Legalizing Marijuana in the US: The Economic Impacts of Cannabis Legalization in Colorado (Research Paper Sample)

Legalizing Marijuana in the US: The Economic Impacts of Cannabis Legalization in Colorado
Gannon University
Table of Contents
TOC \o "1-3" \h \z \u Introduction PAGEREF _Toc418086883 \h 3
Research Question PAGEREF _Toc418086884 \h 6
Review of the Related Literature PAGEREF _Toc418086885 \h 7
History of Marijuana legalization PAGEREF _Toc418086886 \h 8
Advantages of Marijuana PAGEREF _Toc418086887 \h 9
Health benefits. PAGEREF _Toc418086888 \h 9
Economic benefits PAGEREF _Toc418086889 \h 12
Disadvantages of Marijuana PAGEREF _Toc418086890 \h 14
Health risks PAGEREF _Toc418086891 \h 15
Social Problems. PAGEREF _Toc418086892 \h 17
Marijuana and crime. PAGEREF _Toc418086893 \h 18
Proposed Methodology PAGEREF _Toc418086894 \h 20
Proposed Findings PAGEREF _Toc418086895 \h 23
Conclusion PAGEREF _Toc418086896 \h 25
References PAGEREF _Toc418086897 \h 26
Introduction
Any United States resident or a foreigner interested in the current affairs of the US, is probably, familiar with the heated debate over marijuana legalization. For the over the decades, the question of whether the US should legalize the cultivation, possession, use or even sale of marijuana has taken a center stage. The US population has been divided over the subject, with the support for legalization varying cyclically. However, the support of Marijuana legalization throughout the country has been increasing steadily. According to a recent survey by the Pew Research Center (2015), a slim majority of Americans are in support of marijuana legalization. The March, 2015 survey was the first time that a national data showed a majority support for the drug throughout the history. The figure below demonstrates the trend of the American’s support for Marijuana legalization as summarized by the Pew Research Centre
fig. SEQ Fig. \* ARABIC 1 Americans’ support for marijuana legalization. from Pew Research Centre. (2015). 6 facts about marijuana. /fact-tank/2015/04/14/6-facts-about-marijuana/
Marijuana, also known as bhang or simply cannabis, refers to seeds, leaves, branches or flowers of the Cannabis Sativa plant, mostly in dried form. It is classified as drug owing to the chemical composition of the marijuana. Notably, the plant contains a high level of a mind-altering chemical substance known as the delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). The World health Organization (WHO) lists marijuana as one of the drugs whose abuse results in acute health effects due to its psychoactive ingredient. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), cannabis is the most common abused drug in the US today. Moreover, the Institute notes that its abuse has been increasing in the past few years following a period of decline in the 1990s and early 2000s (Van Ours, 2012). NIDA attributes the rising rates of cannabis abuse to the heated public debate on the marijuana legalization. According to NIDA, the increased public discussion is undermining the risk of bhang to human health, making it acceptable to the American society.
The federal laws of the US prohibit the use of marijuana; however, the federal law does not prohibit state laws from legalizing the drug. Under the Controlled Substance Act of 1970, the US federal regulation classifies marijuana as an illegal substance which has no recognized medicinal value. The federal rules, thus, lists cannabis as a Schedule One drug substance whose use should be controlled. However, the US government does not require states to abide by the federal government's Controlled Substance Act. For this reason, different states have classified the cannabis drug under varying classes. Some of the states have found that the plan has got some medicinal value but is subject to recreational abuse. Others are consistent with the states findings and have criminalized the plant. At the time of this study, 23 of the 50 US states had some form marijuana law that is different from the federal governments. However, only four states, namely Colorado, Oregon, Alaska, and Washington had entirely legalized the use and sale of marijuana.
Colorado was the first state to legalize both recreational and medicinal use of Marijuana, after 55% of the voters said yes to the recreational use of the drug in early 2014 (Martinez, 2014). In January 2014, the people of Colorado and the US public welcomed the New Year with a mixture of celebrations and astonishment. To the opponents of marijuana legalization, the state had set flawed precedence that would mark the beginning of cannabis legalization in the US. On the other hand, marijuana traders and consumers celebrated the end of what they termed as police harassment in their trade. Thousands of traders lined up for formal licenses ready for business. Later, three other states would follow suit, increasing the use of cannabis in America. Even before the full legalization of marijuana in the four states, most American has had legal access to cannabis. The number of people in access of bhang has been increasing steadily, since the approval of medical marijuana in some states from as early as 1996 (Van Ours, 2012). However, the entire legalization of cannabis in the four states has significantly increased the availability of bhang in America. Moreover, President Obama’s approval of medical use of marijuana has also contributed to the ease of access and the consequent increase in abuse of bhang in US today (Johnston & Lewis, 2009).
Today, almost every American can find a way of accessing the marijuana when they so wish. For those in Colorado, Washington, Oregon or Alaska, purchase of bhang is as simple as walking into the retail shop to buy cooking flour. To those in any of the twenty states where medical use marijuana is allowed, citizens can still buy cannabis freely upon a formal consultation with any of the licensed physician. Some doctors are easily influenced to prescribe marijuana upon a fake diagnosis of any of the several conditions treatable with marijuana (Van Ours, 2012). Unfortunately, legalization of marijuana, whether wholly or partially, in some US states have made it difficult for the law enforcers in the Cannabis free states to fight the drug. As Swift (2013) explains, citizens in the states that ban both the recreational and medical use of bhang are still accessing the drug from other regions. As a result, marijuana use and ease of accessibility in the US is nearly similar to how it used to be in the before its ban in the early 20th century.
Research Question
The US federal government classifies marijuana as a schedule one drug, the highest classification of a potentially harmful drug that has o established medical value. On the other hand, different states have dissented this views based on evidence-based studies. While only a few states have recognized both the recreational and medical use, a nearly half of all the US states acknowledge the medical use of marijuana. In addition, the federal government appears to be changing its stance in ruling that bhang may as well be used for its medicinal value. The studies are proving that cannabis contains relevant chemical for medical purposes are overwhelmin. In addition, the pressure is mounting from the US general public urging the federal and states governments to legalize marijuana. According to the latest statistics, the public support for marijuana legalization has been on the rise (Pew Research Center, 2015). However, studies also indicate that the abuse of the drug is also increasing. While studies have proved that cannabis contains useful chemical in the medicine field, countless evidence-based studies have also shown that these chemical poses dire health risks when abused. In addition, there are various negative social impacts such as increased crimes attributed to cannabis abuse. So, should the US government legalize marijuana? Doe the plant’s economic benefits outweigh the health risks of its abuse and the attributed social problems?
The proposed research evaluates whether marijuana needs to be legalized, by evaluating its economic and social benefits. The researcher will assess the impacts of marijuana in one of the first states to approve its use; the State of Colorado. The proposed research will assess the social and economic impacts that this legalization has had to the state. The researcher will also compare use and impacts of cannabis with a legally acceptable drug such as alcohol. The researcher hypothesizes that the medicinal and economic benefits of bhang outweighs its disadvantages and hence, the drug should be legalized.
Review of the Related Literature
The issue of the legality of marijuana is a significant topic of debate among the US population. For this reason, it has captured the attention of several analysts, each making his or her contribution towards either the approval or disapproval of cannabis legalization. This section reviews some of the renowned publications that relate on marijuana legalization. In this section, the researcher examines what other scholars have found about the impacts of marijuana.
History of Marijuana legalization
Marijuana has not always been an illicit substance in the US history. As Van Ours narrates, the use of marijuana was legal prior to the 20th century (2012). Cannabis was freely traded in raw and processed concoctions and powdered products such as the hashish. Unlike the present use of cannabis, however, bhang was only used for its medical value. Cannabis products were used as stimulants and pain killers. Additionally, the Cannabis Sativa plant was cultivated as a source of fiber to make ropes and baskets. The recreational use of the plant was practically unknown in America, perhaps the reason the government found no need to ban its use. The Mexican immigrants introduced the idea of smoking bhang towards the beginning of the 20th century. As Swift (2013...