Free Essay on The Advantage About Legalization of Marijuana in Canada

Introduction

The step towards legalization of marijuana in Canada has received considerable political and public attention, as controversies continue to linger on the debate. The legalization of marijuana seeks to open an array of benefits in Canada, as more control is geared towards the federal government in regulating the production and supply of the substance. Since the burning of marijuana in Canada in early 1923, the government opted for zero cases of suspect associating or consuming the substance (Hajizadeh, 2016). However, the increased supply and consumption that was slipping through the hands of the federal government, where billions of dollars escaped through the hands of the government. Never the less, the government’s brisk move in 2017 to legalize marijuana, seemed to be a beneficial approach not only to the government but also to the Canadians. Throughout the course of history, marijuana has gained popularity in the face of the earth about its medicinal and recreational purposes. As a result, this is one of the sectors where the Canadian government and the Canadians at large will benefit from the legalization of marijuana. Therefore, the presentation will focus on the advantages of the legalization of marijuana in Canada.

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Age Factor Control

Marijuana is commonly known as “weed,” which comes from the Cannabis sativa (hemp). Since the burning of marijuana in Canada, the government opted to control and limit the use of the drug. However, the burning of marijuana paved the way for illegal business, which rarely focused on the age factor, giving access to the minors to access marijuana. As a result, the government action in controlling marijuana paved a wider gap, which gave the minors a chance to gain access, influencing their behaviors. However, the legalization of marijuana seeks to mitigate several factors.

One of the main focuses on the legalization of marijuana in Canada is to help cut-off the increased consumption of marijuana by minors. According to the data from the Canadian Community Health Survey-Mental Health (CCHS-MH) indicates that more than 15% of the Canadians (aged 15 and above) living in British Columbia and Nova Scotia reported having used marijuana at least once in the past years. Additionally, nearly 95% of the young Canadians who smoked marijuana were not questioned about their age when obtaining it from the suppliers (Li & Wang, 2020). As a result, this indicates that the illegal consumption of marijuana was higher than anticipated. However, with the government involvement in legalization and setting the age factor, this will help reduce marijuana access for the underage.

According to Watson & Erickson (2019), one of the leading factors towards the increased number of under-aged marijuana consumption is the concept of generalization. Under the generalization concept, adults and minors consuming marijuana are deemed as lawbreakers. Thus, it becomes difficult for adults to control or even to interrupt when minors gain access to marijuana. Therefore, both the minor and adults are confined to a state of generalization, which gives minor access to marijuana. However, the legalization of marijuana tends to offer more responsibility to adults. It gives them an opportunity to play the role of the government agency in regulating access of marijuana to minors. Thus legalization will help adults join hands with the government in reducing access to teenagers.

Health Benefits of Marijuana

While the debate regarding the legalization of marijuana in the United States continues to heighten, Canada is slowly receiving the benefits of legalizing the drug, especially considering the impact it has on the health of many Canadians.

According to Ishida et al., (2020), cannabidiol is a substance that is contained in marijuana that offers numerous health benefits to the consumers. The alteration of brain functionality, especially during stress, anxiety, and depression, makes marijuana a suitable substance for consumption. The use of marijuana in treating mental health symptoms has received global support and approval, especially in treating Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

As Ishida, et al., (2020) outlined, stress results in acute, chronic changes in the neurochemical system, which affects mostly the brain region, resulting in long term changes in brain circuits. During PTSD, significant parts of the brain are acquainted with the role of mitigating the current situation, which includes the amygdala, hippocampus, and medial prefrontal cortex. However, marijuana has proved to be one of the useful substances in treating PTSD, pain, and anxiety. Therefore, the legalization of marijuana will play a vital role in the mental health of many Canadians.

Cannabis legalization will help reduce the amount of opiate prescriptions. Moreover, opiates prescriptions have a direct effect on the consumer’s health, primarily when used in large quantities and prolonged usage. Therefore, the legalization of Cannabis will help substitute for the prescription amounts of opioids, as the research conducted by Li and Wang (2020) indicates that cannabis reduces the amount of opiates prescription needed to treat chronic pain.

Economic Benefits

Marijuana has been widely grown quickly indoors by many Canadians, making the substance more accessible to a diverse community. According to Walsh and Lund (2019), Canada has a thriving underground market of marijuana that operates under the nose of the federal government. While the illegalization of marijuana continues, the government does not benefit from the lucrative business that is carried illegally by groups or individuals who are not licensed. Therefore, this affects government revenue collection from the marijuana business. However, the legalization of marijuana will have a more significant impact on the Canadian economy.

One of the economic benefits of legalizing marijuana will allow the already enormous economy to thrive, which has been under intense threat of government agencies. Moreover, the legalization will help create formal businesses, ranging from growing, processing, and selling, where all the authorized dealers will have to acquire a government authorization license. Therefore, the government will keep a closer tracking of the production quantity, and the distribution to ensure that maximum benefits from the legalization of marijuana can be used in government planning and budget.

While the government is bracing to benefit from the taxation of legalized marijuana, the Canadian society at large is set to benefit from job opportunities that will accompany the legalization. From the growing sector to processing and selling, it will create an enormous chain of authorized distributors, which will help create employment for a diverse society in Canada.

Conclusion

There are numerous benefits associated with the legalization of marijuana in Canadian society. One of the associated benefits with the legalization is the heightening of the age factor to reduce the possibilities of minors from gaining access to marijuana. The selling from authorized dealers will help authenticate the age factor of the buyers, helping to “weed” the minor out. On the contrary, Canada will benefit from health benefits that are associated with marijuana, especially in PTSD and stress treatment. Lastly, the nation will benefit from economic growth, as the government gains an opportunity to control and gain from the generated revenue. Therefore, the legalization of marijuana offers an array of benefits to Canadian society.

References

Hajizadeh, M. (2016). Legalizing and regulating marijuana in Canada: a review of potential economic, social, and health impacts. International journal of health policy and management, 5(8), 453. doi: 10.15171/ijhpm.2016.63

Ishida, J. H., Zhang, A. J., Steigerwald, S., Cohen, B. E., Vali, M., & Keyhani, S. (2020). Sources of information and beliefs about the health effects of marijuana. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 35(1), 153-159. doi:10.1007/s11606-019-05335-6

Li, X., & Wang, X. (2020). Relationships between stroke, depression, generalized anxiety disorder, and physical disability: some evidence from the Canadian Community Health Survey-Mental Health. Psychiatry Research, 113074.doi.10.1016/j.psychres.2020.113074

Walsh, J. D., & Lund, D. E. (2019). Implications of the Legalization of Marijuana in Canada Affecting Educational Policy. Interchange, 50(4), 501-515.doi:10.1007/s10780-019-09372-2

Watson, T. M., & Erickson, P. G. (2019). Cannabis legalization in Canada: how might ‘strict’ regulation impact youth?.doi.org/10.1080/09687637.2018.1482258