If you have heard anything controversial in the 20th century surely, you’ve heard plenty about legalizing marijuana. Either it be recreationally or medically, there are both pros and cons surrounding the stigma with plenty of research to support either side of the debate. Marijuana has a wide variety of different uses in society but remains illegal under the federal law. Some states have decriminalized marijuana, but federal law does not recognize state law. Suppose that by federal law, marijuana was a legal substance. An entire new world of research could arise and each of its uses would become agreeable within communities and beyond. Stigmas concerning the use of marijuana would likely be thought about differently. The decriminalization or legalization of marijuana would cause many economical, industrial, and medical differences focused towards the benefit of the United States of America. Being an activist plays a key role in the decriminalization of marijuana.
Activism consists of efforts to promote, political, economic, or environmental changes. Activists for the legalization of marijuana have made great effort and progress in 20 states to date based on the supporters of its medical uses. Although Congress classified marijuana as a Schedule 1 substance in 1970, instantly making it the most widely used drug in the U.S. Many disagree with this and the debate its created raises ethical issues, such as whether the government should be allowed to control what people do in their own homes. Up until the government started creating restrictions in 1930, physicians still widely prescribed marijuana to their patients for several reasons that are similar the reasons people use it today (Sraders).
Marijuana, as most people commonly know it, is a plant called hemp, or “marijuana sativa.” Hemp is a durable plant that has been used since around 8000 B.C. for many purposes, such as rope, paper, and clothing. The marijuana plant also produces three very important products that other plants do not which are seeds, pulp, and medicine. The marijuana sativa plant grows as a cultivated plant all over the world in several climates and soils (Sraders). Marijuana has been used throughout history; in 6000 B.C. marijuana seeds were used as food in China; in 4000 B.C. the Chinese used textiles made of hemp; the first recorded use of marijuana as medicine in China was in 2727 B.C.; and in 1500 B.C. the Chinese cultivated Marijuana for food and fiber (Sraders).
Paul Armentano, Deputy Director of the NORML (The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws) Foundation, stated at the beginning of 2018 that scientists are investigating the cannabinoids’ ability to moderate the pain related with disorders such as multiple sclerosis, arthritis, and inflammatory bowel disease, as well as the role in the treatment of several neurological disorders including Alzheimer’s disease and Lou Gehrig’s disease (Armentano, par 3). The cannabinoids contained in marijuana have the power to provide relief for a spectrum of diseases. The potential relieving uses of medical marijuana include relief from conditions like gliomas, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s, ALS, fibromyalgia, Tourette's syndrome, dystonia, HIV, hepatitis c, hypertension, diabetes, sleep apnea, gastrointestinal disorders, pruritis, incontinence, osteoporosis, and rheumatoid arthritis (Armentano, par. 8). Armentano also stated in his report in the Recent Research on Medical Marijuana: Investigators are currently studying the anti-cancer properties of cannabinoids. A growing amount of data states that cannabinoids can put a hold on the spread of certain cancer cells and by the inhibition of angiogenesis (the formation of new blood vessels). These recent trends represent a far more significant for cannabinoid therapy than researchers could have imagined thirty or even twenty years ago (Armentano, par. 4) If marijuana were to be decriminalized, an entirely new spectrum of medicinal research could possibly be unveiled. The medicinal properties of marijuana including the short term as well as therapeutic relief to a wide list of clinical conditions could be researched and released to society. Allen F. St. Pierre states in his article About Marijuana:
Modern research suggests that marijuana is a valuable aid in the treatment of a wide range of clinical applications. These include pain relief – particularly of pain from nerve damage, nausea, spasticity, glaucoma, and movement disorders. Marijuana is also a powerful appetite stimulant specifically for patients suffering from HIV, or dementia. Recent research suggests that marijuana’s medicinal properties may protect the human body against some types of infectious tumors and are neuroprotective. (par. 10)
Newer and healthier methods with the use of THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol) could be researched in order to prevent any negative effects that inhaling the material of marijuana may have on your respiratory system. New research dedicated to showing the positive side of marijuana of possible decriminalization were set in motion. Canada has already benefited in a huge way from their nation-wide legalization of marijuana. Andrew D. Hathaway and Kate Rossiter state in their article on Canada’s society involving medical marijuana that “In 2001, Canada announced it would be the first country to legalize marijuana for therapeutic purposes and earmarked funding for clinical trials. By June 2007, legal access had been granted to about 1,800 patients with terminal illnesses and serious medical conditions” (1). Not only does marijuana have the potential to provide the United States with an extremely wide range of medical therapy, but this plant also has the potential to provide various industrial applications.
Hemp’s uses include but are not limited to: fuel; food (hemp seeds provide an amazing source of protein-not only for people but for birds who seek out hemp seeds which have been mixed with other seeds); paper; textiles, (canvas, paper, cloth, rope); paint; medicine; and building materials. Almost any product that can be made from wood, cotton, or petroleum can be made from hemp.
Every year the United States government spends billions of dollars to fund the war on drugs, which is conducted mainly by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). More specifically, the extremely well-funded Domestic Marijuana Eradication/Suppression Program (DCESP) is the part of the DEA that specifically deals with the enforcement of marijuana laws. In the past 25 years, the enforcement of marijuana prohibition has grown stronger. Besides this, marijuana production in the U.S. has increased since 1982 (Johnson, par, 17). Along with this increase DEA enforcement and production, the cost of the war on marijuana has increased greatly in the last few decades.
For example, in 2002 roughly 730,000 people were arrested for state marijuana charges meaning they did not possess enough to get charged federally. The total criminal justice cost of these marijuana arrests was about $7.6 billion, which equals to roughly $10,400 per arrest (NORML 131). The legalization of marijuana would eliminate the need for all these arrests which would result in an economic boost, not to mention save the money required to incarcerate someone for such an offense.
In addition to reducing the amount of money spent keeping marijuana illegal, the legalization of marijuana would free up lots of needed space in our already overcrowded jails. U.S. citizens account for about 5% of the world’s population, yet U.S. prison inmates account for 25% of the world’s prisoners. By eliminating the need for marijuana related arrests, a great amount of problems would be lifted off our police force. Our police would be able to focus their energy on the real criminals in our nation as opposed to wasting money charging citizens with minor marijuana offenses. Most importantly, the legalization of marijuana would eliminate all the crime involved with marijuana such as sale, possession, paraphernalia, and cultivation.
I held a survey that I personally handed out to a class of about 20 adults at the University of Montana. The survey consisted of about 10 questions, the questions were along the lines of, do you think marijuana should be legalized? and if so, then why and if not they why. Looking at the results of the survey I analyzed a percentage of who was against and who was for the legalization of marijuana. The statistics I recovered were somewhat shocking, yet at the same time I was not surprised by results.
By making marijuana legal, it makes it impossible for criminals to conduct crimes involving marijuana. However, the prohibitive laws involving marijuana provide organized criminals with one of the most notorious sources of income: the sale of illegal marijuana. Legislation against marijuana does not eliminate the demand for it within society either. Because marijuana is illegal, the price of marijuana is much higher than what it would be if legal. This unintentional result of the prohibited laws against marijuana has caused am increase in crime revolved around the purchase of the herb. New crimes are being committed to make money so that users can afford the high prices; even though it's not as severe as a crime directly related to the sale and cultivation of marijuana. Wiping out all crime associated with marijuana and the money earned as a result will only become possible through the regulation and production of marijuana by the U.S. government. These would not be the only benefits legalization would have to offer either; the government could generate great contributions to the economy through the taxation and sale of marijuana within the U.S. All in all, the war on marijuana has failed. Marijuana use and production continue to increase from year to year despite the increased war against marijuana. New policies need to be researched and tried if the government ever wants to have control over one of the biggest issues in the war on drugs. Scientific studies may have iffy results, but overall, they link smoking marijuana to heart and lung disease, throat cancer, and a decreased memory capacity. Making marijuana legal would increase the number of people being affected by these diseases. Others point to the large amounts of drugs that have been seized coming into the United States. They look to how drug use is linked to criminal activity and predict that legalizing marijuana would lead to an increase in violence and crime (Jefferson-Bullock).
The federal government, which is working to keep marijuana illegal, agrees that there is no real benefit to legalizing marijuana. Gil Kerlikowske, director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy wrote “As a former police chief, I recognize we are not going to arrest our way out of the problem. We also recognize that legalizing marijuana would not provide the answer to any of the health, social, youth education, criminal justice, and community quality of life challenges associated with drug use.” (Gane-McCalla)
In conclusion marijuana has the potential to be one of the most useful substances in the world. Even though cannabis prevails as possibly one of the most useful plants on the face of the Earth, it remains illegal in the United States. With countless uses, whether they be industrial, medical, or economical, it is hard to believe that marijuana remains a regulated and prohibited substance. It seems as if this harmless flower is considered illegal for no other reason than to be considered illegal. Cannabis is a possible head start towards the economy’s stability and holds the potential to assist in the addressing of some of the United States’ most pressing issues. If people acted and the government legalized it today, we would immediately see benefits from this decision. People suffering from illnesses ranging from manic depression to Multiple Sclerosis would be able to experience relief. The government could make billions of dollars off of the taxes it would hold on its sale, and its implementation into the industrial world would create thousands of new jobs for the economy.