The Facts Behind Recreational Marijuana
The subject of legal marijuana has been a subject of debate for decades. Throughout the decades of this controversial subject there has been a lot of misinformation on both sides of the debate. Now with a total of four states with legal marijuana for recreational use, it once again raises questions of what could be the benefits of recreational marijuana and of course what could be the possible hazards. First we will look at the possible benefits of legal cannabis, and the biggest one would probably be the economic effect that follows legalization. Colorado was one of the first states to legalize marijuana for recreational use and has seen a huge economic effect. In 2014 Colorado sold 386 million in …show more content…
With the U.S being the world’s largest consumer of illicit drugs and marijuana being the most widely used and most profitable, it has created a large demand for a criminal market and in return a large source of revenue for those involved. (Wild n.p) Legalizing marijuana would eliminate the demand for a criminal market therefore lower the profits made by criminals off the drug trade. Another problem that comes with marijuana prohibition is the amount imprisoned over the drug. As writer Eric Schlosser pointed out with an interview with PBS’s Frontline “about one out of every six federal inmates is in a federal prison for marijuana… There are more people in federal prison for marijuana offences than violent crimes.”. (Schlosser, n.p). On top of that every year there are Approximately 600,000 arrested for marijuana charges. (Schlosser, n.p.) That millions of dollars of tax payer money spent toward arresting, processing and imprisoning these people for a relatively harmless drug. By legalizing marijuana these tax dollars can go toward other more important things and also lower prison overcrowding. Since legalization in Colorado, they have seen Fatal car crashes below the last decade average and crime level drop. (Ingram, …show more content…
Many states have had marijuana legal for medical use only for years now. Studies shows that marijuana can treat anxiety, arthritis, dystonia, insomnia, microbe’s seizures, Tourette’s, Tumors, appetite loss, glaucoma, nausea/vomiting, pain spasticity and weight loss. (Earlywine, pg. 194) Given these benefits for problems both big and small, marijuana could very well become the ultimate over the counter drug. On top of that Studies show that marijuana is non-toxic and never been a case of accidental overdose. (Earlywine, pg.143) In fact animal studies have shown a lethal dose of THC (the chemical in marijuana that makes you high) would require 125mg of THC per kilogram of body weight, which means for an person weighing 160 pounds to take a lethal dose would require them to smoke the equivalent of approximately 450 joints, making pretty much impossible to accidently overdose.(Earlywine, pg. 144) Which is huge considering the hundreds that die every year from non-prescription medicine such as aspirin every year.(Schlosser,n.p) Also considering the overdose and dependency rate of prescription drugs in the U.S this could be a huge alternative for many people across the
The subject of legal marijuana has been a subject of debate for decades. Throughout the decades of this controversial subject there has been a lot of misinformation on both sides of the debate. Now with a total of four states with legal marijuana for recreational use, it once again raises questions of what could be the benefits of recreational marijuana and of course what could be the possible hazards. First we will look at the possible benefits of legal cannabis, and the biggest one would probably be the economic effect that follows legalization. Colorado was one of the first states to legalize marijuana for recreational use and has seen a huge economic effect. In 2014 Colorado sold 386 million in …show more content…
With the U.S being the world’s largest consumer of illicit drugs and marijuana being the most widely used and most profitable, it has created a large demand for a criminal market and in return a large source of revenue for those involved. (Wild n.p) Legalizing marijuana would eliminate the demand for a criminal market therefore lower the profits made by criminals off the drug trade. Another problem that comes with marijuana prohibition is the amount imprisoned over the drug. As writer Eric Schlosser pointed out with an interview with PBS’s Frontline “about one out of every six federal inmates is in a federal prison for marijuana… There are more people in federal prison for marijuana offences than violent crimes.”. (Schlosser, n.p). On top of that every year there are Approximately 600,000 arrested for marijuana charges. (Schlosser, n.p.) That millions of dollars of tax payer money spent toward arresting, processing and imprisoning these people for a relatively harmless drug. By legalizing marijuana these tax dollars can go toward other more important things and also lower prison overcrowding. Since legalization in Colorado, they have seen Fatal car crashes below the last decade average and crime level drop. (Ingram, …show more content…
Many states have had marijuana legal for medical use only for years now. Studies shows that marijuana can treat anxiety, arthritis, dystonia, insomnia, microbe’s seizures, Tourette’s, Tumors, appetite loss, glaucoma, nausea/vomiting, pain spasticity and weight loss. (Earlywine, pg. 194) Given these benefits for problems both big and small, marijuana could very well become the ultimate over the counter drug. On top of that Studies show that marijuana is non-toxic and never been a case of accidental overdose. (Earlywine, pg.143) In fact animal studies have shown a lethal dose of THC (the chemical in marijuana that makes you high) would require 125mg of THC per kilogram of body weight, which means for an person weighing 160 pounds to take a lethal dose would require them to smoke the equivalent of approximately 450 joints, making pretty much impossible to accidently overdose.(Earlywine, pg. 144) Which is huge considering the hundreds that die every year from non-prescription medicine such as aspirin every year.(Schlosser,n.p) Also considering the overdose and dependency rate of prescription drugs in the U.S this could be a huge alternative for many people across the