To be legal or not to be legal

CNBC article written by Dr. Robert L. DuPont says that marijuana is the most commonly abused drug in the US and the world today. Dr. DuPont states that “Those who support its legalization, for medical or for general use, fail to recognize that the greatest costs of marijuana are not related to its prohibition; they are the costs resulting from marijuana use itself”. If you really sit here and think about this major situation, there are just as many opposed to legalizing then there are rooting to make it legal.

On a survey Caulkins & Sevigny composed(2005), found that the percentage of people in prison for marijuana use is less than one half of one percent (0.1-0.2 percent). Dr. DuPont makes a great quote when he brings gambling and marijuana together “A useful analogy can be made to gambling. Legalized gambling has not reduced illegal gambling in the United States; rather, it has increased it." This is more clear-cut in sports gambling.

Another survey classified that Marijuana is currently the leading cause of substance dependence other than alcohol in the U.S. In 2008, marijuana use accounted for 4.2 million of the 7 million people aged 12 or older classified with dependence on or abuse of an illicit drug. Now ask yourself this questions, do we really want to legalize this drug when we know that it has a great affect on someone’s mind? I personally really don’t care cause I don’t use the drug so it will have no bother with me. To end with another quote from Dr. DuPont “Reducing marijuana use is essential to improving the nation’s health, education, and productivity."

The second article I took a look at was Why Marijuana Should Not Be Legalized by James Vaughn. In history marijuana has been characterized to have its positive and negative overtone. Its been said that marijuana can be a relaxant, and a well known mood elevator. In an article published by the Los Angeles Times, Norm Stamper, a retired chief of police Seattle Washington, said due to the billions of dollars wasted on the war against drugs, and the thousands of people put in jail for drug offenses in our prison system, these drugs should be legalized. This is coming from a police chief so he clearly sees what’s going on everyday at work, he sees how many people use drugs and how many go to jail. So for James Vaughn to interview him is great to get a man of higher power opinion.

Vaughn states that “I am in agreement that smoking marijuana can, and does cause an increased likelihood that young adults might try harder drugs”. This is absolutely true and I know first hand with a lot of my friends, they figure since they’ve tried marijuana and they were fine that they can try other drugs and see if they will feel the same, which is not true at all. These two styles of writing are great I love the quotes that they incorporate in their writings.

Are they really in favor of making marijuana legal?

In an LA Times article released April 20 by Shelby Grad titled ‘Majority oppose marijuana legalization, new poll finds”. With California being the state, which has the most people making a break to make marijuana legal, a new poll has shown that a lot of Americans are very opposed to it.

The Associated Press CNBC poll, 33% of respondents favored legalization while 55% opposes it. They came to a conclusion that most of respondents who favored this notion were the younger citizens and the older citizens strongly oppose the notion. California voters in November will consider the issue of pot legalization, which is likely to be a highly watched campaign. The 10-page California initiative allows someone 21 or older to possess, share and transport up to an ounce for personal use and to grow up to 25 square feet per residence.

Now ask yourself this question is the local government going to have any control of this? The answer is yes this initiative states that “local governments, but not the state, to authorize the cultivation, transportation and sale of marijuana and to impose taxes to raise revenues”. I personally feel that not only should the local government have control but also the federal government, because who knows maybe people will get out of hand with how much they will share and transport, and maybe even find ways to go around the legal rules. Here is a link that will allow you to learn more about Medical Marijuana, and other stories that fit into the legalizing of marijuana.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/medical-marijuana/

http://www.cannabisnews.org/united-states-cannabis-news/d-a-r-e-generation-wants-marijuana-legalized/