June 7, 2021
Legalized Marijuana
The legalization of marijuana is a controversy in America that the majority of people used to frown upon. However, according to recent polls, more than half of the country is now in favor of legalizing it for both medical and recreational use. Marijuana should be both decriminalized and legalized federally since it no longer falls into the category of a schedule I substance, it is used for numerous medical purposes, and minorities who are convicted of having marijuana possession charges are unfairly sentenced and discriminated against.
Marijuana should be legalized because of the fact that it is a schedule I substance according to the Controlled Drug Act but does not fit into the criteria of a schedule I drug anymore. A schedule I substance is said to be a drug that has a high potential for dependency and no accepted medical use. This has been proved to not be the case since medical marijuana is legalized for use in over half of the country. The Drug Policy Alliance backs up this point and believes that marijuana should be removed from the legal criminal system and regulated for adult recreational use. At the moment, state laws determine whether medical marijuana is legal and whether it can be distributed. Currently, more than half of the country’s state laws on medical marijuana are contradicting the federal law and its view on marijuana regulations. Legalizing marijuana at a federal level would correct the schedule that it falls into, in addition to having corresponding state and federal laws regarding the drug.
Marijuana needs to be legalized so that it can be used as treatment everywhere in the country. Medical marijuana is legalized in 36 states and is deemed as acceptable treatment for people suffering with severe nausea and chronic pain. People with conditions such as cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, Crohn’s disease, and epilepsy can use marijuana as a way to relieve symptoms. Medical marijuana can also help people who have experienced significant weight loss due to chemotherapy or anorexia. The effects of using it can help a person’s appetite increase and gain back lost weight. The medical reasons for using marijuana have been increasing as doctors learn more about it and do research about the positive effects of marijuana. It is very likely that doctors will discover more usages for medical marijuana in which it needs to be legalized in all states for it to be used.
Marijuana should be decriminalized to reduce the number of minorities getting a harsher punishment for having the drug. Marijuana possession charges in states where the drug is still illegal are unproportionally affecting minorities. According to data reported by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), blacks are 3.73 times more likely to be arrested than whites for marijuana. Even in states that have legalized marijuana, people of color are still facing the consequences of a drug that is no longer illegal. Another study from the ACLU concluded that in states that have legalized or decriminalized marijuana, black people are still more likely to get arrested for possession than white people are. It has gotten worse after legalization in some states such as Maine and Vermont where after legalization blacks were getting arrested at a much higher rate than whites. The difficulties that people of color face with arrests are constant but a nationwide legalization and decriminalization of marijuana would significantly help to close the gap between biased drug arrests.
The inaccurate scheduling of marijuana to present day research, medical purposes available, and unproportional effect on minorities convicted with marijuana charges justify the need for legalization. Although many can argue that the drug can negatively affect someone’s health, such as memory loss in particular, like other legalized substances it can be good in moderation. Marijuana legalization is a long process that involves many different factors but the states that have gone through it are able to provide evidence that it creates important benefits, including further equality. To advance the healthcare system and reinstate fairness nationwide, marijuana needs to be legalized.
Works Cited
Cooper, Wilbert L., and Christie Thompson. “Will Drug Legalization Leave Black People Behind?” The Marshall Project, The Marshall Project, 11 Nov. 2020, www.themarshallproject.org/2020/11/11/will-drug-legalization-leave-black-people-behind.
Ed Chung, Maritza Perez. “Rethinking Federal Marijuana Policy.” Center for American Progress, www.americanprogress.org/issues/criminal-justice/reports/2018/05/01/450201/rethinking-federal-marijuana-policy/.
Karmen Hanson, Alise Garcia. State Medical Marijuana Laws, www.ncsl.org/research/health/state-medical-marijuana-laws.aspx.
“Marijuana Arrests by the Numbers.” American Civil Liberties Union, www.aclu.org/gallery/marijuana-arrests-numbers.
“Marijuana Legalization and Regulation.” Drug Policy Alliance, drugpolicy.org/issues/marijuana-legalization-and-regulation.
“What You Can Expect from Medical Marijuana.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 27 Nov. 2019, www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/consumer-health/in-depth/medical-marijuana/art-20 137855.