Julian Gray
Ms. Cooney
English CP10
28 February 2017
Federal Marijuana Legalization
Marijuana can save lives. It lowers suicide rates in about every state it's been legalized in. It's hard to hang yourself when you forget how to tie the knot.Marijuana is currently labeled as a class 1 drug. Meaning it has no possible medical uses. Hemp, a part of the cannabis sativa family that is specifically used for industrial uses, was a main staple of farms in North America since the colony of Jamestown where England decreed that every landowner would grow 100 hemp plants. George washington grew hemp as one of the three plants he grew on his farm on Mount Vernon. Hemp was a mainstay for everything from sails for ships to paper all the way through the
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The bigger farms that used white labor would commonly look down on the smaller farms that used the less expensive mexican labor and dissent quickly grew between the two groups. Soon the more powerful big landowners had the law changed and in 1915 California labeled cannabis as a poison and illegal. Quickly many of the western states followed in California’s example and put marijuana under the same title. Many people believe that the initial label of poison on marijuana is largely due to racism. The language changed but the law mainly stayed the same then in 1969 the controlled substance act was passed when the supreme court labeled the marijuana legalization act as unconstitutional and through the act the government labeled the plant cannabis sativa as a class 1 drug. Marijuana continued to be seen as an unhealthy and dangerous drug until very recently when , being the first state to do so, Colorado legalized the recreational usage of marijuana. Marijuana should be federally legalized because it has health benefits, it has beneficially affects the economy, and although some say it would lead to an …show more content…
Jacob Sullum States, “NSDUH data indicated that adolescent consumption in Colorado fell after state-licensed marijuana stores began serving the recreational market”(Sullum). This is important because it is the true and up to date numbers and facts on the underage usage of marijuana in legalized states. The argument commonly used by the opposition would be frightening indeed if it were true but that article is both 3 years old and was written during a time where the almost the entire republican party had united in their war against marijuana. When actually as soon as dispensaries started supplying the recreational market the rate of underage usage dropped significantly leading to a drop in prosecutions.Peter Edwards at the Toronto star quotes, "”A pretty small part of the marijuana industry today is what I call organized crime," said criminologist Neil Boyd of Simon Fraser University - a change from a few decades ago, when criminals thrived in the pot trade”(Edwards). This is important because a criminologist someone who studies criminals and the rates of crimes is stating that the federal legalization of marijuana would lead to a HUGE drop in organized criminalization of marijuana. The legalization of marijuana would not only help the federal economy it would hurt the economy of
A final factor to consider when looking at the reformation of federal marijuana laws are the social costs associated with the criminalization of cannabis. The American federal government, through the United States Drug Enforcement Administration, categorizes drugs based on their potential for abuse and possible medical uses. A schedule V drug is considered to have clear medical efficacy and a low potential for abuse, while a schedule I drug is considered to be highly addictive and of no medical value. Of all the schedule I drugs, considered federally to be the most dangerous of controlled substances, only marijuana has been legalized on a state level, in direct conflict with Federal law. According to the Drug Policy Alliance, these federal laws, constituting America 's "war on drugs," have led America to imprison more people per capita than any other nation in the world (The Drug War).
In that state of colorado a survey was taken among the Boulder City police department stated, “3 out of 5 police officers in the city of Boulder, Colorado say that the distribution of cannabis illegally to juveniles has raised by 60% since medical cannabis & recreational use of cannabis was
Tristan Galindo Professor Schander POLISC01 The controversies of the legalization of marijuana have long existed and dynamically changed in perception and law interpretation over the years in the United States. It’s important to understand the source of the opinion of marijuana and it’s origins. The use of marijuana for domestic production in the United States dates back as early as the 1600’s to the late 1800’s. The fibrous content found in the hemp plant was commonly used for manufacturing ropes, clothes, and sails until it was replaced by the production of cotton (Narconon, 2015).
In recent years, more and more people's opinions on marijuana have begun to morph. With this societal shift will hopefully come a legal shift as well. Weed culture has been slowly solidifying itself in modern society likely due to celebrities such as Snoop Dogg who has been known to smoke "indo" while "sippin on gin and juice" (Dogg). It is mainly the generations prior to millennials that are hesitant to legalize cannabis, however strong political and societal shifts are broadening the minds of many. Marijuana should be legalized because it is not any more harmful than other legal drugs, in fact it can aid those who suffer from mental illnesses.
Marijuana, morphine, heroin, and cocaine continued to be used when the Prohibition was over in 1933. In 1937, 46 states decided to ban the use of marijuana for the reason that it was dangerous and a potential drug for addiction. Fast forward 60 years, states
Marijuana is a cannabis, and it is especially smoked in cigarettes it can also be used for medicine, fuel, paper, ropes, maps, cloth, soaps, shoes, etc. American production of hemp, began in the 17th century and was encouraged by the government to make rope and clothing. By 1619, Virginia passed a legislation requiring all farmers to grow hemp. By the late 19th century, marijuana became a big ingredient in many different types of medicines, and was sold openly in public pharmacies. By the 1900s illegal Mexican immigrants introduced the recreational use of marijuana, the drug was mostly associated with the new Mexican immigrants.
Marijuana should be legal in all 50 states because it has benefits for certain medical conditions and it is not lethal. There are no specific amendments that prohibit or regulate the use of marijuana in medical or recreational purposes. For medical purposes, it has been proven to help with numerous illnesses and diseases. For recreational purposes, it has been proven to be safer for most people than alcohol and other substances. If marijuana were to be legalized, it would be a good thing because millions of people are already using without legalization, so legalizing it would allow more people to use it and for them to use it in a more positive manner.
Hemp, the other type of cannabis that is not capable of getting and individual a high, can create great industrial benefits to any economy. The different parts of the hemp plant can be used for a variety of uses. The hemp plant alone can be used for paint, plastics, paper, clothing, a different source of fuel and many other
Marijuana became illegal in 1937, the government was telling people that it had no medicinal value and could be abused. One amazing story includes a little girl, Charlie, in Colorado; her parents wanted nothing to do with weed. She was perfectly healthy until she had a seizure one day. The doctors found nothing after running all the tests. The seizures got worse, and she was finally diagnosed with epilepsy.
Is the “Gold Rush” of marijuana usage upon us? According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, marijuana is currently the most commonly used illicit drug in the United States. Marijuana is classified as either cannabis sativa or cannabis indica. Cannabis contains a mind altering chemical called THC. Marijuana was first legalized for medical use in 1996 by the state of California.
“Lawmakers on Capitol Hill are preparing bills that would drastically reduce drug-related federal sentences, provide legal clarity to banks’ lending to marijuana-related businesses, and lift the prohibition on industrial hemp” (Ross). Distribution shops can’t even put the money into the bank because federal crime to distribute marijuana and put “drug money” in to a federal
Bryan Antolin Prof. Null English 1A 28 September 2016 Legalizing Marijuana Marijuana needs to be legalized because as a society we could lower drug trade, lower crime rates, and marijuana can be a healthier/safer alternative; rather than alcohol and cigarettes (which are both legal). Alcohol is legal, yet it has caused much more deaths than marijuana, actually marijuana has not been the cause if any deaths; but is still illegal. Alcohol is linked to many deaths yearly, and is much more than the zero that have been linked to marijuana. “The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC) reports that more than 37,000 annual U.S. deaths are attributed to the health effects of alcohol use, including hundreds of alcohol overdose deaths.”
Jean Paul Balzac Ms. Seijo English 10 4 February 2014 Marijuana In 1919, alcohol was made illegal across the United States with the goal to better people’s lives and make society safer. During the fourteen years that the prohibition lasted, crime rate nearly doubled, unemployment rose, and tax revenue decreased. Eventually the ban on alcohol was repealed because of its negative impact on the economy and society. Now fast forward to the year 2015, where a common substance known as marijuana is illegal.
Since the early 1900s, American citizens have not been able to legally enjoy the benefits that marijuana brings because it became classified as one of the most dangerous drugs in the 1900s. During this time, mexican immigration was high, and as a way of deporting these immigrants, the government began to look for ways to deport them. Soon the media began to spread rumors on the negative effects cannabis has on individuals and even demonized the drug. It was said that marijuana caused men of color to behave irrationally, become violent and even solicit intercourse from women thus making the people believe it to be true and allowing the government to regain control over its citizens. Until the year 2016, marijuana was only legal when serving
The legalization of marijuana has been a hot topic of discussion in America for years now. Both sides of the debate have been fighting feverishly to win over the other side. While most people would like to be bias and say that only the local pot dealer and their customers are advocating the legalization of this natural plant, they would indeed be very wrong. Marijuana is supported by its users, as well as; medical professionals, agricultural engineers, and food and science experts. It has also created an economic boom and an ample amount of job opportunities in just the Colorado area.