Blog #2: Legality of Marijuana

For many decades, the legality of marijuana has been a highly debated issue. Ever since the early foundation of the United States of America, the topic has been controversial and no one can seem to reach an agreement about it. In recent times, there has been a public outcry from admitted marijuana users for legalization of the drug on the basis that it is not harmful and could actually spur our slow economic situation.

While there are many reasons proponents of marijuana find to argue its status as an illegal narcotic, there are also reasons used by those in power to keep it illegal. My personal opinion is that a majority of Americans either use marijuana with some regularity or are not inherently opposed to it, and in a country where democracy, freedom, and human rights are so vital to our very foundations, that alone is a basis for a reexamination of the current laws.

To organize the main points of this huge debate, I will list some common reasons people have advocating legalization or reexamination of laws regarding marijuana.

Protect the rights given in a Democratic society
If a majority of Americans believes that marijuana should in fact be legalized, based on the simple principles of a democracy or, in our case, a democratic republic, it should be legalized so long as it is not harmful to society. Opponents of this reason argue that there is no proof that the drug is not harmful and that is needed for this to be a valid reason. Those in favor of this argue that there was no proof in the first place that marijuana negatively impacts society and the current laws were put in place for invalid reasons. Many lawmakers are not truly democratically representing their various states/cities/towns as a simple majority of people in these areas do want legalization.

Marijuana can be used medically as a painkiller
This reason has already been recognized in several states which have legalized marijuana on a medical only basis. Under the current Controlled Substances Act, passed in 1970, Marijuana is listed as a Schedule 1 narcotic. The three categories for a drug to be listed as Schedule 1 under the act are as follows:
"(A) The drug or other substance has a high potential for abuse.
(B) The drug or other substance has no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States.
(C) There is a lack of accepted safety for use of the drug or other substance under medical supervision."

To address point A, my personal view is that marijuana does indeed have a high potential for abuse, otherwise it wouldn't be such a hotly debated issue and so many people would not argue for its legalization. As for point B, there clearly is an accepted medical use as several states have already legalized the herb medically, which is clear proof that marijuana should not be classified as a Schedule 1 narcotic under our current scheduling system. Point C states that if there is no information as to the safety of the drug and it is believed to be unsafe, it also should be classified Schedule 1. Numerous clinical trials have been run by both government granted researchers and private firms alike, none of which have found significant personal danger through the regular use of marijuana.

Marijuana legalization could spur our slow economy
Many advocates of marijuana legalization have mentioned this reason. The idea is that legalization and regulation of the drug could provide a means to ease our huge governmental deficit through taxation of its personal use and purchase. This idea makes sense logically, but the only way to truly see the economic magnitude (or lack thereof) of federal marijuana taxation would be to actually legalize it, something which I do not see happening anytime in the near future.



I feel as though the legal status of marijuana should definitely be reexamined due to the fact that it only truly fulfills one out of three requirements to be listed as a Schedule 1 drug, which caries significant federal penalties for violators of possession and distribution laws. An immense black market has been created because marijuana is illegal, and its legalization would completely stop the illegal market for marijuana growing, distribution, and use. Currently thousands of nonviolent individuals are being arrested for marijuana possession and distribution, and they are all taking up space in our federal prisons. The enforcement of marijuana related offenses is estimated by NORML (National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws) to cost $7.6 Billion annually. It is easy to see that a drug that has not been proven to harm anyone, except those involved in the black market associated with its illegality, has no reason to be illegal, especially if 7.6 Billion dollars could be saved each and every year and profit could potentially even be made through the regulation and taxation of marijuana.

All in all, in a country where freedom and individual rights have been stressed from our very founding, it simply does not make sense to keep something illegal if it would not harm anyone to at least reexamine its legal status, if not legalize it. It is difficult to provide an introspective examination into all the issues surrounding this vast controversy, but it is my intent to get the idea out there that the legalization of marijuana could potentially ease many social and economic problems in modern America.