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Persuasive Essay On Legalizing Marijuana

1872 Words8 Pages

According to NORML, marijuana is the most used illegal drug in the U.S. and it has been used by 1/3 of the entire American population which is about 100 million people (About Marijuana). In addition, marijuana is used by over 14 million people despite the harsh laws against its use (About Marijuana).According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, marijuana is a “greenish-gray mixture of the dried, shredded leaves and flowers of Cannabis sativa—the hemp plant (What is Marijuana?). Cannabis contains over 483 compounds called cannabinoids such as tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), cannabidiol (CBD), and cannabinol (CBN). The main psychoactive ingredient in cannabis is THC which is responsible for the “high” that most users seek. On the other hand, …show more content…

Often times, people are arrested for small possession offenses that cost the judicial system and U.S. taxpayers tons of money, take up necessary space in U.S. prisons, and bring up the nation’s crime rate. In 2010, cops made an arrest for marijuana possession every 37 seconds. In addition, over 7 million people were put in prison from 2001 to 2010 for small possession offenses which costed states close to $4 million dollars a year. It is counterproductive to arrest people for small amounts of marijuana because there are much more violent crimes that could be focused on by the authorities. Police and other law enforcement agencies spend too much time focusing on nonviolent marijuana possession crimes, when they could be focusing on the more violent crimes that are committed. A study was done by the Drug Policy Alliance that states that according to data from the Colorado Court System, marijuana possession arrests have dropped 84% since 2010 (Marijuana Legalization in Colorado). Not only will arrests for small possession offenders decrease, but so will the arrests of distributors and cultivators which will almost eliminate the black market for

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Prisons are becoming a huge money pit to the American economy and are quickly becoming over populated. In fact in federal prisons “51% of all inmates are incarcerated for a drug offense and this is in comparison to only 1% of federal inmates incarcerated for homicide” (Klein 2013). The legalization of marijuana will drastically slow down the drug incarceration rate and will alleviate the problem of over populated prisons. By freeing up this space in the American prison system tax payer’s money can now be focused on fighting the war on terror, catching high profile criminals, and improving criminal justice resources.

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There are a massive number of serious criminal cases in the criminal justice system that needs to be prioritized by prosecutors like robbery, rape, and murder. However, there are less serious criminal cases like possession of marijuana that get more attention than it should. With the large use of marijuana and the large number of cases that is placed in the criminal justice system, the decriminalization of America 's biggest illegal cash crop, marijuana, will put a stop to the many problems that is legalization creates. With marijuana having such a negative stigma attached by the government and the public, it is hard to identify the positive effects that the marijuana plant has to offer. The decriminalization of marijuana would benefit the economy, lower the

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Legalizing marijuana: Subsequent crime rates Introduction As the wave of marijuana legalization rolls across the United States from state to state, determining the potential impacts of this change is incredibly important, because it will allow the governments of the states in question to prepare for the potential consequences of legalization. Balancing the pros and cons of legalizing marijuana is an incredibly difficult task, because there are legal, societal, and cultural consequences that can be anticipated, but also many that cannot. Existing research pertaining to the impacts of marijuana legalization in states like Colorado and Washington can shed light on what the potential consequences might be for other states in the future. According to information provided by Weisheit, R. (1991), those who have sold drugs illegally often displayed an industrious, hard-working attitude that could have applied differently, but that often their existing circumstances encouraged a life of

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Problem Description The Simple Possession of Small Quantities Of Marijuana Decriminalization Amendment Act of 2013’s enactment suggests that enough is enough. Per Townes (2015), “between 2001 and 2010, arrests for marijuana possession increased by 61.5 percent. The number of marijuana arrests in D.C. in 2010, 5,393, surpassed those in Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and Miami-Dade counties in 2010. And in 87 percent of cases involving marijuana arrests, charges for separate crimes were not made.”

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DARE states that “Marijuana defies easy classification as a drug. It is described as a psychogenic (a cannabinoid), a narcotic (although it does not contain opium), and a hallucinogen (the government's designation)... Opinion is further divided on whether the drug is a stimulant or a depressant.” A psychogenic is when the drug helps with mental or emotional stress (medical/recreational). A narcotic is when the drug affects your behavior or mood and is used for nonmedical purposes

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Marijuana substantially impacts many individuals each day of their lives. It influences individuals whether they are clients themselves, street dealers, victims of drug-related crime, or managing a relative's addiction. Drugs are horrible and hazardous; on the other hand, prohibition isn’t the answer to the nation's medication issue. The United States should consider legalizing weed.

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And legalization of marijuana may reduce racial disparity in drug arrests. Black men, according to federal data collated by the American Civil Liberties Union and widely cited by scholars, are almost four times more likely to be arrested for marijuana possession than whites, even though both groups use the drug at roughly the same rate.'' cannabis and crime has been a issue for a very longtime a needs to be stopped because innocent people get arrested for just having small amounts of marijuana and some of these drug charges get ridiculous sentences. You might get 5, 10 or even 20 years in jail for just having a small amount of marijuana. This needs to be stopped and it can be, All you need to do is help legalize medical marijuana or medical use and personal

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Marijuana is one of the most commonly used illicit drugs throughout the United States with roughly around 22.2 million users. Only 8 states have legalized marijuana for recreational use and a handful of states have legalized medical use of the drug. The research that has been conducted proves that legalization of marijuana may lead to a more rich and flourishing economy, fewer people being locked up in confinement, Better access to a safe and effective medicine and a more robust functioning society. Today , marijuana is one of the most controversial topics with about 40% of adults and politicians still not comfortable with the concept of marijuana being legal for recreational and medicinal use. Marijuana has medicinal properties that greatly

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Recently the legality and criminalization of drugs, specifically cannabis has been greatly debated in the United States of America. Cannabis is a flowering plant that originates in Central Asia and the Indian Subcontinent and has been used for centuries for hemp fibre in certain papers, medicinal purposes and recreational use (ElSohly). The recreational use of cannabis also known as marijuana was deemed illegal more recently in the United States’ history since 1937. In the articles, “Harmful Effects of Marijuana Use Are Exaggerated” by Paul Armentano, “Colorado and Marijuana Legalization One Year Later: What Has Changed?”

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Introduction Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug in the United States. (Marijuana 2017, p-1). It is obtained from the hemp plant Cannabis Sativa and it is also a very debated topic in the United States. There is always an ongoing argument on whether it should be legalized or not. There are a huge number of misconceptions people have regarding this drug and the purpose is to clear all their misunderstandings about this drug which has a mixture of 400 chemicals and an overdose could cause extensive damage to human body.

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Marijuana: it’s one the biggest debates in the media with whether or not it should be legalized or not. If there was only one thing I can change in the world, it more than likely would be marijuana legalization, and I have reasons to back it up using examples from how we would all benefit from it, or how it can without a doubt save lives. People give marijuana a bad reputation because of what it does to you and how it makes you feel.

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Marijuana is known as the dried leaves of the cannabis sativa plant ("Marijuana"). Many states within the last few years have begun to change laws on recreational use of cannabis. It can be referenced by the names; weed, pot, cannabis, and Mary Jane. It contains a chemical that alters the brain for a short time to give a person what is called a high. While federal government prohibits all uses of marijuana, some states have allowed for limited uses of it.

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It’s important to understand what makes up the marijuana plant and what each of those part does. There are many chemical compounds that make up what we know as marijuana. These chemical compounds are referred to as cannabinoids. There are eight primary cbd cannabinoids that are focused on. These include “THC (tetrahydrocannabinol),

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Marijuana, also known as cannabis, has been grown around the world for many centuries. The earliest reported discovery of a marijuana plant was in Asia, but it was not used for recreational smoking; it was used as a medicine and to make different items. The plant was used to make clothing, rope, and people even ate the seeds. Later, it spread across the world. Recreational marijuana did not become popular in the United States until the 1900’s and was not viewed as dangerous until Prohibition hit; then it was outlawed because people thought that it caused those who smoked to do unspeakable activities as what was seen with alcohol.

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Marijuana, also known as Cannabis, is derived from the Cannabis plant and is used commonly for either recreational or medical purposes. Marijuana is composed of chemicals such as tetrahydrocannabinol (HTC, and over eighty cannabinoids. Marijuana is acknowledged for providing smokers with a “high” feeling. Since the twentieth century, this illicit drug has been banned across the world. However, over the past few years studies have been conducted on marijuana and the results show that it can actually be helpful in many different areas of society.

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