Social & Economical Drivers of Legalizing Marijuana across USA (Essay Sample)

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Legalizing Marijuana
Legalizing marijuana is a multifaceted and controversial issue that continues to be a subject of debate. Several states in the U.S. have legislative initiatives for the legalization of the commercial marijuana industry. In the year 2013, Uruguay became the first country to undertake experimentation of marijuana legalization across the country (Caulkins et al. 10). It was followed by the Netherland, well-known for its practices involving the retail sale of marijuana in coffee shops. The prohibition of marijuana was universal across the U.S through the 1960s (Caulkins et al. 10). Therefore, there was the incarceration of individuals found guilty of possessing, growing, or selling marijuana. By the 1970s, a majority of the states had substantially reduced or eliminated criminal penalties for individuals found possessing small quantities of marijuana (Caulkins et al. 10). Consequently, Kashyap and Kashyap contend that some observers began believing that in due course the nation was headed towards the legalization of the drug (145). Similarly, Washington D.C voters undertook a more limited step through an election initiative to allow marijuana legalization of personal possession and home production (Caulkins et al. 10). While there exist strong opposing views, this paper contends that, even though marijuana use is associated with various adverse effects, its legalization and enforcement of effective regulatory policies and practices can promote the realization of its recreational and medicinal benefits, generate revenue, and curb its black market.
While opponents of marijuana legalization cite its negative health effects, proponents of the legalization argue that there exists no direct evidence associating marijuana with the negative outcomes. According to Caulkins et al., the existing literature does not provide clear chronic and acute health effects of marijuana, particularly of obstinate heavy use of marijuana (10). Even though there exist diverging views concerning the marijuana addictiveness, Volkow et al. contend that researchers have shown a positive correlation between long-term use of marijuana and addiction, brain development problems, and mental illnesses (223). Besides, regular marijuana has been associated with a greater risk of depression and anxiety, even though there is no established causality. Furthermore, marijuana has been associated with poor academic performance and psychoses like schizophrenia, particularly among individuals with a preexisting genetic susceptibility (Volkow et al. 223). However, acute risks, impaired cognitive functioning due to intoxications, as well as panic, dysphoria, and anxiety along with longer-term risks of constant heavy use of marijuana like bronchitis and dependence lack direct marijuana causal evidence. While some studies suggest serious risks associated with testicular cancers, cardiovascular disease, and psychotic symptoms, there is no clear literature showing the direct cause of these conditions (Caulkins et al. 10). As such, the legalization of the drug would lead to the introduction of policies and regulations that would minimize potential risks associated with its excessive use.
Legalization of marijuana would encourage its medicinal use. There exists research that supports marijuana effectiveness in treatment. Various anecdotal evidence and studies suggest marijuana can be useful in the management of various medical problems such as multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, post-traumatic stress disorder, Parkinson’s disease, loss of appetite, nausea, pain, and inflammatory bowel disease (Lopez para. 3). Furthermore, Various studies have shown that medical marijuana dispensaries result in a reduction of opioid deaths, and consequently, this provides a potential way of helping in the fight against the opioid crisis. Specifically, cannabis is effective in treating chronic pain that require opioids, and which are associated with lethal overdoses. Besides, there is moderate to quality evidence supporting the cannabinoids use for spasticity and chronic pain treatment (Whiting et al. 456). The increasing rates of acceptance and reduced levels of parental disapproval of marijuana use across the U.S and Oregon, in particular, is due to its legalization and consequently, its responsible use. Besides, the substantial rise in licensed growers in Oregon and registered medical marijuana patients is partly due to an increasing acceptance of cannabis as a chronic pain therapy (Paschall, Grube, and Biglan 340). As such, there is a need to legalize marijuana due to its medical benefits.
The advantages of changing marijuana laws to allow for-profit businesses and organizations to have legal rights to produce and sell marijuana have attracted varied views. Proponents of marijuana legalization argue that states need to generate revenue from marijuana use rather than allowing thriving black market. Besides, these proponents argue that an individual using marijuana should not be arrested just because of the use of a substance they believe is much safer or less harmful than alcohol (Caulkins et al. 11). However, opponents of marijuana legalization contend that an increase in the use of marijuana due to lower prices and legal availability would result in increased health consequences. Besides, these opponents are concerned that marijuana would have similar advertisements to alcohol leading to new industries with powerful lobbies that would fight against taxation and regulation.
According to Jeffrey Miron, a Harvard economist, tax revenue constitutes one of the most palpable aspects of marijuana legalization case. On average, yearly trade in marijuana is approximately $113 billion, representing almost $45