The War on Drugs was a huge point in our history that got the ball rolling on the discussion of legalizing the substance known as Marijuana. When President Nixon declared the War on Drugs, Marijuana was in very high demand by the consumers here in America which increased the demand of production for Marijuana farmers in countries like Mexico and Colombia. The prohibition on Marijuana has been an ongoing effort for decades, but despite the efforts of local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, this prohibition has yet to be eradicated. Although the legalization of Marijuana continues to remain a widely spoken about topic in todays’ society, with only a handful of states choosing to legalize the drug for both recreational and medical use within the last few years, the drug remains a federal crime regardless. The legalization of Marijuana has become a more controversial topic of discussion in recent years since studies have proven the benefits of Marijuana for individuals suffering from a chronic illness or injury, as well as, the potential for economic and social growth that legalizing the drug would provide for state governments. We, as members of society who vote for our laws, need to evaluate and determine what the real benefits and drawbacks of legalizing Marijuana will be.
In recent years, studies have proven that Marijuana has a variety of benefits for a multitude of medical conditions. Marijuana has helped provide relief for a number of patients suffering from chronic illnesses which include, but are not limited to, cancer, lupus, HIV/AIDS, Crohn’s disease, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy, glaucoma, Tourette’s, arthritis, and migraines. Some of the complications of these chronic illnesses that Marijuana use is helpful in treating are chronic pain, insomnia, nausea, decreased appetite, anxiety, muscle spasticity, and inflammation. Having spoken to a United States Army veteran who medically retired from the service because of a Lupus and Fibromyalgia diagnosis, Alexis M. Roubanian, SPC (USA Retired) stated that she has consumed Marijuana to help manage her chronic pain, decreased appetite, inflammation, and insomnia. “During a Lupus flare or a Fibromyalgia flare, sometimes the pain can be unmanageable” (A. Roubanian). The veteran then went on to explain why she turned to Marijuana as a medication, “Personally, I have never been a fan of taking prescription painkillers, so I needed an alternative to combat the pain. Sometimes the flares would leave me without an appetite all day to the point where I would barely eat my first meal of the day late at night and I wouldn’t be able to sleep. My insomnia was also partially due to not being able to get comfortable because I was in so much pain. The first time I used Marijuana as a medication, I was speechless. It was the first time in years that I hadn’t been in pain and I had a real appetite again. It made me feel comfortable for the first time in years.” (A. Roubanian). This veteran’s case is a prime example of how beneficial the use of Marijuana can be for those who are suffering from medical conditions that are out of their control. There are reduced risks in the consumption of Marijuana than there are in the consumption of prescription medications.
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Criminalizing the use and possession of Marijuana has a direct impact on our economy nationwide. The criminal justice system and state governments have spent millions of dollars on the prohibition on Marijuana, which is millions of dollars that could have helped fund alternative resources for people in need. The costs of prosecuting individuals with such minor offenses falls heavily on communities, as well as society as a whole. The authors of Something’s in the Air Race, Crime, and the Legalization of Marijuana “Criminal Justice Costs of Prohibiting Marijuana in California” was able to calculate the costs of all Marijuana related crimes that were prosecuted nationwide. “The direct criminal justice system cost of prohibiting Marijuana for adults in California in 2010 was approximately $150 million. More than 45 percent of the costs ($70 million) are attributable to incarceration… After incarceration, prosecution ($40 million) and probation and parole combined ($30 million) are the next largest cost items.” (25 Caulkins, Kilmer) If Marijuana became decriminalized, the state governments would save hundreds of millions of dollars that they can put towards their individual state economies to help improve the lives of their citizens. A major issue which fuels the prohibition on Marijuana is the priority in arrests that have been happening in recent years. “In 2017, more Americans were arrested for Marijuana possession than for murder, rape, aggravated assult and robbery combined” (Reich). That is not to say that heinous crimes aren’t happening as frequently, it just means that statistically there is an extreme amount of effort and energy going into prosecuting small Maijuana possessions as opposed to the heinous crimes. Unfortunately due to the reality of these statistics, individuals with a criminal record have a harder time adjusting to life outside of the correctional system when trying to make a life for themselves, such as getting a job, an internship, an education, etc.
Not only is the economy being majorly affected by the prohibition and lack of legalization of Marijuana, but the social impact it has on the individuals prosecuted and communities involved is just as important. The real effects of criminalizing an individual for a Marijuana offense goes beyond the impact on their singular life; it heavily impacts one’s family, their children, and their community, as well as the resources the individual may or may not have access to. “Criminalizing drug users affects access to health and housing benefits, financial aid for higher education, immigration status, voting rights, and employment prospects. Further noting that incarcerating drug users does not reduce drug use after release, but instead, exacerbates matters and perpetuates a revolving door of incarceration.” (36 Williams, Lyons). In California alone, the amount of parole violations came from Marijuana convicts that had failed a drug test for Marijuana. If they failed a drug test during parole, they are then taken back to prison for violating parole and it is a major impact on why incarceration is extremely overpopulated. Parole violation and being reincarcerated seems to be a “revolving door” (25 Caulkins, Kilmer) for people who are convicted of a minor crime involving Marijuana. There are many people in prison or on parole for Marijuana related crimes that are minor and don’t deserve the amount of time they received, especially among minorities, which also adds to the issue of overpopulation in the prison system. To give a realistic perspective, when thinking about how many people really get arrested for these types of crimes we can say that on average, “3.4 Marijuana arrests per 1,000 residents from 2000 to 2008” (84 White, Holman). It was recorded that people of color had averaged double the amount of arrests, “Looking at arrests for blacks, the average rate of Marijuana arrests is 6.1 per 1000 black residents.” (84 White, Holman) That is a major increase in arrests for black minorities than the general public simply for Marijuana related offenses. When the criminal justice system targets these minorities, they are targeting their whole community and the surrounding communities as well. It creates that vicious cycle of either wrongful prosecutions or prosecutions for minor offenses that the average white person wouldn’t have been charged with, which contributes to the racial divide the prohibition on Marijuana brings.
Although times have definitely been changing in terms of individuals’ views and opinions on the idea of legalizing and/or decriminalizing Marijuana, it is a law that many still believe is worth prohibiting for the time being. Many individuals come from different generations and grew up in an environment that was against the recreational and medicinal use of Marijuana, regardless of one’s circumstances. Those same individuals don’t want to change their opinions based on the younger generations that are growing up in a time when states are realizing the benefits and allowing one to choose their form of medicine. Others that are also pro-prohibition are on the more conservative side, politically speaking, and many believe they will ruin their family reputation if associated with the use or support of Marijuana, unlike many liberals who believe in those medical benefits and the relief it can bring to ones life if they are suffering. The most common argument for being against the use of Marijuana that has been around since the War on Drugs started, is simply that it is seen as a gate-way drug, it can lead one to experimenting or using other, harder drugs.
Overall, the legalization of Marijuana has become a more controversial topic of discussion in recent years since it has been proven that there are real benefits of Marijuana for individuals suffering from a chronic illness or injury. The economic impact of prohibiting Marijuana is one that is not discussed as much as it should be to everyday Americans and the potential for both economic and social growth that it would provide for state governments. We are the ones who vote for these laws, and we need to really consider the benefits or drawbacks that legalizing Marijuana can bring to our society.
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