Legalizing Marijuana - Essay Example

Assignment An Assignment Submitted by of Establishment XXXX, Section XXXX, Spring In this persuasive essay I provide arguments that support legalization of marijuana. Bans on the use of marijuana do not lead to a decrease in consumption, but they lead to the formation of organized crime and smuggling and they infringe on the rights of citizens. Keywords: marijuana, legalization, rightsMarijuana should be legalized I think that the same approach to such completely different substances such as heroin and marijuana is illegal, deeply unscientific, demagogic and malicious.

This approach aims to prevent any public debate on the subject that could lead to a change in policy on banned substances. I believe that marijuana should be legalized, and I have several arguments in defense. The first argument implies freedom of action, because those actions which do not harm others, should not be banned by the government. Use of marijuana as a means of relaxing is purely a personal choice, therefore, the prohibition of marijuana possession and control of the government should be abolished.

Any democratic state can not legally prohibit the citizen to use these or other substances to manage their own health one way or another, so marijuana should be legalized. Everyone has the right to decide for himself whether he will use marijuana or not. The second argument implies misallocation of resources. Strengthening laws against marijuana is usually ineffective. Now the market for illicit substances is under complete and undivided control of organized crime, trafficking in extracting excess profits from illicit substances.

Politics of prohibitionism not only revealed their inability to curb the process of drug use and reducing related victims, but on the contrary, contributed to enhancing the drug market. The fight against drug trafficking implies inefficient spending of billions of dollars. During the struggle the huge sums spent on paying the police, lawyers, courts, prisons, but the rate of use of the whole is not reduced, on the contrary, is growing steadily. I believe that the legalization of marijuana is the only one reasonable approach, the only approach that will bring the cannabis from illegal mafia economy sphere, completely indifferent to the health of their customers.

Only in this way may lead radical fighting drug trafficking, taking into account respect for civil liberties. Also I should mention that social tolerance has increased considerably over the last decade. The third argument is that marijuana has useful medicinal properties. Studies show that marijuana is less dangerous than tobacco, legalized drugs, and has a number of medicinal properties (for the treatment of diseases such as glaucoma). Legalization would allow patients to use marijuana as an official medicine (Lyman, 2014).

Marijuana prevent the development of cancer, eliminates the effects of chemical and radiation therapy in patients with cancer and AIDS, elevate mood and evoke optimism (unlike alcohol that leading to depression and suicide). Legalization will lead to better study of this drug, perhaps even to transformation into less harmless. Now only some institutions allowed study of marijuana, but if it was available to any organization, we would know much more about medical marijuana functions. Thus we can say that the prohibition of marijuana brings the whole society is immeasurably greater harm than marijuana itself.

This ban violates the rights and freedoms of citizens, causing the criminalization of millions of citizens who do not commit any socially dangerous acts, because they are not criminals and do not want to be. This prohibition breeds corruption of law enforcement and government, undermines respect for the law, erodes the foundations of democracy and the rule of law.ReferencesLyman, R. (2014). Pivotal Point Is Seen as More States Consider Legalizing Marijuana. The New York Times. Retrieved from: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/27/us/momentum-is-seen-as-more-states-consider-legalizing-marijuana.html?_r=0