Marijuana has been seen as a social taboo in America. It is known as a gateway drug, meaning it leads to the abuse of other drugs. However, what many Americans do not know is that marijuana is actually impossible to be addicted too, impossible to overdose on, and is the main reason for gangs in America. If marijuana were to be made legal in the United States, it would decrease the number of people in jails, mostly eliminate gangs, and could make money for the government if taxed.
In San Francisco, there is a three strikes rule when it comes to possession of marijuana. If you are caught with marijuana three times you are charged with a felony and could possibly be incarcerated . The reason why this government made the three strikes rule is because of the extreme overpopulation of jails because of marijuana possession. Because marijuana is no more dangerous than tobacco and alcohol, by legalizing it, it would decrease the overpopulation in jails.
The main reason for gang and gang violence in the United States is almost directly related to the distribution of marijuana. By putting it under government supervision, there would be no need, essentially, for gangs. They would not have any product to sell because it is legal and can be safely bought through drug stores. Drug trafficking from Mexico would also decrease, and maybe illegal immigration into this country would decrease as well.
Last, the government could tax marijuana and use those taxes for other things like social security or Medicare/medicaid. By taxing alcohol and cigarettes, the government makes a profit which is distributed into taxes. If marijuana was sold like cigarettes, it could be managed.
Marijuana is no more dangerous than alcohol or cigarettes, and if managed could actually benefit the U.S.
I actually do not know much about marijuana but I do think incacerating people for for years on charges of the drug possession is rediculous. There are way too many people in jail because of this and I think the government should rethink this and find a way to minimize the amount of people in jail. Jailing people on posession of drug charges is a waste of tax payers money and at this time we need those money. If there is actually a fact to your blog then the idea of legalizing the drug is a good one. I also heared that it also a drug that is used in the hospital to treat people so good piont.
ReplyDeleteI really like what you have to say about this issue. I do not smoke weed but I have a ton of friends who do. I know there are some people who have a problem with it but these people find it anyway even though its not legal. Our economy is going through a rough time and by decreasing the number of people in jails would help us get back on our feet. A problem to worry about was if those people weren't in jail would there be an increase of gangs and violence on the streets? These are all things to thing about and are worth a try at times like these. I think in the next 10 years Marijuana will be legal in the United States.
ReplyDeleteI think there definitely needs to be an alternative to throwing people in jail for weed. The overcrowding for minor offenses such as marijuana is crazy and there are people out there committing much worse crimes and get probation or a slap on the wrist. Community service, addictions classes, and other forms of retribution should be excercised more frequently than throwing people in jail for 6 months because they found a joint in the car. I think if a large quantity of weed is found then there should be stronger consequences. If the legalization of weed happens though I think gangs would find something else negative to focus on and get locked up fpr other reasons.
ReplyDeleteapparently, 46% of the country approves legalization of marijuana.
ReplyDeletehttp://drugwartreason.blogspot.com/2009/05/marijuana-more-and-more-popular-than.html
One marijuana is illegalized is because of commercial industrailization. Lumbar and cotton industries would have to fight over money with hemp industries. Don't let the monopolies topple. Another was for racism, since mexicans and mormons smoked it a lot, and the church hated them. When montana outlawed it, the legislature said "When some beet field peon takes a few traces of this stuff... he thinks he has just been elected president of Mexico, so he starts out to execute all his political enemies". A Texas senator said on the senate floor "All Mexicans are crazy, and this stuff [marijuana] is what makes them crazy."
Then when the jazz scene hit, a newspaper said "Marihuana influences Negroes to look at white people in the eye, step on white men's shadows and look at a white woman twice."
Want more of those lovely comments?
http://blogs.salon.com/0002762/stories/2003/12/22/whyIsMarijuanaIllegal.html
Marijuana dates back further than 7000 BC. At one point in colonial virginia, it was a law for farmers to grow a certain amount of marijauna for it many uses like fabric, incense, rope, etc. You could even pay your taxes with it at one point!!!
Either way, the illegalization of marijuana was all about money, fear, and racism. And we don't have any problems with those things today, now do we?
I personally don’t see the harm in legalizing marijuana. A lot of people smoke it. The government should take into account that people are going to do it regardless of the law. I know so many people that smoke pot and they aren't out shooting people or killing anyone. I think that police enforcement should lay off a little and stop arresting people just because they are in possession of it. To be honest they have bigger fish to fry then someone who smokes or has pot. I also think that if they don’t want to legalize it then they should not have it available to cancer patients.
ReplyDeleteI don't know if legalizing marijuana would help government to make money by taxing it but I don't think legalizing it would make the society any better. Gangs may lose one big way to make cash but they will eventually find another stuff that is yet illegal to sell around. Other kinds of drugs that are not legalized will begin to gain popularity since humans tend to do things that are not legal or ok by societal views, ending up in the same issue such as overpopulation in jails. My ex-boyfriend had sometimes smoked marijuana with his fellows and I have seen the difference in him before and after. Although its consequences may be not as dangerous as drunkenness, it obviously had an impact on his behavior. I think if it was legalized, it has enough possibilities that consequences of marijuana may lead to serious problems in cases.
ReplyDeleteI am still undecided on the legalizing issue. I can see where people don’t think that it is any more dangerous than cigarettes or alcohol but I have to disagree somewhat. Although it would reduce the amount road rage, gang related incarcerations, and could be financially beneficial to the government, it is still alters the body. I fear now, the fact that there are as many people drinking and driving as there are I wouldn’t want to worry about who is high and driving. I also think that maybe if it were legalized and constricted that maybe people would be more responsible when it comes to smoking pot. Maybe it would reduce the numbers of teen smoking when they shouldn’t be. Maybe it would turn in to another happy hour event. People would be a lot happier during them. Maybe if they were allowed to sit on a park bench after work and smoke a joint they would wait until after work or school and be able to function normally while at work or school. There are just so many maybes. I am certainly willing to see how it goes but I think there needs to be reasonable regulations and that they would need to be strongly enforced. We are after all a society that does everything in excess, why would this be any different.
ReplyDeleteI don't understand why marijuana is not legal, if the goverment wanted to, they could make a fortune off of it! I have had friends that got caught with barely even a pinch of weed and were arrested and harassed by police. Don't the police have bigger issues to worry about, like murders? I feel that alchohol is a much bigger issue. Drunk people fight, act like idiots, and get into car accidents. You never see stoners doing any of these things.
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