Choose one (1) of the two (2) policies that you used in Assignment 1, and continue your research and analysis...

Historical Perspective

Ashley A. Mitchel

Rick Humphress

Public Policy Analysis

July 20, 2014

For over a decade and still today many has debated the legal us of medical marijuana. Many studies have been done for cancer patients and people with medical issues that marijuana helps them with their sickness. Also, many people as used marijuana as a recreational drug and still using the drug daily. Twenty three states have legalized the use of medical marijuana. “Since 1996, 22 states and Washington, DC have passed laws allowing smoked marijuana to be used for a variety of medical conditions. It is important to recognize that these state marijuana laws do not change the fact that using marijuana continues to be an offense under Federal law.  Nor do these state laws change the criteria or process for FDA approval of safe and effective medications (www.whitehouse.gov).” Comment by RHUMPHRE: In-line Citations In-line citations follow a specific format that you can find at https://icampus.strayer.edu/lrc/apa-guidlines. The standard format is (Adams, 2010, p. 25). Use page numbers if you are using a direct quotation.

“Many of these state medical marijuana laws originated in order to create a legal defense to state criminal possession laws or to remove state criminal penalties for purported medical use of marijuana.” Since then, many have evolved into state authorization for state-based production and distribution of marijuana for purported medical purposes. These state laws vary greatly in their criteria and implementation, and many states are experiencing vigorous internal debates about the safety, efficacy, and legality of their marijuana laws. Many local governments are even creating zoning and enforcement ordinances that prevent marijuana dispensaries from operating in their communities.

The two states that is being studied Arizona and South Carolina. Arizona has passed a law to legalize medical marijuana since 2010 with about 50% of votes. In Arizona the legal limit for a person to have is one ounce of useable marijuana 6 plants (3 mature, 3 immature) (2014, July 17). In Arizona there is a program that people has to register to medical marijuana and renew their card annually.

In South Carolina there is still a fight to have marijuana legalized for medical purposes. State law allows marijuana, “A law passed back in 1980, says: SECTION 44-53-650. Director to obtain and distribute marijuana. (a) The director shall obtain marijuana through whatever means he deems most appropriate consistent with federal law. (b) The director shall cause such analyzed marijuana to be transferred to various locations throughout the State that provide adequate security as set forth in federal and state regulations for the purpose of distributing such marijuana to the certified patient in such manner as is consistent with federal law. The patient shall not be required to pay for such marijuana but the director may charge for ancillary medical services provided by the department to compensate the department for the cost, if any, of securing such marijuana, and providing it to the patient (Davis, etc, 2014).” Comment by RHUMPHRE: See above

There has been evidence that marijuana has been a drug that has helped many people with their medical issues such as cancer and also helped pain for most people. Both stated want to use marijuana as a controlled substance like hydrocodone as long as it’s used for medical issues. The issue with marijuana is that many people thinks that it will not benefit people are that the drug is not a controlled substance and should not be used as a controlled substance.

With the legalization of marijuana for the state of Arizona it has generated more revenues and also more people are being able to get the proper treatment that is need for their medical conditions. Also, the prison and jail rates have decreased because those crimes for using marijuana have decreased. In the state of South Carolina the legalization of marijuana will help the state to generate more tax dollars and the prison and jail rate will decrease. Half of the population in Arizona was for the legalization for marijuana and the other fifty percent was against it. In South Carolina their still debating on the reason to legalized marijuana about forty percent of the people feel that marijuana should be legalized. In light of all this information, the legalization of marijuana would be quite a defeat in their investment. It is not only the amount of money invested in the enforcement of anti-marijuana laws or only the jobs that count on marijuana being legal. Nor is it only the pride with which the American government takes in fighting the supposed evils of marijuana. If marijuana were to be legalized then the whole loss of all these factors would be the real heartbreaker. In addition to this, the government, as an investor, is in a rather unique position. They have virtually total control over the decision of legalization.

Would it then be prudent for them to suddenly throw away their money, jobs, and pride without extreme pressure from an outside source? No, it would not; the government would never alienate so many people and so much money, unless they had to politically. It is ironic that the government chose to wage a "war" on drugs, because the current situation with marijuana seems to be strikingly similar to that of the Vietnam War. Because of the government's arrogant stance against communism, Vietnam was prolonged for many more years than it had to be. In explaining the threat of a possible nuclear war, writers George Kahin and John Lewis comment that, "Kennedy appreciated the dangerous potential inherent in any step by step escalation of violence whereby a nation's objectives are gradually broadened as it becomes more committed to a favorable outcome" (Kahin 181). The government's new "commitment" for a drug-free America, however, has nothing equivalent to the threat of nuclear war to stop the escalating Drug War. For Vietnam, it took an almost revolutionary social movement for the government to pull out of their investment. This is also the case with the war on drugs. No matter how badly it is working or how wasteful it is for taxpayers, the government is not one to throw away its investment on its own. There must be strong pressure from the American people for the government to let go of the investment. However, herein lies the problem; for the cause of legalizing marijuana is not perceived as a noble cause, and the vast majority (especially middle and upper class) of Americans would not lift their pinky finger for legalization. So until this changes, the government will most likely get to keep the huge investment that they have in fighting marijuana. The interest group that marijuana has impacted is the age group of 18 -35 and the group that uses marijuana for medical reasons. Most people uses marijuana for recreation proposes and some uses it because studies has been show to help them in their illness (Maia, January 2014). Comment by RHUMPHRE: Question mark needed Comment by RHUMPHRE: I like this analogy. Comment by RHUMPHRE: I do not see that you have adequately discussed interest groups for these two policies as the rubric requires you to do. Partial credit given.

REFERENCES Comment by RHUMPHRE: References Guidance for Reference Section: >> You have used 5 references of which maybe one is credible (Kahin, McTurnan & Lewis). One of your sources are less than 5 years old. >> Credible sources come from academic journals. Newspapers, books, and websites can give valuable background but they are not always credible sources. >> Strayer APA Guidelines may be found at https://icampus.strayer.edu/lrc/apa-guidlines Ashley, Please review APA style and the rubric requirements for References. Also, do not number the references.