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i<3chrondo · #1 (**permalink**) 11-29-2007, 06:21 PM

I'm a freshman in college right now and am taking your basic freshman writing class. So I decided to write about legalizing it for my research paper. Its 8 pages long, hopefully some of you will actually take the time to read the whole thing and let me know what you think. Tips, suggestions, constructive criticism, or anything else like that is greatly appreciated! Stay high GC

-----------------------------

The Legalization of Marijuana

For thousands of years, people of all cultures have utilized the natural plant cannabis (marijuana). Cannabis has been used throughout history as a medicinal herb, its plant matter has been used for textiles and shelter, it has played a significant role in religious ritual for many cultures and has ultimately been one of the most resourceful plants on the planet. However, in the last century, enforcement of cannabis prohibition laws has increased and today cannabis is grouped with heroin as a schedule one drug on the federal level. Despite the increased funding of the war on drugs, more specifically cannabis, production of cannabis and the amount of crime associated with it increase every year. With appropriate government regulation, the legalization of marijuana would save money on the war on drugs, offer many other economic benefits, reduce the gratuitous amount of crime revolving around one of America’s top cash crops and open up a new field of potential medicines containing tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the active ingredient in marijuana.

Every year the United States government spends billions of dollars to fund the war on drugs, which is conducted mainly by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). More specifically, the extremely well funded Domestic Cannabis Eradication/Suppression Program (DCESP) is the portion of the DEA that specifically deals with the enforcement of cannabis laws. In the last 25 years, the enforcement of cannabis prohibition has grown stricter. Despite this, marijuana production in the U.S. has increased ten-fold since 1982 (Crop Report 17). Along with this increased production and DEA enforcement, the cost of the war on marijuana has increased greatly in the last few decades. For example, in 2002 roughly 730,000 people were arrested for state marijuana charges meaning they did not get caught with enough to get charged federally. The total criminal justice cost of these marijuana arrests was about $7.6 billion, which equates to roughly $10,400 per arrest (NORML 131). The legalization of marijuana would eliminate the need for all these marijuana related arrests which would result in an economic boost, not to mention save the money required to incarcerate someone for a marijuana related offense. In addition to reducing the amount of money spent keeping marijuana illegal, the legalization of marijuana would free up much needed space in our already overcrowded jails. U.S. citizens account for about 5% of the world’s population, yet U.S. prison inmates account for 25% of the world’s prisoners (Eitzen 368). By eliminating the need for marijuana related arrests, a great burden would be lifted off of our police force. Our police would be able to focus their energy on the real criminals in our nation as opposed to wasting money charging citizens with minor marijuana offenses. Most importantly, the legalization of marijuana would eliminate all of the crime involved with marijuana such as sale, possession, paraphernalia, and cultivation. Stanley Eitzen, author of Social Problems, explains the concept behind why the legalization of marijuana would do so:
“organized crime, which now acquires most of its income from providing illegal goods and services, would no longer be able to hide its investments and profits. Thus, laws against victimless crimes are indirectly responsible for maintaining organized crime” (352).
By making marijuana legal, it makes it impossible for criminals to conduct crimes involving marijuana. However, on the flip side, the prohibitive laws regarding marijuana provide organized criminals with one of their most lucrative source of income: the sale of illegal marijuana. Legislation against marijuana does not eliminate the demand for it amongst society either. Because marijuana is illegal, the price of marijuana is much higher than what it would be if legal. This unintended result of the prohibitive laws against marijuana has caused a slight increase in crime revolved around the purchase of the herb. New crimes are being committed to produce money so that users can afford the high prices. Although acts such as stealing and other money producing crimes are not nearly as significant as the crime directly related to the sale and cultivation of marijuana, every bit of crime that could be eliminated because of legalization helps. The eradication of crime associated with marijuana and the corresponding money earned as a result will only become possible through the regulation and production of marijuana by the U.S. government. These would not be the only benefits legalization would have to offer either; the government could generate substantial contributions to the economy through the taxation and sale of marijuana within our borders. Ultimately, the war on marijuana has failed. Marijuana use and production continue to increase from year to year despite the increased efforts against marijuana. New regulatory policies need to be researched and tried if the government ever wants to have control over one of the
biggest issues in the war on drugs.

Today marijuana is the number one cash crop in America, generating over $35 billion in dirty money each year (Crop Report 14). That is $18 billion more than second place corn. Although the prices of marijuana would decline if legalized, the government could still make enormous amounts of money through the taxation, production and sale of marijuana. Marijuana is the fourth most widely used psychoactive drug in the U.S., following caffeine, nicotine and alcohol (Eitzen 385). The top three, caffeine, nicotine and alcohol, are all legal, regulated by the government and all contribute greatly to our economy. Why not do so with cannabis? Tobacco addiction resulting from cigarette smoking kills more Americans than alcohol, cocaine, crack, heroin, homicide, suicide, fires, car accidents, and AIDS combined (Eitzen 389). Yet the government encourages and regulates the sale of cigarettes, this is because the tobacco industry is a huge contributor to the U.S. economy. To be specific, roughly $158 billion are generated each year by the tobacco industry (Eitzen 389). Aside from the straight sale of cigarettes, tobacco companies spent $21.2 million professional lobbying firms in 2003, which amounts to more than $127,000 for every day Congress was in session (Eitzen 390). Government intervention in the theoretical cannabis industry could produce monetary gains similar to that of the tobacco industry through essentially the same means. Alcohol, the third most used drug in America, is another example of how government regulation of a drug can be successful. Each year, the government makes billions off of the regulation and sale of alcohol. In addition to the revenues that could be generated through the sale of marijuana, the government could institute a marijuana tax, which would only increase revenues. A common argument against the legalization of marijuana is that if legalized, marijuana use will proliferate amongst Americans, especially teens and adolescents. However, this argument can be used as one of the main reasons that marijuana should be legalized. It is impossible to limit access to marijuana by teens and children without the credible control of the theoretical cannabis market by our government. Adopting realistic and effective methods of controlling the sale of cannabis will not only reduce access to teenagers but also provide extra revenues that could be put towards sufficient law enforcement, improving education, and treatment of serious drug abusers (Crop Report 18). Another possible solution to the speculated increase in use of marijuana if legalized would be to apply a policy similar to that of drinking and cigarette smoking to marijuana use. The government could set an age requirement to buy marijuana. They could draft legislation making it illegal to smoke and drive, and to be publicly “intoxicated”. These are only a few examples of how the government could regulate cannabis to make it safer amongst society. One last benefit of the government’s regulation of cannabis would be that all of the cannabis produced would be top notch and safe to smoke. This would eliminate the shady sale of marijuana that has been laced with other drugs or chemicals. Immoral dealers will do anything to make more money or save product, so it is not uncommon to find cannabis on the streets containing crack, PCP, or thousands of other homemade chemicals. The dealers do this so that their customers might get addicted, to weigh down the product, or create the illusion of spectacular potency through the addition of various chemicals and drugs. Government production of cannabis would eliminate the number of accidental addictions and the amount of illness related to laced marijuana, making the product as safe as possible. Jon Gettman, a Ph.D. from George Mason University, shares a similar view on the government’s role regarding the regulation of legal marijuana. Finally, he states “Taxation and regulation of marijuana is in the public interest. The refusal to implement a regulatory program for marijuana in the United States is irresponsible and a violation of the public trust” (Crop Report 19).
One of the main reasons that cannabis has not been legalized in the U.S. is the perceived danger that cannabis smoking presents to the user. The perception that getting high is bad for you. Yes, smoking cannabis is bad for you, but smoking anything is bad for you. Most of the negative health effects that cannabis users experience are a result of the act of inhaling smoke into their lungs, not the actual THC present. Cannabis can be consumed in ways that do not involve combustion, such as edibles or the use of a vaporizer. Through healthier consumption, marijuana can be used medically to relieve certain patients of pain and other ailments as well as serve as a basis for newer, more effective cannabinoid drug development. The legalization of marijuana would help capitalize on the medicinal benefits that THC and other cannabinoids present in marijuana have to offer. Though large amounts of THC have been found to disrupt short-term memory and impair motor skills, THC has also been proven to help relieve symptoms of many common health problems (Joy 51). To be more specific, medical marijuana has had the most significant effect on patients suffering from symptoms such as chronic pain, nausea, appetite loss, muscle spasms, insomnia, and glaucoma (Joy 51). There are plenty of legally prescribed drugs that are often used to treat symptoms like those mentioned above, however a lot of them can be expensive, cause undesirable side affects, and in sever cases can become addictive. For example, Xanax and Vicitin are two of the most widely distributed prescription painkillers on the market today despite their high cost and high risk of dependence. In addition, they are most frequently prescribed to patients experiencing symptoms that THC has been found to alleviate. Not to say that medical marijuana, or THC, will always be better than Xanax or Vicitin or any other prescription drug because there are extreme cases where medical marijuana would not suffice. However, medical marijuana would offer a cheap alternative to expensive prescription drugs without the negative side effects or risk of addiction. Despite popular belief, marijuana has not been proven to be physically addictive. Studies indicate that day-to-day marijuana users will develop a minor physiological addiction to the drug, but no evidence was present of a physical addiction one might face with cocaine, heroin or even caffeine abuse (Joy 92). This trait of THC is but another reason that the development of more advanced cannabinoid based drugs should be looked into if marijuana were legalized. The idea of synthetic THC, or a pill form of THC is not a new one. Scientists developed Marinol, the only cannabinoid approved for marketing in the U.S., was introduced in 1985. Although Marinol was not a huge success and is rarely used today, it did lead to the discovery of the neuroprotective qualities cannabinoids possess. Janet Joy, author of Marijuana and Medicine: Assessing the Science Base, explains neuroprotection: “One of the most prominent new applications of cannabinoids is for ‘neuroprotection,’ the rescue of neurons from cell death associated with trauma, ischemia, and neurological diseases” (202). This quality of cannabinoids could prove to be valuable in the development of medicines designed to slow the deterioration of the brain, such as certain types of brain damage and other illnesses causing brain damage. If the use of medical marijuana were legal, people would be provided with a cheaper, and if consumed properly, sometimes healthier alternative to certain ailments they may be experiencing. Along with the numerous medical uses marijuana already has to offer, the legalization of marijuana would enable scientists to develop state of the art medicines involving cannabinoids.

For those who favor the legalization of marijuana, the ideology revolving around the subject is conveyed perfectly by Thomas Szasz, a libertarian,
“I favor free trade in drugs for the same reason the Founding Fathers favored free trade in ideas. In an open society, it is none of the government’s business what idea a man puts into his mind; likewise, it should be none of the government’s business what drug he puts into his body” (74).
Though the federal government did not adopt this ideology, there are other valid reasons that the legalization and regulation of marijuana in the U.S. would provide our nation with significant benefits. The taxation and sale of marijuana alone would provide immense economic contributions, the ending of the war against marijuana would save billions of dollars spent each year hunting down and incarcerating marijuana offenders, and the potential that marijuana has to offer as a medicine are all possible results of the legalization of marijuana in the United States.

Works Cited
Eitzen, Stanley, and Maxine Zinn. Social Problems. Boston: Pearson, 2006.
Gettman, Jon. “Crimes of Indiscretion: Marijuana Arrests in the United States.” Norml.org. 1 Nov. 2005. NORML. 23 Nov. 2007 <http: norml.org="" index.cfm?group_id="6411">.
Gettman, Jon. “Marijuana Crop Report: 2006.” Norml.org. 11 Jan. 2007. NORML. 23 Nov. 2007 <http: norml.org="" index.cfm?group_id="4413">.
Joy, Janet, Stanley Watson, and John Benson. Marijuana and Medicine: Assessing the Science Base. Washington: National Academy Press, 1999.
Szasz, Thomas. “The Ethics of Addiction.” Harper’s Magazine Apr. 1972: 74-79.</http:></http:>

#1 (permalink) 11-29-2007, 06:21 PM
i<3chrondo I'm fucking with you. Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Austin Posts: 468	My research paper on legalization. (long) I'm a freshman in college right now and am taking your basic freshman writing class. So I decided to write about legalizing it for my research paper. Its 8 pages long, hopefully some of you will actually take the time to read the whole thing and let me know what you think. Tips, suggestions, constructive criticism, or anything else like that is greatly appreciated! Stay high GC ----------------------------- The Legalization of Marijuana For thousands of years, people of all cultures have utilized the natural plant cannabis (marijuana). Cannabis has been used throughout history as a medicinal herb, its plant matter has been used for textiles and shelter, it has played a significant role in religious ritual for many cultures and has ultimately been one of the most resourceful plants on the planet. However, in the last century, enforcement of cannabis prohibition laws has increased and today cannabis is grouped with heroin as a schedule one drug on the federal level. Despite the increased funding of the war on drugs, more specifically cannabis, production of cannabis and the amount of crime associated with it increase every year. With appropriate government regulation, the legalization of marijuana would save money on the war on drugs, offer many other economic benefits, reduce the gratuitous amount of crime revolving around one of America’s top cash crops and open up a new field of potential medicines containing tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the active ingredient in marijuana. Every year the United States government spends billions of dollars to fund the war on drugs, which is conducted mainly by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). More specifically, the extremely well funded Domestic Cannabis Eradication/Suppression Program (DCESP) is the portion of the DEA that specifically deals with the enforcement of cannabis laws. In the last 25 years, the enforcement of cannabis prohibition has grown stricter. Despite this, marijuana production in the U.S. has increased ten-fold since 1982 (Crop Report 17). Along with this increased production and DEA enforcement, the cost of the war on marijuana has increased greatly in the last few decades. For example, in 2002 roughly 730,000 people were arrested for state marijuana charges meaning they did not get caught with enough to get charged federally. The total criminal justice cost of these marijuana arrests was about $7.6 billion, which equates to roughly $10,400 per arrest (NORML 131). The legalization of marijuana would eliminate the need for all these marijuana related arrests which would result in an economic boost, not to mention save the money required to incarcerate someone for a marijuana related offense. In addition to reducing the amount of money spent keeping marijuana illegal, the legalization of marijuana would free up much needed space in our already overcrowded jails. U.S. citizens account for about 5% of the world’s population, yet U.S. prison inmates account for 25% of the world’s prisoners (Eitzen 368). By eliminating the need for marijuana related arrests, a great burden would be lifted off of our police force. Our police would be able to focus their energy on the real criminals in our nation as opposed to wasting money charging citizens with minor marijuana offenses. Most importantly, the legalization of marijuana would eliminate all of the crime involved with marijuana such as sale, possession, paraphernalia, and cultivation. Stanley Eitzen, author of Social Problems, explains the concept behind why the legalization of marijuana would do so: “organized crime, which now acquires most of its income from providing illegal goods and services, would no longer be able to hide its investments and profits. Thus, laws against victimless crimes are indirectly responsible for maintaining organized crime” (352). By making marijuana legal, it makes it impossible for criminals to conduct crimes involving marijuana. However, on the flip side, the prohibitive laws regarding marijuana provide organized criminals with one of their most lucrative source of income: the sale of illegal marijuana. Legislation against marijuana does not eliminate the demand for it amongst society either. Because marijuana is illegal, the price of marijuana is much higher than what it would be if legal. This unintended result of the prohibitive laws against marijuana has caused a slight increase in crime revolved around the purchase of the herb. New crimes are being committed to produce money so that users can afford the high prices. Although acts such as stealing and other money producing crimes are not nearly as significant as the crime directly related to the sale and cultivation of marijuana, every bit of crime that could be eliminated because of legalization helps. The eradication of crime associated with marijuana and the corresponding money earned as a result will only become possible through the regulation and production of marijuana by the U.S. government. These would not be the only benefits legalization would have to offer either; the government could generate substantial contributions to the economy through the taxation and sale of marijuana within our borders. Ultimately, the war on marijuana has failed. Marijuana use and production continue to increase from year to year despite the increased efforts against marijuana. New regulatory policies need to be researched and tried if the government ever wants to have control over one of the biggest issues in the war on drugs. Today marijuana is the number one cash crop in America, generating over $35 billion in dirty money each year (Crop Report 14). That is $18 billion more than second place corn. Although the prices of marijuana would decline if legalized, the government could still make enormous amounts of money through the taxation, production and sale of marijuana. Marijuana is the fourth most widely used psychoactive drug in the U.S., following caffeine, nicotine and alcohol (Eitzen 385). The top three, caffeine, nicotine and alcohol, are all legal, regulated by the government and all contribute greatly to our economy. Why not do so with cannabis? Tobacco addiction resulting from cigarette smoking kills more Americans than alcohol, cocaine, crack, heroin, homicide, suicide, fires, car accidents, and AIDS combined (Eitzen 389). Yet the government encourages and regulates the sale of cigarettes, this is because the tobacco industry is a huge contributor to the U.S. economy. To be specific, roughly $158 billion are generated each year by the tobacco industry (Eitzen 389). Aside from the straight sale of cigarettes, tobacco companies spent $21.2 million professional lobbying firms in 2003, which amounts to more than $127,000 for every day Congress was in session (Eitzen 390). Government intervention in the theoretical cannabis industry could produce monetary gains similar to that of the tobacco industry through essentially the same means. Alcohol, the third most used drug in America, is another example of how government regulation of a drug can be successful. Each year, the government makes billions off of the regulation and sale of alcohol. In addition to the revenues that could be generated through the sale of marijuana, the government could institute a marijuana tax, which would only increase revenues. A common argument against the legalization of marijuana is that if legalized, marijuana use will proliferate amongst Americans, especially teens and adolescents. However, this argument can be used as one of the main reasons that marijuana should be legalized. It is impossible to limit access to marijuana by teens and children without the credible control of the theoretical cannabis market by our government. Adopting realistic and effective methods of controlling the sale of cannabis will not only reduce access to teenagers but also provide extra revenues that could be put towards sufficient law enforcement, improving education, and treatment of serious drug abusers (Crop Report 18). Another possible solution to the speculated increase in use of marijuana if legalized would be to apply a policy similar to that of drinking and cigarette smoking to marijuana use. The government could set an age requirement to buy marijuana. They could draft legislation making it illegal to smoke and drive, and to be publicly “intoxicated”. These are only a few examples of how the government could regulate cannabis to make it safer amongst society. One last benefit of the government’s regulation of cannabis would be that all of the cannabis produced would be top notch and safe to smoke. This would eliminate the shady sale of marijuana that has been laced with other drugs or chemicals. Immoral dealers will do anything to make more money or save product, so it is not uncommon to find cannabis on the streets containing crack, PCP, or thousands of other homemade chemicals. The dealers do this so that their customers might get addicted, to weigh down the product, or create the illusion of spectacular potency through the addition of various chemicals and drugs. Government production of cannabis would eliminate the number of accidental addictions and the amount of illness related to laced marijuana, making the product as safe as possible. Jon Gettman, a Ph.D. from George Mason University, shares a similar view on the government’s role regarding the regulation of legal marijuana. Finally, he states “Taxation and regulation of marijuana is in the public interest. The refusal to implement a regulatory program for marijuana in the United States is irresponsible and a violation of the public trust” (Crop Report 19). One of the main reasons that cannabis has not been legalized in the U.S. is the perceived danger that cannabis smoking presents to the user. The perception that getting high is bad for you. Yes, smoking cannabis is bad for you, but smoking anything is bad for you. Most of the negative health effects that cannabis users experience are a result of the act of inhaling smoke into their lungs, not the actual THC present. Cannabis can be consumed in ways that do not involve combustion, such as edibles or the use of a vaporizer. Through healthier consumption, marijuana can be used medically to relieve certain patients of pain and other ailments as well as serve as a basis for newer, more effective cannabinoid drug development. The legalization of marijuana would help capitalize on the medicinal benefits that THC and other cannabinoids present in marijuana have to offer. Though large amounts of THC have been found to disrupt short-term memory and impair motor skills, THC has also been proven to help relieve symptoms of many common health problems (Joy 51). To be more specific, medical marijuana has had the most significant effect on patients suffering from symptoms such as chronic pain, nausea, appetite loss, muscle spasms, insomnia, and glaucoma (Joy 51). There are plenty of legally prescribed drugs that are often used to treat symptoms like those mentioned above, however a lot of them can be expensive, cause undesirable side affects, and in sever cases can become addictive. For example, Xanax and Vicitin are two of the most widely distributed prescription painkillers on the market today despite their high cost and high risk of dependence. In addition, they are most frequently prescribed to patients experiencing symptoms that THC has been found to alleviate. Not to say that medical marijuana, or THC, will always be better than Xanax or Vicitin or any other prescription drug because there are extreme cases where medical marijuana would not suffice. However, medical marijuana would offer a cheap alternative to expensive prescription drugs without the negative side effects or risk of addiction. Despite popular belief, marijuana has not been proven to be physically addictive. Studies indicate that day-to-day marijuana users will develop a minor physiological addiction to the drug, but no evidence was present of a physical addiction one might face with cocaine, heroin or even caffeine abuse (Joy 92). This trait of THC is but another reason that the development of more advanced cannabinoid based drugs should be looked into if marijuana were legalized. The idea of synthetic THC, or a pill form of THC is not a new one. Scientists developed Marinol, the only cannabinoid approved for marketing in the U.S., was introduced in 1985. Although Marinol was not a huge success and is rarely used today, it did lead to the discovery of the neuroprotective qualities cannabinoids possess. Janet Joy, author of Marijuana and Medicine: Assessing the Science Base, explains neuroprotection: “One of the most prominent new applications of cannabinoids is for ‘neuroprotection,’ the rescue of neurons from cell death associated with trauma, ischemia, and neurological diseases” (202). This quality of cannabinoids could prove to be valuable in the development of medicines designed to slow the deterioration of the brain, such as certain types of brain damage and other illnesses causing brain damage. If the use of medical marijuana were legal, people would be provided with a cheaper, and if consumed properly, sometimes healthier alternative to certain ailments they may be experiencing. Along with the numerous medical uses marijuana already has to offer, the legalization of marijuana would enable scientists to develop state of the art medicines involving cannabinoids. For those who favor the legalization of marijuana, the ideology revolving around the subject is conveyed perfectly by Thomas Szasz, a libertarian, “I favor free trade in drugs for the same reason the Founding Fathers favored free trade in ideas. In an open society, it is none of the government’s business what idea a man puts into his mind; likewise, it should be none of the government’s business what drug he puts into his body” (74). Though the federal government did not adopt this ideology, there are other valid reasons that the legalization and regulation of marijuana in the U.S. would provide our nation with significant benefits. The taxation and sale of marijuana alone would provide immense economic contributions, the ending of the war against marijuana would save billions of dollars spent each year hunting down and incarcerating marijuana offenders, and the potential that marijuana has to offer as a medicine are all possible results of the legalization of marijuana in the United States. Works Cited Eitzen, Stanley, and Maxine Zinn. Social Problems. Boston: Pearson, 2006. Gettman, Jon. “Crimes of Indiscretion: Marijuana Arrests in the United States.” Norml.org. 1 Nov. 2005. NORML. 23 Nov. 2007 <http: norml.org="" index.cfm?group_id="6411">. Gettman, Jon. “Marijuana Crop Report: 2006.” Norml.org. 11 Jan. 2007. NORML. 23 Nov. 2007 <http: norml.org="" index.cfm?group_id="4413">. Joy, Janet, Stanley Watson, and John Benson. Marijuana and Medicine: Assessing the Science Base. Washington: National Academy Press, 1999. Szasz, Thomas. “The Ethics of Addiction.” Harper’s Magazine Apr. 1972: 74-79.</http:></http:> __________________ I like to shoot hoops, not brothers.