Marijuana Legalization Essay - 1982 Words

The legalization of marijuana in the United States is a long and historically debated subject. Pro-legalization advocates provide many reasons for the decriminalization of marijuana; some of the reasons include, zero recorded deaths from direct use, wasting tax-payer money prosecuting non-violent offenders, and prohibition promotes organized crime. Anti-legalization organizers condemn legalization due to marijuana being considered a gateway drug, moral and religious opposition, legalization could lead to harder drugs being legalized, and the fear that legalization would enable the drug to be more accessible to children. There are many positive and negative aspects of legalization, but personally I am in favor of legalization and†¦show more content†¦The beginning of prohibition of marijuana in the United States was marked by the Marihuana Tax Act of 1937; the act was drafted by Harry Anslinger, Commissioner of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics (FBN). Anslinger was the cata lysts to â€Å"reefer madness†, the fear that marijuana can kill and make ordinary people go insane; he was repeatedly criticized for his harshness towards marijuana, â€Å"critics allege that Anslinger and the campaign against marijuana had an hidden agenda, DuPont petrochemical interests and William Randolph Hearst together created the highly sensational anti-marijuana campaign to eliminate hemp as an industrial competitor.† (Wikipedia) This misinformation spread like wildfire in the United States and still has roots in many Americans, as they pass this information down to newer generations. The criminalization of marijuana began with the Boggs Act of 1952, and was reinforced by the Narcotics Control Act or 1956. Mandatory sentencing began with these laws; â€Å"first-offense marijuana possession carried a minimum sentence of 2-10 years with a fine of up to $20,000.† (PBS) However, in 1970 Congress repealed mandatory sentencing for marijuana offences. Und er the Nixon administration in 1972, the Shafer Commission was appointed to consider laws regarding marijuana and determinedShow MoreRelatedThe Risk Of Legalization Of Marijuana Essay722 Words   |  3 PagesThe risk of Legalization of Marijuana Marijuana, as we know, is a kind of drug. According to Thompson (2015), marijuana is not only one kind of drug, but also can be used as a medicinal material. The reason it can be a medicinal substance is that marijuana has a curative affect of relieving pain. Despite different states having a variety of regulations about the usage of marijuana, there is always one rule that is unified, which is the medicinal usage of marijuana must be approved by the FDA—theRead MoreLegalizing The Legalization Of Marijuana1012 Words   |  5 Pagesdiscourage is a way to fix the problem. Evident by Colorado and Washington, â€Å"the legalization of marijuana can stop most of these possession arrests† (Levine). 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