The authors of this book take a good stab at explaining the realities of cannabis legalization from a neutral point of view. The effects on youth use affect crime and law enforcement, realities of regulation, and some of the potential impacts of federal legalization hits.
The disadvantage of this book is that it is from 2015. Since that time, about a half dozen more states have legalized recreational or medicinal use of cannabis.
Overall, this is an excellent resource for scholarly and straightforward information about marijuana legalization. Suppose you want to understand this industry, the rules around its regulation, and its effects on legal states. In that case, this is a good resource (an updated second edition would be better if available).
This article, the author talks about the increase in hard drugs if marijuana becomes legal. Medical marijuana laws create important arguments concerning drug procedures. For instance, if marijuana is a match to hard drugs, the regulations would increase the usage not only of marijuana but also of hard drugs.
Cyrenne, P., & Shanahan, M. (2018). Toward a regulatory framework for the legalization
of cannabis: how do we get to there from here? Canadian Public Policy, 44(1), 54-76.
(Journal Article)
This article debates several issues connected to the development of a regulatory system for the legalization of cannabis. The journal article outlines the context for considering how goods and services, in general, are treated from a legal and monitoring point of view—this is a summary of the current legal treatment of cannabis in Canada and several other countries.
This book is helpful for the clinician on the therapeutic effects of cannabis, including a summary of current research and the strength of recommendations for cannabis use in the treatment of 21 medical conditions. These topics range from chronic pain to Huntington’s Disease and Schizophrenia. As with all sections, the authors identify research gaps, a summary, and references to the primary literature. This section is handy for helping guide procedure decisions, as, in many state and local jurisdictions, there is intense debate regarding the increase of medical signs for cannabis.
(Article)
In 1970, the U.S. Congress placed marijuana under the schedule 1 drug classification, the most restrictive category of drugs under the Controlled Substance Act, which created a scheduling system for drugs. The system is based on two criteria, the drug’s medicinal value and the potential for abuse. Schedule 1 drugs such as marijuana are considered to have no therapeutic value and a high potential for abuse. This essay’s thesis states that marijuana should be legalized for medical and recreational use since it leads to increased research on its medical use, improves the economy in terms of increased revenue and employment opportunities, and reduces law enforcement costs in arrests and incarcerations. According to a 2019 survey regarding American’s opinion on marijuana legalization, 91 % of the population support its legalization for medical use. In addition, six out of 10 Americans support its legalization for medical and recreational use (Schaeffer, 2021). According to Rense (2018), adult use of marijuana is legal in 18 states and Washington, D.C, while medical marijuana is legal in 37 states. According to research, 12% of U.S adults imbibe marijuana, while 49% of the adult population have tried marijuana representing nearly half of the population (Jones, 2021). Proponents of marijuana legalization indicate its medical and economic benefits.
Marijuana is used in various treatments such as epilepsy, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), multiple sclerosis, cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease. According to the journal of pharmacology, marijuana is more effective than conventional in controlling and reducing epileptic seizures. In addition, marijuana is used to treat PTSD. Marijuana cannabinoids contain the receptors that cause fear and anxiety; thus, patients can forget the traumatic memories and create new ones (Groce, 2018). In addition, marijuana lessens the pain from multiple sclerosis, where tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) binds to nerves receptors, thus alleviating the pain. Another medical marijuana use is that it relieves rheumatoid arthritis. According to research by Shannon, Lewis, Lee, and Hughes (2019), cannabis-based medicine significantly improves movement in pain at rest, on the action and enhances sleep quality. Marijuana also alleviates the side effects of chemotherapy. The use of marijuana in cancer patients can reduce pain, stimulate appetite and suppress nausea, all of which stem from chemotherapy. Marijuana may also slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease, where the THC blocks enzymes that produce amyloid plaques which are mainly responsible for killing brain cells (Kim, Yang, Kim, Kim, & Yook, 2019). Many states have public medical marijuana programs to improve their medical research.
There is little or no chance of a marijuana overdose. A drug overdose occurs when a drug user consumes more than the medically recommended dose resulting in a toxic state that can lead to death. Research shows that it is impossible to die from a marijuana overdose. According to a study, the cannabinoids receptors in the brain are not located in the brain stem and do not control ant essential brain function, unlike most depressants and stimulants (Kendall & Yudowski, 2017). Therefore, there has not been any reported overdose death caused by marijuana alone in recorded human history.
Marijuana addiction level is less than other legally permitted drugs such as alcohol and tobacco. The addiction to smoking and alcohol is far more potent on a chemical, physiological level than any record on the withdrawal from the use of marijuana. The marijuana adult dependency rate is 9% and 17% for early beginners, while the nicotine addiction rate is approximately 30 % (Karst, 2018). According to a National Survey on Drug Use and Health in 2019, about 15 million people aged 12 and above had alcohol use disorder. In addition, 95,000 people die annually from alcohol-related causes. According to the World Health Organization (2020), tobacco kills half of its users, approximately 8 million people annually. The lower marijuana addiction levels lessen the potency of the drug compared to legal drugs such as alcohol and tobacco thus should be legalized.
Marijuana legalization leads to increased government revenue from the cultivation, sale, and distribution of marijuana. In 2020, marijuana sales reached more than $17.5 billion, an incredible boom for the industry during the pandemic. According to BDS Analytics, Inc, a cannabis sales data platform, the legalization of marijuana for adult use increased sales in respective states. For example, in 2020, Illinois expanded its medical cannabis market to include recreational use leading to a growth in revenue of $784 million. According to Maxwell and Mendelson (2016), since 2014, marijuana has made over $10 billion in sales for the state of Colorado. In 2020, the sales generated more than $40 million in tax revenues for the state to fund school-related projects. Tax revenue from legal marijuana sales can help struggling communities and help fund job training and young development programs. Research by BDS Analytics forecast that legal marijuana sales will exceed $ 41 billion revenue by 2026, thus leading to increased allocation to healthcare and infrastructure projects.
Prohibition of legal Marijuana leads to the diversion of revenue to black-market entrepreneurs instead of licensed businesses. According to Yakowicz’s (2021) research, most of the cannabis industry is still in the black market, where sales are estimated to be more than $100 billion each year. Marijuana legalization will phase out black markets and remove money from organized crime syndicates. In addition, data from U.S. Border Patrol show that marijuana busts have reduced; thus, legalization will ensure the market is dominated by legitimate businesses who pay taxes.
According to research by McGinty, Niederdeppe, Heley, and Barry (2017), more than 321,000 Americans are working full-time jobs in the legal marijuana industry across the country. In addition, the sector added 77,300 direct jobs last year, representing a 32 % increase which is the highest rate in comparison to any other American industry. Marijuana legalization also indirectly creates other jobs such as marketing, lawyers, data analysts, and the transportation sector. For example, data analytics help companies understand the product better; lawyers must navigate new marijuana regulations while delivery firms transport marijuana to users (Todd, 2018). New job opportunities contribute to reduced unemployment rates, leading to a positive economic growth cycle.
Legalization will decrease arrests for illegal cultivation and distribution operations. According to a study by Cyrenne and Shanahan (2018), legal marijuana sales met 70% of the market demand instead of 30% in 2014. In addition, in Colorado, marijuana possession, cultivation, and distribution prosecution rates decreased by more than 80% after legalization, as Gettman (2015) reported. Thus, marijuana legalization leads to a decrease in arrests and prosecution, which ultimately lowers law enforcement’s cost since there are fewer citizens arrested and charged; thus, saving taxpayers money.
Marijuana legalization saves resources in the criminal justice sector due to decreased arrests and incarceration related to marijuana possession. The criminalization of marijuana has led many people to charges and imprisonment for possession or trafficking of the drug (Hajizadeh, 2016). Marijuana is one of the main drivers for arrests in the U.S. In 2019, the number of people nabbed for marijuana-related crimes exceeded all violent crimes detainees. It has led to overcrowding in prisons which is detrimental to the health of the inmates and increases taxpayer burden as they cater for prison expenses. According to the Pew Research Center, 40% of U.S drug seizures in 2018 were related to marijuana, such as marijuana possession (Gramlich, 2020). As of 2018, there has been a national downward trend regarding marijuana-related offenses due to many states implementing legal marijuana laws.
The prohibition of marijuana also increases the cost for law enforcement agencies through arrests and bookings. Prohibition of Marijuana has also been highly damaging to communities such as the African American community. According to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the likelihood of Black American arrests is four times more than that of white counterparts for marijuana possession, notwithstanding akin usage rates (Pacula & Smart, 2017). A marijuana charge is a major criminal justice issue that has lifelong implications for people with convictions since the record reduces the chances of employment, leading to an increase in crime in the community. Marijuana legalization will allow the repeal and clearance of drug conviction records which ensures fair employment opportunities. In addition, legalizing marijuana can decrease law enforcement costs through reduced arrests based on possession; thus, funds can be used in other sectors of the economy.
Legalization can lead to increased arrests for driving under the influence. It can lead to increased incarceration, whose costs are borne by taxpayers, and increased spending on campaigns regarding drinking under the influence. States that have legalized marijuana have experienced increased numbers of driving under the influence (DUI) cases. Marijuana legalization puts more impaired drivers on the road and leads to an increase in traffic-related deaths. According to Gross (2016), fatal accident crashes involving marijuana doubled after marijuana legalization in Washington and Colorado.
Research by Reed (2018) shows that since 2013, the number of DUI cases related to Marijuana in Colorado has risen significantly from 11.43% in 2013 to 21.3% in 2017. In addition, Marijuana-related traffic fatalities increased 48% after legalizing recreational marijuana. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) report indicates a correlation between marijuana legalization and an increase in DUI since Marijuana impairs critical abilities required for safe driving, such as slowed reaction time (Chu, 2015). In addition, the lack of a standardized test for marijuana impairment makes it difficult to quantify how much marijuana leads to safe driving impairment. Public education is the most viable option, where states spend millions on ad campaigns to curb stoned driving. For example, Colorado spent $1 million in an ad campaign, ‘Drive High, Get a DUI,’ to educate drivers on the dangers of stoned driving, which could be spent on other projects. The DUI statistics indicate the risks of marijuana legalization as it will lead to more road fatalities thus should not be legalized.
Marijuana causes issues in employment since it is a performance degenerating drug. Marijuana users have the highest percentage of absenteeism at work, thus increasing costs for businesses. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (2018), marijuana users have 55% more industrial accidents than non-users. The increase in job accidents and injuries is due to the short-term effects of marijuana, such as uncoordinated thinking, impaired body movement, and problem-solving. The same research by the NIDA links marijuana use to increased absenteeism, where marijuana users have a 75% greater absenteeism rate than non-users. Therefore, marijuana legalization can increase the cost of business due to work-related injury litigations and absenteeism-related costs.
This essay’s thesis states that marijuana should be legalized for medical and recreational use since it leads to increased research on its medical use, improves the economy in terms of increased revenue and employment opportunities, and reduces law enforcement costs in arrests and incarcerations. These arguments outweigh the critic’s opinions regarding increased DUI cases and reduced work-related performance since most legal drugs also cause the same problem (Caulkins, Kilmer & Kleiman, 2016). In addition, the government should emphasize the legal limit for marijuana possession to reduce the emergence of black markets such as gangs.
I used the source material in expounding on the medical benefits of marijuana to treat PTSD. This enhances my essay as it indicates the importance of marijuana medical research in pushing for its legalization.
The most significant feedback would be the flow of the essay from introducing research figures to the arguments. The arguments are biased towards marijuana legalization as it makes up most of the essay. However, all arguments are supported by research; thus, there are no uncertain parts.
References
Caulkins, J. P., Kilmer, B., & Kleiman, M. A. (2016). Marijuana legalization: What everyone needs to know®. Oxford University Press.
Chu, Y. W. L. (2015). Do medical marijuana laws increase hard-drug use? The Journal of Law and Economics, 58(2), 481-517.
Cyrenne, P., & Shanahan, M. (2018). Toward a regulatory framework for the legalization of cannabis: how do we get to there from here? Canadian Public Policy, 44(1), 54-76.
Gettman, J. (2015). Marijuana arrests in Colorado after the passage of Amendment 64. Drug Policy Alliance release.
Gramlich, J. (2020). Four in ten U.S. drug arrests in 2018 were for marijuana offenses – mostly possession. Pew Research Center; Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2020/01/22/four-in-ten-u-s-drug-arrests-in-2018-were-for-marijuana-offenses-mostly-possession/
Groce, E. (2018). The health effects of cannabis and cannabinoids: the current state of evidence and recommendations for research.
Gross, A. (2016). Fatal Road Crashes Involving Marijuana Double After State Legalizes Drug | AAA NewsRoom. AAA NewsRoom. https://newsroom.aaa.com/2016/05/fatal-road-crashes-involving-marijuana-double-state-legalizes-drug/
Hajizadeh, M. (2016). Legalizing and regulating Marijuana in Canada: a review of potential economic, social, and health impacts. International journal of health policy and management, 5(8), 453.
Jones, J. (2021). Nearly Half of U.S. Adults Have Tried Marijuana. Gallup. https://news.gallup.com/poll/353645/nearly-half-adults-tried-marijuana.aspx
Karst, A. (2018). Weighing the benefits and risks of medical marijuana use: a brief review. Pharmacy, 6(4), 128.
Kendall, D. A., & Yudowski, G. A. (2017). Cannabinoid Receptors in the Central Nervous System: Their Signaling and Roles in Disease. Frontiers in cellular neuroscience, 10, 294. https://doi.org/10.3389/fncel.2016.00294
Kim, S. H., Yang, J. W., Kim, K. H., Kim, J. U., & Yook, T. H. (2019). A Review on Studies of Marijuana for Alzheimer’s Disease – Focusing on CBD, THC. Journal of pharmacopuncture, 22(4), 225–230. https://doi.org/10.3831/KPI.2019.22.030
Maxwell, J. C., & Mendelson, B. (2016). What Do We Know Now About the Impact of the Laws Related to Marijuana?. Journal of addiction medicine, 10(1), 3–12. https://doi.org/10.1097/ADM.0000000000000188
McGinty, E. E., Niederdeppe, J., Heley, K., & Barry, C. L. (2017). Public perceptions of arguments supporting and opposing recreational marijuana legalization. Preventive medicine, 99, 80-86.
National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2018). How does marijuana use affect school, work, and social life? Drugabuse.gov. https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/research-reports/marijuana/how-does-marijuana-use-affect-school-work-social-life
Pacula, R. L., & Smart, R. (2017). Medical Marijuana and marijuana legalization. Annual review of clinical psychology, 13, 397-419.
Reed, J. K. (2018). Impacts of marijuana legalization in Colorado: A report pursuant to senate bill 13-283. Colorado Department of Public Safety, Division of Criminal Justice, Office of Research and Statistics.
Rense, S. (2018). Here Are All the States That Have Legalized Weed in the U.S. Esquire; Esquire. https://www.esquire.com/lifestyle/a21719186/all-states-that-legalized-weed-in-us/
Schaeffer, K. (2021, April 16). 6 facts about Americans and Marijuana. Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2021/04/26/facts-about-marijuana/
Shannon, S., Lewis, N., Lee, H., & Hughes, S. (2019). Cannabidiol in Anxiety and Sleep: A Large Case Series. The Permanente journal, 23, 18–041. https://doi.org/10.7812/TPP/18-041.
Todd, T. (2018). The benefits of marijuana legalization and regulation. Berkeley J. Crim. L., 23, 99.
Van Green, T. (2021). Americans overwhelmingly say marijuana should be legal for recreational or medical use. Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2021/04/16/americans-overwhelmingly-say-marijuana-should-be-legal-for-recreational-or-medical-use/
World Health Organization. (2020). Tobacco. Who. int; World Health Organization: WHO. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/tobacco
Yakowicz, W. (2021). U.S. Cannabis Sales Hit Record $17.5 Billion As Americans Consume More Marijuana Than Ever Before. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/willyakowicz/2021/03/03/us-cannabis-sales-hit-record-175-billion-as-americans-consume-more-marijuana-than-ever-before/?sh=6ff92c2a2bcf
| Touchstone 3.2 Rubric and Feedback | ||
| Rubric Category | Feedback | Score (acceptable, needs improvement etc.)
|
| Argument Development and Support
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The argument is developed but work on the thesis; some details are irrelevant and distract from the argument. Narrow down your information to advance your stance. | 30/40
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| Research
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Cites outside sources, but not all are cited properly; incorporates sources through direct quotation, paraphrase, or summary. Cite all borrowed information. | 25/30
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| Organization | Includes most of the required components of an argumentative research paper. You have an introduction, body, and conclusion. Essay should be succinct and have a flow following a solid thesis statement. | 12/15
|
| Style
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Demonstrates generally effective style choices, but may include occasional redundancies, imprecise language, poor word choice, and/or repetitive sentence structures. Refer to APA formatting. | 4/5
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| Conventions | There are occasional minor errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling, capitalization, and usage. Watch grammatical and mechanical errors. |
4/5
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| Reflection | Nice job on reflection questions. | 5/5
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| Overall Score and Feedback: 80/100
Alexis, please see comments above. In addition, your thesis statement must be argumentative: you are arguing that something must be done, and the details in your paper should reflect that. Best regards, CW!
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