The Pros and Cons of Legalizing of Marijuana in the United States
[All this week, GS is covering stories on Marijuana - its traditional uses, basic biology, criminalization, neurological effects and more. This is our final installment of Marijuana Special Topic Week.] Legalization of Marijuana has been a hot topic in this nation since it was outlawed in 1937. In the decades since Congress banned the use and possession of Marijuana, cries for legalization have grown louder. With advances in medical science and technology, both sides of the aisle have crafted compelling arguments for and against legalizing this curious crop.
Advocates against legalization have compiled an intriguing list of reasons why legalizing Marijuana would ultimately be more damaging to American society than retaining the system we have in place now.
The most pressing concern voiced by anti-legalization supporters is the belief that Marijuana is a gateway drug into harder substances like cocaine and heroin. Unfortunately, researchers have not been able to shed much light on this debate and it is still a hotly contested subject among scientists. Some studies have found that heavy Marijuana usage does have a correlation with usage of other drugs, such as cocaine and alcohol. However, other studies show that the ‘Marijuana gateway effect’ theory lacks hard evidence and any association observed between Marijuana and other substances is purely circumstantial and speculative.
Another important consideration brought up by those who oppose legalization is the fear that, should Marijuana become legal, we would experience a greater incidence of people driving while under the influence of THC. Like ethanol, Marijuana’s active ingredient, THC (tetrahydrocannibinol), is a central nervous system depressant that slows reaction time and effects sensory systems. Were an individual to drive while under the influence of Marijuana, the consequences could be equally as devastating as driving under the influence of alcohol.
Some individuals also feel that legalization of Marijuana poses a significant safety risk to the American public. Because of incarceration and arrest for prior drug offenses, those who have committed drug-related felonies or may be inclined commit drug-related felonies can be detained and kept off the streets.
Chronic Marijuana use has been shown to have negative side effects in humans, such as neuron degradation, which ultimately contributes to loss of brain mass over time and a reduction in cognitive abilities, as well as the cardio-pulmonary issues associated with smoking any organic substance. These harmful effects are another significant reason cited by those who oppose legalization. (For more information on the effects of Marijuana use on the brain see the article for Monday, April 20.)
Other fears include: an increased chance that Marijuana could fall into the hands of children if it were readily available, and the feeling that Marijuana use is morally corrupt.
Individuals and groups that do advocate legalization also have their share of opinions about why drug laws concerning Marijuana are in need of reform.
One of the most widely known arguments for legalization is the fact that the effects of Marijuana on the human body are not nearly as harmful as the effects of tobacco and alcohol. Marijuana has yet to be conclusively linked with any specific disease, where as, it is well known that smoking cigarettes causes any number of pulmonary disorders including emphysema, lung cancer, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD), as well as esophageal cancer. Alcohol, too, can be associated with a variety of diseases, most commonly liver cancer and hepatic cirrhosis, as well as gastrointestinal disease and cognitive defects.
The other well-known and well-documented reason cited by legalization advocates is the potential impact the medicinal uses of Marijuana could have. Marijuana has been shown to reduce pain in those suffering from terminal illnesses like cancer, multiple sclerosis and AIDS. Over the last decade, some measures have been taken to legalize Marijuana for medicinal purposes in 13 states in the US, including, Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawai’i, Maine, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington. (For more on the medicinal effects of Marijuana and mitigation of legalization see the article coming up on Friday, April 24.)
Many also believe incidence of drug-related crime rates would fall if Marijuana were legal. Were Marijuana possession and use removed from statutory laws and sentencing, law enforcement officers and court room officials would have significantly reduced case loads, thereby allowing them to focus on more serious, violent crimes. This would also lead to a decrease in the prison population, which already suffers enormously from overcrowding, and keep young and first-time offenders out of a flawed justice system that has the enormous potential for doing more harm than good. Some also theorize that legalization would put many drug dealers out of business, effectively reducing Marijuana-related crimes.
Some economists and policy-makers also argue that legalizing and taxing Marijuana could lead to another source of revenue. Like cigarettes and alcohol, legally sold Marijuana would be subject to taxation, which could potentially benefit the US economy.
Some advocates also argue that Marijuana could be made safe if institutions like the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulated the quality and sales of the Marijuana available for purchase. While others argue that regulation of drug use is a violation of personal freedom.
It is certainly true that each of the arguments listed here has an equally valid counterargument, however that could go on for pages. Here, I present you only with the short-list of pros and cons for legalization and I encourage you to take all these facts into consideration in making judgments about legalizing Marijuana. First and foremost, legalization is an immensely complex issue. However, studying Marijuana from a scientific perspective gives us some of the data we require for making informed decisions regarding the health, public safety and policy-change issues that are we are presented with in considering Marijuana legalization.
Discussion Question: With all of this in mind, what are your opinions on Marijuana legalization? What are your aggravating and mitigating circumstances?
Resources (news):
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/02/25/opinion/courtwatch/main4828659.shtml
http://www.scienceblog.com/cms/study-say-marijuana-no-gateway-drug-12116.html?page=2
http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org/viewresource.asp?resourceID=000881
Resources (Scientific articles):
Morral, AR, et al (2002). Reassessing the marijuana gateway effect. Addiction. 97(12):1493-1504.