Preview

Utilitarianism Essay On Legalizing Marijuana

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
523 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Utilitarianism Essay On Legalizing Marijuana
Utilitarianism argues that, given a set of choices, the act we should choose is that which produces the best results for the greatest number affected by that choice. Jeremy Bentham’s, an English utilitarian, went off by saying that actions should be pursued if they promote the greatest amount of happiness. Thus, happiness is identified with pleasure and the absence of pain. Marijuana has been an uprising issue in today’s generation causing a growing debate on whether or not it should be legalized nationwide. While considering all negative and positive aspects of legalizing it, marijuana’s pros heavily outweigh its cons. For instance, the biggest argument towards the legalization of marijuana is the medicinal use of it. Many people are …show more content…
Colorado is one of the few states that have already legalized marijuana not only for medical purposes, but recreational as well. Since this legalization, Colorado has had a boost in the economy. In only one month, they sold thirty-four million dollars in marijuana. From that, 3.4 million dollars was donated to school and the crime rate went down by fifteen percent. Analysts now are now claiming that taxing marijuana could potentially raise extras of millions of dollars yearly. This is benefiting the city in more ways than they had expected. With all the extra money, they are also able to fund projects, such as repairing roads and constructing new parks. Police officers also have more time and were able to get money donated to them to go after criminals’ committing other, more violent crimes. The legalization of marijuana in Colorado has brought in so many opportunities within such short time. Considering this, if marijuana was legalized everywhere, the opportunities and benefits would be endless. The outcome of universally legalizing marijuana would have a greater potential to make many lives better and strengthen many economies. The pros outweigh the cons overall. If marijuana was legalized, it would be produce the best result for the greatest number affected by the choice. While yes, many will disagree with this proposal, many more will agree, therefore, bringing more pleasure than

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Powerful Essays

    Immigration Outline Research

    • 2804 Words
    • 12 Pages

    Throughout this paper, there will be the highly debatable discussion between legalizing medical marijuana and regular marijuana. Both sides of the argument have their pros and cons and there is an in depth description of both sides of the argument. At the end of the day though, the paper thoroughly supports the legalization of medical marijuana and marijuana in general. Medical marijuana less harmful than most other legal tobacco products and has the ability to reduce the pain within ailing people. Cannabis also can be a curable and more natural drug to help people in pain. Marijuana also has the potential to raise the U.S. out of their tough economic struggle as well as lower crime rate and create more jobs for many more people. On the other hand researchers believe that medical marijuana is still bad for people’s health and the government does not know how to regulate the production and sell of marijuana. Both sides have valid arguments, but the pros outweigh the cons by a significant amount. This paper has opinions of lots of credible sources, doctors and researchers explaining their side of the story. But read on to create your own personal opinion.…

    • 2804 Words
    • 12 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Also legalizing marijuana would limit the overpopulation of prisons and make room for the real criminals. There are many people who are imprisoned just for a small amount of marijuana possession. Drug traffickers should still be held in prison but not the ones who were just using. And Seattle for instance legalized weed and know they have free lunches in public schools for 5 years. This helps with the children who can't afford school lunch and may not have food at home to bring to school. Imagine what legalizing recreational marijuana can do for our economy in 15 years from…

    • 561 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    English 121

    • 1945 Words
    • 8 Pages

    Introduction: In today’s society, there are many views on the legal status of marijuana. Some people are supporters, others are opposed and there are those who have a neutral view on the issue of marijuana decriminalization and legalization. The following contains a wide range of views, with us living in the United States; we have the right to freedom of speech to express our views and site facts on controversial issues.…

    • 1945 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Marijuana is one of the most controversial topics in the U.S today. Many associate the substance with some of the most highly addictive and dangerous drugs used in our society. While others claim marijuana to be the safest substance to use to date. One of the biggest debatable topics amongst marijuana use is the legalization of the substance medically. Many people believe marijuana should be accessible to those with terminally ill diseases. While others believe the drug should be illegal at all cost. Medical marijuana presents many negative issues in our society emotionally, medically and socially. Due to the negative effects from the substance, the use of marijuana should remain illegal in the United States.…

    • 1079 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Legalizing marijuana for medicinal purposes has been an extremely controversial topic, one that has it supporters who have long fought the opposition. Although marijuana has been used for thousand of years to provide relief from many health problems, it still remains an illegal drug in the United States. There are many doctors who support the effectiveness of the use of marijuana as treatment for many medical conditions. People who oppose the legalization of marijuana for medicinal purposes would claim that legalizing the drug would lead to abuse of the drug for recreational use. This is important claim for the opposition. However, after looking at all the information that has been gathered…

    • 1121 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    We the people in the US try to use reason and logic to determine our laws. as a consequence of this intellectual process, we develop graded scales for punishment and degrees of illegality. The more dangerous an activity the more illegal and higher punishment, lesser activities are either not illegal or endorsed. Marijuana illegality defies this rational thinking in that it is less detrimental than alcohol and cigarettes and yet is treated far worse. Most pharmaceutical drugs can kill if used improperly, like alcohol and tobacco. In the following essay, I will explain how medically prescribed marijuana has a beneficial effect on patients who suffer from certain diseases, both by treating disease symptoms and…

    • 1003 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Legalization of Marijuana

    • 1557 Words
    • 7 Pages

    The topic of legalizing marijuana has been a topic of controversy for quite some time now not only throughout our local streets, but throughout the local and into the state government. The legalization of marijuana is such a controversial topic because some are for it and some are against it. People are for the legalization because of the great uses it has towards medicine, the money that could come from the taxation of legalized marijuana, and the emptying of prisons because of the releases of marijuana offenses. The list could go on and on. Other people are against the legalization because it is considered a “gateway drug”, or because the legalization of marijuana would eventually lead to the legalization of harder drugs such as heroine or cocaine. Despite the negative comments about the drug, marijuana should be legalized because it would give the U.S. a huge amount of money from the taxation and regulation of the drug, its uses would greatly impact our health throughout the medical field and throughout our own well being, and would help our fight with the war on drugs and our overcrowded prisons.…

    • 1557 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Legalization of Marijuana

    • 3597 Words
    • 15 Pages

    Proponents for the legalization of marijuana offer several valid reasons to support their positions. The most common reason is that marijuana is proven to be no more harmful to a person’s body then legal drugs, alcohol and tobacco. They believe that the marijuana only affects the mind for a short term and the long-term effects are only minor. Lawyers Adam Ford and Andrew Walter concur, “ Arguments against legalizing marijuana can usually be applied with equal validity to legal substances such as alcohol and tobacco: alcohol and tobacco can be addictive, can lead to financial or social problems when used in excess, and can lead to serious health problems” (1). These two well recognized attorneys agree that marijuana should be treated the same as tobacco and alcohol because most of the reasons opponents give to not legalize marijuana all fall under bad aspects of those…

    • 3597 Words
    • 15 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Better Essays

    Medical Marijuana

    • 1773 Words
    • 8 Pages

    Marijuana is a very prominent and controversial issue in society today. Although many slanderous claims have been made about cannabis in recent history, the truths are slowly starting to resurface. Unfortunately, these truths are under heavy criticism due to the stereotypical view of what people view as the typical “pot smoker.” This skewed perception of a lazy and unmotivated American is the result of over seventy years of propaganda and misinformation spread by private interests who relied on illegal cannabis illegal from their own personal gains. As a marijuana consumer and a current medical marijuana patient, I strongly believe that marijuana should be legalized for all users. Currently in the United States today, marijuana is prohibited by federal law and has been a topic of controversial debate since the start of the prohibition. There are several, important reasons for the legalization of marijuana, including research concerning these issues are beneficial in understanding both sides of the debate. The result of abolishing our country’s marijuana prohibition by supporting legalization will stimulate the economy, to show the medical properties, and lower the crime rate.…

    • 1773 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Better Essays

    Marijuana, also known as cannabis, is a plant that can be ingested or smoked. This plant, or rather botanical, is illegal in most of the country with the exception of some states giving physicians authority to recommend the use to their patients. The purpose of this essay is to examine both the benefits and the risks of legalizing marijuana. Marijuana has many medicinal properties that have been proven to be therapeutically effective for various conditions. However, this drug also has carcinogenic properties and dangerous short- and long-term effects on the body. Although advocates may argue that the legalization of marijuana has many potential benefits, such as it would lessen our national debt and benefit our overall economic system, opponents may beg to differ. In this essay, the debate over the legalization of marijuana continues, with arguments over the therapeutic benefits versus the dangerous adverse effects of marijuana, the influence marijuana has on individuals, and whether or not the legalization of this drug could benefit our economy.…

    • 5889 Words
    • 24 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    The argument of legalizing marijuana in the United States has been an ongoing situation for many years. Since the use of marijuana is becoming legal in certain states, the argument has continued to rise. The debate is both for medicinal and recreational use. Medicinal use is supported much more then recreational use. Like any other argument, there are many pros and cons. A total of five uses of marijuana have been discovered. These uses include, hempen fibers, oil from the seeds, the seeds for food, a medicine, and for its narcotic properties (Marijuana Today). The two most popular uses, whether legal or not, are medicine and for its narcotic properties.…

    • 1506 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    First, if marijuana is legalized the war on drugs will have a total different focus because it will not consist on focusing on marijuana rather than focus on drugs like cocaine and heroin. Around fourty four percent of drug possession arrests are marijuana related and adding to that the arrests of marijuana sales and cultivation, which accounts for six percent, it adds up to fifty percent of total drug related arrests. Second, legalizing marijuana will give birth to a new industry, which where it has been legalized it has become among the top revenue industries. Third, the taxation of the product could represent a source of income for states and can be used to educate the youth on marijuana policy, their uses and effects. Last and not least important, would be the reduction of incarceration and criminal records made for people arrested on marijuana related…

    • 1723 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Marijuana has multiple benefits that can be observed so far that could be used to help better society. To begin did you know that in the year 2014 there were nearly 1 million people arrested for possession of marijuana alone (Drug Policy Alliance)? We have also seen lowering crime rate trends with the legalization of marijuana in Colorado(New schools, less crime). Marijuana also has the ability to replace several over the counter prescription medication (Stonercookbook). Marijuana so far is also a valid taxable good that we could take advantage of to boost our economy greatly(P.,& Aleem, Z). If marijuana was legalized we would hopefully start to see lowering crime rates on a federal level, more money in our economy and the use of an alternative medication.…

    • 811 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Some of it for a medical reason which is fair I think. But I still do not understand the point of legalizing it just for people to smoke it regularly knowing that it could lower their chances of getting a job in the future. In the video, there were two guys trying to open their own business which was to start selling marijuana. There were other people who grow it also and make a living out of selling marijuana. I think this is so bad for society because it will lead people to start doing it illegally not only in the state of Colorado, but throughout the nation. I do not agree for the legalization because it prevent society from performing up to their best ability. I think the negative affect of Marijuana in society motivates other states from legalizing it. Sadly, I do believe that one day it will be legalize throughout the whole nation. More people are going to turn to a stoner and unfortunaly, more people are going to suffer from disease like cancer or lose their brain…

    • 364 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    One of the greatest reasons to consider legalization of marijuana would be due to the immense medicinal benefits that marijuana provides. Medicinal marijuana is beneficial in the treatment and prevention of many different illnesses including, but not limited to, cancer, Tourette’s, OCD, Multiple Sclerosis, Seizures, Migraines, Glaucoma, ADD/ADHD, Crohn’s, and Alzheimer’s. If marijuana were legalized and regulated, people suffering from any of these illnesses would have an alternative to current medications with horrible side effects. It could also be something that is…

    • 2534 Words
    • 11 Pages
    Powerful Essays