Cost Of Criminalization

Ferraiolo, K. (2007). From Killer Weed to Popular Medicine: The Evolution of American Drug Control Policy, 1937-2000. Journal of Policy History, 19(2), 147-179 In this article, it discusses the medical use of marijuana, the states that have legalized it and how these states went about doing so. This article also talked about other drugs that are illegal was at one point in time legally used for medical reasons.

Mass incarceration is an expensive, for-profit system that abuses and disenfranchises economically disadvantaged Americans through the war on drugs. The war on drugs introduced policies like COPS (Community Oriented Policing Services) and the Byrne Grant program, which Bill Clinton, the 42nd president of the United States, believes reduced the crime rate by fifteen percent. Alexander refutes this claim, referencing a 2005 Government Accountability Office report that concluded, "the program may have contributed to a 1 percent reduction in crime—at a cost of $8 billion" (Alexander, pg.240). These programs that contributed to mass incarceration had little impact on crime rates, and cost billions of tax dollars. The ineffectiveness of these

Over the past decade, there has been substantial debate over policies regarding the legalization of marijuana for medical and recreational use in the United States. In recent years, even the nation’s capital legalized the use of recreational cannabis. These sweeping changes have led to extensive debate over the power of states and the national government in creating laws to regulate these once-illegal substances. This debate presents a significant policy problem that can be analyzed from the perspective of Deborah Stone, author of Public Paradox The Art of Political Decision Making.

In addition to greatly affecting the otherwise unlikely citizens of America, Tough on Crime policies have greatly affected minority groups in America; perhaps more so than of any other group of citizens. To begin, from the 1980 on through the year 1995, the incarceration rates among drug offenders increased by more than 1000 percent. Notably, by the year 1995 one out of every four inmates in any given correctional facility was a drug offender. In addition of that 1000 percent increase, drug offenders accounted for more than 80 percent of the total growth in the federal inmate population and 50 percent of the growth of the state prison population from 1985 to 1995 (Stith, web). In addition, once in the system, the probability of receiving harsher

Colorado’s marijuana tax demonstrated this, showing that, “In 2015, marijuana taxes brought in about $121 million in revenue to the state” (Ingraham). Increased tax revenues leads to increased state budgets which lead to improvements in the areas of education, health, infrastructure, and public welfare. It seems that keeping marijuana illegal is actually more expensive than legalizing it. Tax payers continue to pay for this war on drugs, even though it will never end. Banks continue to profit from laundered money, the DEA wastes time and money on marijuana, big pharmaceutical companies profit from addicts, and drug dealers thrive.

Legalizing Marijuana Nationally: Is it Worth It? Marijuana, also known as "Cannabis" or "Weed", is a highly addictive drug created by the leaves of the hemp plant. The use of this has been around for decades, but has only recently come to the attention of the people of our nation as this once illegal drug has already been legalized in some form in twenty-three states in the United States, with Colorado being the only state where marijuana is completely legal (Harkinson, 2014). The debate on whether it is a good idea to legalize this drug or to not legalize this drug is still ongoing as the remaining states decide whether or not to legalize marijuana.

(Kamin, 2015). In Addition, recreational marijuana became a legal drug in California on January 1, 2018 after proposition 64 was approved (The Desert Sun, 2017). Although, some people acknowledge the benefits that cannabis can have on the body others think it does not have

Cannabis ought to be authorized in each of the fifty states. The legitimization of pot would make employments, spare cash and decrease hurt. It 's not reasonable that in twenty three states cannabis is authorized for recreational and restorative purposes. Weed would be the greatest cash creator. Authorizing and controlling Mary Jane would keep individuals out of court.

Currently, “twenty-one states and the District of Columbia have decriminalized small amounts of marijuana.” (National Conference of State Legislatures, 2016) The twenty-one states that have passed bills to decriminalize marijuana have

Legalizing marijuana WILL improve one’s economy. This is because the government won’t have to spend money on building jails and treatments for marijuana use. However, without punishments, how will one learn what’s right and what’s wrong? If marijuana is legalized, and there are no more special treatments for marijuana overdose, then what will happen to those that are in need of a treatment?

This review will discuss the literature on the effect of political ideology on public policy. It will then discuss research on the change in attitudes and policy on marijuana and then research on the politics of changes in marijuana policy. As of March 2017, 28 states have legalized medical marijuana and 8 states and the District of Colombia have legalized marijuana for recreational use. According to the Pew Research Center, the most common reasons for supporting legalizing marijuana are its medicinal benefits (41%) and the belief that marijuana is no worse than other drugs, specifically alcohol (36%) (Smith, 2014). In the most recent election year, four states including California, Massachusetts, Nevada, and Maine, passed ballot initiatives legalizing marijuana for recreational use.

According to many surveys across the nation, currently, just over two-thirds of the American public believe the government should emphasize a lesser amount on criminal convictions for re-elections and more focus on offering treatment for people who abuse illicit drugs such as heroin and cocaine. Additionally, a significant proportion of Americans feel that those convicted of possessing small amounts of cannabis should not receive jail time, and there are some states had scrapped the idea of mandatory sentences for non-violent drug offenders altogether because of budgetary woes. More importantly, individual states approach towards drug use are beginning to shift from a criminal issue towards and health problem that requires rehabilitation instead of sending more drug offenders to over populated prisons.

al., 2017). Many believe that legalization of marijuana could lessen the prisons capacities, decrease racial difference in arrests, increase tax revenue and create new employment (McGinty et. al., 2017). I see the legalization of marijuana as harmful, creating damaging public health consequences, like the potential for our adolescent’s health to be in jeopardy or the increase in marijuana impaired driving incidents. I believe this would produce a world similar to the alcohol and tobacco industries, which puts making money before the concerns of our public’s health (McGinty et.

Since Burlington, Vermont is such a beautiful and peaceful place to live, it is shocking to learn how much drug use is going on around me. Vermont has always had a history of illegal drug abuse and crime that has negatively affected people in the state and has caused a lot of chaos. Many people have tried to stop the use of drugs among Vermont citizens, but it has become such a wide spread problem that it is difficult to put an end to, and it remains an issue today. People who are supposed to be trustworthy and professional have recently been involved with the drug chain, including landlords, which has caused an increase in police involvement. In the article, “Seize Them!

Unfortunately, society has listened to too many of the myths and misconceptions of the true value of cannabis. Although there would be a pandemic concern of adolescents obtaining cannabis, the medical and social benefits of cannabis outweigh the negatives and should be legal for all the United States. Marijuana has been used historically for thousands of years. In the United States, it was banned for its use and sales by the Marijuana Tax Act of 1937. “Despite federal laws prohibiting marijuana, in 1996, California and Arizona passed state initiatives legalizing marijuana for medical use by patients suffering from serious illnesses, These initiatives sparked a national debate over the medical use of marijuana, which Elisabeth Frater explores in the following selection, Frater explains that supporters of the initiatives believe marijuana has true health benefits, such as providing relief from pain and nausea when traditional medications prove ineffective”