Free Essay on Legalization of Marijuana
Marijuana is a street name used to refer to flowers, seeds, and leaves of an Indian hemp plant. There are also other various names that are used to refer to the Indian hemp such as bhang, Mary Jane, dope, reefer, and pot. Marijuana is a hallucinogen drug that affects how a person thinks and can be consumed either through smoking or can be mixed with food and eaten. Marijuana keeps you skinny and improves metabolism of the body, it decreases anxiety if used in small dosage, increases the creativity of the brain and also has some medicinal value such as it relieves arthritis disease.
Most people are arrested because they are caught in possession of marijuana as in most countries it is not legalized. The state ends up spending a huge chunk of the budget for the upkeep of the prisoners. If marijuana is legalized, law enforcement will be cheaper and easier as police will cease hunting down the marijuana offenders and instead focus on more severe cases which will also lead to clearing up in the courtrooms for more serious crimes. Legalizing of Marijuana will also get most people out of jail who sentenced for being in possession of marijuana increasing the time and resources for enforcement of the law. It will also lead to a reduction of the amount of funds allocated to the prison departments by the government.
Marijuana also has some medicinal value. Some broken bones take longer than expected to heal but by the use of marijuana it mends broken bones and assists them to heal faster. Consumption of marijuana makes a person skinnier in this way it helps to regulate and prevent diabetes as it checks the body weight and also governs the production of insulin in the body (HICKENLOOPER, 2014). Marijuana contributes to treating critical addiction problems. Individuals addicted to substances such as tobacco, alcohol and more serious drugs such as cocaine and heroin are responding positively to the cannabis therapy. Most people suffer from severe headaches and consume conventional medicines which can cause ulcers or liver damage but instead can use marijuana which is a more natural alternative with no side effects.
Legalization of marijuana in some countries has led to more productivity of the economy through the creation of new industries which increases the job opportunities such as cultivation, processing and selling outlets available to the residents. The tax collected from the manufacturers is used as revenue for the administration of public health programs and the running of government funded schools. Marijuana also increases the productivity of a person if consumed at the right amount this may be due to the health benefits acquired from marijuana. (Caulkins & Kilmer, 2016)
Although marijuana can cause addiction if not used at the right dosage, it increases creativity such that it enables you to think more divergently and can protect your brain. It also stimulates your energy levels if consumed and assists to avoid fatigue.
In conclusion, marijuana, if legalized, has more benefits than the harm it can causes. An economy whereby the majority of the residents are addicted to marijuana than alcohol suffers less number of accidents compared to an economy that marijuana is not legalized.
References: Legalization of Marijuana Essay
Caulkins, J. & Kilmer, B. (2016). Considering marijuana legalization carefully: insights for other jurisdictions from analysis for Vermont. Addiction, n/a-n/a. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/add.13289
HICKENLOOPER, G. (2014). Experimenting with Pot: The State of Colorado’s Legalization of Marijuana. Milbank Quarterly, 92(2), 243-249. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1468-0009.12056
Berlatsky, N. (2012). Marijuana. Farmington Hills, MI: Greenhaven Press.
Dupont, R. & Lieberman, J. (2014). Marijuana Legalization and Young Brains: Time for Serious Study. PN, 49(8), 1-1. http://dx.doi.org/10.1176/appi.pn.2014.4b21