Legalization and Decriminalization of Marijuana Essay Example

with the tendency.

According to recent reports from FBI in the year 2012, 42.4 percent of arrests were for people found in possession of cannabis. The report also showed that 5.9 percent of arrests were made to culprits found either selling the drug or manufacturing it, thus totaling the percentage to 48.4. When looked keenly this means every 20 seconds a person is arrested. The Uniform Crime report also showed that more arrests were made due to the use of Heroine which leads to deaths due to over-dosage. According to the report done by some people arrested, due to use o or possessing marijuana is greater than that of other crimes such as rape and theft. If the administration may legalize the utilization of this drug, the law enforces agencies may refocus their goals and concentrate on building a proper nation.

The results on the criminal justice of the legalization of marijuana ownership offenses are perceived to be positive economically. According to reports in the year 1989 showed that marijuana offences reduced to 36% in state of California, 41%in Denver Colorado and 43% in the state of Minnesota. This has led to the reduction in using of funds in regulating possession of marijuana. This also resulted in few cases being brought up in courts which have reduced the cost on cases. According to Erickson (1980) showed that most of the cases in courts were majorly due to the use or being in possession of marijuana.

Decriminalization has been reinforced by many health equity activists because of differences in law enforcement and the jailing for cannabis possession amid the America population (Thies et al. 1993). According to Kathleen Hoke,

director of Network for Public Health Law stated that the unequal arrest has a lot of negative repercussions to those taken to the criminal justice system as it’s hard for them to get jobs and health insurances.

Use of marijuana has its benefits on medical treatment as per the research that was carried out at the University Of California Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research. Supporters have agreed that use of bhang needs to be decriminalized. This is because after the research was done, there was a conclusion that cannabis reduces the nerve pain of the sick people who have cancer, HIV/AIDS, and diabetes. The study also shows that Multiple Sclerosis patients who have been smoking cannabis experiences little pain. Due to this most U.S states and international health organizations encourages people to use marijuana for medical purpose.

Cannabis decriminalization is believed to reduce the prison population. By doing so, the government will be in a position to save the money that it spends in enforcing rules against cannabis. Since the year 1972, more than 16.5 million Americans were arrested for violating laws against marijuana and more than 80% of the arresting was due to minor ownership charges. U.S has roughly spent more than 20 billion dollars in the enforcement of cannabis laws and a lot of dollars yearly while incarcerating those who go against the rules (Mills and J.M, 2015).By decriminalizing the use of marijuana, the money used on this can be used better on other projects.
Use of cannabis is said to be much safer than alcohol and tobacco. This because around 50,000 citizens die each year due to alcohol poisoning and smoking causes more deaths too(Neills

et al. 2015).Besides, one cannot die due to over-dose of marijuana neither it is toxic. But still, the supporters wonder why it cannot be legalized like tobacco.

Legalization of use of weed can boost revenue. As the government is struggling with the decreased revenues and the rising of the economy, it should look for better ways of raising money for projects (Wang et al. 2014). Some people claim that legalization of use cannabis could be a good way in a generation of revenue this is due to the form of taxes that should be applied to its sale and distribution. Taxation of this drug could raise millions of dollars yearly once legalized.
Decriminalization of the weed increases personal freedom. Despite the fact that drug is shown to have harmful side effects, it is good for a person to decide what harmful or not. Use of the cannabis is said to be victimless of crime since the user is the one who will experience its effects. But morality is not supposed to be legislated when people disagree with what is considered to be moral.

In conclusion, the use of marijuana has both its side effects and its benefits thus it should not be miss-used but used responsibly in a beneficial way but not in a destructive way. Thus the jail sentence to marijuana users should be changed

References

• Maloff, D. (1981). Review of the Effects of the Decriminalization of Marijuana, A. Contemp. Drug Probs., 10, 307.
• Single, E. W. (1989). The impact of marijuana decriminalization: an update. Journal of public health policy, 10(4), 456-466.
  Sisto, A., Schenck, H., Charles, F., & Padula, Z. (2014). The Effects of Marijuana Decriminalization on Alcohol

Consumption: Compliments or Substitutes?.