End the war on marijuana through controlled legalization of marijuana use and possession!

The end to marijuana prohibition requires the rescheduling of marijuana from a schedule I to a non-scheduled drug. Examples of non-scheduled drugs are alcohol, nicotine, caffeine, and ibuprofen. Once federally decriminalized by the US government, all states could vote whether or not to legalize it. (Brown).

The liquor system could be used as a model for how marijuana would be sold and taxed. Marijuana would only be sold in state approved stores. Consumers would pay a federal and state excise tax, as well as a sales tax on their marijuana purchase. There could also be an option of having marijuana bars similar to alcohol bars. By legalizing marijuana the government would save the money spent on fighting the war on marijuana. “Adding up all the numbers, the federal government would have additional revenues of $6 billion a year and the states an additional $17 billion for a combined total of $23 billion a year” (Brown).

Marijuana and the Prison Situation

According to the Bureau of Justice Statistic, BJS, since 2006 the number of arrests involving marijuana exceeded that of any other illegal drug. In total marijuana inmates populate 14% of all state and federal drug prisoners. This is at an annual cost of 1.2 billion to all United States taxpayers. (Thomas). “The new FBI statistics indicate that a marijuana smoker is arrested every 45 seconds in America.” There are more arrests on marijuana offenses than any other violent crimes combined including assault, murder, rape, and robbery (Stevens). There is an overcrowding problem in both state and federal prisons. The BJS reports that most facilities are operating at more than 100% capacity (Marwah). Marijuana is a Medicine.
IOM is a private, non-profit organization that was commissioned by the White House Office of National Drug Policy to perform a “comprehensive review” of marijuana’s medicinal property (Drug). According to the IOM report “scientific data indicate the potential therapeutic value of cannaboid drugs for pain relief, control of nausea and vomiting, and appetite stimulation. The adverse effects of marijuana use are within the range of effects tolerated for other medications” (Drug). The only adverse effects of marijuana are caused from smoking the plant. If an individual vaporizes or ingests the herb, these adverse effects are nonexistent. Perhaps, if legalized marijuana could be made into a marketable pharmaceutical tincture for controlled sale. I personally feel using marijuana in its natural plant state is the most effective method of use.

Marijuana prohibition leads to a criminal lifestyle.

Social categorization is “the classification of people into groups based on their common attributes”(social). Environmental psychology examines the interrelationship between environments and human behavior (DeYoung). By imprisoning an individual who uses a medicinal herb, America is labeling a marijuana user as a criminal. During my life as a musician I have witnessed first hand how one’s environment influences present and future behavior. I was imprisoned for a short time. In prison I realized one must conform to a criminal mind set or feel the violent repercussions of fellow inmates. By imprisoning an individual for marijuana use/possession, I feel society is needlessly putting that individual in a demoralizing environment– prison. Instead, I feel marijuana should be legalized and controlled. If America directed more of their fighting energy and resources toward catching the true criminals, perhaps the war on drugs and crime would succeed. The war on drugs should not be a war on marijuana. Marijuana became illegal in 1937; the war on marijuana and individuals who use it needs to end (Yurchey).

Sources Cited

*Brown, Maureen (attorney). “Legalize, Tax Marijuana to Fill Budget Gap.” Seattle post-Intelligeneer. 14 Aug. 2003. 5 Feb. 2006
*De Young, R. “Environmental Psychology.” DE Alexander and R. W. Fairbridge. 1993. 2005
*”Drug Czar Proven Wrong: Marijuana’s Medical Benefits Supported by Scientific Evidence.” MPP. 17 March 1999. 6 Feb. 2006
*Marwah, Stephen. “Report Warns U.S. Prisons Overcrowded.” Prison Policy Initiative. 15 April 2002. 6 Feb. 2006
*Stevens, Amanda L. “Common Sense-Legalizing Marijuana Allows Police to Focus on Violent Crimes.” The raw story. Unknown. 6 Feb. 2006
*Thomas, Chuck. “Marijuana Arrests and Incarceration in the United States.” The FAS Drug Policy Analysis Bulletin, issue7. June 1999. 6 Feb. 2006
* Yurchey, Doug. “The Marijuana Conspiracy.” Paranormalnews. 12 May 2005. 6 Feb. 2006.