(Legalization of Marijuana)

Introduction:

Legalization of marijuana is an extensively sensitive topic that has attracted massive attention as parties do not understand whether it would be the best approach. Societies have developed various misconceptions about the drug and they not sure whether to accept it or continually reject it. It has been accused of having numerous negative effects without considering the various positive effects that would come with it. The states and nations where marijuana is freely practiced have known the significance of legalizing marijuana. Legalization of marijuana would have positive and negative effects to a country provided the relevant factors have been observed and respected accordingly.

Factors influencing legalization of marijuana:

The law:

The federal law stands as a factor influencing legalization of marijuana. The law prohibits the production, supply, and possession of cannabis. Being the law that governs the United States, the constitution ought to be respected. The law’s stipulations are to be observed strictly. However, some states have been defiant by creating laws that overlook the federal law. It is an illustration that law is a contentious issue that would be influencing why some people holds on the idea that marijuana should not be legalized.  People are seeking to challenge the federal law by seeking options that would ensure in the United States, marijuana becomes legal (Rojas 21).

Nongovernmental organizations and individuals have come up to push the idea of legalization of marijuana. They have supported the idea by challenging the law to be denying the people access to a product that would improve their health. It denies the people access to the medicinal usefulness of marijuana. Also, the parties push the idea that marijuana would be paramount for recreational use and that should be a significant ground to legalize it. As such, there are numerous debates on the value that would be created by allowing marijuana to be accessed by individuals. The recreational and medicinal element associated with the drug challenge the relevance or significance of the federal law (Sacco & Kristin).

Politics:

As a highly sensitive issue affecting the country’s policies and activities, legalization of marijuana has attracted exclusive political concerns. People are framing political campaigns around the topic by trying to find ways through which the marijuana would be given access to society. It is an illustration that there is more to be done and it is upon the relevant authorities to participate in the negotiations on whether the substance should be legalized. Politicians find the topic interesting because they coin principles that would convince the citizens that a solution would be found on the issue that has attracted attention for too long.

A political clash would be realized through the idea of legalizing marijuana. Some politicians believe that legalization of marijuana would come with numerous positive impact. They may relate the effect to what has happened to the states which have already legalized the production, sale and consumption of marijuana. Politicians from such regions would have the audacity to support for the legalization because they can relate with the value that has been created. However, the politicians from the states which have opposed the legalization of marijuana, may not be for the idea that legalizing marijuana would come with some benefits. As a result, they would challenge it and ensure that such a motion does not pass as law.

Social considerations:

There would be major social considerations that would affect the legalization of marijuana. It starts with acknowledging that the community is the most significant part in the implementation of any policy that would affect the people. As such, the effect that marijuana would have on people is a major concern in the implementation process. There has to be clear measures that ought to be undertaken regulating how people perceive and respond to the legalization process. The community may be divided over the issue because they do not understand how it would be implemented to the best value of the involved parties.

Also, some parties in the community would question the appropriateness of certain procedures. It would be a chance to challenge what people think about marijuana and it would destabilize the community following the different views and perspectives on the subject. Social elements that govern communities such as religion and education would be critical in defining the relevance of legalization of marijuana. It would be an opportunity to redefine how parties behave and focus on attaining certain level of influence on the subject at hand. Most religions respect the body and they are against the products that would harm it. As such, any policy that would support drug use is highly refuted in such religions (Hardaway 05).

Positive Effects:

Economic benefits

Legalization of marijuana would come with economic benefits to the nation and individuals. As a substance that has attracted extensive public concern, its implementation would attract heavy to the involved organizations or individuals. Production and sale of marijuana would come with heavy taxes that individuals and organizations would be required to observe. It means the government would earn revenue from the companies and individuals who participate in the marijuana trade. There would be an opportunity to realize significant economic value out of the access to marijuana as a legal product (Films Media Group).

To individuals and organizations engaging in trade of the product, they would realize some growth since they would sell the products in volumes. Although marijuana has been under strict regulation, people have continually consumed it in secret. Therefore, once it becomes legal and people can openly consume it, the involved parties would be guaranteed of exclusive economic value. They would be sure that there revenue would grow as customers increase. As such, individuals and organizations involved in the trade would be eager to apply the relevant principles and gain value through the product (Kilmer et al., 23).

Through the legalization of marijuana, a new industry is brought up where people can trade amongst themselves and organizations for profit. A new market or industry would translate to profitability for the involve parties. It would mean that members of society can access new jobs and opportunities as a result of the legalization of marijuana. At individual and organizational levels, employment opportunities will be created for the people. In the long run, the government will have developed a strategy to deal with the unemployment in the country. Marijuana is likely to become an economic powerhouse since there are many activities or solutions attached to it (Merino 91).

Health benefits

One of the most critical areas that legalization of marijuana has focused is health benefits. It begins with acknowledging that society has numerous health problems that require treatment and if marijuana could be the solution, it would be considered through legalization. Marijuana has been proposed as major and highly effective painkiller, which would be significant in treating patients with acute diseases such as cancer. Therefore, by allowing the legalization of the product, society would realize exclusive health benefits. The people would find value because the treatment process would be simpler and more fulfilling with the people gaining the desired value of proper health American (Academy of Pediatrics).

Marijuana is known for its pain and anxiety relieving benefits. The two health benefits would only be realized if the drug is legalized. Legalization would mean that people and organizations can easily access the product for processing to better use or application by individuals. Various products that would be useful as pain relievers and antidepressants would be realized from marijuana. As such, an opportunity for proper health amongst members of society will have been realized. There would be an assurance that the people would enjoy proper health in future with the assistance of products that come from marijuana.

Social benefits:

The law has been harsh on the people who produce, sell or consume marijuana illegally. Some people have landed to jail because they ignored certain principles concerning legalization of marijuana. However, the situation would be different once the drug is legalized. Crime rates in society would reduce the case for people who were considered criminals for trading with the drug. There would be fewer arrests and criminalization in relation to drug and substance use. As such, conflict between the traders and the government would be minimized. People would be aware of the appropriate procedures to realize the desirable level of excellence (Hardaway 17).

Equally, marijuana is considered a major support for recreational activities. Through legalization, marijuana would be useful to the people who intend to use to gain certain health value. There would be an opportunity to attain the desirable satisfaction through focus on the social benefits that would come with the drug. People would consume marijuana for leisure and to make their lifestyle more interesting or attractive. Drug users understand the value that it is attached to the product and they would pursue it once it becomes a legal product that anyone can consume whenever they intend to relieve stress and make involvement in a certain activity more enjoyable.

Negative effects:

Economic effects

As marijuana becomes legal in certain nation, the people would be ready to make more in terms of personal gain. As a result, they would be seeking markets to nations or states that have not legalized the drug. The idea of drug smuggling may come up as individuals or organizations try to push their product to a wider market. Drug smuggling is a major offence in some countries and participating in it would attract exclusive concern by relevant authorities (O’Rourke and Susannah 28).

In the end, the relationship between certain countries would be compromised because the country that has not legalized marijuana would seek justice by engaging the country that has allowed its citizens to participate in the activities. The country may have to incur major compensation costs as it deals with the legal procedures. The leadership may have to negotiate for compensation and that may affect the economic situation in the country. Handling such economic challenges would result to massive risk for the involved country because it may affect other positive trade between the countries (O’Rourke and Susannah 62).

Political effect

Political clash would be realized in a country as people take sides on the issue of legalization of marijuana. Some politicians would support the idea while others refute it. The tag war between politicians on the subject would affect the country negatively. The nation may remain in the same argument for too long because none of the politicians would be ready to compromise to accommodate the opposition. As such, in the debate process, critical government processes may be halted to deal with the issue. Therefore, if the issue takes longer some government activities would be affected (Caulkins 79).

Political differences on the issue would affect how politicians handle other activities. Politicians may form alliances that may go beyond the marijuana debate. Such alliances may constantly create differences amongst the law makers in the government. As a result, other issues to be discussed and determined by the politicians may take the wrong course as parties seek to revenge over previous position on legalization of marijuana. Politicians may take other significance processes as opportunities to challenge each other and they may not come up with significant solution for the issues at hand (Caulkins 83).

Social effect:

One of the renowned effects of marijuana is addiction. Legalizing marijuana would expose the people to addiction, which would be a major social effect. Addiction to marijuana would make an individual unable to associate with others freely without consuming the substance. As a result, society would be filled with unproductive people who may not engage in any activity that would bring development. Society’s productivity would be affected since the substance may affect the people who may have energy and appropriate skills to support progress (Tate et al., 01).

Also, the social values that influence how people participate in certain activities or procedures would be negatively influenced. In every society there are basic values that affect how individuals relate. If marijuana is legalized, the moral and social values would be compromised and people may not find value in following certain principles. For example, the religious values against drug and substance abuse would be compromised. People may not find value in such values because they are hooked into the irresponsible activities of marijuana consumption. Also, it would promote racism as blacks were mostly viewed as offenders of the law, they would continually carry the burden of blames over illegal trade of marijuana (Tate et al., 02).

Health risks

Legalization of marijuana means consumers can use it anywhere through smoking, injection or pills. If the product is not used in regulated dose and in the appropriate form, it may pose major risks to society. The health of the consumers would be at risk following the long exposure to marijuana. Equally, the people who surround them may become victims of secondary consumption of the drug. Secondary consumption may be through the smoke that the consumer may release to the environment. Inhaling such smoke would be equally dangerous to nonsmokers in the surroundings (American Academy of Pediatrics).

Conclusion:

Legalization of marijuana would have positive and negative effects to a country provided the relevant factors have been observed and respected accordingly. As a matter that has taken much time as people negotiate over it, legalization of marijuana deserves critical analysis with accurate consideration of relevant principles. Different factors which include legal, political, and social elements have to be handled with exclusive focus. There are positive effects that would come with the legalization of marijuana, but they may not be adequate reason for parties to overlook the risks that would come with legalizing marijuana. As such, the process requires extensive consultations and analysis of the relevance and risks of legalizing marijuana.

Works Cited

American Academy of Pediatrics. Medical Risks of Marijuana. American Academy of Pediatrics, 2017.

Caulkins, Jonathan P, et al. Considering Marijuana Legalization: Insights for Vermont and Other Jurisdictions. RAND Corporation, 2015.

Films Media Group and First-Run Features (Firm), directors. Evergreen: The Road to Legalization. First-Run Features (Firm), 2015.

Hardaway, Robert M. Marijuana Politics: Uncovering the Troublesome History and Social Costs of Criminalization. ABC-CLIO, LLC, 2018.

Kilmer, Beau, et al. Reducing drug trafficking revenues and violence in Mexico. Rand Corporation, 2010.

Merino Noël, editor. Drug Legalization. Greenhaven Press, a Part of Gale, Cengage Learning, 2015.

O’Rourke, Beto, and Susannah Mississippi Byrd. Dealing Death and Drugs: The Big Business of Dope in the U.s. and Mexico: An Argument to End the Prohibition of Marijuana. 1st ed., 1st ed., Cinco Puntos Press, 2011.

Rojas, Andrea S. Marijuana: Uses, Effects and the Law. Nova Science, 2011.

Sacco, Lisa N., and Kristin Finklea. State marijuana legalization initiatives: implications for federal law enforcement. Congressional Research Service, 2013.

Tate, Katherine, James Lance Taylor, and Mark Q. Sawyer, eds. Something’s in the Air: Race, Crime, and the Legalization of Marijuana. Routledge, 2013.