Thesis on "Legalization of Marijuana"

Thesis 5 pages (1633 words) Sources: 16 Style: Chicago

[EXCERPT] . . . .

Legalization of Marijuana

Illegal substances have been subjected to various debates from the public, as society has condemned their use and the fact that they are becoming more and more common among people of all ages. In the struggle to stop the widespread of drugs around the world, certain individuals fail from detecting the difference between substances which can be categorized as drugs and substances which cannot. Cannabis, for example, is frequently identified as being a dangerous substance, with people comparing it to high-risk drugs such as cocaine and heroin.

However, unlike high-risk drugs, Marijuana has a larger number of supporters, most probably because of the fact that its effects have come to be appreciated over the years.

Californian Governor Arnold Schwarzenneger, himself, has claimed that Marijuana should not be considered a drug, as it is just a leaf. Even with the fact that the Governor has made this claim with the intention of producing an amusing scene, this proves that Marijuana is not actually a drug as it does not have the main attributes of a drug, such as causing physical addiction. Moreover, the main reason for people coming to catalogize the plant as a drug might be the fact that it has been illegalized at the beginning of the twentieth century because of various controversial factors.

The bottom line is that Marijuana is responsible for causing people to behave abnormally. Irronically, it does not cause this behavior in those that consume it, as it triggers it in various influential persons such as politicians and others. Apparently, Marijuana is not the only plant considered to have been dangerous to humans, with people across history having also condemned the use of tea and coffee. It is curious that tea and coffee consumption is considered to be perfectly normal in the present day, while Marijuana continues to be prohibited.

Marijuana does not create addiction, but, then again, when considering the addiction that politicians express in waging war against it, one could easily consider that the plant does create a form of addiction. The amounts of money being invested in the fight against Marijuana in the U.S. are enormous, and, every American has to be financially involved in the war against Cannabis through the taxes that he or she pays.

Marijuana advocates generally motivate their dedication to have the plant legalized by demonstrating the beneficial effects that it has on people.

It has been acknowledged as being valuable for those in pain, as it ameliorates pain and relaxes people. In response to those promoting medical Marijuana, critics have claimed that young people are influenced to use the substance because of the fact that it is easier to procure.

Because of its side effects, a number of scholars are unwilling to accept marijuana's medical potential.

One of the harshest periods experienced by Marijuana users is the 30s, a time when the public was presented with absurd allegations concerning pot. Various motion pictures have been issued in the 30s with the intention of presenting the masses with a much exaggerated picture of Marijuana and the effects that it has.

Such sources lead people to believe that one would be likely to become a criminal and a sex offender consequent to using Marijuana. As ridiculous as this might seem today, there still are people that relate Marijuana to a world of crime. Apparently, there are some sources which have went as far as declaring that Marijuana encourages people in engaging in homosexual activities.

Even with the fact that a large number of people are determined to stop Marijuana from spreading across the world, matters are different today, as individuals have learned that there are certain things which can only be explained through logics. Certainly there is no proof to confirm assumptions relating to Marijuana being the cause of sex-offenses and homosexuality.

The Federal Marijuana Policy has grown to be more and more penalizing along with the passing of time. Ever since the Marijuana Tax Act of 1937, the federal Marijuana policy has continued to be updated and the penalties Marijuana abuse have become more severe.

The Controlled Substances Act from the 70s has put Marijuana next to substances such as heroin and LSD, classifying it as a Schedule I drug. Those that decided to classify it accordingly have motivated their actions by claiming that the substance only succeeded in hurting those that used it. Most people from the time did not agree to the fact that Marijuana had any beneficial effect on its users.

In spite of the federal policies regarding Marijuana, a number of states have decided to ignore the laws to which they subjected to and started a general decriminalization of the substance. Slowly but surely, more and more states have gotten involved in having Marijuana decriminalized within their borders.

In spite of the fact that it had not reacted quickly to the federal policies on Marijuana, the state of California is one of the regions which is known to be one of the plant's most active supporters. Medical Marijuana was first introduced to the Californian public in 1996, at the time when Californian authorities decided that they needed to make a bolder move in order to have their state more actively involved in the fight for the legalization of Marijuana. This resulted in several other states adopting medical Marijuana policies.

Anti-Marijuana advocates have harshly condemned medical Marijuana, considering that it is merely a method of having the substance available to a wider public.

According to them, young people are more likely to try Marijuana consequent to learning that the substance is approved by the medical world. These young people are also more likely to use more powerful drugs after using Marijuana, with critics considering the substance to be a gateway drug. However, critics fail from noticing that Cannabis is not only available in hospitals. It is extremely easily to procure Marijuana from the streets, and, even from high school dealers. Taking this into consideration, one can conclude that it is very easy to acquire the substance, and, that those that actually want it should have no trouble obtaining it.

When people get their "weed" from their local drugstore (with a medical prescription, of course), they have less chances of coming across suspicious dealers and dangerous environments. Criminalizing Marijuana in the areas where it has been decriminalized would most certainly have terrible effects on people that favored its use. After becoming aware that medical Marijuana is no longer available, people would most certainly resort to drug dealers in order to buy the substance.

Tobacco, for example, can also be considered to be a gateway drug. However, because of the large profits being made from the exploitation of tobacco, and, because of the large number of people already addicted to nicotine, the substance is not considered to be harmful enough to be illegalized. People who smoke tobacco before they reach the age of 21 are actually more likely to use other substances when compared to those who don't.

There is no actual point in having Marijuana criminalized, as long as children are not presented with the advantages and disadvantages which the substance has. A very good example of young people being uninfluenced by the fact that they are not allowed to consume certain substances is the fact that a large number of teenagers smoke tobacco and drink alcohol in spite of the fact that the act is illegal.

The American public seems to be supportive of anti-drug policies, mainly because they are not acquainted with all the factors involved in the situation. It is generally known that the U.S.'s involvement in the war against drugs has brought many controversies, with a number of people having doubted the efficiency that anti-drug programs have had.

The main concern that these people have is that the government… READ MORE

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