Legalization of controlled Marijuana
Statistically, marijuana is among the most prevalently consumed illicit substances across the United States. According to the (drug free world), over 158 million individuals- 3.8% of the total world’s population use marijuana. This accounts for the 94 million individuals in America who admit to having at least used the drug once. The use of marijuana is rising due to various reasons, such as medical and recreational purposes. Due to the rapid increment of marijuana consumption in the US, this drug’s availability in America has also increased. The heightened production in Mexico has caused a growth of its cultivation in American states supported by criminal networks like the agencies of drug trafficking from Mexico. These are the primary factors that have a close relationship with the easy availability of Marijuana in the US. The uptick in the consumption and accessibility of the drug in America has developed with an overall shift in public opinion towards this substance. For instance, in 1969, only 12% of surveyed individuals supported the legalization of marijuana, while today, over 55% of interviewed individuals support the concept of decriminalizing the drug, with over 60% of citizens opposed to the idea of the federal government imposing its marijuana policies in states that have legalized the consumption of the substance.
There are numerous public conversations in the improvement of marijuana policies now, more than any other time in the previous years. With the evidence depicting that nearly half of America is in acceptance of decriminalization of marijuana, may individuals in the US suggest that marijuana should be withheld from the Criminal justice system and be controlled like other drugs such as tobacco and alcohol. Nevertheless, regarding the declaration for independence concerning standards of freedom and rights, each person had the right to freedom of choices on their actions and behaviors, as far as it does not endanger other people’s lives. Civil liberty is whatever actions that are not restricted on the grounds of the will in the restrictions drawn around individuals by similar rights of other people. The law, therefore, acts as the primary method of taking away freedom. The future of legalizing marijuana is getting apparent as Americans are extensively supporting this concept, and baselessly getting influenced by the elusive arguments that drug traffickers have applied for years in support of the unsuccessful laws of prohibition.
Conflicts between state and federal laws of marijuana decriminalization
The federal law proscribes the transportation, dispensation, production, and handling of the substance. However, various states such as Washington and Colorado strayed from federal law. They legalized marijuana on the grounds of its recreational and medicinal purposes. Citizens from these states voted to allow, control, and tax the utilization of small marijuana quantities for recreational purposes. The preceding decades have witnessed more spreading of the disparity between states and the central government in marijuana regulation policies in America. The shifts have erupted many concerns regarding the prospective inferences for the associated federal policy enforcement processes, teen usage, crime rates, economic and international relationships such as global drug treaties, and health impacts. Despite the decriminalization of this substance for medical reasons in 40 US states, the drug is still illicit in regards to the federal government. The circumstance is since the Controlled Substances Act, which controls drugs under federal law, fails to differentiate the recreational and therapeutic uses of marijuana.
The central government views marijuana like the various controlled substances of addiction, such as cocaine and heroin. Regarding marijuana’s potential for medical significance and abuse, the central government records this drug under Schedule 1 substances, implying that it lacks medicinal value and is very addictive. Health care practitioners are forbidden from the prescription of marijuana under federal law, although they are permitted to allowed by the First amendment to mention its use. The central government has stringent punishments for individuals that violate marijuana policies, although the individual lives in a state that allows medicinal use of the drug. Due to the disparity of Marijuana policies of individual states and national government, Congress should result in the decriminalization of marijuana programs in various ways. They should decide to handle state-level legalization, exercising the omission over central law enforcement movements, verification of federal marijuana laws, and incentivizing state policies through the provision of funds. It should choose to address the policy divergence with state support of the substance and resolve the conflict by the legalization of marijuana under control for its purposes.
Marijuana’s effects on the economy
States that support the legalization of marijuana create over 8 billion dollars in government incomes from licensing, levies, and taxes from its legalization. Although the amount of revenues estimated varies with states, the estimations are credible since licensing depends on the states and consumer demand in the controlled markets. Also, the direct costs of implementing the policy to allow controlled marijuana, in general, leads to an increase in its use, thus amplifying the direct economic expenditures in regards to healthcare, social services, and criminal justice. The cost and degree if increased consumption is projectable through the evaluation of demand and supply.
The legalization of marijuana has a positive impact on the sustenance of economic growth. For instance, a report from Colorado State University indicates that legal marijuana has resulted in a dramatic increase effects of Colorado’s tax revenue. Also, decriminalization of marijuana results in setting up ad opening of dispensaries and nurseries, thus creating job opportunities. It would also lead to a lot of income generation from farming, distribution, and sale processes and licensing. Controlled marijuana has contributed to secure investment portfolios. Thus investors are enabled to capitalize on market growth. The legalization of marijuana for both recreational and medicinal reasons results in tremendous positive impacts on society. Pro-marijuana lowers the unemployment rates through the creation of numerous jobs, thus improving the country’s socioeconomic status.
Medical effects of marijuana
Nowadays, there is growing evidence o the medicinal value of marijuana and thus, a prospective and usage of it in the management of different medical conditions. The Tetrahydrocannabinol, THC, the cannabinoid derivative of the substance is useful in the treatment of nausea and vomiting and promoting weight gain due to under-nutrition or prolonged starvation. Marijuana is also vital in the management and calming of muscle spasticity due to spinal cord injuries and providing painkilling effect on painful peripheral neuropathy from illnesses such as multiple sclerosis, an autoimmune disorder, and even epilepsy. In health care, this drug is also recommended to offer pain relief to cancer patients who are going through chemotherapy by alleviating nausea and preventing the spread of other types of cancer. It also helps HIV/AIDS patients who encounter loss of appetite as it is known to increase an individual’s desire to eat (Merino, 2016). Since scientist is required to provide healthcare empirical evidence on the medicinal benefits of marijuana decriminalization, their contribution would considerably help in its legalization after approval by the FDA. The benefits of marijuana in patients outweigh the potential risks; thus, controlled marijuana could significantly help innumerable patients.
Marijuana’s placement under Schedule I substances and whether the drug contains any medical value are some challenges that are solvable due to enough proof of its medicinal value. It is inaccurate that the federal government claims that marijuana lacks medicinal effects. The profile of marijuana is early the same as that of Schedule III drugs, codeine, and dronabinol. This consistent conflict between the federal policy on marijuana and scientific facts can be resolved if research findings are provided that involve testing of marijuana derivatives and their efficacy in the treatment and management of various medical conditions. Although there is a history of mental health and abuse, among other factors evaluated for the analysis of the risk ratio of this drug, controlled marijuana can help curb these problems through the restrictions. The prospective long-term impacts of marijuana derivatives such as addiction, and abuse in susceptible populations when consumed with alcohol or alone is due to the uncontrolled nature. Thus, controlled marijuana would help avoid abuse problems. According to studies, people that consume marijuana do not necessarily move onto abuse of this substance or other drugs.
Conclusion
In contemporary markets, legalization, taxation, and regulation of marijuana would result in reduced crimes and the profitability of the agriculture business. Patients would be enabled to acquire inexpensive and natural medications. Also, substantial amounts amount of money would be saved in legal expenditure, and America would focus its attention on considerably troubling crimes such as domestic violence, meth, and other violent criminal activities. Marijuana legalization would lead to numerous benefits, whether medically or controlled marijuana for the community. While there is both pros ad cos of this substance, numerous doctors in health care benefit from medical marijuana for their patients, especially in the alleviation of pain experienced by patients. The creation of the Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Act can help individuals medically. However, the entire decriminalization and control of this substance would result in more impacts on more Americans. Although the legalization of controlled marijuana has bee a contentious matter in recent years, it is gaining popularity as most countries liberalize its policies for different reasons. Nations around the world, such as Canada, Cuba, and Uruguay, have legalized marijuana and continue to gain magnanimous outcomes from controlled marijuana, particularly economically.
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