Decriminalization of Marijuana, Free Essay for You

Marijuana decriminalization is a contentious subject which has gotten studied for a long time. The question of whether pot should be made legal or not is a crucial one. Many concerns are surrounding the use of pot. Is it destructive as depicted by specific ads? My opinion is that pot should get legalized because the controversy surrounding the issue gets often exaggerated and it is not as damaging as many assume. In this paper, the decriminalization of pot will get examined thoroughly. The analysis in this paper will further investigate pot prohibition. The effects of pot on the trade and medical fields will also get looked at deeply. The medical conflicts and legal use of pot will get weighed against its illegal and substantial abuse and only then can one conclude whether it is good to legalize or completely ban the use of pot.

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Legalizing pot has over a long time been a political issue. Government entities and state offices have always failed to come up with a collective voice and solution concerning the use of pot. Past eras such as the Nixon administration categorized pot as a schedule 1 drug. The administration placed pot in the same category of notorious drug substances such as cocaine, hearing, crack and crystal meth. Overseas then pot was considered a hard drug. Nixon had started a movement whose aim was to launch a crackdown on drugs (Thomas, 567). The classification of pot as a hard drug disappointed a lot of people. Many felt that it was classified wrongly and should get removed from the class of hard drugs. However, other people thought that it was okay to ban pot because it geared towards elimination of drugs that were considered a gateway drug (Thomas, 569). Before the decree of pot as a hard drug by the Nixon administration, which was used widely legally used for medicinal purposes. Currently, pot is still banned by the federal government although some states have started regulating the use of pot for medicinal purposes, recreational purposes and others combine it. The federal government has left the choice of legalizing pot to the states who are to decide what do without the governmental interference. Some countries of the US have started legalizing pot even though some states still have it banned (Rowley). Therefore, it is controversial because the numbers are divided. Some with religious backing argue that all kinds of drugs should get illegalized, while some say that scientifically pot is medicinal.

The effects of legalizing pot are what brings about the differences in opinion. Some support the idea while others critic it. Both sides believe that it might or might not pose a danger to society. The way pot gets traded causes a lot of concern in the community. Some are channeled through government entities while some get carried through street dealers who might pose security concerns. A section of the people argues that the problem of drug dealers poses a security threat because it gets sold in the streets with no regulations. However, this can get changed if pot gets legalized. Due to competition, access to pot over the counter which gets monitored can help potentially wipe out security threats (Bridgeman and Abazia 182). The critics believe that legalizing pot will have capitalists running the operations which could also pose security threats. According to some studies, pot affects an individual's motor skills and impairs their judgment (Bridgeman and Abazia 187). Other people say that pot makes those who use it lazy and weak in making decisions. A large number of critics believe that there exist enough addictive substances in the streets and adding one more will cause the demise of society. Currently, pot decriminalization faces a lot of hurdles. It is illegal regarding federal laws, and it has only been allowed in eight states by 2015 (Rowley). The only thing that can change is maybe the number of countries that are to legalize pot. Even if it gets passed as a legal drug, rules, and regulations such as those that limit driving under the influence will bar the use of pot outside its medicinal purpose.

Other challenges include drug tests in the workplace. During job applications, potential employees undergo a drug check and might not get employed if the test positive. The critics argue that pot will have those using it making poor decisions in the workplace or even cause road accidents if the drive under the influence. On the other hand, marijuana has been clinically proven to have medicine no benefits. It helps patients with epilepsy, seizures, those suffering from cancer and glaucoma. Sadly, these benefits are only available to patients who live in states where pot has gotten legalized for medicinal use (Hill, 2475). Critics argue that there are other drugs which are already in use that help with the specific illnesses mentioned above. However, supporters counter this by saying that medical pot is more cost-effective compared to the options already available (Hill, 2477). The supporters of the pot decriminalization believe that it is by far less destructive than cigars and alcohol. Supporters think critics spread propaganda and misinformation about pot and that it shall be legal for all adults to consume responsibly.

In conclusion, the issue of legalizing pot has been a huge argument and controversial in the same measure. It will continue to be so in coming days as legislatures conduct debates over the decriminalization of pot. Many states are currently opposing the federal law that bans marijuana. Other member states use pot as a way to stream revenue through taxes and regulations of the drug. The therapeutic industry makes a lot of dollars in profits to countries that have embraced decriminalization of pot. There are no recorded deaths of pot historically as compared to other drugs such as alcohol. Many law advocates believe that pot should not have gotten classified as a schedule 1 drug. Those who critique the legal use of pot choose to do so due to their anti-drug perspective that is often aroused by religion and other beliefs. The critics assume that pot is a gateway drug. But all drugs should be illegal except for responsible medicinal utilization. Alcohol and similar drugs are legal because they are regulated. Pot should be legalized and regulated. It has therapeutic benefits for health problems such as epilepsy, glaucoma, and cancer and therefore, it should get considered as a legal drug. With good rules and regulations, the medicinal utilization of pot can get adequately utilized. With proper governmental regulations, street dealers can be wiped out leading to a more secure environment that does not abuse pot but instead uses it for medicinal purposes. Those are among the reasons that make me believe that pot should be made legal and available to the general public.

References

Bridgeman, Mary Barna and Daniel T Abazia. "Medicinal Cannabis: History, Pharmacology, And Implications for the Acute Care Setting" P & T: a peer-reviewed journal for formulary management vol. 42,3 (2017): 180-188.

Hill, Kevin P. "Medical Marijuana for Treatment of Chronic Pain and Other Medical and Psychiatric Problems". JAMA, vol 313, no. 24, 2015, pp. 2474-2483. American Medical Association (AMA), doi:10.1001/jama.2015.6199. Accessed 7 Nov 2018.

Rowley, Liz. "Where Is Marijuana Legal in The United States? List of Recreational and Medicinal States". Mic.Com, 2015, https://mic.com/articles/126303/where-is-marijuana-legal-in-the-united-states-list-of-recreational-and-medicinal-states#.ZpUnkM4nk. Accessed 7 Nov 2018.

Thomas, Moran. "Just A Little Bit of History Repeating: The California Model of Marijuana Legalization and How It Might Affect Racial and Ethnic Minorities". Vol 17, no. 2, 2011, pp. 557-589., https://scholarlycommons.law.wlu.edu/crsj/vol17/iss2/8. Accessed 7 Nov 2018.