Legalizing Marijuana Research Paper
Legalization of Marijuana in the U.S.: An Economic, Medical, and Social Solution
Malak Mahmoud Dow
The American University of Sharjah
Dr. Victoria Amador
May 23, 2013
Abstract The question of legalizing marijuana has been an enduring debate in the United States, and there has been no conclusion. Currently, the United States federal law places marijuana as an illicit drug, but this was not the case formerly. The prohibition of marijuana relies on many misconceptions that are promoted by the antagonists of marijuana legalization. While advocates of marijuana legalization appear to agree that prohibition is not effective, as it does not decrease the drug’s use, and that it has done more harm than good, proponents …show more content…
On the one hand, some states, such as Texas and Florida, recognize marijuana as illegal and subject to penalty, such as a jail sentence. On the other hand, several states, such as Arizona and Michigan, have legalized medicinal marijuana. In addition, only two states, namely Colorado and Washington, have approved marijuana as a recreational drug. In 2010, the state of California initiated a referendum referred to as Proposition 19, also known as the Regulate, Control & Tax Cannabis Act, and the results were 46% in favor of legalizing recreational marijuana as opposed to 54% against its legalization (Tree, 2011, p. 10).
The direction that future marijuana drug law will take is still uncertain. There is no solid ground regarding how it should be legalized, because legalizing marijuana is a multi-stage process. Does legalizing marijuana mean sanctioning its production, its sale or its …show more content…
878-882) (2nd ed.) (Vol. 2). New York: Macmillan Reference USA.
Caulkins, J. P., & Hawken, A. (2012). Marijuana Legalization: What Everyone Needs to
Know. New York: Oxford University Press.
Duke, S. B. (2013). The Future of Marijuana in the United States. Oregon Law Review, 91(2),
1301-1318. Retrieved from: http://law.uoregon.edu/org/olr/volumes/91/2/documents/Duke.pdf
Dutta, R. (Executive producer). (2001, June 1). Cannabis: What’s the harm? [Television broadcast]. UK: BBC Broadcasting service. Retrieved from http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00y37cn
Grinspoon, L. (2010). Whither medical marijuana. Georgetown Journal of International Affairs, 11(2), 75-82. Retrieved from ProQuest database.
King, R. (2001). Anslinger, Harry Jacob, and U.S. drug policy. In R. Caison-DeWitt
(Ed.), Encyclopedia of Drugs, Alcohol, and Addictive Behavior (pp. 130-134 ) (2nd ed.) (Vol. 2). New York: Macmillan Reference USA.
McWilliams, J. C. (1989). Unsung partner against crime: Harry J. Anslinger and the
Federal Bureau of Narcotics, 1930-1962. The Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography, 113(2), 207-236.
Miron, J. A. (2010). The Budgetary Implications of Drug Prohibition. (pp.
Malak Mahmoud Dow
The American University of Sharjah
Dr. Victoria Amador
May 23, 2013
Abstract The question of legalizing marijuana has been an enduring debate in the United States, and there has been no conclusion. Currently, the United States federal law places marijuana as an illicit drug, but this was not the case formerly. The prohibition of marijuana relies on many misconceptions that are promoted by the antagonists of marijuana legalization. While advocates of marijuana legalization appear to agree that prohibition is not effective, as it does not decrease the drug’s use, and that it has done more harm than good, proponents …show more content…
On the one hand, some states, such as Texas and Florida, recognize marijuana as illegal and subject to penalty, such as a jail sentence. On the other hand, several states, such as Arizona and Michigan, have legalized medicinal marijuana. In addition, only two states, namely Colorado and Washington, have approved marijuana as a recreational drug. In 2010, the state of California initiated a referendum referred to as Proposition 19, also known as the Regulate, Control & Tax Cannabis Act, and the results were 46% in favor of legalizing recreational marijuana as opposed to 54% against its legalization (Tree, 2011, p. 10).
The direction that future marijuana drug law will take is still uncertain. There is no solid ground regarding how it should be legalized, because legalizing marijuana is a multi-stage process. Does legalizing marijuana mean sanctioning its production, its sale or its …show more content…
878-882) (2nd ed.) (Vol. 2). New York: Macmillan Reference USA.
Caulkins, J. P., & Hawken, A. (2012). Marijuana Legalization: What Everyone Needs to
Know. New York: Oxford University Press.
Duke, S. B. (2013). The Future of Marijuana in the United States. Oregon Law Review, 91(2),
1301-1318. Retrieved from: http://law.uoregon.edu/org/olr/volumes/91/2/documents/Duke.pdf
Dutta, R. (Executive producer). (2001, June 1). Cannabis: What’s the harm? [Television broadcast]. UK: BBC Broadcasting service. Retrieved from http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00y37cn
Grinspoon, L. (2010). Whither medical marijuana. Georgetown Journal of International Affairs, 11(2), 75-82. Retrieved from ProQuest database.
King, R. (2001). Anslinger, Harry Jacob, and U.S. drug policy. In R. Caison-DeWitt
(Ed.), Encyclopedia of Drugs, Alcohol, and Addictive Behavior (pp. 130-134 ) (2nd ed.) (Vol. 2). New York: Macmillan Reference USA.
McWilliams, J. C. (1989). Unsung partner against crime: Harry J. Anslinger and the
Federal Bureau of Narcotics, 1930-1962. The Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography, 113(2), 207-236.
Miron, J. A. (2010). The Budgetary Implications of Drug Prohibition. (pp.