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Marijuana grows in different parts of the world, and the initial production of the non-psychoactive hemp supported the development of fibers. At the start of the 18th century, Europe was introduced to marijuana when it was brought to the continent by Indian and African travelers, making it one of the last regions to encounter the plant and its properties (Madras 4). France would later pursue the psychoactive role of the plant to identify its medical purposes (Madras 4). However, during this period; it was notable that Cannabis caused anticonvulsant and sedative effects. The influences significant in its users came from the unpredictable doses, short shelf life, and composition from its preparation. The governments would later introduce restrictive laws due to the rising cases of intoxication, abuse, and high consumption levels of marijuana. From research, it would then appear that marijuana could help in relieving pain and handling chronic diseases and its symptoms (Madras 4). There has been a debate on the safe use of marijuana for medical purposes and its influence in economic growth. This paper provides support for the economic and social benefits of marijuana legalization in North America.
The use of marijuana for medicinal value is showing improved results in the population, especially concerning the health of a society that is eager to try a replacement for traditional prescription drugs. Research shows that marijuana is effective in the treatment of psychiatric illness that relates to depression (Drug Policy Alliance 3). It is undeniable that there are evident improvements in cognitive levels for individuals who rely on marijuana for medical purposes. Cannabidiol, a chemical element present in Cannabis, helps relieve psychotic problems in the population (Drug Policy Alliance 3). Through the use of marijuana, there are reportable lowering rates of schizophrenia in the community (Drug Policy Alliance 3). The chemical in the plant works through influencing a balance of hormones that induces relaxation in people. Therefore, marijuana offers a trustworthy and reliable solution to mentally related illness evident in the population. Patients who report using marijuana can resume their work relatively fast after a period of suffering from pain (Grinspoon 1). Besides, marijuana helps in managing weight loss and incidences of nausea on people. The plant also supports in muscle soreness by relaxing soft tissue, thus helping individuals avoid constant tremors if they have Parkinson’s disease (Grinspoon 1). Veterans exposed to traumatic experiences in war zones also reports high effectiveness of relieving from PSTD after using marijuana (Grinspoon 1). The different medical and leisure uses of marijuana influences the legalization of the drug in some states, especially those in North America, where new laws are being currently discussed.
Some of the social benefits of legalizing marijuana are the reduction of unnecessary arrests of the users. Reports indicate that there where over 60,000 persons arrested each year in Canada for possession of marijuana (Leyton 75), this number has been lowered since the plant was legalized in 2018. Through legalization, the number of such arrests will go down, and this will reduce the pressure on government prisons. Indeed, through incarceration of persons using marijuana, the government uses a significant amount of money for their upkeep. The funds saved from reduced arrests can help the government to support other development projects in the country. Besides, legalization ensures that there are adequate people in the economy to sustain its growth. It also helps reduce the social problem of breaking homes when one spouse is in prison. Such situation denies families, especially children, an opportunity to enjoy life and participate in social development through schooling. The children who lack such opportunities are likely to turn to criminal activities in the future. The overall impact is a generation result of an insecure society; by reducing incidences of arrests, the productivity of a community can be stimulated, where people can work to earn a living. It is detrimental to jail individuals with unique skills required in some industries (Leyton 76).
Further, the legalization of marijuana also influences a decline in the consumption of other drugs such as alcohol. In fact, people who consume Cannabis are unlikely to take drugs such as cigarettes and alcohol (Graham 1). The effect is reducing cases of illnesses such as liver diseases associated with alcohol abuse. According to the CDC, about 800,000 deaths related to alcohol consumption take place in the United States (Graham 1). The continued use of alcohol further leads to issues of violence in households with heavy users, resulting in the breaking of families where the alcoholics turn violent to their spouses. Legalizing of marijuana can reduce alcohol consumption by an approximate 10%, neutralizing the negative influence on public health caused by alcoholism (Graham 1). The improved health of society reduces the money spent on handling illnesses from drug abuse. A 2014 research in Germany documented that there is relatively no acute death directly related to marijuana use (Graham 1). The negative health consequences of marijuana are relatively low in comparison with hard drugs and alcohol. Therefore, marijuana legalization offers a reliable alternative to alcohol for the public, making it an exit rather than a gateway drug.
Besides, through legalization, the cost of marijuana will go down. Therefore, people can access the plant with relative ease, helping patients that require THC and CBD related medications but do not have the means to receive such treatments. Through legalization, it is possible for the governments to monitor the use of the drug in society. The authorities can offer training and seminars that guide people on how to regulate their intake. The result is an empowered society that understands both positive and negative impacts of the use of the drug and how they can control its consumption. While the use of marijuana remains illegalized, users will get misleading information from their peers, resulting in misuse (Graham 1). It is also possible for the population to identify the effective use of the drug and its adverse effects. Indeed, when marijuana remains legalized, it becomes easy for users to seek treatment when experiencing its harmful effects. The doctors will be eager to help such victims, especially those with addiction without any concern about the legality of their actions.
It is also notable that legalizing marijuana lowers the number of drunk driving, which is a significant cause of road accidents. A 2013 study published in the Journal of Law and Economics reports that 19 American states that legalized marijuana reported low road fatalities (Graham 1). Previously, before the enactment of the law, there was a high number of road accidents during weekends, especially at night. Laboratory tests suggest that people who take marijuana have their psychotic activity improved, and this boosts their attentiveness (Graham 1). The component makes such persons remain cautious as they carry their activities such as driving. It is uncommon to find such users underestimating the degree of danger as they drive along busy highways. The persons take precautionary measures such as driving slowly. Besides, the intake of marijuana mostly takes place at homes; therefore, the users do not need to move to towns or travel long distances. The low mobility of such persons reduces their potential to use automobiles as they move between different bars as alcoholics do. Through marijuana legalization, there is also a reduction of unnecessary police intervention on drivers to check their intoxication levels. It becomes relatively difficult for prosecutors to show that a driver decision suffered from impairment because of using marijuana (NHTSA 8).
States such as Colorado and Washington passed their marijuana legalization in 2012, and this has positively affected the study of adolescents using drugs in the country (Cerdá et al. 145). Before the legalization, it was difficult for the government to determine the extent of marijuana use in society. However, these states have enacted laws that allow people to plant marijuana for personal use. The move enables the authorities to provide information guided training on the population on how to use the plant responsibly. Therefore, issues of misuse of the drug in such states are relatively low. After the passage of the legislation, the non-user prevalence lowered in Washington (Cerdá et al. 146). The result is from recognition and availability of adequate data about the drug, and its associated adverse effects. The availability of information detailing the limitations and benefits of marijuana makes it possible for youths to make conscious decisions. However, when the commodity remains illegalized, information about its adverse effects on human health lacks enough theoretical basis. Therefore, teenagers get exposure to misleading information from the drug dealers, and this result in many of them becoming addicts. In Colorado, there was no major increase on teenage users of marijuana even after legislation, which shows that the move had no negative influence on non-users (Cerdá et al. 146). Indeed, the step was relevant in creating awareness of a drug that has been in use for long in society. The adolescents can now access positive information that boosts their responsibility in taking care of their behavior.
Economically, allowing marijuana use will increase profitability and generate income for the government through taxation. When it is legal, the farmers of Cannabis have to pay taxes to the government from the sale of their product (Leyton 76). The authorities get some money as a percentage of the products sold in the market. Besides, through legalization, the stores that handle retailer or wholesale activities for marijuana will also pay for licenses. The government gets significant money from the laws that allow these businesspersons to carry out their marijuana sale. Besides, these stores stimulate the need for the development of business premises, helping and sustaining economic growth (Leyton 76). Several people also get opportunities to work in these stores, allowing them to get money to cater for their basic needs. Therefore, there is stimulation of the economy for both citizens and their government.
In addition, by allowing marijuana use, it is possible for individuals to engage in large-scale farming for the commodity. Therefore, farmers get an opportunity to diversify their farming activities and target a broader market. The effect is the stimulation of products sold in the local and international market. Through the export of such products to countries legalizing marijuana, the governments achieve foreign exchange (Leyton 76). The result is the stimulation of economy and improvement of trade balance due to the rising exports. Large-scale cultivation of marijuana also stimulates the economy through the high demand for seeds and amenities such as fertilizers to grow the product. The influencer is raising the circulation of money in the marketplace that has the potential to boost the economy of the people. When operating on large scale farming of the produce, individuals also benefit from the economies of scale, which increases their profit even more. It is also possible for people to afford basic needs and create employment for others who work in their marijuana farms. The legalization further supports the availability of cheap raw materials for drugs that rely on marijuana as their primary component, especially those related with pain relief.
Legalization of marijuana in North America has several benefits that relate to the economic and social improvement of a community. The enactment reduces pilling of inmates in prisons due to the use of marijuana, lowering government expenses on hosting such people. Besides, the legislation ensures that people who consume Cannabis are responsible and understand its side effects. It certainly reduces the incidences of young people suffering from peer influence, thus resulting in taking the drug. The move further lowers the reliance on hard drugs and alcohol in the population. The substitution of alcohol with marijuana lowers the extent of impaired decisions, thus reducing road accidents for drivers. Economically, the legalization stimulates the creation of opportunities for marijuana farmers. The farmers also employ several people to work in their firms. Besides, the government gets a source of extra income through taxation and licensing of marijuana farmers and sellers. Therefore, the process contributes significantly to the improvement of economic conditions.
By legalizing the plant, governments will also regulate the harvest of hemp, Cannabis industrial brother. This subspecies has industrial properties rather than psychoactive and, as previously mentioned, it is widely used in the production of fibers. Hemp has many other purposes for making more ecologically conscious products, yet its cultivation is heavily regulated and traditional farmers cannot harvest it without several compliances (Cherney et al.). This plant, contrary to sativa or indica strains, grows without flowers and at a faster rate without needing too much water. Its industrial uses range from the making of fibers from its foliage to isolating protein from the seeds in order to make nutrient-rich foods (Cherney et al.). On a higher scale, hemp can be processed to the point of obtaining biodiesel and ethanol, relieving the industry from the dependence of fossil fuels while benefiting growers and their crops. The main economic impacts are providing considerable impulse in these increasingly promising industries. The current market value for only hemp related produce is well over $1 billion, making it a potential source of revenue for economies that allow its production (Cherney et al.).
With the information analyzed previously, it is appropriate to assert that by legalizing Cannabis, further studies will be made about the effects and benefits of the plant in order to make a reorganization that will contribute many sectors of the economy, while allocating resources for technological advances that will result in a more controlled usage. Despite Cannabis becoming a major player in the production of goods, its environmental impact is not concerning ecological agencies, as it has an overall relatively low carbon footprint (Cherney et al.), making it a superior alternative to oil related products and even other types of crops used in the food industry. If favorable decisions are made, Cannabis can replace industries that are harmful for the environment, making a shift into a greener society while benefiting all its members.
Works Cited
- Cerdá, Magdalena et al. “Association of State Recreational Marijuana Laws With Adolescent Marijuana Use.” JAMA pediatrics, vol. 171, no. 2, 2017, doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2016.3624. Accessed May 26 2019.
- Drug Policy Alliance. “Marijuana: The Facts.” drugpolicy.org/sites/default/files/TenFactsAboutMarijuana.pdf. Accessed 28 May 2019.
- Graham, Ruth. “Is Marijuana Good for Public Health?” JSTOR Daily, 8 Oct. 2014. JSTOR, Daily, daily.jstor.org/marijuana-and-public-health/. Accessed 26 May 2019.
- Grinspoon, Peter. “Medical Marijuana.” Harvard Health Publishing, January 15 2018. Harvard Medical School, health.harvard.edu/blog/medical-marijuana-2018011513085. Accessed May 28 2019.
- Leyton M. Legalizing marijuana. J Psychiatry Neurosci. 2016;41(2):75–76. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4764483/. Accessed 26 May 2019.
- Madras, Bertha K. Update of Cannabis and Its Medical Use. Expert Committee on Drug Dependance, 2015. who.int/medicines/access/controlled-substances/6_2_cannabis_update.pdf. Accessed May 28 2019
- Todd, Tamar. “The Benefits of Marijuana Legalization and Regulation.” Berkeley Journal of Criminal Law, 2018, doi.org/10.15779/Z38NK3652D. Accessed 26 May 2019.
- Cherney, Jerome, et al. “Industrial Hemp in North America: Production, Politics and Potential.” Agronomy, November 2016, mdpi.com/2073-4395/6/4/58. Accessed June 5 2019.
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