LEGALIZATION OF MARIJUANA.   Term Paper ID:29420 Click to get this paper

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Paper Abstract: Considers the pros and cons. Sociological perspective. Argument that the War on Drugs is a failure and should be replaced with a policy that legalizes drugs. Corruption and crime brought about by War on Drugs, and illegality status. Argument that even limited use of marijuana for medicinal purposes is wrong as it sends a dangerous message to youths. Paper Introduction: This study will consider the pros and cons of legalizing marijuana from a sociological perspective, concluding that the drug should be legalized. The study will consider two sources, an essay by former Presidential advisor Hodding Carter II arguing for legalization, and an article by Faye Fiore on a critical view of legalization of marijuana for medicinal purposes only. Carter presents a compelling and well-reasoned argument that the "war on drugs" is a failure and should be replaced with a policy which legalizes marijuana. He favors legalization of all drugs, which is beyond the scope of this study, but a number of his points focus on the social significance of legalization. He argues that one of the most destructive effects of the illegality of drugs and the war on drugs is the corruption of law enforcement officials. He compares modern corruption of police Text of the Paper: The entire text of the paper is shown below. However, the text is somewhat scrambled. We want to give you as much information as we possibly can about our papers and essays, but we cannot give them away for free. In the text below you will find that while disordered, many of the phrases are essentially intact. From this text you will be able to get a solid sense of the writing style, the concepts addressed, and the sources used in the research paper. Legalization would begin to eliminatethis illegal job market outside of the government-controlled operationafter drugs were legalized. Legalization of marijuana would also begin toreduce other crimes, sometimes violent, which surrounds illegal drug salesand use. The proven medicinal properties ofmarijuana must be made available to those suffering from glaucoma, cancerand other diseases. Carter points out that the alternative to legalization is acontinuation or increase in the present policy of draining society byputting marijuana users (most of whom are otherwise law-abiding citizens)in jail and spending tremendous amounts on money on enforcing laws whichhave failed to deter marijuana usage. That minority must also argue for the arrest of any physicians whowould prescribe marijuana as the majority decreed they could according tothe initiative. November 16, 1996. Alcohol can be said to be agateway drug, and much more dangerous to the users' health as well associety's welfare, but neither conservative nor liberal forces everconsider outlawing alcohol, primarily for political and economic reasons.The same point can be made for tobacco products, the true killer drug,which are in fact supported by government subsidies. (Carter 1 ).This question is more important than ever in a conservative era in whichevery dollar of public monies is analyzed as to its effectiveness in addingto the social welfare. The money which would no longer be spent onenforcement of laws against marijuana and related crime and violence wouldthen be available for treatment of addiction and for educational and publicrelations programs designed to keep the youth of the nation from startingthe use of drugs in the first place. Such legalization would at least begin theprocess of putting the "big" criminals out of business and saving "little"criminals (users of marijuana) from prison time and the stigma thatfollows. . He compares modern corruption of police withcorruption in the days of Al Capone: Prohibition-era corruption . He argues that one of the most destructive effects of theillegality of drugs and the war on drugs is the corruption of lawenforcement officials. sheriffs, other policemen, and now judges are being bought up by the gross (Carter 9). Who is more qualified to determine the laws, the majorityof voters or a conservative minority? Carter writes that the illegality of marijuana creates an incentiveto participate in selling the drug trade because of the money involved.Cocaine is the biggest profit-making drug for criminals, but far moreAmericans use marijuana than cocaine, and therefore marijuana is the drugwhich makes more Americans criminals. The initiative process is a legal way for citizens to pass laws whichthe government refuses to pass or consider, and the efforts of the federalgovernment to undo the wishes of the people as expressed in the pro-marijuana initiatives is contrary to the social welfare. It is time to see how legalization ofmarijuana will effect these problems. . The legalization of marijuana could be the logical point to start aprogram to legalize all drugs, as Carter advocates. The basis of the opposition is that these initiatives are sendinga dangerous message to the youth of the country. Carter himself addresses the major concern of the anti-legalizationforces, namely, the lingering and legitimate fear that legalization might produce a surge in use. There is no doubtabout the monumental social costs of such corruption, based on the hugeamounts of money involved in the sale of marijuana and other illegal drugs.Whatever one's objections to the legalization of drugs and the end of thewar on drugs, it is undeniable that such a radical change in policy withrespect to marijuana would at least begin to reduce this corruption ofpublic officials and agencies. "U.S. Another effective argument from Carter for the legalization of drugsfocuses on the relative damage done to society overall by marijuanacompared to the damage done by the legal drugs of alcohol and tobacco(Carter 1 ). The costs of legalization in terms of a possible temporary rise inuse are nowhere near as bad as the costs of the continuation of currentpolicy. Taxes of such sales would contribute tothe social welfare, including rehabilitation and recovery programs forusers who wish to stop that use of marijuana and other drugs. Society as a wholewould be able to judge the effects of legalizing marijuana beforeconsidering other drugs. This study will consider the pros and cons of legalizing marijuanafrom a sociological perspective, concluding that the drug should belegalized. "We're Losing the Drug War Because Prohibition Never Works." Wall Street Journal. Drug Czar Calls State Marijuana Measure 'Tragedy.'"Los Angeles Times. Current legal and social policy isineffective in stopping marijuana use and has an aggravating sociologicaleffect, leading to disrespect for the law and the criminal stigmatizing ofotherwise law-abiding individuals. Decriminalization of the use of marijuana shouldbe extended to legalization, which would include the regulation of theproduction and sales of marijuana. Fiore presents Barry R. . He favors legalization of all drugs, which is beyond the scopeof this study, but a number of his points focus on the social significanceof legalization. Works CitedCarter, Hodding, III. July 13, 1989. The study will consider two sources, an essay by formerPresidential advisor Hodding Carter II arguing for legalization, and anarticle by Faye Fiore on a critical view of legalization of marijuana formedicinal purposes only. From Brooklyn police precincts to Miami's police stations to rural Georgia courthouses, . The opposition argues thatat a time when the youth are threatened by drugs, legalizing marijuana evenfor medical purposes will undermine all efforts against teen drug use.Those who favor the initiatives argue that the initiatives would simplyallow those who have certain ailments to have their pain eased by themedicinal effects of marijuana. It probably would, although not nearly as dramatic a one as opponents usually estimate (Carter 1 ).However, marijuana use has not substantially increased despite the factthat marijuana is relatively accessible to the average citizen, and despitethe fact that in many areas of the nation the drug has been decriminalizedfor years. States in which decriminalization has taken place have not seen thesocial chaos predicted by conservatives. . Would such arrests be in the interest in society as awhole, arresting doctors who are using a substance which does not harmpatients or have side effects (except the munchies) but relieves theirpain? This argument (that the youth will be encouraged by medicinallegalization to smoke marijuana) may have some validity, but it ignores thefact that the two initiatives were passed by a majority of the voters inthe two states. Since the courts and jails are already swamped beyond capacity by the arrests that are routinely made, and since those arrests barely skim the top of the pond, arguing that stricter enforcement is the answer begs a larger question: Who is going to pay the billions of dollars required [for such an expanded law enforcement effort? Worse, drug money "is also buying up banks, legitimate businessesand, to the south of us, entire governments" (Carter 9). A21.----------------------- 7 The argument is also made by anti-legalization forces that marijuanais a gateway drug, leading to harder drug use, but the statistics tosupport such a view are inconclusive at best. was penny ante stuff compared with what is happening in the United States today. McCaffrey's negative response to the passageof two state measures allowing the limited use of marijuana for medicalpurposes. Carter presents a compelling and well-reasoned argument that the "waron drugs" is a failure and should be replaced with a policy which legalizesmarijuana. 9-11.Fiore, Faye. If this paper is not what you are looking for, you can search again: Search for: or Click here to request an essay written just for you.