The attempt to decriminalize the use of marijuana

The attempt to decriminalize the use of marijuana

The attempt to decriminalize the use of marijuana is taking shape day in day out. Activists all over are becoming severe in what is being termed as legalizing what can be termed as a heavy drug. However, what many people may view as a breakthrough is, in fact, an evil whose effects will not take long before surfacing. Decriminalization of narcotics is simply accepting or meaning leniency towards property crimes, a spike of homelessness, mental illness, and drug abuse. Crimes will increase with a higher rate of mental illnesses that will mean that consequences of crime will only be felt by those on the receiving end as those committing will be headed to mental health facilities.

The decriminalization of marijuana will lead to a spike in homelessness. Marijuana use is related closely to mental illnesses. Once an individual has lost fair judgment in their mind, then making decisions bright enough to maintain a home becomes a challenge. The challenge of homelessness is prevalent mainly because the use affects mostly the adult population, (Hasin  D. et al, 2015). Also, state-provided solutions are no longer effective. The government will be contradicting its course by providing a solution to an issue it has accepted in the setting of democracy, (Kennelly, 2018). Any attempt will appear to be as if the government is taking responsibility on the negativity of its actions.

There is a subsequent increase in violent crimes. The use of marijuana is not the only vice of the employed. It is an act that places a financial burden on the users especially where income is a challenge. Due to the desires to satisfy the addiction, individuals are forced to involve themselves in theft and other crimes to get money for buying drugs. Crime is seen to be rampant around marijuana outlets and adjacent areas, (Freisthler  B.  et al, 2017). The increase in violent crime is also due to impaired decision making due to marijuana. There is always a direct link between crime and marijuana use. The crimes may be contributed by substance abuse either directly or indirectly, (Leidenfrost, C. et al, 2017). Homelessness and crimes are not the only issues of concern. There is the most feared result; the mental health problem.

Mental facilities are becoming alternative prisons to many. Legal proceedings of many crime suspects are leading to verdicts being held at bay as individuals are failing the mental requirement. Mental health facilities have become a prison where crime suspects are being sent for holding to assess their mental state before trials are made on them. Many patients in mental health facilities only have a history of marijuana use, (Thomas, A. A., & Mazor, S., 2017). Relaxed laws on marijuana use mean that there are fewer cases concerning crimes due the drug use. There is a tendency of increased marijuana use in the event there is no regulation against it.

Reforms in justice laws especially decriminalizing the use of marijuana have the impact of leading to the release of offenders. Also, reducing the penalties for marijuana-related offenses has also made offenders to involve themselves in crime without fear. There is no positive relieve in decriminalizing the use of marijuana.