Marijuana Legalization: Cost and Benefit - Research Paper Example

? Marijuana Legalization: Cost and Benefit By A Paper Presented in Partial Fulfillment Of the Requirements of and # Month, Year Your Street Address Phone # e-mail address Abstract This paper provides an analysis of the debate between those who seek the legalization of marijuana and those who wish to maintain the status quo. Looking at the arguments from each side, this paper arrives at the conclusion that the cost of marijuana far outweighs its potential benefits. The health risks primarily already create a cogent reason for the avoidance of marijuana, but the myriad social risks should be taken into consideration as well. While the benefits of marijuana cannot be discounted, these benefits pale in comparison to costs and drawbacks of prolonged marijuana use over time. Contents Contents Contents 3 Contents 3 Introduction 3 Brief History of Marijuana Use in the United States 4 Continued Prohibition of Marijuana use 6 Legalization of Marijuana use 8 Marijuana: Why the Costs Outweigh the Benefits 9 Conclusion and Reflections 11 Introduction The issue of marijuana legalization continues to generate controversy and stimulate debate among various sectors of society. Associated with writers and artists like Bob Marley, it connotes a peaceful, freedom-loving radical vibe – quite different from the violent tendencies associated with those who take other more hard-core drugs such as heroin, cocaine or metaphetamines. The drug, which comes from dried cannabis leaves which is smoked from a pipe or rolled into a thin sheet of paper and smoked as one does cigarettes, has gained a reputation for having minimal side effects and for only giving its users a sensation of floating and a feeling of utter calmness and relaxation. Thus, its popularity among hippies and artists. And yet, its dangers are also widespread and documented, with health effects and long-term consequences on the individual that cannot be discounted. Because the debate has been so polarizing and so contentious, many myths and fallacies have arisen about marijuana – both from its self-confessed users and its strenuous opponents. This papers attempts to render a sober look at both sides of the debate and present an analysis of the contrasting opinions on marijuana. It will then argue that the risks and dangerous that attend marijuana use still far outweigh whatever therapeutic benefits it may be said to have and the United States is correct to err on the side of prohibiting its use. This paper begins by providing a brief history of marijuana use in the United States, and then proceeds by looking at both sides of the marijuana debates. It then argues that the next twenty years should see a continuation of the prohibition of Marijuana, given its myriad risks. Afterwards, some reflections and recommendations are going to be made. Brief History of Marijuana Use in the United States Marijuana is a very common drug often associated with parties in universities (Gledhill-Hoyt, 2000) and is often the “first drug” or introductory drug of those want to experience the adventure of drug experimentation for the first time. Unlike drugs such as opium whose entry in the United States from the far east was a result of colonization and nineteenth century trading and thus had a more colourful history, marijuana arrived in American relatively late. According to Musto (1991) “the practice of smoking cannabis leaves came to the U.S. with Mexican immigrants, who had come North during the 1920s to work and it soon extended to white and black jazz musicians.” Strict regulation and control laws that accompanied the Prohibition however made the use of marijuana contained in a small minority, usually from immigrant communities living at the fringes of American society. There also was the Marihuana Tax Act of 1937, which released dramatic, if scientifically uncorroborated claims about the pernicious effects of alcohol. It was in the 1960s when marijuana’s use became widespread and became associated with peace, music and Woodstock. The counterculture that arose primarily as a protest response to the Vietnam War and there was an increase of social tolerance on the use of marijuana. Marijuana was even seen as a rite of passage, signalling a transition to adulthood. ((Brooks, et. al. 2002). The climate of social permissiveness however soon gave way to demands for greater regulation, presumably when the ill effects of marijuana were being felt and parents saw the adverse consequences on their children. In 1969, a college student was sentenced to twenty years incarceration for possession of a small amount of marijuana for personal use, under Virginia’s stiff drug control laws. In 1973, the Drug Enforcement Administration under the Department of Justice was created and given sole jurisdiction over drug-related issues. A zero-tolerance policy on drug was also implemented by the State. The policy of drug control and drug prevention continues to this day, as marijuana possession and distribution remain to be criminal acts that will be prosecuted under the law. This, however, has not stopped people from experimenting with marijuana. In a report that was quoted by Michael Lyman in his book, 57 percent of adults aged 19-28 have reported using Marijuana in their lifetimes. (2011). Admittedly, majority of these first time users do not proceed to become marijuana dependents. However, given the sheer number of marijuana users, even though only a minority develop a dependence on the substance, this minority still is a considerable number (Haney, 2005). Despite the clear legal and social bias against marijuana, the debates on it still persist, kept alive chiefly by assertions that marijuana has none of the violent effects of other hard-core drugs and examples from other countries, notably the Netherlands, where marijuana use is legal but regulated and it did not result in anarchic bedlam. This paper now proceeds to look at both sides of the marijuana debate, outlining the arguments made by each side. Continued Prohibition of Marijuana use Contrary to popular belief, marijuana has a lot of side effects and deleterious health consequences. This is the first major argument of those who support the continued prohibition of the state of marijuana. Many people mistake the fact that it is not possible to die from marijuana overdose with the wrong conclusion that marijuana is not dangerous. In fact, it is. To quote medical authorities: Intermittent use of low-potency cannabis is not generally associated with obvious toxicity. At high and frequent doses, however, literature indicates that cannabis can be harmful to health and that it affects virtually every system in the body. Cannabis pharmacology is complex; all recent scientific groups reviewing cannabis conclude it is capable of causing adverse effects to health. (Jones, 1984) According to Lyman (2011), the same health issues that attend cigarette smoking also attach to marijuana smoking. These are bronchitis, emphysema and bronchial asthma. It puts pressure on the lungs, thus increasing the risks to it. Among its long term effects are a loss of cell energy, and the saturation of the cell membrane, thereby blocking the passage of nutrients that the human body needs. Other effects, according to Lyman are “increased heart rate, dryness of the mouth, reddening of the eyes, impaired motor skills and concentration, and hunger with an increased desire for sweets.” Women who smoke marijuana are at a particular disadvantage, because Lyman reports that it has adverse effects on future reproductive capacities. The health risks are only the beginning. Studies have also demonstrated that marijuana results in an over-all decrease in motivation as it targets that part of the brain dealing with such. Marijuana abusers therefore, become sluggish, unproductive, directionless drifters. They are also prone to hallucinations and are apathetic as a result of the impact to the nervous system. When this happens, those affected are not only the marijuana users themselves but also their families and loved ones. Whilst marijuana is not as expensive as hard-core drugs like cocaine, it still has financial effects on the household. Drug dependents find themselves hard put to maintain the same job, and thus this compromises their ability to provide for their families. This is especially difficult on those who have children depending on them. Even if finances are not a problem, the emotional toll on relationships can be equally debilitating. In the most extreme cases, it has been reported that “adolescents with drug-abusing parents were more likely to report some kind of sexual abuse history.” (Hernandez, 1992). But less extreme cases are problematic as well. A very important finding was made by Brookes, Richter, et. al. (1999) on the relationship between adolescent marijuana use and capacity to take on adult responsibilities. To quote: A history of marijuana use was associated with an increased risk of adopting more unconventional adult roles, such as postponement of marriage, having a child out of wedlock, and unemployment. Results suggest that frequent prior marijuana use may adversely affect one's ability to successfully assume conventional adult roles. Even as there is already adequate evidence to demonstrate that on its own, marijuana has dangerous effects, there is also a possibility that marijuana can be a gateway for even more dangerous drugs with even more dangerous effects. There are findings to the effect that marijuana has in fact led to the experimentation of more hard-core drugs (Anthony, et. al. 1995) in some individuals, with marijuana emboldening them to keep experimenting or drawing them deeper and deeper into associations that encourage drug use, or even profit from it. In such a case, a downward spiral happens: it becomes harder and harder for the individual to control himself or herself, and it becomes harder and harder for society to extricate him or her from the pit and provide support and interventions. Marijuana becomes a gateway, and not an end, and the possibility that the individual’s life becomes compromised by the pernicious talons of drug addiction becomes almost inevitable. Legalization of Marijuana use It is important to note that those who advocate the legalization of marijuana always clarify that it is only marijuana that they seek to have legalized, and not the whole gamut of illegal drugs that are available in the black market. Thus, they distinguish between these hard-core drugs and marijuana. Supposedly, marijuana has therapeutic effects. Lyman reports marijuana can have medicinal value for treatment of glaucoma (2011). There is also evidence demonstrating that those who suffer from multiple sclerosis or any such condition involving diminished muscle control have been shown to have their condition improve through marijuana. Another common argument being propounded by those who seek the legalization not just of marijuana but of other soft drugs is that it is easier to regulate something when it is legal and within the pale of the law. By keeping the drug illegal, so the argument goes, the only ones being protected are those running the drug trade. Allowing state regulation would introduce a model wherein marijuana can only be smoked in designated places, it is kept out of the reach of minors and police can crush the cartels. Indeed, in countries like the Netherlands where marijuana is legal but regulated, you do not exactly see a society on the brink of destruction. Advocates also give examples of marijuana users whose own lives are successful and thriving despite the occasional and responsible use of marijuana. In a nutshell, that summarizes the key points being propounded by those in support of marijuana’s legalization. Marijuana: Why the Costs Outweigh the Benefits We now turn to this paper’s argument in support of the current policy to keep marijuana illegal. It is not easy to refute the research on the therapeutic benefits of marijuana and this paper has no intention of doing that. What this paper argues however is that the costs of legalization of marijuana far outweigh its avowed benefits. These costs are costs both to the individual and to society at large. Firstly, even assuming that marijuana does help those with cataract or can ease the pain brought about by diminished muscle control, it is by no means the only available remedy. There are many remedies out there made available by modern science that do not have the mind-altering effects of marijuana, nor its destructive potential. Through adequate research, we can certainly find the cures for human ailments without causing more problems and more ailments. If in the future, there are ailments for which the sole cure is marijuana, human genius and technology can certainly device methods wherein the crucial extracts of the plants are taken out and used to make medical formulations. Moreover, the purported benefits to those who need them for medical purposes – at present, those with cataract and those with muscle control issues -- do not warrant making them available to the whole population who wish to have access to it. Secondly, legalizing marijuana knowing full well its effects on motivation and productivity at a time of U.S. recession and unemployment would only result in bigger social problems that may be more difficult to solve in the long run. Instead of looking for new jobs and working harder to provide for their families, marijuana dependents will not feel the need to. Instead of increasing productivity to rev up the economy, legalizing marijuana will create a whole culture of legalized narcotic trips, with people sitting for hours in a haze of smoke and regrets. If the prices of marijuana are to be brought down by legalization, then it will be of greater access to those who need it least – those teetering precariously into poverty for whom marijuana will be an escape outlet from the real world of bills and mortgage. The Netherlands is still at a period of relative prosperity, hence social issues of this nature are not weighed down by considerations of the economy. This cannot be said for the United States in its current shape. Thirdly, the health risks associated with marijuana are long-term and too serious to be ignored or dispensed with. It affects virtually every important system in the body slowly but surely. Because marijuana is such an easy drug to take and one does feel its side effects wear off after some time, it is easy to trick the mind into thinking that prolonged use of marijuana over years of time will not do any harm. The scientific reality however tells a different story. From the nervous system to the kidneys to the lungs, its effects over a long period of time are debilitating and irreparable. Conclusion and Reflections Indeed, there are pros and cons to every issue. In this issue, the arguments to legalize marijuana are all valid and compelling. At the end of the day, however, one must make a choice. This paper posits that the state was right in holding that marijuana remains prohibited. The negative effects of the drug are far too much and the gains far too little. It is always difficult in a democracy to curtail a person’s freedom – as was the situation here -- but in some cases, including this one, the curtailment is valid. The fact of the matter is that there are too much risks and repercussions connected with marijuana that the legalization of it will bring about. The risks on the health, the risks of losing relationships with loved ones, the risks of diminished productivity cannot be ignored. Reflecting on these considerations, this paper concludes by stating that indeed, there is still a reason for the prohibition of marijuana. It still is necessary for the maintenance of the social bonds that hold society together. References Anthony J.C. and Petronis, K.R. (1995) “Early-onset drug use and risk of later drug problems”. Drug Alcohol Dependency. Vol. 40. 9-20. Brookes, J.S., Richter, L., Whitemine L., Cohen, P. (1999). “Consequences of adolescent marijuana use: Incompatibility with the assumption of adult roles.” Genetic, Social and General Psychology Monographs. Vol. 25(2), 193-207 Brooks, JS, Adams, RE; Balka, EB; and Johnson, E.(2002). “Early adolescent marijuana use: risks for transition to young adulthood”. Psychol Med. Vol. 32. 79-101. Gledhill-Hoyt J., Lee, H.; Strote, J; and Wechsler, H. (2000). “Increased use of marijuana and other illicit drugs at US colleges in the 1990s: results of three national surveys.” Addiction. Vol. 95. 1655-1703. Haney, M. (2006). “The Marijuana Withdrawal Syndrome: Diagnosis and Treatment”. Current Psychiatry Reports. Vol. 7(5). 360-366. Hernandez, J. (1992). “Substance abuse among sexually abused adolescents and their families.” Journal of Adolescent Health, Vol. 13, Issue 8. Pages 68-662. Kuhn, C., Swartzwelder, S., & Wilson, W. (2008) Buzzed: The straight facts about the most used and abused drugs from alcohol to ecstasy (3rd ed). New York, NY: W.W. Norton & Co. Lyman, M. D. (2011). Drugs in Society: Causes, Concepts and Control. (6th Ed.), Burlington, MA: Anderson Publishing.  Musto, D. (1991). “Opium, Cocaine and Marijuana in American History.” The Scientific American, 20-27. Read More