The Case Against US Marijuana Policy
The use of Marijuana has a long history of use by humans but in recent historical terms, the legality of its use has come into question. The current policy of Marijuana criminalization in the United States today is misguided and does not take this history and human nature into account. The history, as is believed by many, has been twisted to support bad policy. This bad policy has resulted in many suffering patients not getting the medicine they need. It has resulted in overcrowded prisons and a record number of inmates being incarcerated in the United States. In addition, in cases where an issue of overuse or dependence is present in users, these users are treated like criminals instead of patients who need medical treatment. This bad policy is largely out of step with similar controlled substances such as alcohol which are freely available for consumption to people who meet minimum age requirements. Several states have proven over the last few years that the policy doesn’t need to be like this. There is a better way.
Marijuana, also known as Cannabis, is a naturally occurring plant known for its psychoactive effects on the human body. While this is not …show more content…
Alcohol, arguably a much more dangerous drug than marijuana, is perfectly legal for anyone over the age of 21 to possess and consume. The regulations around alcohol could prove to be a perfect template to apply to the legalization of marijuana in the United States. When someone is dependent on alcohol in America, they are not locked away in prison for years with no hope of ever having gainful employment again due to a criminal past. They are instead provide a litany of treatment options from in house drug treatment facilities to local Alcoholic Anonymous meetings. Due to the criminality of marijuana, no such support systems exists to the extent that it does for
The use of Marijuana has a long history of use by humans but in recent historical terms, the legality of its use has come into question. The current policy of Marijuana criminalization in the United States today is misguided and does not take this history and human nature into account. The history, as is believed by many, has been twisted to support bad policy. This bad policy has resulted in many suffering patients not getting the medicine they need. It has resulted in overcrowded prisons and a record number of inmates being incarcerated in the United States. In addition, in cases where an issue of overuse or dependence is present in users, these users are treated like criminals instead of patients who need medical treatment. This bad policy is largely out of step with similar controlled substances such as alcohol which are freely available for consumption to people who meet minimum age requirements. Several states have proven over the last few years that the policy doesn’t need to be like this. There is a better way.
Marijuana, also known as Cannabis, is a naturally occurring plant known for its psychoactive effects on the human body. While this is not …show more content…
Alcohol, arguably a much more dangerous drug than marijuana, is perfectly legal for anyone over the age of 21 to possess and consume. The regulations around alcohol could prove to be a perfect template to apply to the legalization of marijuana in the United States. When someone is dependent on alcohol in America, they are not locked away in prison for years with no hope of ever having gainful employment again due to a criminal past. They are instead provide a litany of treatment options from in house drug treatment facilities to local Alcoholic Anonymous meetings. Due to the criminality of marijuana, no such support systems exists to the extent that it does for