Essay on "Legalization of Marijuana; Waving the White Flag"

Essay 3 pages (1130 words) Sources: 4 Style: MLA

[EXCERPT] . . . .

Legalization of Marijuana;

Waving the White Flag on the Failed War on Drugs

There is a war going on in this country; a war that has been destroying the lives of Americans for decades. This war is failing miserably on both sides of the fence and if changes are not soon made, the casualties left in its wake may be too numerous to count. This war, like all wars, was launched with "good intentions." However because futility is inherent in the mere concept of war, there can never be a true winner. So to continue waging this war in the same ineffectual manner will in all likelihood, continue to remain a frustrating and unsuccessful endeavor. The war I am referring to is America's war on drugs. It is therefore the intent of this paper to argue that the time has come for American lawmakers to admit defeat and finally put the futile, expensive and disreputable war on drugs to rest by taking a bold yet positive step and legalizing marijuana.

Marijuana has caused the unnecessary ruin of many lives; not because of the drug itself but because of the legal consequences of being caught in possession of it. As Dennis Peron asserts, "The war on drugs is well intended, but when a drug like marijuana has shown its effectiveness, it shouldn't be denied to those who would most benefit" (6E).

Marijuana is a substance, that when compared with the legal substance of alcohol, indisputably offers more benefits and fewer drawbacks. According to Daniel Benjamin and Roger Miller, marijuana is safer, less addictive and causes fewer mood alterations then everything from Jack Daniels to plain old Lipton tea. So why are items that are less harmful then marijuana and offer no medical benefits legal, while marijuana continues to be groundlessly prohibited?

Some people claim that the legalization of marijuana will contribute to widespread drug addiction. However, the fact is "there is no scientific proof that shows marijuana is addictive" (Bowman 8A). According to Ed Rosenthal and Steve Kubby, some anti-legalization advocates claim that we will wind up with a nation full of brain-dead, unemployed hippies should the organic plant's criminal status finally be overturned. Another common concern is that marijuana would become too easily obtainable for our nation's youth. Opponents also contend that legalization would cause problems at schools and in the workplace, citing severe penalties and random drug tests as viable solutions. Yet evidence has consistently shown that the anti-legalists' conjectures are neither reasonable nor valid, which can be seen when each of these concerns is addressed individually.

First of all, legalizing marijuana will not make its use rampant, but will instead give the government the power to regulate its use. As Rosenthal and Kubby point out, the government's ability to establish and enforce quality control measures would decrease the risks of unsafe additives because the FDA would have direct control over the safety of the product. Furthermore, according to Cara Bruce, of benefit to everyone is that both state and federal government would be able to tax marijuana in the same profitable manner that alcohol and tobacco products are currently taxed. Taxes on marijuana could maintain its current price. The tax might help pay to ensure a quality product, labeled according to potency, and free from contaminants like pesticides. Ideally, this arrangement would encourage users to purchase taxed, legal cannabis rather than… READ MORE

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