Legalization of marijuana is attributed to the failure of the policies and executive orders issued by the US administration. The use of marijuana has relatively grown among the current and the upcoming generations. The response provided by the authorities seems to be making the illegal trade a common vice among many Americans (Caulkins, et al 2015). This has contributed to the suggestion of different opinions – as provided by the US constitutions – which are suggesting the adoption marijuana for specific uses. This has now spark a debate of the moral and social consequences of legalizing marijuana.
Legalization of marijuana is supported by groups such as Marijuana Policy Project (MPP) and the Drug Policy Alliance (DPA). These organizations, collectively, argue that legalizing marijuana is the only way of reducing violence in America and other countries. Their suggestions state that legalizing marijuana will reduce and cut off revenue sources for criminals who are involved in criminal activities. This coupled by a major strongpoint acknowledging that controlled use would reduce the vice of drug abuse among marijuana addicts. Consequently, the best way of fighting the use of marijuana is to take control of its supply in a legalized structure.
Effects on Policing
Legalizing marijuana will create a number of challenges to policing of this vice within the US and its American citizens. Firstly, mandated authorities in charge of drug abuse and control in the US such as Drug Enforcement Administration-DEA will have a problem in countering the effects of marijuana misuse (Caulkins, et al 2015). For instance, unscrupulous pharmacists may open up to marijuana substances to be consumed as a hard drug rather than a form of medical treatment. Secondly, the rate of violence increase among marijuana drug abusers would rise due to its ease-of-access.
Legalizing marijuana without statutory bodies with adequate powers to curb illegal use of this product could increase violence. For instance, providers and suppliers of medicinal products might hide within this legalization to contribute with peddling of marijuana. Thirdly and lastly, high level corruption – cases criminalizing the use of marijuana – could be a challenge to legalization of marijuana (Hopfer, 2014). A state of confusion is likely to emerge on which regulations control the use of marijuana between the authorities and the public. For instance, the public could misinterpret a regulation in using marijuana as a hard drug.
Pros and Cons of the Statistical Data
When marijuana is legalized, it is possible to find some businesses gaining root in the newly established market. For instance, recreational use of marijuana will see its data and statistics rise to high figures. At the moment, the revenue generated from marijuana being used for recreational purposes is valued at $11,670 million (Kilmer & MacCoun, 2017). Similarly, the medical marijuana ministry would also record high figures in terms of consumption of treatment. For instance, the average age of marijuana medical use falls at 43 years for men, and 46 for women. These figures are like to increase with legalization of marijuana.
The advantages of this statistical data will fall on the positive attributes attributed to their rise or fall. For instance, if more people adopt the use of marijuana as a medical product would indicate a rise in legal access to marijuana for the permitted purpose (Caulkins, et al 2015). However, increasing figures in statistical data describing the recreational use of marijuana indicates a danger to the society. This is depicted in the increased rate of crime and violence in order to access this drug such as robberies and death cases.
References
Caulkins, J. P., Kilmer, B., Kleiman, M. A., MacCoun, R. J., Midgette, G., Oglesby, P., … & Reuter, P. H. (2015). The Marijuana Legalization Debate.
Hopfer, C. (2014). Implications of marijuana legalization for adolescent substance use. Substance Abuse, 35(4), 331-335.
Kilmer, B., & MacCoun, R. J. (2017). How medical marijuana smoothed the transition to marijuana legalization in the United States. Annual Review of Law and Social Science, 13, 181-202.
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