Over the past couple of years, the social issue of legalization of marijuana has been widely debated in the United States. Some states like Colorado and Washington have legalized marijuana to demonstrate what they want in their nation. The situation brings up the big query of whether the nation should legalize marijuana for medicinal and recreational benefits. In the first place, there were arguments from high ranking people in the society as well as political leaders on the legalization of Marijuana, where they argued that it is a drug and should remain illegal. They argued that it is appropriate to teach children that all drugs are illegal and have detrimental effects on their health and social statuses. However, after careful examination of the facts on Marijuana, it has been established from physicians and well knowledgeable people that marijuana is not really harmful to the body and has some recreational and health benefits. Legalizing marijuana will help the country move out of recession and has recreational and health benefits, thus impacting the lives of many people in the United States of America.
The United States is one of the nations which has embarked seriously on the war on drugs. Drugs are found in almost every country, and thus it is upon the affected nations to engage on eliminating the drugs which are perceived as morally wrong in the society (Sherratt, Hallowell, and Marzia n.p.). Some towns and cities have grown as a result of smuggling of drugs, which are illegal in most cases. The federal government of the United States has spent large chunks of money in fighting the illegal drugs, which could have been redirected on other issues which would benefit the nation. Drugs are also associated with crimes such as violence. In order to maintain the social welfare, it is important to embark on the war on drugs and live in a sober society. Marijuana, for a long time, has been classified as an illegal drug. In a study that was carried out in half of the states in the United States, it was established that over a hundred million Americans, which is about a third of the population have admitted having used marijuana (Minnaar 52). It, therefore, means that Americans feel that Marijuana should be legalized since very few criminal cases have been reported to as a result of the abuse of the substance.
Marijuana was declared illegal by 29 states in the United States in 1931, but times have changed. Few states like Colorado and Washington have revisited the decision and have legalized marijuana for reasons of health and recreation. The recreation purpose is conceptualized as the use of any drug for leisure in the belief that it is not addictive (Hasin, et al 601). The health benefits of marijuana are accrued with the benefits of the use of the drug for treatment and carrying out medical procedures. The two states which have legalized marijuana acknowledge that besides the recreational and health benefits, it will boost the economy by creating employment and raising revenue (Compton et al. 255). The move will also help to decongest prisons and will create a more effective criminal justice system and law enforcement just like alcohol.
There have been arguments that the legalization of marijuana is a difficult task that cannot be accomplished and hence infeasible but the argument holds no waters. In 2016, more states joined in the race of legalizing marijuana for health benefits, for instance, California, Massachusetts, and Maine (Ghosh, et al 22). Initially, the process of legalizing the substance was difficult and time-consuming, thus making it impossible. The federal still recognize marijuana as a drug that impairs judgment and the social welfare, but there are laws which have been created to ensure the safety of use of the substance. The state of Colorado stated that smoking marijuana in public places is prohibited but due to compelling reasons, the public has a second hand while intoxicated. Another example is that the dwellers of Colorado are allowed to possess just an ounce of Marijuana while the non-residents are allowed to possess half an ounce. As a strategy of legalizing marijuana, there have to be regulations put in place (Turnbull and Hodge Jr, 280). The federal could allow some funds meant for regulation which would then be paid back with the revenue obtained from the drug, and hence will make the law feasible.
Marijuana is used for health uses ranging from promoting appetite in chemo patients to the protection of the brain for the patients who experience trauma. According to the National Institute on Drug abuse, it explains that there are two active compounds in Marijuana, which the researchers have used in their arguments on the medicinal benefits of the drug. The cannabidiol (CBD) impacts the brain while the tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) relieves the pain properties which are largely responsible for highness (Maier, Suzanne, and Koppenhofer, 125). The scientists have listed the limitations of marijuana, which means that there are still queries which have been raised on the medicinal properties of the drug. Moreover, the THC and CBD are among 400 other chemical compounds which make the composition of weed. Out of these compounds, 60 are cannabinoids and hence have medicinal value. Even with the legitimate uses of marijuana for medicinal reasons, it does not, however, mean that all the use of the substance is harmless. Other researchers indicate that for the heavy users of the drug, it impairs the memory, learning, as well as the processing speed when used regularly from the tender age. Due to these reasons, the research on the impacts of marijuana on the human body has sparked more research so as to make a conclusive decision on its impact and legalization.
In another study, the National Academies of Sciences and medicine depicted that there is the definitive evidence that cannabinoids or cannabis, which is a compound present in the cannabis plant is critical in the curing chronic pain. In the same study, it was deduced that there are sufficient illustrations supporting that cannabis will help in treating muscle spasms, which is associated with sclerosis. People are advised to consume weed for the treatment of diaphragm spasms, which was untreatable when using other medications (Kilmer, and MacCoun, 185). A fair amount of evidence supported the research stating that marijuana causes no harm to the lungs apart from the people who use tobacco. In the American Journal of Medical Association, it highlighted that, indeed, marijuana increases the lung capacity and dismissed the hypothesis that it impairs the function of the lungs.
The researchers are seeking to establish the risk factors for heart disease in relation to the use of marijuana. Tobacco smokers have lost the lung functions but the users of weed have in fact increased the lung capacity, and hence promoting the performance of the heart. It is possible to increase the lung capacity by taking deep breathes while inhaling the drug and not in the form of the therapeutic chemical compound found in the drug (Ghosh, et al 24). This gives the reason for legalizing marijuana. Smokers have feared that the drug may damage their health systems when smoked for more than 20 years but the study has explained that regulated smoking of weed, toked up in a few months would not cause any harm.
One of the most common reasons of allowing marijuana for the medicinal purposes is that it is used for the treatment and prevention of glaucoma, which is an eye disease that causes an increased pressure in the eyeball. The pressure damages the optic nerve and causes the eyesight loss. Marijuana minimizes the inside pressure of the eye as highlighted by the National eye institute. The various researches carried out in the 1970’s revealed that when smoked, the drug lowers the intraocular pressure (IOP) for the individuals with a standard pressure as well as the ones suffering from glaucoma (Hasin, et al 601). The medicinal agreement is that, within a few hours, marijuana lowers the IOP, hence has been adopted for the optical department. Studies have further revealed that the cannabidiol help in the treatment of people with treatment-resistant epilepsy. Most people have acknowledged that marijuana is the only drug which has fully helped them control their seizures. There have however never been several gold-standard or double-blind studies to support the effectiveness of marijuana, but the testimonials may prove a point. There are a thousand and one reasons for legalizing marijuana for medicinal purposes. The physicians have in fact depicted that smoking weed is medically preferable that extracting the chemical compound of cannabidiol and other compounds from the drug and applying them directly to the body.
In terms of the economic and recreational aspects, legalizing marijuana would raise the revenue of the country and minimize the unemployment rate. The legalization of marijuana will enable the government tax the product, which in turn will increase the taxes by $67 million per state (Sherratt, Hallowell, and Marzia n.p.). Out of the tax contribution obtained, the money will be allotted to the building of roads, schools, hospitals while other monies will be sent to the local governments. Notably, the statistics have been given by the economic experts after the study of the economic benefits of legalizing weed in Colorado. It, therefore, means that legalizing the drug at the national level may increase the money circulation by a higher rate. The reduction of the price on the national standard would directly interfere with state peddlers and will cause them to suffer significant losses, thus reducing their power and encourage other drug-related crimes.
Besides the smoking marijuana, it will lead to the reintroduction of Hemp into the economy. Hemp has less than 1 % of THC and causes no hallucinations or highness when smoked. It is meant for industrial purposes mainly. Industries may use hemp especially the textile-based industries and also biofuel (Chou, et al n.p). Moreover, it will increase the employment opportunities from the legalization and revive the textile industry. The jobs will improve the regulation of marijuana, creation, adverting and sale of marijuana to the related merchandise.
Besides increasing the tax revenue, employment and reviving the industrial sector, the legalization of marijuana will ensure the government spending on the fight against the drug and prison charges. The average American pays their taxes with a large proportion going to cater for the expenses of the inmates. The prisons also hold inmates who have been incarcerated for crimes such as possession of marijuana, thus legalization will help to reduce the numbers in prison (Hall and Lynskey, 1766). In a survey carried out in the department of finance, the state spends about $39 billion in the maintenance of the prisoners, with the average inmate spending $31, 286. With the legalization of marijuana, more than half of the population in America will reduce and it will minimize the cost used in maintaining them in prison. The move is a positive change and will directly impact the economy in a positive way.
The individuals who are caught selling drugs will no longer be chased by the police, hence allowing them to live out of fear. The individuals who are convicted of charges of possession or trade of marijuana will be in a position to carry out their routine activities and will not miss out on their work, family gatherings or attending to their education demands, thus making life worthy (Chou, et al n.p). The legalization will offer a good environment for the children to learn on the impacts of weed without posing threats to them since they can sample the individuals who use the drug and compare them to those who do not consume it. From the social perspective, the legalization of marijuana will reduce the jail terms and association with prison inmates, thus averting potential crimes. The law enforcement and the justice system could assist in making the regulations on legalizing marijuana. The de-emphasis on the simple possession charges will help the cops focus on other bigger crimes and spare the ones who are peaceful in their routine activities. The government through the department of security should crackdown on the violent individuals and those with corruptible crimes including those who are disorderly and with drug-related crimes (Minnaar 53). Legalizing of marijuana will promote good health and will allow the visitors feel welcome in a nation that encourages the use of marijuana due to its benefits.
Conclusion
Marijuana has been considered illegal for the major periods of the modern society in the United States. The debate on the legalization of marijuana has been widely debated, sparking various emotions and ideologies. States like Washington and Colorado have legalized marijuana after realizing the benefits of the drug. Marijuana is considered to carry economic, medical and recreational benefits. It is important to note that legalization of marijuana will encourage industrialization by allowing Hemp, which is a substance commonly used in the textile industry. Moreover, legalization of the drug will create employment opportunities, as well as increase the tax contributions to the federal and cut down the expenses associated with campaigns against the drug. The inmates who were arrested due to marijuana-related cases will have a reason to enjoy their freedom and will not have contact with other prisoners who have committed capital offenses, thus averting major crimes in the nation. The government and the states should consider legalizing marijuana since it carries economic, health and recreational benefits, thus impacting the nation positively.
Work cited
Chou, S. Patricia, et al. "Prevalence of Marijuana Use Disorders in the United States." JAMA 72.12 (2015).
Compton, Wilson M., et al. "Marijuana use and use disorders in adults in the USA, 2002–14: analysis of annual cross-sectional surveys." The Lancet Psychiatry 3.10 (2016): 954-964.
Ghosh, Tista, et al. "The public health framework of legalized marijuana in Colorado." American journal of public health106.1 (2016): 21-27.
Hall, Wayne, and Michael Lynskey. "Evaluating the public health impacts of legalizing recreational cannabis use in the United States." Addiction 111.10 (2016): 1764-1773.
Hasin, Deborah S., et al. "Medical marijuana laws and adolescent marijuana use in the USA from 1991 to 2014: results from annual, repeated cross-sectional surveys." The Lancet Psychiatry 2.7 (2015): 601-608.
Kilmer, Beau, and Robert J. MacCoun. "How medical marijuana smoothed the transition to marijuana legalization in the United States." Annual Review of Law and Social Science13 (2017): 181-202.
Maier, Shana L., Suzanne Mannes, and Emily L. Koppenhofer. "The Implications of Marijuana Decriminalization and Legalization of Crime in the United States." Contemporary Drug Problems 44.2 (2017): 125-146.
Minnaar, Anthony. "Legalising marijuana (dagga) in the USA-any pointers for South Africa?." Servamus Community-based Safety and Security Magazine 108.6 (2015): 51-53.
Sherratt, Fred, Matthew Hallowell, and Marzia Hoque Tania. "Marijuana use within the construction workforce: theoretical considerations and a research proposal." Journal of Construction Project Management and Innovation 7.2 (2017): 2007-2017.
Turnbull, David, and James G. Hodge Jr. "Driving under the influence of marijuana laws and the public's health: public health and the law." The Journal of Law, Medicine " Ethics45.2 (2017): 280-283.
