Political Controversy
Marijuana legalization
Introduction
Marijuana legalization is the current debate in the political landscape and a topic in which controversialists are raising different viewpoints. The purpose of selecting this topic is to analyze this issue and understand why the topic has become a hot-button issue. Different authors have done their own research and found that there are two groups of people; those who are for the legalization of marijuana as a natural treatment and those who are against marijuana legalization as it is associated with negative health effects. Some authors have conducted proper research on the issue and the sources will present the powerful arguments, and help us understand whether marijuana is good for medical use and whether it is associated with physical and psychological harm.
Larkin (2018) assert that advocates argue that marijuana is not harmful but rather it is associated with medical benefits such as pain relief, increase appetite, treats sleep disturbances, among other benefits. Supporters argue that it is not possible for the criminal justice system to prohibit marijuana use in that and the attempt to implement measure will waste the scarce resources and cause a disproportionate effect. Note that individuals live in a free society where they have the freedom to live as they wish. Therefore, since society has legalized the consumption of alcohol and tobacco, it should also legalize marijuana (Larkin, 2018). On the other hand, defenders such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), medical organizations, and other agents argue that marijuana is associated with health effects and there is no valuable evidence for medical benefits. They argue that the legalization of marijuana will lead to a thriving black market (illegal sale). Note that if marijuana is legalized, it should have a well-organized marketplace that offers safe and high-quality products. However, the high taxes will hinder users from buying legal products and thus they will opt to buy the products from the black market (Larkin, 2018). The authors state that both the advocates and defenders' argument have not prevailed due to the current political debate that focuses on the lack of a standardized form of agriculture, and lack of evidence that supports marijuana (Larkin, 2018). However, despite these problems, some States have permitted marijuana, while others have decriminalized. The article concludes that this is a controversial issue that needs more inquiry and evaluates both recreational marijuana law and medicine law to understand the intersections.
Pascula & Smart (2017) assert that the federal law is against the use of marijuana but currently, there are marijuana policies that have been implemented by some States whereas others have decriminalized marijuana. This means that there are diverse policies across populations due to various factors such as budget constraints, preferences for risk, and more. The authors assert that the heterogeneous policies in different States have affected marijuana liberalization policies (Pacula & Smart, 2017). Therefore, the article recommends that future research should examine the policies variation and this will help understand the policy which has potential benefits and the policy which has potential harms.
According to Bull et al (2017) Marijuana prevalence is high in that some States have legalized marijuana for medicinal use. However, scientific reports show that marijuana affects adolescents' brain development and neurocognitive performance. The authors used a qualitative methodical approach and found that the attitude toward marijuana use among young adults has changed. Today, young adult believe that marijuana is not harmful and thus, the potential for consumption is high (Bull et al, 2017). It is easier to access marijuana since there are marijuana ‘edibles' which resemble sugary snacks. Other adolescents believe that marijuana use either through smoking or edibles is harmful and it is associated with addictive outcomes (Bull et al, 2017). The author recommends that the policymakers responsible for marijuana legalization or decriminalization should focus on the consumers' perceptions and attitudes. By having the right information, the policymakers and medical personnel will develop an effective decision-making strategy either to legalize marijuana or make it illegal.
According to Nikkine (2017), there are different arguments in marijuana debate in that some argue that legalization will bring more harm than good whereas other argue that legalization will increase public revenue in terms of income tax. Marijuana, and other products like alcohol, and practices like gambling are termed as ‘addiction surplus' which means that people are addicted to these behaviors and as a result, the behaviors general financial surpluses (Nikkine, 2017). The authors argue that since some States have legalized marijuana use, other States will find it difficult to prevent marijuana use. States which have not legalized marijuana will be guided by the premise that marijuana will generate revenue like gambling. However, the government should understand that the main purpose of legalization or decriminalization should be to maximize individual well-being (Nikkine, 2017). However, the idea of generating tax revenue will through excise taxation cause more harm than good since users will have the freedom to use other addictive products.
Caspar & Joukov (2018) adds that legalization of marijuana will bring additional dangers in that users especially adolescents will be at risk of developing schizophrenia. Schizophrenia is a brain disease and the condition is likely to worsen if the patient is using marijuana. Therefore, marijuana regulation will decrease the emergence of the condition (Caspar & Joukov, 2018). The authors recommend that the federal government should restrict adolescents who have schizophrenia and those who have not developed the condition from using marijuana. When making legalization policies, it is important to consider marijuana effects on schizophrenia and put age limits to reduce the risk factors.
Conclusion
The debate on marijuana legalization has evolved rapidly. Supporters argue that legalizing marijuana will reduce harm, generate revenue, promote consumer safety, and bring medical benefits. However, defenders argue that marijuana is associated with dangers and risks, and there is no evidence that marijuana is good for medical purposes. However, to address the issue, the policymakers should understand the users' perception and awareness will enable the policymakers to create an education program to educate the users and help them make informed decisions.
References
Larkin Jr, P. J. (2018). Introduction to a Debate: Marijuana: Legalize, Decriminalize, or Leave
the Status Quo in Place. Berkeley J. Crim. L., 23, 73.
Pacula, R. L., & Smart, R. (2017). Medical marijuana and marijuana legalization. Annual review
of clinical psychology, 13, 397-419.
Nikkinen, J. (2017). The legalization of dangerous consumption: a comparison of cannabis and
gambling policies in three US states. Addiction Research & Theory, 25(6), 476–484.
https://doi.org/10.1080/16066359.2017.1366455
Bull, K., Lang, D., Mariani, A., & Griffiths, M. A. (2017). Marijuana Edibles: Exploring the
Impact of Decriminalization and Legalization of Marijuana on Young Consumers’
Consumption. Society for Marketing Advances Proceedings, 246–247. Retrieved
from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=128442279&site=ehost-live
Caspar, S. M., & Joukov, A. M. (2018). The Implications of Marijuana Legalization on the
Prevalence and Severity of Schizophrenia. Health Matrix: Journal of Law-Medicine, 28,
175–200. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=129525671&site=ehost-live
