Should Marijuana Be Legalized?

Subject: Sociology
Pages: 3
Words: 868
Reading time:
4 min
Study level: Master

The elimination of all government-enforced sanctions for owning and consuming marijuana is commonly referred to as legalization. Highlighting marijuana use, or cannabis, legalization in this case allows for the sale and cultivation of marijuana at household in the majority of, but not absolutely all, circumstances. In fact, marijuana legalization is believed to be a significantly controversial question that provokes massive disputes connected to medical support and criminalization factors. Marijuana legalization, if properly managed and applied, can result in improved medical service delivery in terms of pain management and greater level of control related to arrest rates.

Cannabis, commonly recognized as marijuana, is considered to be a psychoactive drug obtained from the Cannabis plant’s leaves. Cannabis, a plant that can be generally found in South and Central Asia, has traditionally been utilized as a pleasurable, recreational, and entheogenic stimulant, as well as in a variety of alternative medicines. The major psychotropic ingredient of cannabis is tetrahydrocannabinol that is one of the plant’s components. Euphoria, changed states of mind and perception of time, difficulties in focusing, reduced short-term memory, decreased bodily mobility, drowsiness, and an increase in hunger are some of the psychological and physical impacts of cannabis. Stress, misconceptions, including notions of connection, hallucinations, despair, paranoia, and madness can all occur at high dosages. In infants whose mothers consumed marijuana during pregnancy, physical symptoms can involve elevated heart rate, trouble breathing, and behavioral difficulties. Dry mouth and burning eyes are other possible short-term adverse effects. Dependence, diminished mental capacity in people who began frequent consumption as adolescents, persistent coughing, vulnerability to respiratory illnesses, and cannabis hyperemesis syndrome are all feasible long-term side effects. Marijuana is primarily used for recreational or therapeutic purposes, but it can also be utilized for spiritual reasons.

Legalization is a procedure that is frequently used to what are viewed as victimless crimes or minor offences by those pushing for legalization, such as the usage of illegal substances. Acquisition, consumption, and distribution of marijuana for recreational applications can no longer be punishable by criminal and monetary sanctions due to legalization measures. Marijuana legalization is the method of eliminating various legal barriers and restrictions to its use. Cannabis, as well as cigarettes and alcohol, would therefore be available for order and consumption at will by the entire public. Decriminalization and legalization of marijuana implies that it would be generally prohibited, but individuals would not be prosecuted if they possess less than a certain volume. Instead, the sanctions would include nothing at all, administrative fines, substance abuse counseling, education, and drug treatment.

Marijuana legalization can be a beneficial measure in terms of criminal aspects and medical implementation. One argument for marijuana legalization is to lessen the disparity in marijuana-related prosecutions between African Americans. After the legalization of diminished volumes of marijuana in Washington State, it was necessary to document variations in adult marijuana crime statistics and discrepancies in levels for African Americans (Firth et al., 2019). To investigate periodic marijuana arrest levels over time and assess for disparities between African Americans and Whites, quantile regression analysis was used, adjusted for age and sex (Firth et al., 2019). With the legalization of marijuana possession, arrest rates among both African Americans and White adults fell drastically, and remained at a significantly lower rate once the marijuana retail sector started (Firth et al., 2019). Nevertheless, among those of age of majority, relative differences in marijuana crime statistics for African Americans rose, while for younger individuals they stayed stable (Firth et al., 2019). In general, it is feasible to state that correct marijuana legalization can lead to diminished arrest rates.

Furthermore, it is obligatory to emphasize medical and clinical applications of marijuana, especially in pain management settings. There was a substantially reduced rate of narcotic and high-risk opioid medication in areas where marijuana is offered through medicinal systems (Shah et al., 2019). Medical marijuana legalization might be considered by authorities as a measure for reducing chronic and elevated opioid usage (Shah et al., 2019). Nonmedical marijuana usage can potentially be a significant risk aspect for prescription opioid addiction, while medical marijuana consumption can be a replacement for prescription opioids (Shi et al., 2019). One of the major aims of pain treatment is to restore a feeling of control in the life of a chronic pain sufferer. Many everyday tasks are hampered by pain, and one of the aims of acute pain treatment is to lessen pain’s impact on patient functional ability. Legalizing cannabis might lead to considerable medicinal breakthroughs for specific conditions, as well as increased patient access.

To summarize, Cannabis, a plant native to South and Central Asia, has long been used as a recreational and entheogenic drug, as well as in a variety of traditional medicines. Marijuana is most commonly used for recreational or medicinal purposes, but it may also be used for spiritual causes. Marijuana legalization is the process of removing all legal barriers to the use of marijuana. In terms of criminal problems and medicinal application, marijuana legalization can be a compelling case. One argument for marijuana legalization is that it would reduce the imbalance between African Americans and whites in marijuana-related arrests. Furthermore, medicinal and therapeutic uses of marijuana, particularly in pain treatment settings, must be emphasized.

References

Firth, C. L., Maher, J. E., Dilley, J. A., Darnell, A., & Lovrich, N. P. (2019). Did marijuana legalization in Washington State reduce racial disparities in adult marijuana arrests? Substance Use & Misuse, 54(9), 1582-1587.

Shah, A., Hayes, C. J., Lakkad, M., & Martin, B. C. (2019). Impact of medical marijuana legalization on opioid use, chronic opioid use, and high-risk opioid use. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 34(8), 1419-1426.

Shi, Y., Liang, D., Bao, Y., An, R., Wallace, M. S., & Grant, I. (2019). Recreational marijuana legalization and prescription opioids received by Medicaid enrollees. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 194, 13-19.