Marijuana legalization in the United States - Essay Example

Marijuana Legalization in the United States Introduction Over the years different states have been pushing the federal government of the United States to legalize the use, possession, sale and farming of marijuana. However, the federal government has been reluctant in passing a law that will legalize it in all the states in the country. The government has the plan to pass a law that will decriminalize marijuana if a state feels that it can be used for medical purposes. Regulation systems for the use of the substance is however mandatory due to the many uses that it can be used in some of which can be attributed to criminal activities. Marijuana has been classified by the federal government as a substance that has high potentiality when it comes to drug and substance abuse and to add on that there is no legally established medical use that can help in its legalization.Different states have however decriminalized the substance though at various different levels. This is due to the fact that the laws of the states are not always conforming to the laws of the federal government and so if a state feels the need to decriminalize it then it can go ahead and do it. Decriminalization of Marijuana The push to decriminalize marijuana has been going on for years. It started in the early 1970s in the region of Oregon and increased as days went by with people pushing for its use claiming it had medical uses as well as for recreational purposes. There was gradual acceptance of the substance with various states addressing the issue from various angles according to what was felt right by the law makers there. Colorado was the first one to legalize marijuana up to a certain level in 2005 after fifty four percent of the votes to determine the issue voted in favor of its legalization. The other municipals that followed include Pennsylvania in 2014, Washington DC in the same year and New York City. Many states have passed laws that are in favor of its use up to certain levels though none has been bold enough to allow it production and use at the users discretion. The State of Oregon made the initial step in the fight to allow the use of cannabis and decriminalize it in early 1970s. This move was faced by different opinions from various people in the government and also from the citizens who had the perception that the use of marijuana is linked with various criminal activities and the medical attributes it is given are vague and non-existent. However, lobby groups could not relent and the move was accepted in other states and in 1975 Alaska also passed a law to decriminalize it. The law was to allow possession of up to 4 ounces of the substance. This was to be in their residence. The sale was regulated and for one to do a sale he had to ensure that the mass of the substance was more than 28.3 grams otherwise the perpetrators would be faced with a jail term not exceeding an year. Maine was the third to follow suit by decriminalizing the possession of not more than 2.5 ounces of marijuana. The violation of this law was punishable by up to one thousand US dollars. Other states which decriminalized it include Colorado, Mississippi, New York, Ohio, Maine, California, Nevada, Montana, New Mexico, Michigan, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Alaska, Washington, Maryland, an Arizona (CNN Wire Staff, 2010; ProCon Organization). However, the decriminalization has been tied to other qualifications and laws that should be followed if one is found contravening the set levels or volumes of the substance. The laws in different states are different as they pass the laws having been faced by different levels of pressure and the reasoning used to decriminalize it is different. The groups which have been against the legalization of marijuana have been arguing that if the substance is legalized, the millions of dollars that are earned from fining the individuals found owning it illegally will be lost and so it will impact negatively on the government’s income. They were also arguing that it has been established that many people who are involved in activities that are against the laws of the land are found to be in possession of marijuana. The analogy that marijuana is used by law breakers has been on for a long time and through various studies done, it has been found that many people who break law are using or have used marijuana in their lives. Linking it to criminal activities has been key in blocking its delinking from criminal activities and that has posed a tough dilemma for the law makers in deciding whether to allow its sale and use or to block it once and for all in their states and also at the federal level. Licensing Though the states have decriminalized the sale and possession of the marijuana they have set up laws whereby the sellers and in some states the users have to own a license in order to handle it. The marijuana case is delicate and its use for illegal purposes can lead to adverse effects on the individual. This has been put in place to ensure that in case one is found contravening the law the license can be retrieved and the fine corresponding to the act slapped on the individual. It is also important in ensuring that the individuals who are in need of it pay the taxes to the government in form of the money they have to cough out to be given the licenses. The license given in one state cannot be used in another state. This has been put in place to block criminals who can take that advantage to trade without valid licenses. Some states have tried to establish avenues where the licenses can be used from one state to the other but only if the laws that were used to pass the decriminalization are closely similar. Medical Uses of Marijuana According to Merritt, (2010), one of the reasons why the call for its decriminalization got heated was the idea that it could be used on medical purposes. Medical marijuana has been passed to be used in various states yet few people are cognizant of the conditions that can be treated using it and whether the whole idea is a hoax. Medical marijuana has been found important in cases of multiple sclerosis which is a disorder of the nervous system which causes muscle spasms. Cancer chemotherapy is known to cause nausea to the patients. Medical marijuana is administered to relieve it. It is also known to have an important role in regaining an individual’s appetite which may be caused by other clinical manifestations of various conditions. Alcohol The legalization of alcohol which has been known to be a leading factor in causing motor accidents has been a big question in the decriminalization of marijuana. From studies done, it has been established that more people who cause accidents are under the influence of alcohol and rarely are they found to have used marijuana. This has made the legalization of the latter being demanded for since the adverse effects are not as serious as the ones for the legal drugs such as alcohol. Conclusion Decriminalization of marijuana has been a gradual process yet it has been embraced by many states in the United States. The arguments presented in the bid to legalize it have been found to hold roots and this has been the key factor in the votes made in its favor. The use of licenses to regulate its use, sale and possession has been an important strategy to ensure that citizens do not misuse the chance they have given to abuse the drug. Its use for medical purposes has to be regulated by a medical practitioner who feels it’s important to use it especially in pain management. Work Cited CNN Wire Staff. Arizona Voters Approve Medical Marijuana Measure. CNN News. November 14, 2010. Web. Available at. Merritt, D. Athena. Medical Marijuana use Legalized in N.J. Philadelphia Business Journal. 2010. Web. Available at. ProCon Organization. 23 Legal Medical Marijuana States and DC, Laws, Fees, and Possession Limits. Web. Available at. Read More