New research is underway examining the effects of marijuana on multiple sclerosis and stroke victims, which is one of the key reasons why more funding, and fewer obstacles, for research are needed. Already, twenty-one states have opened the door to potential research, but only six states have launched research campaigns into the medicinal benefits of pot: California, Georgia, Michigan, New Mexico, New York, and Tennessee ("21 States"). Federal legalization would ensure that more research on marijuana's health benefits will be completed.
Because marijuana is illegal, citizens who want it must turn to criminal avenues of distribution unless they are one of the few living in California who can acquire medical marijuana. Many of the existing illegal avenues of distribution are run by organized crime networks. In order to protect their interests, such criminal organizations will stop at nothing, including murder. The violent crime that is related to the marijuana trade results largely from the fact that individuals cannot grow their own plants or purchase marijuana from a respected vendor. If marijuana were legalized, organized crime would certainly not stop. However, in a recent United Nations report entitled "Drugs: Cash Flow for Organized Crime," author Antonio Maria Costa states plainly, "drug dollars are the cash cow on which Transnational Organized Crime relies. It uses the profits from drug trafficking, estimated at 30 billion per year, to bankroll terrorists, capitalize other illegal enterprises, expand criminal markets, and to subsidize war, violence, anarchy and lawlessness." Therefore, even if for no other reason, marijuana should be legalized to take one product away from the real criminals.
Keeping pot illegal also promotes negative stigmatizing and labeling...
Legalizing Marijuana It costs significant money for governments to catch buyers and dealers of drugs in the black market, arrest them, file cases against them, and then keep them in jail. Hence, the war on drugs is a long, risky, expensive undertaking. (Boylstein, 2003) This spending is considerably high when talking about the drug marijuana, as it is one amongst largely consumed drugs as it does not cause much harm to
On the other hand, marijuana is still perceived as an addictive substance under the Controlled Substances Act of 1970. It has been historically linked as a gateway drug to more serious substance abuse such as meth, heroin, or cocaine. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration says that marijuana is the most widely used and abused illicit drug in the nation among both youth and adults; in fact 42% of high school
Legalize Marijuana Now! Today, the United States enjoys the dubious distinction of incarcerating more of its citizens than any other industrialized nation on earth. Perhaps even more troubling still, the majority of these citizens have been imprisoned for nonviolent crimes involving drugs, with marijuana being one of the most prominently drugs. Furthermore, these issues have assumed new importance and relevance in recent years. As the country continues to struggle to recover
Legalize Marijuana? Considering the Legalization of Marijuana The federal government outlawed marijuana in 1937, a decision that remains controversial to this day. Proponents argue that growers have profited for decades and should be taxed accordingly. In the health care arena, medical marijuana is legal in a number of states, a decision with which seventy percent of Americans agree (Vlahos 18). Those against legalization cite potential health hazards, similar to those faced by
legalizing marijuana for medical use. The writer discusses both sides of the issue and argues that the medicinal used of marijuana should be legalized. Before one can begin to understand the logic in legalizing marijuana for medicinal use it is important to understand the history of the argument both for and against it as well as the importance that it be legalized for future use. Each year, thousands of people
Marijuana From the Psychosocial Perspective Perceived Risk We know that the concept of perceived risk is demonstrated most clearly by use trends related to marijuana use by adolescents. Use has fallen and risen over the course of modern history based on how dangerous the drug is perceived to be. What impact will the current attitude of accepting medical and recreational marijuana have on your generation - today's youth and tomorrow's parents, leaders,
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