Decriminalization of Marijuana

Darnell Taylor M. Channing face 1B March 5, 2013 De immoralization of marihuana As I researched the internet for reading close to(predicate) the decriminalisation of marihuana, I engraft so much entropy concerning this project that it was hard putting together few thoughts. Through my research of the different baksheeshics I came to the conclusion that the ones I am writing most seem to be the most important concerning the decriminalization of marihuana. Should a someone go to jail for fastb wholly marihuana? A lot of tidy sum would say no, a person should not go to jail for ingest it. hemp is not a narcotic, such as heroin, or a stimulant drug resembling caffeine or tobacco, or a depressant, like alcohol. It would be easy to say ganja is slight of a threat to a persons health than alcohol or tobacco. marijuana became abominable on August 2, 1937 with the pass period of the Marijuana Tax Act. Discrimination and racialism played a big part in this beca spend i t was said that Blacks and separate minorities were the majority of hemp users. Politicians and lack of downst gloriolesstanding of the drug is why ganja is dumb illegal straight off.The scientific name for marihuana is ganja. there be twain main strains of marijuana and they are called Indica and Sativa. Cannabis is known in the streets, by m each other names such as dank, bud, buddha, maryjane, weed, or reefer, and has been used medically since the beginning of civilization. The oldest known assure of halter use comes from a tomb in the Afri git country of Egypt, where cannabis was found in big bundles beside the tomb. In Canada, a high-level universe positive said the current marijuana prohibition was not working for the do good of that country .The good turn of known marijuana users has grown from 55,000 to 350 one thousand million, a occurrence showing that prohibition of marijuana is not working. The big push for the joined States to let marijuana started in the 1970s, when almost half the states either sanction it for medical use, decriminalized it, or completely legalized it. The peck for decriminalization argue that legalizing cannabis would free up aeronautions of dollars that we now use to prosecute users, pay for a large portion of uprightness enforcement resources, and pay for large amounts of prison resources.It would press the income of street gangs and organized crime that grow, import, process, and sell illegal marijuana. With decriminalization and formula it would provide large amounts of value revenue and reduce enforcement costs, with little or no effect on how much is used. decriminalization would lower the number of non-violent offenders in the prisons. The number of marijuana self-denial cases would also decline allowing less pressure on the Criminal Justice system. decriminalization and legalization of marijuana are favored just because it is believed that a persons rights should be respected.How a person lives his life, as long as hes not hurting others, should be allowed. Users wouldnt confound to be panic-stricken of getting caught a persons life would not be ruined for having a small amount of marijuana. A person wouldnt lose his job because he had a little marijuana. College careers wouldnt be ruined because of marijuana pigheadedness. The opposition also argues that cannabis on the streets today has a higher percentage of THC (the primary intoxicant), than in cannabis of an earlier time and that decriminalization will lead to more than usage, more crime, and more abuse of dangerous illicit drugs.The Legal History of Marijuana in the United States Decriminalization (1970-2000s) Check all the places that have decriminalized non-medical marijuana in the United States. Most of the states are in favor of decriminalization. They have started programs such as Drug Education or Drug sermon in place of jail time or criminal charges for pigheadedness of small amounts of marijuana. This offense is now the lowest priority for virtue enforcement. In 1972, President Richard Nixon set up a committee to excogitate marijuana use.The Commission found out that the fairness of cannabis prohibition was unclear, and that the executive director and Legislative branches had a responsibility to obey the Constitution. notwithstanding in the absence seizure of a speak to ruling to do so, they did not put the studys recommendations in action. In 1973, operating room became the first state to decriminalize marijuana. In 1974, a Senate Internal Security Subcommittee, chaired by Senator James O. Eastland on the Marijuana-Hashish Epidemic and its impact on United States security said that evidence collected on marijuana had turned against this drug.By 1978 Alaska, California, Colorado, Mississippi, New York, Nebraska, North Carolina, and Ohio had some form of marijuana decriminalization. Certain cities and countries, especially in California, had adopted laws to supercharge push decriminalized cannabis. When speaking against decriminalization, a 1974 study by the United States giving medication and endorsed by then-President Ronald Reagan is being used. The gos claim that in a test development monkeys, loss of brain cells was discovered. Unknown to the public was that this story was gistly unfair.The monkeys were do to wear gas masks and marijuana was then pumped into their lungs non-stop for 5 transactions at a time with no fresh oxygen. It was a miracle the monkeys didnt die and suffered only brain damage in this act of animal cruelty. Another study published in The Journal of Clinical investigating shows that cannabis use actually stimulates cell development. It is not possible to drug on marijuana, unlike most prescription and illegal drugs. Marijuana has save to be proven addictive or deadly.No deaths have been linked to marijuana use. It has no known lethal dose. Health issues and family responsibilities, not legal issues, are reasons given for stopping or never starting the use of marijuana. Even the thought of it being a gateway drug is controversial. Research shows the hearty gateway is the illegal drug market. The gateway effect for marijuana could be because exposure to other illegal drugs when buying marijuana on the streets increases the prospect to use other illegal drugs.Several states have taken steps about the marijuana issue by decriminalizing the possession of small amounts of the drug, reducing sanctions for amounts competent for personal use. For marijuana that means one ounce or less. In recent history, there have been a lot of unsuccessful attempts to decriminalize cannabis. In 1974, Dr. Robert DuPont, the White House Drug Czar, began to publicly support the decriminalization of marijuana. When DuPont left government he changed his mind, seeing marijuana as a health problem and declaring decriminalization is a bad idea.Robert DuPont is unchanging an active opponent of the decriminalization of marijuana. A law to legalize marijuana state-wide was put on the California Ballot in 1972. marriage offer 19 was jilted by 66 percent of the votes. The scuttle reads as follows 1. No person in the State of California, 18 socio-economic classs or sometime(a) shall be punished, or be denied both right or privilege, by reason of such persons planting, cultivating, harvesting, drying, processing, otherwise transporting, or possessing marijuana. 2.This proviso shall in no way be construed to repeal existing legislation, or limit the enactment of future legislation, prohibiting persons under the influence of marijuana from good-natured in conduct that endangers others. In Gonzales vs. Raich the speak tos ruled in a 6-3 closing that the Commerce Clause and the Supremacy Clause of the United States Constitution allowed the federal official government to ban the use of cannabis (including medical use) because Federal law is supreme and overrules State law.Further legalization of cannabis came in 2012 as two of three things to vote on were put on the general ballot of November 6th and were successful by wide margins. Washingtons Initiative 502 (2011) and Colorados Amendment 64 (2012) passed in the general election, as operating theaters Ballot touchstone 80 (2012) failed. Both of the successful measures limit cannabis possession to adults aged 21 or over, restricted the total amount allowed and included a DUID (Driving under the Influence of Drugs) provision against movement under the influence of marijuana.Both specifically ranged cannabis much like hard liquor has been since the end of prohibition in the United States and avoided any changes to medical marijuana law. Initiative 502 defined marijuana based on its THC content and controlled all growth processing and changes of marijuana based on its THC content and controlled all growth, processing and sale of marijuana under the Washington State Liquor Control Board, with restrictions against public consumption. The Colorado streak allowed private grows in addition to commercial regulation.The failed Oregon law established a new State agency to regulate and tax cannabis but was less specific and allowed possession for all adults, aged 18 or older. Illegal marijuana cost taxpayers $7. 5 billion a year (enforcement, prosecution, incarceration and monitoring). It also makes growing hemp, which can be used to make cloth, paper and rope, against the law. When imported from places like Canada, Russia, and china hemp products are legal. In 1645 hemp was a funds coiffe in America and Europeans were growing it before that. Almost one million people a year are in trouble with the law, about marijuana. 15 billion a year goes to the War on Marijuana, which doesnt look too successful. Decriminalization will reduce these numbers. in that location is little proof that decriminalization of marijuana use leads to an increase in marijuana use. Almost one million people a year are in troubl e with the law, about marijuana. $15 billion a year goes to the War on Marijuana, which doesnt look too successful. Decriminalization would reduce these numbers. In January, 2011, first year Arizona republican Legislator John Fillmore introduced House Bill 2228.This bill would decriminalize marijuana possession of 2 ounces or less to a petty offense with a penalty no more than a $100 fine, similar to the laws in Colorado and California. On January 1, 1975, Senate Bill 95 made possession of under one ounce of marijuana for non-medical use punishable by a $100 fine tougher punishments exists for amounts of more than an ounce, possession on school grounds, or violation of marijuana laws for sales or cultivation. If the offender is under the age of 21, his or her Drivers License may be hang for up to one year.In Mendocino County, voters in 2000 approved Measure G, which called for the decriminalization of marijuana when used, or cultivated for personal use. Measure G passed with a 58 p ercent majority vote, making it the first county in the United States to take for prosecution of small-scale cannabis offenses The lowest priority for law enforcement. Measure G does not protect individuals who cultivate, transport, or possess marijuana for sale. Measure G was passed at the local government level making it law only in Mendocino County and does not affect existing state or federal laws.On September 30, 2010 California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed into law, S. B. 1449. A bill that decriminalizes the possession of up to one ounce of marijuana. The bill reduces simple possession from a misdemeanor to an infraction. This would eliminate the need to appear in court and would treat possession of less than 28. 5 grams like a barter ticket, punishable by a $100 fine. Also in 2010, Proposition 19, titled the Regulate, Control, and Tax Act 2010, qualified for the November California Ballot. It was rejected by 54 percent of the voters.The Initiative would have legali zed the volunteer(a) use of marijuana and its activities in the state of California. It would have let local governments to regulate and tax the cannabis market. In Colorado marijuana has helped the state economically with millions of dollars in revenue generated with the legalization of marijuana for adult use, regulating and taxing it the identical way alcohol is regulated. Before November 6, 2012 the cities of Breckenridge and Denver, Colorado had passed Measures to make possession of up to one ounce of marijuana legal, even though possession was quench a crime under tate and federal laws. Amendment 64 to the Colorado Constitution, which passed November 6, 2012, legalized recreational marijuana use under State law. In 2006 Amendment 44 was rejected by 59 percent of the voting population. Amendment 44 would have legalized possession of 28. 45 grams (approximately one ounce) or less by adults 21 or older. California is estimated to have saved a billion dollars in a twelve year p eriod between 1976 and1988 as a result of decriminalizing marijuana. In 2003 the United States spent $12. billion on law enforcement and court costs and $16. 9 billion in penitentiary costs, with Alaska spending as much as $25 to $30million per year enforcing marijuana prohibition laws. There is little proof that decriminalization of marijuana use leads to an increase in marijuana use. The cost of arresting and prosecuting marijuana offenders were lower instates where possession of marijuana in small amounts had been decriminalized. In places where marijuana possession is still a criminal offense and not decriminalized, there has been an increase in marijuana use.In countries where marijuana has been decriminalized there are lower rates of drug use when compared to countries where marijuana possession in small amounts is still a criminal offense punished by jail time. In 2006, marijuana was the top cash crop in 12 states, one of the top 3 cash crops in 30 states and one of the top 5 cash crops in 39 states. United States marijuana production is estimated at $35 billion annually. Some Health Benefits of Marijuana Use Should marijuana still be illegal in the United States based on its health effects, medicinal value and costs to the country?Some people detriment from afflictions have to break the law to relieve chronic hurt. 1. For asthma and the greens cough Marijuana is one of the best dilators of the bronchioles (The first passageways by which the air passes through the nose to the air sacs of the lungs). 2. For AIDS Wasting Syndrome and Eating Disorders Where munchies from smoking marijuana increases the users appetite. 3. For Crohns Disease, Cancer, and Migraines Marijuanas pain relieving qualities help. 4. For ADD and ADHD Besides being an alternative to Ritalin, marijuana helps without any of the Ritalin side effects. . Pre Menstrual Syndrome (PMS) Reduces pain in severe cases of PMS. 6. Tourettes and OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder) Marijuana slows down the tics in people that have Tourettes and the symptoms of the people with OCD. 7. For Anxiety-Marijuana calms 8. Hepatitis C-Marijuana helps improve drug therapy treatment 9. Marijuana also helps with Schizophrenia, Epilepsy, Depression, and Multiple Sclerosis. I tried to give as much information as I could to let you know whats going on. I hope I did that. Works Cited Decriminalization of Marijuana, Lawrence, B. K. Studymode. com, 6 May 2005, http//www. Studymode. com/Essays/Decriminalization-marijuana-56452. html Decriminalization of Marijuana, 123HelpMe. com, 10 Mar 2013 Decriminalization of Marijuana, Termpaper. com, 12 Apr 2012 http//Termpaper. com/Essay-on/Decriminalization-Of-Marijuana/79942 Decriminalization vs. Prohibition, 123HelpMe. com, 10 Mar 2013 http//www. 123HelpMe. com/view. asp? id=61687 Illegal Drugs Legalization of Marijuana, Marijuana. com, 19 Apr 2010 Smoke In The Air, 123HelpMe. com, 10 Mar 2013 http//www. 123HelpMe. com/view. asp? id=86223