Legalization of Marijuana - Research Paper Example

Task: Legalization of Marijuana The controversy over the marijuana law in America continues to create argument among economists, legislatures and health experts. What is apparent is the argument as whether to legalize marijuana or render it prohibited under the law. Marijuana is a drug that has an intoxicating effect. Smoking dried leaves and flowering tops of the pistillate hemp plant initiates the intoxication effect. In several instances, marijuana consumption helps in reduction of pain and the related condition. Marijuana consumption is currently illegal in several countries, including the United States. The prohibition of marijuana came in 1937 when the state declared its consumption illegal (Havelka 1). Since its prohibition, related cases of marijuana consumption continue to dominate the law enforcement sector and victims who break the law face the justice system. The question as to whether the drug should be legal draws considerable support and disregard from a range of diplomatic, social, economic and health grounds. In the contemporary society, legalization of marijuana would form a fair ground in the end of the debate. The apparent anticipation by a number of individuals of the possibility of an increase in marijuana consumption upon its legalization does not form a credible reason to oppose the debate. Since the illegalization of marijuana, the numbers of people who consume it continue to rise and increase. An increase in the number of consumers of marijuana, according to records by the law enforcement sector, is an indispensable reality. Partly, the elevating number of marijuana users emanates from the illegality of its consumption since the illegality strikes the urge from many people, the youth especially, to try out its use. There are several theories that suggest that illegalizing drug use and its prohibition boost the usage, on the contrary. The ban on alcohol use, for instance, eradicated a considerable resource of revenues taxes from the government and increased the spending of government to impose the laws. These are applicable in the use of marijuana, given its prohibition. Legalization of marijuana, therefore, would eliminate the psychological effect that strikes the youth to try out its use. Legalization would lower the number of new addicts of marijuana and its consumption and abuse. It is, therefore, viable and logical to legalize marijuana in the contemporary society as a means to reduce the number of new addicts and users, especially among the youths. The fight against drug and substance abuse is an evidently expensive engagement for a number of governments. It involves the enforcement of the law that prohibits the conduct. There is an increase in the expenses in the judicial system to execute cases of marijuana sales victims and those who consume the drug. The various expenses used shall considerably reduce with the legalization of marijuana. Besides reducing the expenses used to ensure no marijuana use, legalizing marijuana in would serve as a source of revenues. Tax imposed on marijuana can help in boosting the amount of revenue collected by the country. The sales of marijuana with its legalization would increase job opportunities. Increased job opportunities have a vital contribution in ensuring a stable economic condition of a country. It would turn advantageous to legalize marijuana use given the role it would play in contributing to an improved economic condition. Ensuring a healthy population is a key role of every government. Drug and substance abuse is detrimental to the health of the population that the government has the mandate to protect. Government health officials rarely test illegal drugs for their safety when consumed by the citizens since they are sold through unaccepted means. Illegal sales of drugs render the health of the public at stake since the drugs do not pass health tests. Legalization of marijuana would see an enactment of laws that will have provisions on heath standards consideration for its sales. This will improve the health of the population by ensuring that marijuana sold to the population conforms to the health standards set in the provisions. The reduced black market sales of marijuana would ensure that the health of the population is safe and that the sales of substandard marijuana do not prevail in the country that may present an adverse effect on the population health. Marijuana has its application as medicine prescribed by medical experts to redress health conditions as low appetite in patients (Turnlund 1). As a cannabis drug, is applicable in controlling nausea and vomiting in patients. Marijuana also serves as a safe therapeutically active substance when consumed in its natural form. The medical use of marijuana renders it safe for consumption at sustainable and prescribed amounts. Legalization of marijuana though enactment of a law that has provisions for the recommended amount of marijuana would be a suitable idea. The provisions of such legislation should also provide for the recommended form of marijuana for consumption would be beneficial to people who need to take it for medical purposes. Despite its illegal nature, the marijuana industry still thrives in the society. The country’s economy continues to undergo losses in terms of tax evasion in such illegal businesses as marijuana sales. The effect illegal business on the economy is adverse through reduced revenue collection. It, therefore, turns out to be advisable to legalize the marijuana industry to avoid the related effects of illegal marijuana sale on the economy. This would be viable through enactment of laws with provisions on the taxation of marijuana sales transactions that would improve revenue generation to support and improve the economic situation. Legalizing marijuana would have other extensive economic advantages to the country. Marijuana farming would provide agricultural benefits to farmers. Marijuana crops’ farming is a source of employment to the farmers. This consequently improves their living standards. Improved employment opportunities from the farming of marijuana are among the factors that contribute immensely to a stable economy of the country. The demand of resources used in the farming of marijuana further serves to boost the economy of the country. The debate on marijuana legalization or prohibition may rotate around related impacts on the budget of the country. Those in opposition to the prohibition present premises as reduced marijuana trafficking in the country with prohibition. Supporters of the prohibition also present reasons as increased productivity and improvements in health. They also point at budgetary benefits as some of the grounds to avoid its legalization. Under prohibition, victims convicted of offenses related to marijuana use and possession would pay fines. These fines are sufficient to offset the cost of enforcing the law against marijuana possession and use. This would translate to no effect on the budgetary expenditure and, therefore, create no constrains on the budget. Second, assets seized from those arrested by marijuana law violations are sufficient to fund the law enforcement cost as prosecutors and police remuneration. Such assets include financial accounts and cars among other possessions. While advocates for the prohibition present grounds for their take, the effects seem more adverse than they present it according to critics. Several economists against the prohibition support the idea to legalize marijuana for its adverse implications on the budgets of countries. Prohibition of marijuana prevents the government from imposing taxes on the product and related trade activities. The budgetary costs of the direct enforcement of marijuana related laws continue to increase in the United States. These direct enforcement costs would be negligible with the legalization of marijuana use in the country. The government, instead, would benefit from taxation and taxes levied which translates to an increase in revenue with a corresponding reduction in government expenditure. According to economists, there is demand for policy refroms on the state of marijuana farming, possession, trade and consumption in the country. The budgetary cost of decriminalization of marijuana tends to exceed that of legalizing marijuana. First, legalization of marijuana in the country would reduce the number of people arrested for trafficking marijuana. Legalization also saves the government the cost of arrests for possessions of marijuana. Prosecutorial, judicial as well as expenses related to incarceration of marijuana offense cases would reduce to a minimum when marijuana is legal. These expenses save the budget, contrary to when marijuana was illegal where the country would incur such costs. According to a research in published in The Guardian, a considerable number of states tend to lessen their limitation on the use of marijuana (Enten 1). States tend to lessen the ban on marijuana use after realizing that taxing and imposing regulations on marijuana use serves best to prevent its spread to the population, especially children. Governments tend to lessen the raising of marijuana facilities by law enforcement officers (Welchand and Leinwand 1). The American Medical Association, in 2010, challenged the congress to rectify the law on marijuana by classifying it as a drug that has possible benefits to the economy. The Marijuana Policy Project launched campaigns aimed at promoting the use of marijuana for its medical benefits. The state of California allowed the use of marijuana as a drug in 1996. This saw an increased use of marijuana on a number of ailments as cancer as well as arthritis. Research conducted show that a considerable number of Americans prefer the legalization of marijuana. Adults should have access to marijuana, according to the research. They point at the related criminal instances that would be on the increase with the probation of marijuana use. A big portion of the population opts for a regime in which the use and possession of marijuana are subject to taxation and regulations. The marijuana legalization organization points at a number of reasons to support their campaign for a policy that would uplift the prohibition on marijuana. According to the organization, rights are a fundamental need in life. Independent and rational choice making is part of basic rights of human beings given that their actions are not harmful to the society and the people themselves (Rosenthal and Kubby 2). Marijuana use should be legal since people have the liberty to make informed choices. This would be a measure of promoting individual liberty. The resource used in enforcing the policy that prohibits marijuana use is a waste of taxpayers’ resources since the business seems to exist despite efforts to end it. In addition, prohibition seems ineffective in finding the solution to effects of marijuana use. Other avenues as education and regulation may present better results than prohibition. Enlightening the public of the effects of marijuana is a possible avenue to address the issue. Regulation efforts as those applied on marijuana sales would be possible means of preventing the effects of marijuana on individuals and society. The fight against marijuana consumption would include adverts and social campaigns aimed at informing the public against marijuana use. Past experiences’ failure to use prohibition on other substances as alcohol is evidence of the ineffectiveness of prohibition (Evans 1). It may not work for marijuana, as well. Legalizing marijuana becomes the best option in the debate. Works Cited Enten, Harry. “Would Obama boost his re-election bid by backing weed?” The guardian. 16 June 2012. Web. 7 Aug 2012. Evans, David. “Argument for the Legalization of Marijuana Don’t Stand Up.” U.S. News Weekly. 9 July 2012. Web. 7 August 2012. < http://www.usnews.com/debate-club/is-it-time-to-scale-back-the-war-on-drugs/arguments-for-the-legalization-of-marijuana-dont-stand-up>. Havelka, Matt. “Legalizing Weed May Benefit Society, Economy.” The Daily Nebraskan, 2008. 17 July 2012. Web 7 August 2012. . Rosenthal, Ed and Kubby, Steve. Why Marijuana Should Be Legal. New York, NY: Running Press, 2003. Print. Turnlund, Erica. Benefits of Legalizing Marijuana. Norderstedt, DENOT: GRIN Verlag, 2011. Print. Welchand, William and Leinwand, Donna. “Slowly, states are lessening limits on marijuana.” USA TODAY, 2010. 3 September 2010. Web. 7 August 2012. Read More