of marijuana is one of the most disputed topics of today. Once completely frowned upon, marijuana’s legality was never questioned; however, fast forward to the present and one will notice that this negative stigma is beginning to fade away. The negative claims regarding marijuana are gradually becoming discredited by science. Without this negative propaganda, the positive aspects of marijuana are beginning to surface. Marijuana should be legalized because it is relatively harmless when compared to other legal substances, entails economic benefits, and would allow the authorities to focus resources on illegal activity that affects the people they took an oath to serve.
It’s dangerous, addictive, and destroys millions of teen lives, that is what we are led to believe about marijuana. We have been conditioned to think it is bad and the people that use it are bad. Over 98 million people over the age of 12 have smoked. It is very common, and plays a substantial role in modern day pop culture. The problem is that so many of us are unfamiliar with all the benefits marijuana provides. Instead of assuming it’s dangerous, as a country we should keep an open-mind to the positives it may bring to the United States. That is why the legalization of marijuana should be available for those at least 21 years of age because of the economic, health and social benefits.
The most widely discussed benefit of legalizing cannabis is the tax revenue that can be gained on the state and federal level. With the legalization and sale of cannabis in all of the United States, the local, state, and federal governments will be able to gross millions and potentially billions of dollars each year that can be used to fund schools, support communities, and provide a variety of help in multiple other areas. The medicinal marijuana sales alone in only the state of Colorado from 2011-2012 reached over $219 million dollars and earned just under $6 million dollars in state sales tax (colorado.gov). Medicinal marijuana in Colorado was without an excise tax, but was still able to reel in approximately $6 million in taxes. The medicinal marijuana laws are still in effect in Colorado, but with the addition to recreational marijuana sales, the state, local, and federal governments should be able to bring in even more tax revenue (sos.state.co.us). The curren...
Meet John Eastridge, Sentenced to six months local jail, his crime consisted of Rape, first degree sexual assault, and sex with a minor(“The Daily News”). Now meet Bernard Noble, sentenced to thirteen years to prison(“Drug Policy Alliance Highlights”). You’re asking yourself “what could mr Noble have done to receive such a disruptive sentence. Mr Noble’s “crime” was the possession of two marijuana cigarettes. This is the world we live in were rapists get a slap on the wrist compared the bludging that this “drug user” encountered. This occurs every day in America, for honest citizens are arrested for enjoying Marijuana, rather than the much needed enforcement that should be established in assault and rape crimes.
Marijuana is a drug that has been used recreationally for many years. There has been some controversy on whether or not it should be legalized under federal law for recreational use. Currently, it is illegal by federal law, but some states have legalized it, going against state law. Recreational marijuana must be legalized because it will generate money, regulations that make it safe, and it is less harmful than alcohol and cigarettes, which are legal substances.
The most widely used drugs in society are legal ones. Alcohol is perhaps the most common, with cigarettes being a close second, marijuana being the third most widely used recreational drug (Schmidt, 1503). The legalization of cannabis will lead to a rise in its use and consumption because it is more accessible. If marijuana were legalized, the government would be the only one benefitting from the legalization of it. All of the extra revenue they would be bringing in would be unreal. The government has enough power as it is, we do not need to give them
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.