Reflection paper MARIUJUAN

Should Marijuana be Legal

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Should Marijuana Be Legal

Introduction

The use of marijuana has widely gained recognition and acceptance in several spheres in the world today and is common within aspects of medical practice, religious devotions, and for enjoyment. Marijuana as a perennial topic for legal discussion has raised interest among several scholars (CNN, 2019; Wilkinson, 2015; Head, 2019). This is because there has been a changing perception about marijuana over the years in several nations and in continents with its properties being acknowledged by many in the society. The dilemma in marijuana debate translates back in 1930s where the United States government declared marijuana as a threat for the country forging stories of the negative consequences of the drug to individuals and for the nation in what was then termed as the ‘voodoo pharmacology’. Government persistent on war against drug resulted to later ban on the use of Marijuana in 1937 (Wilkinson, 2015).

Medicinal benefits of Marijuana

Currently, the world is more informed about the Marijuana as a drug and the amount of information known of the drug has exposed it at the center of global debate. Researchers acknowledge marijuana as having some medical benefit further calling for its legalization purely for medical procedures (Head, 2019). According to researchers and medical experts, marijuana has consistently been tested and approved as a drug containing effective and safer therapeutic elements. For instance, Marijuana is a confirmed pain reliever for patient suffering headache, nausea, and even for asthmatic patient and those suffering cramps. Marijuana as a medicinal drug is effective for patients under chemotherapy procedures to help overcome depression and stress, as well as helping to overcome worst cases of glaucoma, relieve physical pain and discomforts, and drowsiness for those with insomnia (CNN, 2019).

The side effects of Marijuana

Some of the effects allied to use of marijuana include increased appetite and craving for food, memory lapses/ short-term memory, paranoia, along with temporal dry mouth and blood shot heavy eyes (Wilkinson, 2015). Other effects may include increased heart rate, lost coordination of the body, distorted thinking and hallucinations. Others who encounter the drug will become delusional and disoriented and even suffer inattentiveness, delayed reactions, addiction and withdrawals, as well as depression and grow anxious. However, the side-effects will vary depending on the use of the marijuana and may vary when vaped, cooked, baked, ingested, brewed, or used as an additive (CNN, 2019).

The Criminal Justice Problem with Legalizing Marijuana

In studies by Head (2019), he posits that any further plans to legalize marijuana will witness a 10% to 20% reduction in the pharmaceutical drugs currently stocked in many pharmacies in the country. At present eleven states in the country have legalized marijuana for medicinal use and is strict to ensure that those in their possession have obtained it through a physician’s prescription. However, the argument has always been that by illegalizing the drug the government is inadvertently exposing the economy to black market. The situation can be borrowed from the 1920s replica where the government after imposing a ban on selling of alcohol the liquor did find its way back in the market through backdoors. Therefore, the badly brewed liquor claimed the lives of several people and further opened for new businesses among gangsters, smugglers, and the bootleggers (Head, 2019).

Uniform Crime Report of 2018

The Uniform Crime Report of 2018 declares marijuana as comprising of the chunk of the

black-market business generating over $770 billion revenue annually around the world. The FBI also account for the marijuana as comprising of nearly a half of the total arrest achieved in 2019 in relation to drug violations and abuses in the country, i.e., a population head of 723,291 cases out of the entire 1,831,952 (CNN, 2019). Another problem as arising in the case for the criminal justice department is supporting the rising number within the overcrowded prisons. Apparently, it currently cost $36,299.42 to support the stay of an inmate in a year. The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) further elucidate that many of the marijuana cases are usually served prison terms and it takes over $7.04 billion of the taxpayers’ money to accommodate these culprits in prison. On the flip side, such huge amount could have well been allocated to other government activities and in achieving changes for the economy if only marijuana was legalized (CNN, 2019).

Reasons Marijuana Should Be Legalized

It is seemingly that a huge part of the problem for the criminal justice department is shouldered on the continuous mistreatment, naivety, and unacknowledged purpose of marijuana. The government is deeply engrossed in curbing a drug with exceedingly higher markup for the economy failing to pay attention on tobacco and alcohol. Unlike marijuana, alcohol and tobacco have been deemed as extremely toxic and unhealthy alternatives for human consumption (Head, 2019). Relatively, overdose of alcohol can cause severe intoxication as opposed to marijuana that is nearly impossible to overdose. Some of the reasons why alcohol and tobacco are not considered gateway drugs are because the sector is an established multibillion empire that has been operational for quite some time. Whereas the sector might be difficult to clump down, the government is taking measures to normalize its harmful and addictive effect to the public (Wilkinson, 2015).

Seemingly, marijuana and alcohol create more of similar effect to its users and they can prove fatal. Using any of both drugs will always impair its user’s judgment, reduce their motor response, and expose them to poor decisions. The impact could be severe where the intoxicated user was driving on the highway or even confronted in a situation. Nevertheless, for the critique of marijuana it is informed that alcohol is the leading cause of reported deaths in the US with 29% (10,937 people) confirmed cases caused by drunk driving in 2019 (CNN, 2019). Again, unlike alcohol it is confirmed that marijuana has very minimal tendencies of inciting anger or provoke violence (Head, 2019).

Rationale for the Decision

Different from previous claims made against the drug, current research reveals that even with excessive and long-term use of marijuana it has minimal chances of causing esophageal and lung related diseases (Wilkinson, 2015). However, the scope of the recent claim is still under intense research by NIDA. Other researches also seeking to explore these areas has vehemently been opposed by the government. Apparently, growing interest in researching marijuana has over the period been triggered by its benefit of use especially in relieving cancer patients and the AIDS infected patients. However, due to little research within the several areas it is currently safe to claim that the proclaimed negative effects of marijuana are a possibility (Head, 2019).

Comparatively, legalizing of marijuana has the potency of creating a black market of its kind with physicians engaging in prescription malpractices for handouts. Relatively, legalizing marijuana could source other problems such as overreliance on its use other than seeking other known methods of treatment confirmed as an effective alternative. Also, marijuana is confirmed to be increasing peoples blood pressure rendering its users more susceptible to stroke and horde of problems to its user (CNN, 2019).

Marijuana is also perceived as a getaway drug that could influence its users to try other hardcore substances such as coke, meth, and heroine. Therefore, it is the most culpable drug considering that its victim could be traced to other hard drug users. Hence, where it is legalized it may open a flood gate for the legalization of all hard drugs in the country. Whereas the drug does not appear as much danger as alcohol adding it to the list will be adding an insult to an injury seemingly dangerous and a pointless thing to do for a country that is battling high level of civilian intoxication (Head, 2019).

Summary and Conclusion

Like tobacco marijuana have undesirable impact to the environment and passive smokers. A decisive conclusion about the issue of whether marijuana should be legalized could be premature since it is not adequately experimented to determine its effect. However, in the myopic view of the situation and from the research at hand it can be concluded from the witnessed cases of accident caused by the drug, and its incitement to try hard drugs (Head, 2019). On the flipside marijuana is confirmed as having medicinal benefit however, the problem could be detrimental in the manner of achieved prescription in future. Therefore, before anything else it is vital that further research be warranted to achieve a concrete understanding of the drug, its problems and benefits to dispel the myth and notions surrounding the drug (Wilkinson, 2015).

Conclusion

Therefore, if the drug is legalized it is important that the dosage be prescribed, and purity

confirmed to overcome problems of intoxication; a problem commonly witnessed with street bhang. Legalizing of weed can save the government the money for fighting it and to offload the pressure in already overcrowded prisons and for the public defense attorney overburdened with cases. Marijuana legalization could even create more time for fighting other serious crimes. Furthermore, if the government has allowed for more toxic substances such as alcohol and tobacco to trade in the market freely then it is pointless to limit marijuana that has considerable benefit over these alleged drugs in the market (Wilkinson, 2015; CNN, 2019).

References

CNN. 2019. "Should Marijuana Be Legalized?". Debate.Org. https://www.debate.org/opinions/should-marijuana-be-legalized .

Head, Tom. 2019. "Compelling Reasons Why Weed Should Be Legalized". Thoughtco. https://www.thoughtco.com/reasons-why-marijuana-should-be-legalized-721154 .

Wilkinson, S. T. (2015). More Reasons States Should Not Legalize Marijuana: Medical and Recreational Marijuana: Commentary and Review of the Literature. Missouri medicine, 110(6), 524.