Legalizing Marijuana

Alexis Timpson

Current Marijuana Conditions

• Current Laws

• Support for Legislation

• Politics

• Medical Uses

Current Laws• The current law regulating

marijuana is the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act passed in 1970.

• Current convictions of sale and possession of marijuana can be up to one year in prison and a 5000 dollar fine, with a simple possession charge being only probation depending on the judge

Support For Legalization• There are currently many organizations on the internet that support the legalization

of marijuana medically and for healthy adults.

• Currently there are 14 states that have medical marijuana legalized, and several states including Hawaii and Washington that are loosening their possession charges.

Politics

Medical Uses• Modern research suggests that

cannabis is a valuable aid in the treatment of a wide range of clinical applications.

• These include pain relief -- particularly of neuropathic pain (pain from nerve damage) –nausea, spasticity, glaucoma, and movement disorders.

• Marijuana is also a powerful appetite stimulant, specifically for patients suffering from HIV, the AIDS wasting syndrome, or dementia.

• Emerging research suggests that marijuana's medicinal properties may protect the body against some types of malignant tumors and are neuroprotective

• Currently, more than 60 U.S. and international health orginazation support granting patients immediate legal access to medicinal marijuana under a physician's supervision.

Benefits • Taxation

• Medical

• Reduced Crime

• Alcohol v. Marijuana

• Control Potency

Taxation• Taxes can be put on

Marijuana so therefore the government would be getting more money.

• The taxes that the government could put on marijuana would be the same as cigarette taxes.

• Marijuana is a known substance that so many people use legally or illegally. 

• Legalization of Marijuana will make it in high demand therefore more people will be consuming the drug. When there is more people consuming the drug more money will be going towards the government.

• Whether its legal or not it will be consumed by many. 

• Mike Moffit " Estimated that 0.5 grams, which amounts to a unit of marijuana, would be sold on the street for $8.60 when the cost of production for the unit was only $1.70."

Medical Benefits• In medical history no one

has been recorded for overdosing on marijuana. 

• Many deaths have been reported for legal substances such as alcohol, cigarettes, and many over-the-counter medicines and prescriptions.

• Helps reduce pain for chemotherapy patients.

Alcohol vs. Marijuana

• There have been no reported accidents from being high like there have been from drinking alcohol.

 • Alcohol poisoning is getting more

common with teens.

• In a recent study conducted involving 41,821 people, the number of people killed in an accident was 16,653, the number of people killed in a drug or alcohol related accident was 25,168, and the number of people killed in an accident involving marijuana was zero

Control Potency• It would give the government

control over the substance. Scientists would be able to take out as much of the tetrahydrocannibonol (THC) as needed so that the high from marijuana is weakened.

 • Restrictions on how much could

be purchased within a specific amount of time could be made by the government.

 • Age limit the same as tobacco (19)

or even as high as alcohol (21)

Negative• Marijuana is often used as a

stepping-stone drug, leading to heroin, cocaine, or other harder drugs.

• Stoned driving and other dangers would be increased.

• Some consider use of the drug as morally wrong.

• Legalization would increase the chances of the drug falling into the hands of kids.

• Because of drug-related arrests, people who have committed or are likely to commit more serious crimes can be taken off the streets.

• Physical damage would be done to users that abuse the drug.

• More widespread use would increase the dangers of secondhand smoke-damage to bystanders.

Conclusion• Essentially the benefits

outweigh the negative effects it could have on our society.

• Government can make huge profits from the industry

• States have already begun legalization for medical purposes