I needed to write an 8-10 page (not including cover page and works cited) research paper about a topic I am persuading to my reader. I chose to discuss the regulations set on marijuana, as it has become a much debated topic. I am including the essay at the end of this thread, it's too long for an attachment. (sorry for such a long read! :/ )
I feel as though I may have been repeating myself at times, though I'm not sure if it was necessary repetitions or not. -Is there not enough information? Do I need to remove or add some information? -I feel like my transitions were written well, I'm just worried my content does not sound as clear as it was in my head. -Is the overall message persuading, provided the information given to back it up? For this essay, I am focusing most on my content development, organization, and use of resources.
Thanks!
For decades, opinions have been given left and right about the prohibition of marijuana in the United States: it needs to be legalized for both medical and recreational use; it should only be legal to those at a responsible age, just like every other legal substance; marijuana should never be legalized, it is too harmful to people and their surroundings. Every presidential election, the nominees are asked about what they are planning on doing with the classification of the cannabis plant and its current regulations. Many of those against legalizing the plant do not have any reason except for the fact that "it's a drug." Those that argue for retaining its prohibition tend to be left speechless when proven with the benefits the drug brings. If the number of pros to legalizing marijuana overpowers the cons to a great extent, why have only two of the fifty states legalized it for all purposes? Marijuana should be legalized for use in the United States as it is safer than many legal substances, will raise more money from taxation, and will shift the focus to more serious crimes.
Marijuana, also known as cannabis, as well as several other names, comes from the cannabis plant. It includes hundreds of chemical compounds, but the main compound found in the plant is tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC for short. THC, when consumed, alters psychoactive and physiological aspects of the brain, causing "heightened mood or euphoria, relaxation, and an increase in appetite" ("Cannabis (Drug)"). Marijuana is most
commonly found rolled as "joints" or in pipes or water-based "bongs," but the drug can easily be put into teas or foods, like brownies or cookies. However, in most states, and in many other countries, cannabis is illegal for medical and recreational purposes. In the United States, the Schedule I drug and its restrictions have been debated upon for several decades. Each year, more and more people are for the legalization of the plant, or to at least decriminalize it.
Around the world, most countries have marijuana listed as "illegal but decriminalized," as a small portion is usually decriminalized for personal use. Only a few countries allow cannabis for personal and recreational reasons, including North Korea and Uruguay. In some areas, such as Czech Republic, Canada, and France, medical marijuana is allowed, but all other purposes are illegal. Most countries follow the same restrictions on the plant as one another, yet America and India both have separate restrictions when focusing on the government. India's distribution of cannabis is allowed if authorized by the government, but prohibits all other sources. The United States goes away from other countries' laws, and seems to cause more chaos and confusion on the drug's limits. For example, in America, marijuana is "illegal at federal level but...is legal at state level in states such as Washington and Colorado" ("Where is Marijuana Legal?"). More and more countries seem to be easing their policies of marijuana use, while America seems to be stuck in an unnecessary battle between opposing sides. If more countries were to abandon their cannabis laws, America especially, there would be fewer struggles in the different governments around the world.
Marijuana should be legalized because it is used by millions of people in the United States alone, and does not link to any serious health issues, unlike other
substances. It is a very common drug that has been consumed by several people, even those known to the public. In fact, the plant has been used by over 100 million Americans, and is the third most popular drug in the country, behind alcohol and tobacco (About Marijuana, par. 1). Marijuana is used by people of all ages. One can be as young as thirteen years old, and as old to have grandchildren, and be a frequent user of the drug. Even well known faces are seen consuming marijuana, such as government officials and celebrities. For example, President Barack Obama has admitted to using marijuana before; childhood star Miley Cyrus recently has been highly promoting marijuana in her songs and performances. Many men and women look up to these people, and are starting to realize that marijuana is just a harmless and enjoyable plant. With so many popular faces encouraging the plant, as well as with the number of daily users growing, "[the country's] public policies should reflect this reality, not deny it" (About Marijuana). In fact, over the past fifty years, the percentage of Americans against legalizing marijuana has dropped from 84% to 39% (Carroll). This percentage is still dropping, to the point now that two states have legalized marijuana for all uses.
Though only two of the fifty states have legalized the drug so far, many states allow marijuana for medical reasons. Marijuana has been proven to be safer and more beneficial than tobacco and alcohol, two of the most commonly used legal substances in the country. Tobacco, while staining teeth and ruining appearances and personalities, causes lung cancer, killing thousands of people every year; alcohol drinking can lead to liver poisoning, as well as alter your mind and decisions, which could be deadly. However, no deaths have ever been recorded due to cannabis overdose. Though some say that marijuana is a "gateway drug" that could lead to the use of more harmful drugs such
as cocaine and heroin, two-thirds of marijuana users never go on to any harder drugs (Duke, par. 8). Smoking tobacco or drinking alcohol does not benefit one in any way, shape, or form. Marijuana, however, can be used to treat medical needs from nausea to glaucoma to ADHD. If so many people have used the drug before, and for better reasons than what some legal substances provide, what can be so wrong about it to make it illegal?
By legalizing marijuana, the United States could generate billions of dollars to lessen the country's debt and enforce more serious drugs. World War II brought the public a debt of over $260 billion, the highest it had ever been. Today, as a result of the Great Recession, the United States is carrying a debt of over $12 trillion. That number is constantly rising, and the gross domestic product in the country is expected to rise higher than ever recorded ("History of the United States Public Debt"). Of all the money spent to bring the country to this debt, several million of those dollars come from marijuana arrests. A large percentage of those arrests are made for possession only. By focusing on the unnecessary restrictions set on cannabis, the government is being distracted from the more important issues occurring, such as the new health care law and the percentage of unemployment. Legalizing the drug would allow the country to redirect their attention and maximize their spending, instead of wasting it on those arrests (McVay, par. "Tax Revenue"). If the regulations of marijuana were not as strict and the plant was legalized in the country, a tax would be able to be put on the market of it. With the amount of users in the country, especially once the drug is legalized, putting a tax on marijuana could raise the country an additional six billion dollars (Duke). This means that with the money raised from taxing cannabis as well as the money saved from marijuana arrests, the
United States could possibly decrease the public debt by around eight billion dollars a year.
Not only will marijuana aid in cutting the country's debt, but it will also allow for more time to be spent focusing on enforcing harder and more dangerous drugs, such as cocaine, heroin, or other illegal substances. As stated earlier, a majority of marijuana users do not move on to harder drugs. In his article titled "The Future of Marijuana in the United States," Steven B. Duke noted, "for every frequent user of cocaine or heroin, there are about eight frequent users of marijuana" (Duke, par. 8). However, looking at this ratio, and taking note of how many marijuana users there are in America, it is obvious that there are still many users of the stronger and more dangerous drugs. The cannabis plant has yet to be proven to cause any psychological or physical problems, while substances such as heroin and cocaine can kill one after one hit. By legalizing marijuana, more attention and spending can be put towards those more serious drugs, resulting in a safer environment for everyone. America has focused so much of its attention to the plant's absurd restrictions that the people have become distracted from the more important issues relating to the country's debt and more dangerous substances. Legalizing marijuana nationwide will lower the public debt and help enforce the restrictions on deadlier items.
By allowing the legalization of the popular plant, there will be a drastic change in U.S. crime statistics. Prohibiting marijuana is only proving to be useless and inoperable, just as it has throughout United States history. During the 1920's, a prohibition was set on alcohol in order to block Americans from consuming or selling any alcoholic beverages. However, this only led to the consumers fighting back, through stealing and
organized crime, in order to get what they wanted ("Prohibition"). This event, as well as many others around the globe, only proves that the restriction does nothing but create more chaos and increase crime rates, as it cannot keep people away; the prohibition of marijuana is proving that point even more. Setting restrictions on substances has never been completely successful, and it probably never will be. For example, alcohol today is legal to anyone twenty-one years or older. However, a great percentage of minors are purchasing and consuming alcoholic beverages every day. It is getting easier and easier for teenagers to purchase items such as alcohol, as some people do not check to confirm their ages. The same thing is being seen with marijuana. The cannabis plant is illegal in all but two states, yet it is easily accessible to almost anyone. The restrictions set on these substances, as well as others, are meant to limit people's access to them and keep the country safe. Nevertheless, people are getting caught and thrown in jail for abandoning the law. Though there seems to be nothing able to be done about the minor possession of alcohol, there would be no punishments due to possession or cultivation of marijuana if the restrictions on the drug were thrown away.
Also, with these restrictions gone, attention can be drawn to better and more dangerous crimes occurring in the nation. With law enforcement being so strict on cannabis possession and distribution, people are getting away with more serious and violent crimes. Over the past decade, the number of marijuana arrests skyrocketed to over 800,000 a year, with almost ninety percent of them just for possession (About Marijuana). The government has recently been arguing about illegal immigrants moving to America, as well as whether or not to allow the use of guns. Both of these issues could change the shape of America and its people, yet marijuana arrests stand above any topic.
In fact, every year, marijuana arrests occur more than deadly and violent crimes (such as robberies, rape, assault, and murder) combined ("Legalization Will Reduce Crime, Free Up Police Resources"). Nothing should be focused on more than the cold-hearted activities like murder and rape, especially not something that has yet to be given a valid reason for its illegal ruling. By legalizing marijuana, law enforcement will be allowed to focus on those more serious crimes and restrictions, rather than a non-violent, wasteful law.
Marijuana proves to be a harmless and useful drug, yet it is ruled as illegal in the United States, as well as many other countries. For having so many reasons to legalize the plant, there is mainly one reason for it to stay prohibited: if it becomes legal for recreational use, it will result in more people partaking in the consumption. However, the drug has been legalized on certain restrictions in several states as well as other countries, and that has yet to be proven. Duke explains this in his article to legalize the plant when he writes:
Decriminalization at the state level during the 1970s did not lead to significant increases in the usage of marijuana. Nor did that occur in the Netherlands where marijuana was de facto decriminalized decades ago. Nor has it happened in Portugal, which in 2001 decriminalized possession and use of small quantities of all drugs (Duke).
If marijuana were to be legalized, it is obvious that consumers would feel safer and more comfortable using the drug, therefore increasing the number of frequent users. However, just like other prohibited substances later legalized, it is not believed that the number of cannabis users will drastically increase. Besides, even if the number were to be much
different, it would keep people away from more toxic substances such as alcohol or tobacco. If one's concern for legalizing marijuana is the huge increased number of users, he or she does not realize the possibility of that happening, as well as the other changes it could bring.
Marijuana, the third most popular drug in the United States, is consumed by hundreds of thousands of Americans a year, and the number is only getting bigger. Of the thousands of users, not one death has been recorded due to marijuana overdose, something unable to be said about tobacco and alcohol. The cannabis plant is safer than almost any other legal substance in the United States, and is often used for medical treatment. By legalizing the drug, the country will be able to decrease the extreme debt that is putting people out of work and homes, as well as use the money to enforce harder drugs instead of the harmless cannabis. Crimes will be even lower, as more attention will be put towards murders and rapes instead of the several thousand marijuana arrests made every year. There are very few reasons to keep the drug prohibited, compared to the several legalization benefits. By abandoning its marijuana laws, the government in America will be able to redirect its attention and focus on more important topics and issues, creating a more stable and comfortable country for its people.
Works Cited
"About Marijuana." NORML. NORML, n.d. Web. 21 March 2014.
"Cannabis (Drug)." Wikipedia. 18 Mar. 2014; Wikipedia. Web. 27 Mar. 2014.
Carroll, Joseph. "Who Supports Marijuana Legalization?" Gallup Poll Tuesday Briefing
(2005). Web. 1 Mar. 2014.
Duke, Steven B. "The Future of Marijuana in the United States." Or. L. Rev. 91 (2013):
1301. LexisNexis. Web. 28 Feb. 2014.
"History of the United States Public Death." Wikipedia. 16 Mar. 2014; Wikipedia. Web.
26 Mar. 2014.
"Legalization Will Reduce Crime, Free Up Police Resources." CNBC. CNBC, 20 April
2010. Web. 22 March 2014.
McKay, John. "Legalize marijuana for adult users." USA Today n.d.: Academic Search
Premier. Web. 1 Mar. 2014.
"Prohibition." Wikipedia. 25 Mar. 2014; Wikipedia. Web. 27 Mar. 2014.
"Where is Marijuana Legal?" New Health Guide. 27 Mar. 2014.; n.p. Web. 27 Mar. 2014.
