Marijuana Legalization Eric Liston

What is Marijuana? Marijuana is currently a highly illegal Schedule I drug, and accounts for over 44% of drug- related arrests. Overall health effects deemed less harmful than alcohol use. Has been growing around the world for thousandsof years, and hemp has been extracted from it for use in fibers, ropes, fabrics, etc.

History of Marijuana Around the world, marijuana has been growing for thousands of years. Has been used mostly for the hemp that can be harvested from the Cannabis genus, useful for food, clothing, fabrics, and rope. Introduced and well known in The United States since the 1600s. – In 1850, The United States Census counted 8,327 hemp “plantations” (defined as minimum of 2,000 acre farms) growing cannabis hemp for cloth and canvas. – Cannabis was deemed so useful that in the early 1600s, the government encouraged growing of hemp; so much so that Virginia enacted a few “must grow” laws involving the growth of hemp; If you did not grow hemp during that time, you could be jailed.

A Change In Attitude Public sentiment to marijuana began to change around the early 1910s, when the Mexican revolution spilled over the border into California, bringing with it Mexican people fond of smoking marijuana. Tensions began to form between small farms and large farms employing Mexican labor. California enacted the first state prohibition law in 1913, prohibiting “the preparation of hemp, or loco weed.” Many states followed suit, including Oregon, Wyoming, Texas, Iowa, and Nevada.

Beginning of Widespread Prohibition Prohibition expanded into the 1930s with the passage of the fifth version of the “uniform state narcotic act” in – By the mid-1930s, every state had some kind of marijuana regulation law. – In 1937, the “Marihuana Tax Act” made it illegal to possess or transfer cannabis, making marijuana illegal except for medical and industrial uses. – Marijuana now officially illegal.

The “War On Drugs” On October 27, 1970, The United States Congress enacted the “Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act.” Includes the Controlled Substances Act; Title II of the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control act.” Title II divided drugs into five different schedule. Schedule I drugs had to meet these three requirements – (A) The drug or other substance has a high potential for abuse. – (B) The drug or other substance has no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States. – (C) There is a lack of accepted safety for use of the drug or other substance under medical supervision.

Marijuana Illegality Marijuana was placed into Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act, along with ecstasy, LSD, and various opiates and amphetamines. Marijuana is more strictly controlled than cocaine, which is now considered a schedule II drug. Possession of large amounts of marijuana often punished by mandatory 5 year prison sentences.

Some Facts About Marijuana Marijuana is not addictive Side effects are mild, much less harsh than those of cigarettes or alcohol abuse, which are both completely legal. Marijuana-related arrests count for an incredible 44% of total drug-related arrests Marijuana has been determined to have positive effects on individuals with illnesses such as depression, anxiety, and glaucoma.

So Why Is It Illegal? Marijuana’s status as an illegal drug can be traced back to one main argument; the gateway drug theory The gateway drug theory posits that users of marijuana and other low side-effect, non- addictive drugs (LSD, Ecstasy, etc.) have a higher probability of getting involved with other, “harder” drugs, such as cocaine, methamphetamine, or heroin.

Gateway Drug Theory Studies An Australian study tracked 2,000 Victorian high school students for ten years. – The study found the individuals who smoked cannabis in their teens were fifteen times as likely to be using amphetamines in their 20s. However, a 2002 study by RAND about Gateway Drug produced a differing result – RAND created a mathematical model simulating teen drug use, and found that Gateway Drug Theory was not consistent with their findings, that the simple pattern of drug use seen in this country was a more consistent explanation than marijuana leading to use of harder drugs.

Arguments for Marijuana Legalization The main argument for marijuana legalization is the fiscal argument. – In California, the cost of law enforcement, incarceration, and the loss of potential tax revenue from legalizing and taxing marijuana have been estimated at about billion dollars. – Legalization of marijuana countrywide could help fight the recession.

Medical Marijuana and Decriminalization by state

State Laws and Federal Prohibition of Marijuana Though there are many states with medical marijuana laws and decriminalization laws, cannabis is still illegal at a federal level.

Proposition 19 and Public Attitude to Marijuana Legalization California proposition 19 was a proposition to legalize, regulate, and tax marijuana in the state of California, and was defeated with a vote of 53.6% against, and 46.4% in favor. This proposition, though it failed, still set a precedent for future propositions, such as the Oregon Cannabis Tax Act (OCTA), the Oregon legalization movement for 2012.

Closing Statement Marijuana is a relatively harmless drug, and it is ridiculous that it is a schedule I drug. Many states already have decriminalization and medical marijuana laws. Marijuana has legitimate medical uses, and the cannabis plant can also be used for other things, such as harvesting hemp. Far too much money is spent arresting relatively minor offenders of marijuana laws. Legalization and regulation would take money out of drug cartel’s pocket, make marijuana safer, and taxation would be a great boost to the government