Marijuana Legalizing It! - 2425 Words

Garret Jones Miss Griffith 5/10/12 Research paper Legalizing it! Marijuana has been vilified in America over the past 70+ years. Despite its many practical uses, medicinal and industrial, our Federal government insists on maintaining the status quo that the growth, possession and use of marijuana is criminal despite the evidence that the legalization of marijuana would have a positive influence on America. In this paper I will discuss the history of marijuana, the industrial uses of hemp, the prohibition of marijuana, the economic impact prohibition has on America, the effects of marijuana use on the mind and the body, marijuana for medical use, and how legalization of marijuana would have a positive influence on America. Although†¦show more content†¦hemp-products industry does about $125 million in retail sales a year. Although most states had local laws prohibiting marijuana use and possession, it wasn’t until 1937 that the federal government passed the 1937 Marihuana Tax Act. Interestingly, the congressional hearings on marijuana prohibition lasted all of two hours in direct contrast to most congressional hearings on new laws which last for days and days. There were exactly three bodies of testimonies testifying at these hearings. The first was Commissioner Harry Anslinger, the newly named commissioner of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics who happened to be appointed by his uncle-in-law, Andrew Mellon, who was the Secretary of the United States Treasury. Commissioner Anslinger testified on the government’s behalf. Not surprisingly he was working from a text which he had not written himself but which had been written for him by a New Orleans District Attorney. Reading directly from this text Commissioner Anslinger told the Congressmen at the hearings, Marihuana is an addictive drug whi ch produces in its user’s insanity, criminality, andShow MoreRelatedlegalizing marijuana1044 Words   |  5 PagesLegalization of Marijuana Cannabis sativa or marijuana, is most known for its euphoric psychological effects when consumed. Many Canadians take part in the use of marijuana which has been illegal in Canada since the early 1900s. The topic of marijuana legalization in Canada has been a highly controversial topic over the last century. It has been discussed recently in the news due to Washington and Colorado both voting to legalize marijuana in November of 2012. The Liberal and Conservative partiesRead MoreLegalizing Marijuana1422 Words   |  6 PagesCannabis Sativa, more commonly known as Marijuana, is made up of dried parts of the Cannabis hemp plant and is the most commonly used illegal drug in the United States. For centuries, people all over the world have been using marijuana to achieve â€Å"euphoria†, but the drug has remained illegal in the United States despite countless efforts to reverse the law. In the last few years, the legalization of Marijuana became both a prominent and controversial issue in our country and remains an extremelyRead MoreLegalizing Marijuana1592 Words   |  7 Pagesdisobey unjust laws. Martin Luther King Jr. Many people ask â€Å"why should marijuana be legalized†? when the real question that we should be asking is â€Å"why shouldn’t marijuana be legalized†?. Marijuana also known as hemp is a naturally grown plant that has been around for decades dating back to around 2697 B.C., when the Egyptians would use it to cure many common ailments, and the Chinese would use it for therapeutics. Using marijuana not only to cure common illnesses but for your pleasure as well shouldRead MoreLegalizing Marijuana2105 Words   |  9 PagesEffect if Legalizing Marijuana Miesha White Western International University Introduction to Ethics and Social Responsibility GSG1345G Nikolas Larrow-Roberts December 9, 2013 Cause and Effect if Legalizing Marijuana In this paper, there will be the highly debatable discussion between legalizing medical marijuana and regular marijuana, as well as the cause and effect it may cause.   Both sides of the argument have their pros and cons, however the question still remains, should marijuana be legalizedRead MoreLegalizing marijuana1092 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿Legalizing Marijuana The issue of legalizing marijuana, also known as Cannabis Sativa, has been controversial for a long time, and has become even more so in recent years. Cannabis Sativa is a plant that has been used for a variety of purposes by many cultures for thousands of years. Not only does the Cannabis Sativa plant produce Marijuana, it also produces Hemp. Hemp was used to make food, clothes, shoes, ropes and paper, making it a very useful cash crop. Legal up until 1937, Marijuana wasRead MoreLegalizing Marijuana4050 Words   |  17 PagesLegalizing Marijuana Abraham Lincoln once stated that, Prohibition goes beyond the bounds of reason in that it attempts to control a man s appetite by legislation and makes a crime out of things that are not crimesÂ… A prohibition law strikes a blow at the very principles upon which our government was founded. In today s society, this statement still applies in reference to the illegal use of marijuana. Marijuana prohibition causes far more harm than marij uana itself. Keeping marijuana illegalRead MoreLegalizing Marijuana2983 Words   |  12 PagesDecember 3, 2012 The topic of marijuana has been a big topic for the past few years. The United States considers marijuana as a drug, in some other countries they say it is a natural herb that is grown from the ground. The issue at hand is â€Å"should marijuana be legalized?† the congress of the US stay in a constant debate on this subject. Why is the subject of marijuana such in high demand, if the US already considers it a drug? There are many facts that need to be looked at before a finalRead More Legalizing Marijuana Essay796 Words   |  4 PagesLegalizing Marijuana Drugs are a major influential force in our country today. The problem has gotten so out of hand that many options are being considered to control it or even solve it. Ending the drug war seems to be a bit impossible. The war on drugs seems to be accomplishing a lot but this is not true. Different options need to be considered. Legalization is an option that hasnt gotten a chance but should be given one. Although many people feel that legalizing marijuana would increaseRead MoreThe Importance of Legalizing Marijuana701 Words   |  3 Pageswas it considered bad to smoke. Many do it but are condemned to certain parameters. Cigarettes as well as cigars, but lets not leave the ones who smoke marijuana. When was it decided that smoking tobacco is okay when composed of multiple chemicals and the plant, but something that is mostly grown naturally is bad. Controversy over whether marijuana should be legalized has been a hot topic issue since decades ago but not many want to deal with it si nce many see it as a too taboo of a topic. It is arguableRead MoreLegalizing Marijuana in America978 Words   |  4 PagesLegalizing marijuana in America Illegal drug use is a huge part of American culture and one the most controversial of those drugs is marijuana; its technical name is Cannabis Sativa. But whether you call it cannabis, marijuana, pot, reefer, weed, bud, herb, Mary Jane, hemp, grass or wacky tabacci, it is still illegal in the United States. Actually, all over the world the deliberation rages about the harm or benefits that marijuana has to offer. Attempts to legalize it in the United States