The issue of legalizing marijuana has been an ongoing debate that is faced with contradicting research concerning its effects. The arguments that are presented against or for the use of marijuana are supported by political, economic or medical research. Thus, the debate behind the use of marijuana is one that is consistently discussed globally with some countries having already passed laws that support the use of marijuana for medical purposes. Even though marijuana is illegal in most countries, it remains as the most popular and widely used drug globally. The popularity and availability of this drug is due to the continuous debate on whether it should be legalized. Marijuana has existed in the world for more than a thousand years and has been used for both pleasure and medicinal purposes with at least one out of every seven American adults having smoked marijuana once in their lives (Maier et al., 2017). Considering the widespread use of marijuana it should be legalized and its use controlled.
The medical advantage of marijuana is the main reason why some people support its legalization. In most communities and cultures marijuana has been used a form of medication for many generations. According to Maier et al. (2017), marijuana is known to have healing elements which have been studied for years. The use of marijuana for its healing properties is traced back to the ancient Chinese society where healers boiled and used its on surgical patients. Throughout the years various uses of marijuana as a healing drug have emerged as scientists attempt to prove its role in medicine. For instance, the use of marijuana as a healing drug is associated with cleansing the blood, healing rheumatism, stabilizing the body temperatures and assisting discharging pus from a patient. Apart from China, other countries in the Southeast Asia region also relied on marijuana for its medicinal purposes during the 16 th century. In recent times Cambodia has continued to use marijuana as a treatment intervention for curing malaria, reliving asthma, treating paralysis, regulating the heart beat rate and calming the nerves. In addition to this, in modern day society marijuana is used to treat common symptoms among patients diagnosed with chronic diseases such as cancer or HIV/AIDS. Some patients use marijuana to treat nausea, voting or physical pain.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
The legalization of marijuana will create opportunities in different areas of the economy. If marijuana is legalized it will create new employment opportunities in the agriculture, transportation and marketing industries. Jobs in these sectors will emerge as the government attempts to produce and regulate the sale and use of marijuana. Furthermore, the market for marijuana exists and millions of people smoke marijuana across the globe; thus, its distribution and sales will not be challenging. The legalization of marijuana will create a new opportunity for farmers to invest in its mass production and distribution. In addition to this, the government will save the costs that are used in persecuting marijuana users and instead profit from it. Law enforcement will not have to spend their time and resources persecuting marijuana users, instead they can use these resources elsewhere.
The medicinal purposes of marijuana contribute to the health care industry, which creates an opportunity for the government to save its income. By legalizing marijuana the government will contribute in improving the economic health of the country since it will reduce the costs invested in investigating illegal drug trafficking in the country. Illegal drug trafficking and sales is one of the main sources of income for criminals participating in organized crime. Therefore, if the government can implement effective policies and standard procedures on how marijuana is to be sold and distributed it can control the rate of organized crime in a nation. Legalizing marijuana will paralyze stream of income for organized crime as well as make the drug accessible for those seeking to use it for medicinal purposes. The healthcare industry can benefit from the income stream from marijuana sales as opposed to criminals who profit from the low supply and high demand of marijuana in the streets (Ferraiolo, 2014). However, if marijuana is legalized there will be legal producers and distributors who can be monitored and governed by the policies put in place by the federal government.
The legalization of marijuana will ensure that there are enough resources that support the quality production of marijuana. In the black market criminals take advantage of the high demand of the drug and sale to the users poor quality marijuana, which can have negative effects on their health (Watson & Erickson, 2019). Thus, legalizing marijuana will allow the government officials to regulate its sales and supply through recognized and certified retailers.
Conclusion
Marijuana use should be legalized since people are already using the drug in most parts of the world. Although most governments have made it illegal to smoke marijuana civilians still gain access to the drug and continue to use it. Furthermore, the legalization marijuana is likely to contribute to the economy growth and better health outcomes when used for treating some medical conditions. Both the government and the civilians of a country have the chance to benefit from the legalization of marijuana.
Reference
Ferraiolo, K. (2014). Morality Framing in U.S. Drug Control Policy: An Example From Marijuana Decriminalization. World Medical & Health Policy , 6 (4), 347–374. https://doi-org.suscorp.idm.oclc.org/10.1002/wmh3.114
Maier, S. L., Mannes, S., & Koppenhofer, E. L. (2017). The Implications of Marijuana Decriminalization and Legalization on Crime in the United States. Contemporary Drug Problems , 44 (2), 125–146. https://doi-org.suscorp.idm.oclc.org/10.1177/0091450917708790
Watson, T. M., & Erickson, P. G. (2019). Cannabis legalization in Canada: how might ‘strict’ regulation impact youth? Drugs: Education, Prevention & Policy , 26 (1), 1–5. https://doi-org.suscorp.idm.oclc.org/10.1080/09687637.2018.1482258
