FREE ESSAY ON LEGALIZATION OF MARIJUANA

LEGALIZATION OF MARIJUANA

How can something so good be so bad???
There is a large drug problem facing Canada today, and this problem extends to all
citizens. It's not just the poor and the uneducated that are affected by this problem.
The most largely used illegal drug in Canada is Marijuana, and thus is targeted as the
drug for law enforcement to target the most, costing the taxpayers lots and lots of
money. I will show you that Marijuana is not as large an evil as it may appear, and that
if legalized the economy would be strengthened and the efforts of law enforcement could
be focused on more serious drugs.
First off, to understand what we are dealing with I will give a brief explanation of what
Marijuana is and it's uses. Marijuana is classified as a hallucinogen and is a
psychoactive drug. Its medical name is Cannabis Sativa and it is found in the Indian hemp
plant, of which there are three types; Cannabis Sativa, Cannabis Indica, and Cannabis
Rudderalis. Some of its nicknames and street names are pot, weed, green, herb, and sensi.
The drugs use dates back in manuscripts back to 2700B.C. in China (Nadelmann). Jamestown
settlers also cultivated the drug, 1611, who used the drug for its fibers to make rope
and clothes. Marijuana is widely used, an estimated one out of every three people have
used it, and among high school students 44% have experimented with it (Bowmen). Marijuana
is almost always smoked to experience the effects, but eating it and brewing it into tea
are common practice also. It can be smoked by rolling it into a paper (joint) or by
placing it into a pipe (often called a bowl). Often times there is a mixture of marijuana
with tobacco to create a pleasurable taste. When someone smokes marijuana for the first
time they do not get high, it is usually the second or third time a user feels the
effects. These include chronic laughter and heightened senses. Afterwards a dry mouth and
hunger, called the munchies, often follow. The ingredient in cannabis sativa that causes
the mind-altering effects is THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol). 
Now that you know a little about the drug I will discuss its health effects. I am not
saying that Marijuana is good for you; all I am saying is that comparable negative
effects are present in many legalized drugs. 
Marijuana intoxicates a person in a way very similar to alcohol. Reaction times are
decreased and the person may appear to be very sluggish. While intoxicated a person may
have a hard time concentrating on simple tasks. There have been many studies ran on the
long term effects on marijuana causing memory loss, and many of the studies are either
contradictory or inconclusive. The effects of marijuana on the lungs are very similar to
the effects of cigarettes in that lungs will get coated in tar and respiration may become
difficult as time passes. However, marijuana has not been linked as a cancer-causing
agent (Califano), making it much healthier than cigarettes in that aspect. There have
been no tests to prove marijuana is addictive other than mentally (American Journal of
Nursing), which is a problem that can arise from using many things such as caffeine.
Marijuana, in fact, has been proven to be less of a health risk than junk food, salt,
tobacco, and alcohol.
Hardly anyone over 21 experiments with a drug, they have experimented with it before. If
no one has experimented with a drug before they are 21 then they are highly unlikely to
experiment at all. There are three million underage cigarette smokers underage, many
smoking just for the reason to disobey the laws society places on us. This industry is
estimated at one billion dollars. There are also twelve million underage drinkers, many
drinking just to disobey the laws also. This industry is estimated at ten billion
dollars. Marijuana use is just like these figures, but it covers all of the population,
not just those under 18 or 21. Harnessing an industry like this would have astronomical
economic benefits. 
Marijuana being legalized would also help many people that are sick. The drug THC whether
being smoked or ingested in its pure form is an excellent painkiller and muscle relaxant,
which would not carry the hazard of becoming an addiction like morphine or other
painkillers. Marijuana also is a proven help to Glaucoma patients, as it slows the
advance of the disease and brings ailment to its sufferers. Studies have also indicated
that marijuana can slow the rate of HIV through the immune system as well as increase
patient's appetite. Loss of appetite is a large problem with AIDS patients, and the lack
of nourishment further depletes the immune system. Usage of Marijuana has indicated a
decrease in intraocular eye pressure, keeping problems associated with the inner eye to a
minimum (Nadelman). Another medical use of THC is with cancer patients. With many forms
of cancer the patient suffers from extreme cases of nausea, patients that were given
doses of THC suffered much less nausea symptoms.
This shows that if marijuana was legalized that it could be used as a medical treatment.
Medical costs in Canada are sky high, and grow at a rate much higher than normal
inflation. Using marijuana as treatment for many cases could result in fewer problems in
the future and a cheaper form of medication. If marijuana was legalized the medical field
would save lots of money.
If marijuana was legalized to capture its full economic potential the government should
regulate and sell the product. If the government were the only supplier of marijuana it
would help in many ways. First, the product would be much cleaner; many forms of the drug
on the street are laced with other substances and handled with very little care. The
product would be pure and kept free of all other toxins. Another way that it would help
is in the price. The price of marijuana is very high because of the risks involved in
distributing it. The simple fact is that marijuana is a weed, being very easy to grow. A
small investment in greenhouses can produce hundreds of pounds of marijuana a year. If
the price dropped four times its current street value ($20 for 5 grams to $5 for 5 grams)
the government would make a gigantic profit off of its sales. The purchasers would be
happy with the price causing a large increase in demand and the government could in turn
create more supply, all causing a massive increase in the governments cash intake. This
would cause taxes to go down and more programs to arise focusing in on the real problems
our country has. The amount of money that government regulation of marijuana could bring
in is in the billions.
An area where the public would benefit the most from marijuana legalization is in police
costs. There are billions of dollars going into drug task forces that deal mainly with
marijuana. Since 1965 some 60 million marijuana users have been charged with crimes
(Evans). The money used on court fees and incarceration costs could be used much more
wisely, not to mention the fact that wile imprisoned the people were not out in society
providing services to the community. If marijuana were legalized police would have more
time and money to spend on serious drug offenders (heroin, cocaine, LSD) and violent
criminals who pose a real threat to society. When police officers are taking valuable
time to arrest and detain a marijuana user a more serious crime could be occurring.
Protecting and serving the citizens of a community don't mean letting murderers and
rapists prowl while a marijuana user is receiving large court sentences.
Using marijuana is not necessarily a positive thing; it is merely an option, which an
individual needs to decide for himself, much like alcohol or tobacco. There may be
negatives to legalizing marijuana. The important thing is that it is kept recreational
and medical, there should be laws against minors using marijuana and people at work being
high. Also, there is a need for rules against driving while high, as applied to driving
drunk. There are prototypes of marijuana breathalyzers that can indicate whether or not a
person is experiencing the effects of the drug and is a risk on the road. In any case
there would be negatives, but these are completely outweighed by the advantages that
would arise. Legalizing marijuana would be completely beneficial as a whole to society.
There are many supporters of the legalization of marijuana, many being politicians and
people with high social ranking. One is Baltimore mayor Kurt L. Schmoke. He is strongly
in favor of marijuana legalization and is the head of workshops and organizations that
promote it. Dr. Ethan A. Nadelmann, a professor at Princeton said, "The nations war on
drugs has been a costly exercise in futility, filling the nations prisons with low-level
criminals." Another expert, Christopher Brown said, "Legalization should not be taken to
mean a lawless free-for-all with no restraint on the supply or use of the drug. Done
properly it would allow government to take control of the distribution and quality of the
substance away from criminals. Supply should be regulated by a system of government
licenses analogous to those already in force for tobacco and alcohol, which would serve,
among other things, to keep the drugs out of the hands of children, backed by strict
policing and heavy penalties." Mayor of Minnesota Jesse Ventura also believes in the
legalization of marijuana as a controlled substance.
The policy on marijuana now is a closed minded one; instead of truly analyzing the
problem legislators are merely placing tougher laws on it. This policy that the
government has adopted is a very poor one. Being open minded in this issue is of the
utmost importance. There are many reasons that point to the legalization of marijuana
being positive, yet the idea remains taboo to many. This issue is not one that will go
away, it needs to be dealt with, and dealt with a fresh new attitude. There are more and
more people becoming educated and realizing that marijuana should be legalized. Marijuana
usage is very common, even among the elite. Some famous people who used marijuana before
according to the internet site www.cannabis.com are; Bill Clinton, Al Gore, Newt
Gingrich, and White House press secretary Mike McCurry. Also, former New York state
representative Susan Molinari admitted to smoking marijuana and while at a debate openly
lied about it. A larger problem that society faces than marijuana is the ethics of
current politicians. Using a pleasurable substance is not as potentially harmful as lying
to the voters about an issue that needs lots of attention.
One organization that pays a lot of attention to this issue is NORML (National
Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws). This nonprofit organization works hard to
make people aware of the facts surrounding the issue, and keeps legislators from dodging
the issue. Just recently NORML had the opportunity to speak at congress about the laws
concerning marijuana. Although they gave very good points the politicians skillfully
dodged the questions asked. This exemplifies the bullheaded attitude that Washington has
in general towards this issue.
I do not believe that legalizing marijuana should be an action taken without carefully
weighing the options, it just seems to me that there is enough evidence to warrant the
serious consideration. Once lawmakers take off the blinders and actually see the issue as
it is, we will be in a much better situation. The best way to show them that is to show
them how much more money they can get. 
Many angles can be taken to justify the legalization of marijuana; I feel the most
effective is that of the economic analysis. There will be jobs created and a new booming
industry with it. People need to put aside preconceived notions and take a fresh
perspective; they will se what a great effect that the legalization of marijuana would
have on the economy as well as other areas.
Bibliography
References
Ethan A. Nadelmann, American Heritage Magazine, Feb-Mar, 1993.
Tom Bowmen, "Schmoke says debate on decriminalization of drugs is gaining momentum." The
Sun Newspaper, 7-13, 1989.
Joseph A. Califano, USA Today, version 125, Mar. 1997.
American Journal of Nursing, Annual Report 1992.
Martin Evans. "Schmoke urges NAACP to back decriminalization of drugs." The Sun, 1989.
Christopher Brown, "Bring Drugs Within the Law.", The Economist. Volume 13, 1993.