...Marijuana Legalization When the word marijuana comes up in a conversation, people automatically think of it as a terrible thing to do. Then, there are people who know of far worse things, such as alcohol. Seventy-five thousand deaths in the United States are linked to alcohol every year. Something that kills thousands of people a year is legal and something like marijuana that can be used in the curing treatment of cancer is illegal. The most common reasoning for keeping marijuana illegal is because it is known as a gateway drug. A gateway drug means that people who smoke marijuana are more likely to get into the use of more harder drugs like heroin or cocaine, which is definitely not the case. ¨Studies show that 85% of cocaine users...
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...The Benefits for Legalizing Medical Marijuana: Annotated Bibliography Working thesis statement: Medical Marijuana should be legal in all the United States because there it can treat many medical conditions and the tax revenue it brings can help lower the national debt. Titus, R.D. (2016). Puff, Puff, Pass…That Law: The Changing Legislative Environment of Medical Marijuana Policy. Harvard Journal On Legislation, 53 (1), 39-58. Summary of article: In recent years, a few states have legalized medical marijuana for recreational use. The article identifies how the government is placing their taxes on the newly legalized drug. A sample of what I will be using from this article would be, “Federal income taxation of medical marijuana is the same as for cocaine or heroin; the only permitted adjustment to gross revenues in calculating federal taxable income is cost of goods sold.” (Titus pg. 2). There is a lot of information that I am looking for to help me with my paper. Assessment of article: I found this source on the school library. The author name is R. D. Titus and she is a writer at Harvard Journal. This articles publication was in 2016. The author and the article gave a lot of information about taxing the sale of medical marijuana in sates that already passed the law about recreational use and dispensaries selling the product. I found this article in the school library is it is 100% a scholarly article. I will be using as much information I can find that relates to my topic...
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...Technical Institute Marijuana. It is highly debated topic; this is due to different parties beliefs. The controversy lies within its legalization, and how it should be handled, or if it even should be legalized. It is my intent to use this paper as a way to point out how legalizing marijuana would be good for the economy. I believe the legalization of marijuana would benefit the economy with the generation of jobs, creation of tax revenue, and it would vacate some jail cells which could be used for more worthy purposes. How can the legalization of marijuana generate new jobs? One way they can do this is through the shops that could and would open up as specialty shops, designed to sell precisely marijuana products and accessories. It would also open up new positions for glass blowers, for the pipes and hookahs that people use to self-medicate. There have also been comparisons made between the legalization of marijuana now and when prohibition was repealed back in the early 1900s. “Making alcohol legal again has paid off. Just last year, the industry generated $91 billion in wages and over 3.9 million jobs for U.S. workers. In 2008, alcohol contributed over $40 billion to state and local revenues.” (http://www.forbes.com/sites/kellyphillipserb/2012/04/20/stirring-the-pot-could-legalizing-marijuana-save-the-economy/) Some people have the opinion that marijuana can damage tax more than aid. Well I have supported beliefs that taxation on marijuana will aid the country more...
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...America’s Cash Crop “Why is marijuana against the law? It grows naturally upon our planet. Doesn’t the idea of making nature against the law seem to you a bit . . . unnatural?” ― Bill Hicks The legalization of marijuana is a debate being held all over the country. Everyone has their own opinion on the whole idea of marijuana. There are legislators who think that if marijuana is legalized that it will be grown illegally, and medically abused. There are potheads who think it would be cool and that they would get cheaper weed. But what it comes down to are the numbers. Marijuana is a cash crop. How can Wisconsin say no to numbers like fourteen billion, and thirty five billion dollars? Can legalizing marijuana rescue Wisconsin’s economy? Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, DC, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington. In seventeen states, and DC it is legal to have at least an ounce of marijuana. In fourteen of them it is legal to even have plants (ProCon). Should Wisconsin be state number eighteen? NBC News produced an article Marijuana Called US Cash Crop and within that article they state “The study estimates that marijuana production, at a value of $35.8 billion, exceeds the combined value of corn ($23.3 billion) and wheat ($7.5 billion).” Wisconsin is in forty six billion dollars of debt and increasing every second (WisconsinDebtClock). If marijuana can bring in millions of...
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...Learning Team Debate Paper Outline June 5, 2011 BCOM/275 I Introduction • Should the U.S. legalize marijuana? • The U.S. legalization of marijuana has been a controversial subject for many years. Proponents of legalization cite many benefits including, what they claim to be substantial increases in tax revenue, reduction in crime, and widespread medical benefits. Opponents argue that marijuana is a harmful drug that increases crime, causes more problems with health than it benefits, and would cost taxpayers more than the revenue it would bring in. II First Source Klein, J., April 2, 2009. Why legalizing marijuana makes sense. Time magizine Retrieved from: http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1889021,00.html • This author expresses the many benefits of legalization, while expressing just a few valid, weak arguments for those against legalization. • This article easily answers the question for the proponents of legalization but doesn’t offer enough information to argue against it. • Evidence is sufficient for legalization • Examples cited are revelant and conclusions do add up for legalization III Second Source DuPont, R., April 20, 2010. Why we should not legalize marijuana, A CNBC special report. Retrieved from http://www.Why_We_Should_Not_Legalize_Marijuana.cnbc.com/id/36267223/ • This article supports the opponents of legalization and offers nothing for the opposing view. • Evidence is sufficient and well written...
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...Abstract Throughout this paper, there will be an extremely debatable discussion about legalizing marijuana. Though both sides to this discussion have valid arguments, the pros outweigh the cons by a substantial amount. According to norml.org marijuana is the third most popular recreational drug in America. Federal law prohibits marijuana; anyone found with possession by federal law is punishable by up to one year in jail and a minimum fine of $1,000 for a first conviction. With making this “troubling substance” legal, the government would be able to reduce the national debt and easily reduce the overcrowding of prisons. I am proposing that people take a second to look past the negatives of drugs and focus on a plant that could better the nation. Purpose Marijuana has a negative shame involved by the government and public, but is actually a natural and successful medicine. Recently marijuana arrests have been exceeding the amount of violent crime arrests and punishments. The Marijuana Policy Project counted 872,720 pot-related arrests in the United States in 2007 alone, according to Cato. Enforcing this prohibition has put taxpayers in almost 10 billion dollars of debt annually. I believe that there are definitely more important issues that the government should be focusing on rather than throwing harmless marijuana smokers in jail. Problem or Need According to norml.org marijuana is the third most popular recreational drug in America. Nearly one in eight drug prisoners...
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...Legalizing of Marijuana Research Paper Example The history of Marijuana dates back to many, many years, and has served different cultures in various ways. Over the last few years however Marijuana has been adapted to fit our lifestyles, and social environment. Today many people around the world smoke Marijuana, for medicinal purposes, and the drug should be legalized permanently as ‘pot’ has many beneficial uses, including easing pain, helping Canada to stay away from debt, saving millions of acres in forestry and creating jobs for many people; raising Canada’s economic status. Marijuana whose scientific name is Cannabis Sativa has been mentioned in manuscripts dating back to 2700 B.C. in China. The Jamestown settlers recorded the first nurturing of the plant in 1611, as they used the hemp from the plant’s fibers to make rope and canvas. Marijuana also known as ‘weed’ was used to make clothing, as the plant was very durable. In that time, ‘pot’ was used more for survival than for any other purposes. Marijuana came into play with the scarcity of alcohol in the ‘olden’ days. The use of the drug rose from there, and became a large problem in the Unites States. The United States is one of those countries that can immensely benefit from the legalization of Marijuana use. In the States, Marijuana is the most widely used controlled substance, and since the drug is used so often, why not brew large amounts of money. Selling the drug and at the same time raising the economy of...
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...Legalizing Marijuana The United States has made it clear that they aren’t going to tolerate the legalization of any kind of drugs. The U.S has invested billions of dollars to combat the war on drugs especially when it comes to illegal smuggling. Many people feel that the government should spent federal money on other important issues going on in the country, such as our economy. There are many debatable questions that come up when discussing if marijuana should be legalize or not. Marijuana has been banned for more than half a century. The U.S government has made it clear that the possession or the growth for personal use is a criminal act. The government has clear understanding that legalizing marijuana could have a good outcome for the country by helping people that need it for medical purposes, but also it could bring billions of dollars in tax revenue to the U.S economy. The U.S. has a long history with marijuana; some of the early presidents were advocates of marijuana. Many people think that Marijuana should be legalized because it can be used for medical purposes but other people who are against legalizing marijuana think that it would affect kids and schools. Marijuana should be legalized but only for people with medicinal needs and it should be treated similar to the alcohol regulations. Background History of Marijuana Marijuana has been known to date back thousands of years. According to Time Magazine, the marijuana plant goes back as early as 2737 B.C. found...
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...fight the war on Marijuana. Marijuana has been a hot topic lately, and the debates really been heating up. The main question is how much would our country benefit from the legalization of recreational marijuana? Our citizens and political leaders have a chance to cash in on one of the biggest cash crops in existence today. Legalizing marijuana for recreational use has the potential to be very lucrative and beneficial to our country and society. To fully understand the debate on legalizing marijuana, you must know what marijuana is and how it came to be outlawed in the U.S. in the first place. Marijuana is a plant that produces flowers or buds that can be smoked to produce...
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...Legalizing Marijuana: A Utilitarian Perspective Whitney T. Hall SOC120: Ethic and Social Responsibility Tim Carter May 7, 2012 Legalizing Marijuana: A Utilitarian Perspective The legalization of marijuana in the United States remains a major issue and has caused much controversy due to opposing views. With the economy being in the state that it is, we need to utilize all available resources and set aside personal emotion regarding “smoking weed”. While some support decriminalization, there are many reasons why other individuals, including the government, do not. From a utilitarian point view, legalizing marijuana will produce the greatest good for the greatest number of people affected by the choice (Mosser, 2010, sect. 1.7) Misleading perception and harmful effects influence the decision of marijuana remaining illegal. But, the best way to control its use is to legalize it for its positive effects on the environment, medical uses, and revenue it generates for the government; therefore, producing the best results for the greatest number of people. Marijuana is the third most popular recreational drug in America following alcohol and tobacco. It is most commonly smoked out of a pipe, or rolled like a cigarette. The active ingredient in marijuana that causes the “high” followed by smoking it is delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol or THC for short. This is the most common perception of individuals who encounter the drug but what is failed to be considered are its environmental...
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...Marijuana Made Legal Legalize a plant? Most people think of marijuana as a vegetable and as a gift from mother nature or God. Marijuana comes from drying the leaves and flowers of hemp plants called Cannabis which grows in the wild in warm, humid areas. It is easily produced by people indoors as well. Marijuana does not contain any chemicals. Marijuana is known by many names such as pot, weed, dope, MJ or Mary Jane, grass, reefer, roach, smoke, skunk, and ganja. Marijuana was made illegal in 1937 with the Marijuana Tax Act, which banned the use and sale of it, due to statements that the effects of marijuana made men of color violent against others and try to solicit sex from white women. The Marijuana Tax Act of 1937 was overruled with the Controlled Substance Act in the 1970’s where marijuana was ranked a Schedule I substance based on recommendations from President Nixon (Burnet & Reiman, 2014). In 1996, California legalized the use of marijuana for medical purposes. Marijuana should be legalized because it can be beneficial for medical conditions, legalization could reduce teenage access, and legalization would boost our economy. When marijuana is used as medicine; it can help many medical conditions. “The limited research available, because of legal restrictions, has supported indications including symptoms of cancer and cancer-related treatment, neurologic disorders (such as MS, glaucoma, and chronic/severe pain), and inflammatory conditions” (Horowitz, 2014). Marijuana...
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...get the paper, come back inside to eat, brush your teeth and what have you. You get in your car, drive to your neighborhood pharmacy, go through the drive through, and get your prescription. You get home and look in your little orange container, which is surprisingly light and quiet. You find three large, green with purple infused, marijuana buds. Right then it hits you, marijuana is illegal, you must be dreaming. But what if that dream could be the reality? Many people believe that the legalizing of marijuana would be good for our economy, good for helping people find jobs, and lowering our country’s crime rate. There will be nothing in the following pages that talks about the medicinal value of marijuana. There is no overwhelming data that shows that getting THC into your blood has a positive medicinal purpose. I, as an endurance athlete, am a firm believer that inhaling smoke is not healthy for you or your body regardless of what cure it may provide. It has been proven time and time again that inhaling smoke is one of the worst things you can do to your body, whether it is first hand or second hand smoke. There are a lot of rumors out there that suggest that smoking marijuana kills your brain cells, and that it can lower your life expectancy. There is no solid evidence that backs this up. Also, anything said about how marijuana is bad for you can also be used to describe nicotine and alcohol, both of which are legal drugs. According to saferchoice.org “Marijuana...
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...Marijuana Prohibition Marijuana prohibition in America has become a much heated debate over the past decade or so which has launched countless campaigns both for and against legalizing the plant for a variety of reasons. Unfortunately, excessive propaganda has been used to distort the facts and prevent education on the matter. It may surprise you to know that 100 years ago this was not even an issue. Most people in America simply assume that marijuana was criminalized due to the result of scientific research which determined that it fell into the category of a dangerous drug. This is completely false and the history of marijuana’s criminalization is filled with fear and corrupt legislation. The laws that were created as a result were made for the wrong reasons using false evidence. Despite what the opposition says, legalizing marijuana is beneficial to everyone for several reasons: it is a healthier alternative to pharmaceutical drugs, it will free the court system and jails from unnecessary time and expenses, and it will create a substantial source of revenue for the country. For nearly a century, health care personnel and government officials have stressed the potentially dangerous side effects of marijuana usage. Currently marijuana is the most commonly abused illicit drug in the United States. (NIDA, 2010) Marijuana is the dried flowers that come from the hemp plant Cannabis Sativa. The main active chemical in marijuana is delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol which...
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...Legalization of Marijuana Tina Washington Everest University March 3, 2015 Abstract The prohibition of marijuana has brought forth multiple passionate debates for many years in reference to its effects on the human body, its medicinal properties, and its effect on society. Even though there are many people who are opposed to the legalization of marijuana, this paper will dispute that the legalization of marijuana is justified. This paper will provide proof by measuring marijuana’s effects on the human body when ingested by inhalation against the effects on the body when consuming alcoholic beverages and smoking tobacco, by submitting research facts on its medicinal qualities, and providing you with information on how the use of marijuana can benefit a lot of people as well as our nation as a whole. Legalization of Marijuana Legalization of marijuana is wide spread. There are so many benefits to it such as helping those with medicinal issues like anxiety, AIDS, Cancer, glaucoma, etc. Being able to assist someone without throwing pills down their throat is certainly a better approach. Most people don’t know this, but there are 18 states that have already gotten on the band wagon of legalizing marijuana. Colorado and Washington are the two most recent states that adopted this law. Not only is it a great way to aid in certain medical issues, but it is also a way for the states and our government to generate revenue...
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...smoking pot is so taboo in our society? After all, numerous famous intellectuals support marijuana. Al Gore is considered by many to be the leading figure in climate change awareness and environmental preservation. But few people know that Al Gore also supports the legalization of marijuana. The famed German philosopher Freidrich Nietzche once said, “If one seeks relief from unbearable pressure one is to eat hashish”. The founding father of our nation George Washington, said, “Make the most of the Indian hemp seed, and sow it everywhere!” Marijuana is one of the safest medicinal substances on the planet and is supported by many acclaimed celebrity role models. Famous Hollywood actor Johnny Depp says, “I’m not a big pothead or anything like that… but weed is much, much less dangerous than alcohol”. Other well known supporters of marijuana include Snoop Dogg, all of the Marley family, Neil Young, Willie Nelson, Michael Phelps, Chris Farley, Al Gore, Andrew Jackson, Abraham Lincoln, Nietzsche, Barack Obama, John Adams, James Madison, JFK, and of course myself. A total of 11 United States presidents either grew, smoked, or supported the legalization of Marijuana. With the support of some of the greatest thinkers and world leaders of all time it’s a wonder that marijuana is still illegal. “Government ties is really why the government lies” – Immortal Technique. Common Misconceptions about marijuana are set about by high end government officials who think only of themselves and own their...
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