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Keona Holden Instructor: Malcolm Campbell English 1102 Final Draft Should the use of Marijuana be Legal in all 50 States for Recreational Use? I ha e a friend bac! in m" hometo#n $altimore% Mar"land% named &a"lor% #ho is a de oted recreational mari'uana smo!er( )e #or!ed together o er the summer% and e er"da" before #or! she #ould roll a blunt and smo!e it in some secluded area a#a" from e er"one% so that she #ould not get caught( In Mar"land% the use% and possession of mari'uana is illegal% for all purposes( M" co*#or!ers and I thought &a"lor #as addicted but #hen as!ed% &a"lor al#a"s said that she could stop if she #anted to( +he #ould fre,uentl" refer to a time period in #hich she stopped smo!ing for se eral months #hile she #as searching for a 'ob% and another time #hen she stopped because she didn-t ha e sufficient funds to support her habit( &he more &a"lor #ent on to e.plain her use of mari'uana% the more I #ondered #hether or not mari'uana should be legal for recreational use( )hen she #as high% she al#a"s got her #or! done #ithout an" problems( &his led me to #onder if mari'uana is harmful to its users( I also thought about if smo!ing or consuming mari'uana #as addicti e( I #anted to !no# ho# mari'uana affected one-s bod" internall" and long term( Indi iduals ha e !no#n about mari'uana for an e.tremel" long time in the /nited +tates( In 1011% the 2irginia 3ssembl" passed a legislation re,uiring e er" farmer to gro# hemp 4Histor" of Mari'uana5( Hemp is a cannabis plant% much li!e mari'uana 4Histor" of Mari'uana5( Hemp% or mari'uana% #as not used for smo!ing in the 1000-s( It had man" other uses such as industrial te.tiles% consumer te.tiles% paper% building materials% food% and animal feed( Hemp is a

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protein6 it contains all 10 essential amino acids that most proteins contain( Hemp flour is gluten* free% #hich is beneficial for those #ho are allergic to gluten( Hemp also has high le els of 7mega 8% 7mega 0% itamins $ and E% calcium% potassium and fiber 4Histor" of Mari'uana5( $ecause hemp has a high nutritional alue% man" people coo!ed #ith it and used it as fla or for man" drin!s( $ut in 1100% the 9ure Food and Drug 3ct #as passed% #hich re,uired labeling on food or drin!s that contained cannabis( During the 1120-s% immigrants from Me.ico introduced the recreational use of mari'uana( &he drug then became associated #ith immigrants and crimes( In 118: the Mari'uana &a. 3ct #as passed( &his criminali;ed mari'uana and restricted possession% e.cept for people #ho paid ta. for medical reasons < that ,uic!l" ceased 4Histor" of Mari'uana5( In 11=1% the sentencing la#s for possession of mari'uana became stricter( In 1110 Medical use #as legali;ed in California 4Histor" of Mari'uana5( &his motion #as follo#ed b" 20 other states( Man" students on campus ha e come in an encounter #ith the police in ol ing mari'uana( >ach% m" classmate #ho li es do#n the hall from me% #as recentl" caught #ith mari'uana in his room% and he no# has a misdemeanor on his record( In ?orth Carolina it is a misdemeanor to possess 1(= ounces of #eed or less #ith a ma.imum fine of @1%000 and a ma.imum of A= da"s in 'ail( 9ossessing 1(= or more ounces #ith intent to distribute is a felon" #ith a ma.imum of 1B "ears of incarceration and a ma.imum fine of @200%000 4?7CMD(org5( +ale% culti ation and miscellaneous acts such as in ol ing a minor are all felonies% #ith a ma.imum of 1B "ears in 'ail 4?7CMD(org5( 9araphernalia% such as bongs are considered misdemeanors #ith the ma.imum of A= da"s in 'ail 4?7CMD(org5( ?7CMD% ?ational 7rgani;ation for the reform of Mari'uana% is a nonprofit public* interest lobb" that pro ides oices for 3mericans #ho oppose mari'uana prohibition% reports that

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B0 people #ere being arrested per hour for mari'uana( ?7CMD belie es that the mari'uana la#s in this countr" are too harsh and should be changed 4?7CMD(org5( $ut% other groups% such as M3DD% Mothers 3gainst Drun! Dri ing% the nations largest non*profit #or!ing to pre ent underage drin!ing and drun! dri ers% feels that strict la#s #ill pre ent people #ho are into.icated in an" #a" from hurting others% and e en themsel es( M3DD conducted a stud" in December of 2018 that e.plained that mari'uana and hashish #as used b" fe#er than A0 percent of high school seniors 4Founder of M3DD5( M3DD belie es that if the la#s #ere stricter or more enforced% it #ould pre ent drugs and alcohol from getting into the hands of teenagers( &here are 111 million people in 3merica #ho ha e admitted to tr"ing mari'uana once% and of those indi iduals% onl" 11 million of them admit to using mari'uana fre,uentl" according to Dr( 7;% a MD graduate of /ni ersit" of 9enns"l ania +chool of Medicine% and a #ell reno#ned surgeon and tele ision personalit" 4Is )eed 3ddicti e5( 3ccording to Dr( Carl Hart% a ps"chologist and author that appeared on the Dr(7; sho#% #ho has been stud"ing mari'uana for 1= "ears% belie es that mari'uana can be addicti e 4Is )eed 3ddicti e5( Dr( Hart argues% ho#e er% that mari'uana addiction is not as se ere as other addictions% such as alcohol and narcotics 4Is )eed 3ddicti e5( 1 in 11 adults #ho tr" mari'uana become addicted% and 1 in 0 adolescents #ho tr" mari'uana become addicted to it as #ell sa"s Dr( 9aula Ciggs% MD Director of Di ision of +ubstance Dependence at the /ni ersit" of Colorado( Dr( 7; sa"s that mari'uana can pla" a aluable therapeutic role #ith er" careful control 4Is )eed 3ddicti e5( In other #ords% mari'uana is addicti e% 'ust li!e caffeine% and nicotine% it 'ust is not as harmful as addiction to alcohol and other hard drugs( Mari'uana is legal for medical uses in 20 states and the District of Columbia( Doctors ma" prescribe mari'uana to treat muscle spasms caused b" multiple sclerosis% nausea from cancer

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treatment% Chron-s disease and man" other chronic illnesses( Medical mari'uana cannot be prescribed to an"one less than 1B "ears of age 4Medical Mari'uana +tatistics5( If a primar" care ph"sician thin!s that mari'uana #ill help their patient% a medical mari'uana card is issued and that patient is able to legall" purchase mari'uana from a dispensar"( E9ain is the main reason people as! for a prescription%F sa"s $arth )ilse"% MD% pain medicine specialist at /ni ersit" of California Da is Medical Center 4Medical Mari'uana +tatistics5( $ut although mari'uana can be used to treat pain% mari'uana also has some harmful effects( 3ccording to countless scientific studies &HC% the affecti e ingredient in mari'uana% sta"s in the bod" for #ee!s% e en months( Dr( 7; reports that mari'uana can cause an increased heart rate as #ell as man" effects on the brain such as re#ard% memor"% concentration% coordination and time perception 4Medical Mari'uana +tatistics5( Mari'uana has not "et been successfull" lin!ed to cancer( Countries such as the ?etherlands% and /rugua" do not prosecute against the use of mari'uana recreationall"( In the ?etherlands% mari'uana and hash are commonl" sold in establishments called coffee shops( In the ?etherlands% drugs that are commonl" !no#n as illegal drugs to 3merican citi;ens are di ided up in to 2 categories% Dist I% hard drugs or Dist II% soft drugs 4&he Dail" +mo!er5( Mari'uana is categori;ed as a soft drug < there is no acti e prosecution against the use of an" soft drug although the drug itself remains illegal( &he Dutch ha e created a 9olic" of &olerance for mari'uana( It states that one cannot possess more than = grams in public or =0 grams in an" pri ate area 4&he Dail" +mo!er5( It also states that one ma" not gro#% and culti ate% more than = plants at once 4&he Dail" +mo!er5( )hen these limits of tolerance are ignored% legal charges #ill be filled( 7n the other hand% /rugua"an 9resident GosH Mu'ica signed a la# on the regulation of mari'uana on December 28 4Haber!orn% Deonardo5( 3lthough it #on-t go into effect until 3pril% /rugua" is going to become the first countr" in the

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#orld to legali;e mari'uana( In order to obtain mari'uana% citi;ens of /rugua" must signed up for a federal registr"% and the" #ill onl" be allo#ed A0 grams 4Haber!orn% Deonardo5( Citi;ens #ill also be allo#ed to gro# up to 0 plants% or AB0 grams per "ear 4Haber!orn% Deonardo5( &he price of the legal mari'uana #ould be the same price as illegal mari'uana in this countr"% @1 to @1(=0 per gram #hich is commonl" !no# as a dime in the /nited +tates( &his is to eliminate the blac! mar!et sale of mari'uana 4Haber!orn% Deonardo5( If the price of legal mari'uana is the same as blac! mar!et% then consumers #ill be more dri en to bu" mari'uana legall" 4Haber!orn% Deonardo5( 3lthough these countries ha e allo#ed mari'uana use% there are strict guidelines for the consuming citi;ens to follo#( +ome 3merican citi;ens thin! that if 3merica follo#s in the footsteps of other countries% the /nited +tates might be able to benefit as #ell( Man" people in the /nited +tates #ould li!e to follo# in the steps of the ?etherlands% /rugua"% Colorado% and )ashington( Colorado has 'ust about 100 legal mari'uana stores 4Colorado gets @2M5( Man" indi iduals #ere e.cited #hen Colorado first legali;ed recreational mari'uana( In Ganuar"% the first month mari'uana #as legall" sold for recreational use6 @1A(02 million dollars #orth of recreational mari'uana #as sold 4Colorado gets @2M5( &his translated to about @2(01 million dollars in ta.es 4Colorado gets @2M5( Colorado has alread" budgeted out the first @A0 million of the e.cise ta. to go to#ards school construction 4Colorado gets @2M5( &here are man" different ideas on ho# the ta. re enue should be spent( Colorado-s go ernor% Gohn Hic!enlooper% has started spending on anti*drug messages to !ids% and creating additional ad ertisement that #ould discourage dri ing #hile under the influence of mari'uana 4Colorado gets @2M5( Cichard M( ?i.on% /+ senator from California sa"s that EFederal la#s should be changed to lo longer ma!e it a crime to posses mari'uana for pri ate useF 4Colorado gets @2M5( 9eople% #ho are supporti e of recreational mari'uana use% feel that the /+ could benefit from it(

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&he amount of re enue through mari'uana ta.es #ould help bring the national debt do#n( 7thers #ho disagree #ith the legali;ation of mari'uana thin! that it #ill harm the nation( 3lthough not "et pro en% man" scientists thin! that mari'uana use can be lin!ed to other drug use such as cocaine or heroin 4DrugFacts: Mari'uana5( &he" feel that once someone tries mari'uana% the" are more li!el" to tr" other illegal drugs( )ashington #as the first state to legali;e recreational mari'uana( )ashington +tateIs Initiati e =02 4I*=025% #hich is the nation-s first la# that decriminali;es recreational mari'uana% #as oted into la# in ?o ember 2012 4$ro#n% 3ngela5( &he state had complications setting up a licensing s"stem for mari'uana gro#ers and sellers 4Mari'uana: &he 9ath &o5( &he )ashington go ernment is also in the process of setting a ne# limit on ho# much mari'uana in a person-s bloodstream is safe for dri ing 4Mari'uana: &he 9ath &o5( &his is because mari'uana can cause hallucinations and increased heart rate% #hich ultimatel" could cause fatal ehicular accidents( &here are la#s for )ashington that also state that mari'uana cannot be sold b" li,uor stores% con enience stores or an" other e.isting business6 it can onl" be sold in designated mari'uana dispensaries( In efforts to control and monitor the use of recreational mari'uana% it is illegal or an"one under the age of 21 to consume or possess an" form of mari'uana 4$ro#n% 3ngela5( 3lso% smo!ing or consuming mari'uana on federal lands% such as national par!s% is against the la# because the use of mari'uana is still a criminal act according to federal la#s 4$ro#n% 3ngela5( 3lthough recreational mari'uana use is legal in this state% man" emplo"ers still prohibit the use of mari'uana #hether it is used for medical or recreational reasons 4$ro#n% 3ngela5( +ome people disagree #ith that% but I agree( Ji en the temporar" effects mari'uana has on the human bod"% I thin! that an emplo"er should be able to dictate #hether it is safe or appropriate for their emplo"ees to engage in such acti it"(

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Man" people ha e different opinions across the /nited +tated about the legali;ation of mari'uana( I personall" thin! that mari'uana shouldn-t be illegal( I gi en the facts stated pre iousl"% I do not thin! it is #orst than drin!ing( I do understand the reasons as to #h" some people #ould not #ant it legali;ed( Man" people belie e that mari'uana use #ill cause people to tr" other harder drugs6 #hich is not good( $ut% I thin! that if mari'uana #as legali;ed it #ould bring much needed ta. re enue to the go ernment that could be used to fund the educational s"stem and other aspects in the go ernments budget( I thin! that if other countries are able to benefit off of the ta.es% then 3merica should be able to benefit too( /ltimatel"% it is up to the go ernment to ma!e an e.ecuti e decision on the legali;ation of the drug( 3ll #e can do% as the public% is #ait(

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)or!s Cited KC7D7C3D7 JE&+ @2M I? M3CIG/3?3 &3LE+ I? FIC+& M7?&H 7F DEJ3DI>3&I7?(K )eb( 28 Mar( 201A( K&he Dail" +mo!er(K Is Cannabis Legal in The Netherlands? )eb( 28 Mar( 201A( M KDrugFacts: Mari'uana(K National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)( )eb( 2A Mar( 201A( KFounder 7f M3DD &al!s Mari'uana(K WCTV RSS( )C&2(com% )eb( 2A Mar( 201A( KHistor" of Marihuana DegislationN(K History o !arihuana Legislation( )eb( 28 Mar( 201A( KIs )eed 3ddicti eOK Do"tor#$%"o&( Harpo(Inc( )eb( 2 Mar( 201A( KMari'uana * Mari'uana /se and Effects of Mari'uana(K Web!D( )ebMD% 02 Mar( 0001( )eb( 22 Mar( 201A( KMedical Mari'uana +tatistics(K Center or Health ' (n)iron&ent In or&ation and Statisti"s *( )eb( 28 Mar( 201A( K?7CMD(org * )or!ing to Ceform Mari'uana Da#s(K About !ari+uana( )eb( 22 Mar( 201A( H3$ECK7C?% DE7?3CD7( K/rugua" Mari'uana(K The Hu ington ,ost( H9MJ ?e#a% 1A 3pr( 201A( )eb( 2A 3pr( 201A KMari'uana: &he 9ath &o Degali;ation In )ashington +tate(K -.#W Ne/s and In or&ation( )eb( 2A 3pr( 201A( $ro#n% 3ngela( KCecreational Mari'uana in )ashington +tate * 3 Juide for 2isitors(K About%"o& North/est .S Tra)el( )eb( 2A 3pr( 201A(