Would legalize Medical Marjuana help the ecomony in New York - Research Paper Example

& No Medical Marijuana (Legalization in New York) 20 February Introduction Can legalization of medical marijuana has a beneficial effect on New York? Although it is the subject of so much contentious debate, there is no doubt that marijuana has medical properties. These include being used for a number of ailments like nausea, epilepsy, muscle spasm, chronic pain, to fight fatigue, reduce intra-ocular pressure (IOP) that causes glaucoma and eventual blindness, as an analgesic (pain reliever) and boost mental alertness. Much of the current debate on whether to legalize marijuana is based on its medicinal properties. Once this is accepted (that it is indeed medicinal), the debate shifts to the possible abuses for which it is used by some people, particularly the fear of getting addicted to it just like nicotine. However, much of the controversy stems from the wrong notions of what marijuana is and is not. For one, people mistakenly think it can cause accidental deaths due to smoking or ingesting the seeds. But no one had died of an overdose from marijuana use. Advocates claim smoking it does not cause any serious side effects, unlike alcohol or tobacco. Marijuana does not cause liver damage, cancer, heart disease, birth defects or emphysema. All it can do is to induce lethargy, short-term memory loss, mild hypotension (low blood pressure), ataxia (walk or gait that is staggering), light headedness and a temporary loss of concentration. Marijuana is the third most-consumed drug in the world (after alcohol and tobacco). It is therefore very timely to review the possible legalization of marijuana as a major source of new revenues, similar to the so-called sin taxes imposed on alcohol and cigarettes. This short paper examines the possible ramifications of legalizing marijuana for medical use since it has been proven to cure a number of ailments but without any serious side effects. Discussion Several states have already legalized the medical use of marijuana, among them New Jersey, Arizona and Washington, DC (passed their laws only last year). There are now a total of 16 states which had legalized marijuana but they had imposed restrictions on its use such as requiring registry ID cards before allowing a purchase. Moreover, these states already derive a substantial amount in taxes which they collect based on the number of usable ounces or on the number of mature and immature plants a person is allowed to plant and raise in his place. The growing consensus is now to allow marijuana use because most of the claims against its use are often grossly exaggerated, sensationalized and found to have no basis by research. With this in mind, the focus of this proposed research paper will be on the economic benefits that the state of New York can potentially derive from the legalization of marijuana. It will not discuss the pros and cons of whether people will abuse it once it is legalized but more on what the potential economic benefits will be to the state coffers of New York. New revenue streams, like the sin taxes imposed on alcohol and tobacco consumption, will prevent raising new taxes or increasing existing taxes. As an aside, it is quite surprising that tobacco is legal although it is confirmed to be very addictive due to the nicotine content in it while marijuana is illegal but has no addictive qualities. New York state is contemplating new budget cuts. Research Variables This section discusses some of the variables that will be tackled during the research. It will delve more into the economic variables to quantify the research problem and also give a good feedback on the success of the proposed solution (legalization of marijuana). Moreover, the focus will also deal with the operational concerns once legalization is achieved (assumed). The later portions of this paper will likewise explore the possible research questions, a brief time-line for completion of this project and the major topics of the main data sources. Potential Market Demographics – this variable will determine the probable number of people who will avail of medicinal marijuana. It will give an idea of how much tax revenues can be raised based on the estimated demand for marijuana. This variable will be focused on the age groups, their number of potential users, their intended use of marijuana (as to which ailments they will use it for) and the estimated current number of illegal users as well. Price Points – this variable will try to establish an acceptable price level for intended users. Once legalized, marijuana will be like any traded commodity subject to law of supply and demand in the market. There will be acceptable price points at which people will buy the marijuana (there will be no more premium to the price as it is now legal). Packaging – this variable will ask potential users on the most convenient forms and a size of the packets in which marijuana will be sold. This will emphasize the marketing aspects of selling marijuana to a diverse group of people and what pack will appeal to which sector. Tax Rates – this variable will ask potential users through a questionnaire survey of the acceptable tax rates to be imposed for selling and buying marijuana for medical usage. A data set like this will give the public officials and policy makers in New York how much taxes can be imposed if marijuana is legalized based on the number of potential users, frequency of use, the size of packets to be sold and of course, the acceptable tax rates. Data Collection Techniques Use of Surveys – targeted groups of potential users will be surveyed using a common questionnaire. Since it is illegal to possess or use marijuana at this point in time, respondents will not be asked for their names but only their age, what the intended use is, how often they will use marijuana, the price they are willing to pay for it and tax they are comfortable with. Negotiations – it might be necessary to seek clearance first from the police authorities that a survey of this nature will be conducted so respondents will not be arrested. Informed Consent – after approval from the police, all survey respondents will not be required to furnish their names or any personally identifiable information or data to protect their anonymity and therefore maintain strict confidentiality. Preliminary Timeline – this research project will take about two months to finish. This will include the formulation of survey questions, actual surveys, interpretation of the data and writing up of the final report. It will also include research for secondary data from journals, books, magazines, on-line sites and other academic sources relevant to the topic. Conclusion It is high time that marijuana use should be legalized because it has no harmful effects than either alcohol or tobacco (both products being legal despite their bad influences). As was mentioned earlier, tobacco which is very addictive (due to nicotine) is legal while marijuana is illegal due to some serious misconceptions. These arose from a sensationalized reporting and exaggerated stories of alleged marijuana users who committed murders or robberies. The use of marijuana had been made illegal only as an offshoot during the 1920s to expel mostly the illegal Mexican immigrants who had tried to grow the plant. It was not based on any scientific medical studies. Other people like Jamaicans use it regularly either for medical use or for their religious ceremonial purposes and by herbalists as a form of alternative medicine. Major Topics of the Sources – published materials will be the primary source of data as well as the information gathered from the surveys. Secondary sources will be academic and scholarly peer-reviewed journals concerning the medicinal benefits of using marijuana. First topic will focus on the beneficial use of marijuana, with a brief history of its use in the United States of America. This will be followed by research materials on the states which had already legalized medicinal marijuana use in their jurisdictions. Finally, other materials will be cited for their financial implications on legalization of marijuana use such as Internet sources. Reference List (annotated) Gerber, Rudolph Joseph (2004). Legalizing Marijuana: Drug Policy Reform and Prohibition Politics. Westport, CT, USA: Greenwood Publishing Group. This book is a very good source material for a more comprehensive discussion on the economics of prohibition and possible legalization of marijuana. There are costs involved in prohibition (such as arrests, surveillance and prosecution) whereas legalization will produce much-needed state tax revenues. Kamienski, Mary & Keogh, James Edward (2006). Pharmacology Demystified. New York, NY, USA: McGraw-Hill Professional. For those interested in learning the specific effects of marijuana on the body of the user, then this is a good source. It traces how the active chemicals in the leaves and seeds of marijuana act on the body and explains the reactions to it. The language used is simple that makes it easily understandable. The effects of marijuana is very complex and explained in detail but in layman's language. Mack, Alison & Joy, Janet Elizabeth (2001). Marijuana as Medicine? The Science Beyond the Controversy. Washington, D.C., USA: National Academy Press. This book gives a good overview of the research findings regarding the claims against marijuana use and puts the controversy into proper perspective. Many of the claims against marijuana are grossly exaggerated and sensationalized which had been used by its opponents to scare people from using it. This book takes a purely medical view of the uses of marijuana and only briefly discusses legal and other extraneous issues regarding the marijuana debate. Meier, Kenneth J. (1994). The Politics of Sin: Drugs, Alcohol and Public Policy. New York, NY, USA: M. E. Sharpe, Inc. This source looks at the marijuana controversy more from a policy viewpoint and tries to compare this debate to the earlier issues which had likewise surrounded both alcohol and tobacco from a taxation perspective. This book also discusses how US states vary in their legal treatment regarding possession and use of marijuana such as maximum fines and maximum jail terms. People are often confused regarding the actual sanctions against marijuana use and this book is a guide book to avoid getting arrested for it. ProCon.org. (2011, January 27).15 Legal Medical Marijuana States and DC: Laws, Fees and Possession Limits. Retrieved from http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=000881 This on-line resource advocates for the legalization of marijuana and is updated on a regular basis to incorporate new information. Its data is like considered to be reliable and contains a lot of relevant information regarding marijuana. It has sufficiently detailed data that can be used in scholarly research. Shohov, Tatiana (2003). Medical Use of Marijuana: Policy, Regulatory and Legal Issues. Hauppauge, NY, USA: Nova Science Publishers, Inc. This book provides readers with a good background material on the regulatory, legal and policy issues facing marijuana users with comparative studies on some of the early states who had already legalized marijuana. This source also gives a background and history of marijuana use in the country. Read More