How many people have tried Marijuana? Should it be legalized? The answers to
those two questions are a hot topic. The legalization
of Marijuana has become an ever increasing debate in modern culture. Both, opponents and proponents are vigorously
campaigning for their sides of the debate. While both sides make great arguments, there are a
few issues that are not discussed fully. Tennessee should legalize Marijuana, considering the
history, criminal aspect, and benefits; opponents will better understand the other half of the
debate.
Opponents to the legalization of Marijuana tend to
argue that crime and drug abuse
would rise. They seem to believe that legalization would
lead to an even greater overcrowding problem with the prison system. The truth is that just the opposite would
happen with the decriminalization of Marijuana. According to the Federal Sentencing
Statistics report, drug offenders make up 50.1% of the total prison population. With 27.6% in
prison for Marijuana charges, it’s easy to see how the legalization would shrink the inmate
population from the beginning. (Miles)
Marijuana has been used as a pain reliever and a
stress reducer on most occasions.
The drug that is found in Marijuana is called
delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol or THC for short. The effect of this drug may differ depending on the individual user’s tolerance levels. The
earliest recorded use of Marijuana can be traced to India, over a thousand years ago.(Iversen
18) The uses of it over the course of history have been mainly for religious ceremonies or
recreational use.
The criminalization of Marijuana has a torrid past. During the turn of the century
many states were trying to ban marijuana and its use with little avail. It was not until 1937
that a federal law was made to ban all forms of marijuana. The key players behind the 1937
Marijuana Tax Act is very disturbing. Treasury Secretary Andrew Mellon was a chief
financial backer of DuPont Chemicals. DuPont had just started making synthetic plastics,
like nylon, and was facing stiff competition from hemp farmers.(Turner) Another key
player in the passing of the act was William Hearst, who was a media magnate; he owned a
newspaper, paper mill, and several forests.(Turner) Hearst was also competing with hemp
farmers, so it made sense for a law to be passed so that hemp could no longer be grown in the
United States.
Even though hemp and marijuana are different plants entirely, the law passed with
ease. The law did not stop there unfortunately. During the 1970’s, President Richard Nixon
would weigh in on this issue. The Nixon administration declared a “war on drugs” in 1971.
Nixon placed marijuana as a schedule one narcotic, right up there with cocaine and heroin.
Nixon also beefed up the federal drug taskforce to fight a battle that was falsely started to
begin with. This is the main reason the debate rages on today. (A Brief…)
Overcrowding in the prison system has become a major
concern as of late. The
United States makes up 5% of the world’s population
but houses 25% of the world’s population in prisons. Most of the convictions in the federal prison system come from illegal
drug convictions. The convictions stem from mainly non-violent drug offenders and even
first time offenders. The most current data on Marijuana offenders makes up 27.6% of the
total system.(Miles) That is an alarming number of prisoners for a drug with no known side
effects or related deaths.
The most disturbing trend is the death tolls related
to all drugs, legal or illegal. In the
United States today more Americans die from tobacco,
alcohol, and prescription pain killers than other illegal drugs. Drugs like heroin and meth lead the death tolls of illegal drugs
consumed by people. Those two drugs are considered a schedule one drug based on their
mortality rate. Not one death has ever been linked to the use of marijuana nor overdoses. (Iversen 158-9)
With the legalization of marijuana taking place in
several states, the benefits are
becoming more apparent. If Marijuana was decriminalized on a federal
level then the revenue created by the regulation could be endless. The tax revenue alone could be in the
billions per year based on the current tax rate of alcohol and tobacco. America has been
facing a slow growing economy since 2008. Once Marijuana was legal to grow and sell then
the jobs would increase on a national level. Farmers could grow marijuana and hemp plants
that once thrived in America during the early 20th century. Stores would have to open and
hire people to run day to day operations.
After all, the legalization of marijuana makes sense
on every level. The benefits
outweigh the risks.
It is time America rights a wrong and passes a bill that will change the
course of history forever. With the legalization, prisons would be less crowded with less
drug offenders being prosecuted. Crime rates would drop because people could buy
marijuana in a legal store front instead of buying from a drug dealer. And lastly, drug
research for marijuana could be restored in order to find better alternatives to synthetic drugs.
(842)
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