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Marijuana Legalization Essay

512 Words3 Pages

The legalized used of marijuana by Washington and Colorado, shows that there are states in the United States that are willing to go against federal laws. Marijuana by federal law is still illegal in the United States, but two states have decided to go against federal law and have the voters decide if it should be legalized. This legalization shows that society does have an influence when it comes to public policy and we are allowing people to have a substance that can cause them to act irresponsibly. I live in the state of Colorado and have seen how it can change the way people act and also how they handle situations. Nearly daily there is a news report about someone doing something and there is suspect drug use that may have caused their …show more content…

A general definition is individuals continuing to use a substance despite it having negative consequence that can cause health problems, difficulties in their family, work, and social life, along with financial and legal problems (Martin, 2014). With marijuana being legalized in two states it is going to make treatment more difficult in those states due to there is no punishment for using the substance unless a crime is committed. This is going to lead to more people not getting the treatment that they need to be able to function and live a normal life. With individuals being able to get marijuana in Colorado and Washington it will require human service professions to become more versed on substance abuse and how to do with those that are not willing to accept that they have a substance abuse problem. This is all going to make the treatment process more difficult and lead to the field of substance abuse treatment having to step back and allow the marijuana use to happen. This legalized use of marijuana is going to make it more difficult for those that try to help others control a substance abuse issue when the state they live in says they can legally use the

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Since marijuana was legalized there have been dramatic results. States that allow the use of marijuana have increased the public’s awareness of the drug’s effects. After an increase in public awarness, many people are setting the drug aside due to long-term effects. If other drugs were made legal in the United States and their long-term and short-term effects were taught, it is very likely that there would be a decrease in their use. People are less inclined to get hooked onto drugs when they realize it could kill them.

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Creating a legitimacy it could not have had without legalization. Medically speaking marijuana has potential to do some good, but without legalization that potential is untapped and can do no good. When the war on drugs began this carried with it harsher sentences for drug users which has caused the prison population to explode and America to lead the pack in Prison incarceration numbers. With the legalization of Marijuana these problems have the chance to be changed, and these effects have the chance to take place. Keywords: legalization, marijuana, and colorado America’s Chronic Effects

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Legalizing marijuana can make the state some money and there are many benefits to it. Legalizing marijuana won’t benefit at all for the big corrupt pharmaceutical companies, if the cannabis is passed as a drug for health issues. Maybe that’s why lawmakers haven’t maybe won’t pass the law to legalize Marijuana. Yes the companies can get involved but then somehow it will get corrupt and won’t benefit the citizens.

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Legalizing recreational use of marijuana in California will have a negative impact on residents. Marijuana is a drug; and a drug, by definition can change the way the body works (Encyclopedia Britanica, 2016). Marijuana users experience a high that change the way they perceive things while under the influence. For example, if someone is high on marijuana, he or she will distort his or her perception and can cause a car accident. There are a lot of car accidents happening because someone is under the influence of alcohol, and these incidents will increase because this drug will be

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With the pressure to legalize marijuana rise for government officials, protesters argue that decriminalizing marijuana would help society and benefit the people living in the Unites States. In states that have already legalized marijuana, it has been documented and proven that marijuana usage has been higher than before legalization, even if the consequences were very severe (“Marijuana Decriminalization”). If people are so highly dedicated to continuingcontinue using marijuana, even with their lives and future at stake, what could stop them? Marijuana has been proven to be a “gateway” drug, therefore, if marijuana were to be legalized, eventually other harmful substances could be legalized as well causing many deaths and various forms of

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The legalization of marijuana in America has been a major topic of discussion for many years. Recently, more talk about the government and society’s acceptance of the drug has increased in the household and in the government. Many American schools taught and continue to teach the belief that Marijuana is a gateway drug that will lead to risky behavior and a ruined life. On the contrary, a growing idea in many Americans is that marijuana use is not actually as bad as the first group believes and it is often either not harmful or even beneficial in some cases. Because most Americans hold one of these two very different ideals and often won’t alter their position, it has been hard for the government to know how to best protect and represent the people.

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During the summer of 2015, the United States federal courts opted to legalize marijuana; the main idea behind the legalization concerned health benefits in medications and procedures. Unfortunately, people abuse the medications, resulting in self-destruction. They take larger quantities of the drugs, develop addictions, dig themselves into a money pit, hurt people they love, and hinder their ability to function. People are willing to run the risk of these consequences in order to receive a momentary high, escaping from reality and increasing their self-esteem. Drug users enjoy the short term effects of drugs, continuing to use them, increasing usage, and exploring other drugs with more powerful effects.

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Today the demands are changing in different states. In States such as Colorado and Washington, marijuana has been legalized for recreational use. This move raised several questions as far as decriminalization of marijuana is concerned. Besides portraying the US in a bad light, legalization of marijuana for recreation increases the risk of developing mental problems, increases government expenditure on public health, jeopardizes the future of children, and is a gateway to other dangerous drugs. Increased health problems and public health expenditure-

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But, did you know that all of these issues can be fixed if marijuana was legalized in all 50 states? Although many people think that marijuana is a horrible drug, there any many benefits that we as American’s can receive from marijuana. Whether it be from taking the drug yourself, or just supporting it in general. First of all, marijuana has been proven in many, many different medical lab studies to help those who suffer from cancer, seizures, everyday pain, and even anxiety. There are different forms of marijuana and also many different ways that the drug can be used, from smoking to an oil.

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People believe that if marijuana is legalized users will get addicted. Marijuana use disorder become what is known as addiction when “the person cannot stop using the drug even though it interferes with many aspects of his or her life” (“Is Marijuana Addictive”). Although addiction is a problem, out of all the people who use marijuana, only 9% become dependent on it (“Is Marijuana Addictive”). Also, opioids and painkillers are very addictive as well, and they can lead to an overdose resulting in death. The second concern is abuse.

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The history of marijuana as well as the information and studies drawn and discussed in this essay show that marijuana legalization for medical and/or recreational purposes will not only positively impact society, but also change the society’s idea of marijuana use as a deviant act. Deviant behavior negatively impacts society, therefore the idea that marijuana use is a positive impact for society will, in turn, change the idea that marijuana use is an act/form of

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