Legalization of Marijuana in America.

Legalization of Marijuana in America.

Over several decades, the theme of legalizing or illegalizing marijuana has carried the minds of American citizens into an almost endless discussion. Considerations of who should be allowed to use marijuana and for what reasons, saw states start validating the use of cannabis. By and over the years the 2010s, countries such as Colorado, Alaska, and Washington DC allowed the use and trade of marijuana. The legalization came after significant influence from the votes of Americans with the dispensation of laws governing its decriminalization. Medical grounds and recreational purposes for adults are among stated reasons for the decriminalization of marijuana in many of the states.

America should criminalize marijuana despite the endless conflicts from the pros and cons of the drug. Cannabis has the advantage of therapy. On the other hand, the side effects relating to marijuana are endless. Effects such as crime influence, intoxication, and marijuana-related accidents are just a few harms identified. The damages associated with the use of marijuana should be addressed in favor of society’s physical and medical well-being.

Massive societal crimes are linked to the abuse of marijuana within American society. Several offenses related to property, such as robbery, have been directly linked to marijuana abuse adults and children. Vitalta, Carlos Javier & Skye Allmang, in their study, assert that “…irrespective of causal mechanisms, marijuana users are at greater risks for exposure to crime and violence” (2). Cash needed for the constant acquisition of the drug might also be acquired by illegal means, hence accounting for a stream of crimes. Vitalta, Javier & Allmang claim that “the relationship between marijuana and violence is not consistent” (2). Crime and marijuana in their contexts are separable. The abuse of marijuana affects an individual’s personality, causing deviant behaviors that are observed to rise gradually over time. Marijuana affects an individual’s viability to commit a crime.

For thousands of years, marijuana has been associated with substantial medicinal value in the history of Americans. According to Sumaiya Kabir, in the years between 1850 and 1942, cannabis was used in America for medicinal purposes to combat labor pains, nausea, and rheumatism. The drug served as a significant health supply for ancient societies. Robin Wilkey asserts, “…a compound derived from marijuana could stop metastasis in many kinds of aggressive cancer… ”. Cannabinoid, an element in cannabis, has an excellent therapeutic value. If the component is well applied in the health sector, marijuana could probably serve the society well.

The medicinal element in marijuana carries chronic and acute side effects. The use of marijuana for therapeutic grounds comes with consequences related to behavior abnormality and medical threats too. Jill Cavalet denotes that “…marijuana has significant systemic effects and associated risks…” (40). Marijuana, even in its medicinal dimension, still carries effects of intoxication and impaired body functions. Cavalet proceeds to state that cannabinoids have side effects with Shreds of evidence such as cannabis odor, vomiting, abdominal pains, and yellow fingerprints (41). Legalizing the drug under medical grounds, would, therefore, come with dire repercussions to the citizens.

Marijuana use accounts for some fatal accidents. “Under the immediate influence of marijuana, visual perception is distorted, motor coordination and reaction time are impaired, and the ability to think clearly is affected.” (Gottfried 81). Alteration of the body systems, especially the brain, causes fatal road accidents. Gottfried clearly states that “…marijuana is one of the many substances that can harm the user” (90). Excessive body system alterations set the probabilities of fatal machine injuries high due to poorly judged machine operations. In the view of Francois Marchand, “…’micro-dosing” can help enhance focus and creativity.” The perception that marijuana increases work output might be right. However, the effects of marijuana in the body systems, whether in small or large quantities, are likely to cause more disaster than an increase in work output.

Criminalization of marijuana in America would be a move to protect its citizens from adverse body harms. It is true to the core that the law should indeed favor every citizen under the drafted constitution. The government should consider the fact that a harmful view might be supported by many due to their perceptions of the subject at hand. The government is mandated to protect the well-being of the society without considering its adverse effects. Marijuana should be legalized on the condition that its advantages outweigh the disadvantages. If the side effects related to marijuana prevail over the benefits of cannabis and its components, then, with a firmness, marijuana use should be abolished.