Is the prohibition of marijuana a completely useless and actually counterproductive? In my opinion I believe that this is so. Marijuana has been and will always be one of the most commonly used recreational drugs. It is a drug that has been used since ancient history, some regard it as a plant that “God has gifted us” therefore, I highly doubt that any laws or government regulation is going to do much in prohibiting the use.
I have deduced that maybe the legal restrictions of the possession and use marijuana is part of the allure of the drug. What I mean is by nature humans are attracted to things that they cannot, or shouldn’t have. To clarify, during the prohibition era of the 1920’s, when alcohol was illegal, the general public went haywire for booze. Families made fortunes moonshining (the Kennedys) and the consumption of alcohol was at an all time high.
Actually prohibition has the reverse affect of its intended purpose. With such strict laws people find creative places to smoke, such as public parks, cars and public bathrooms. It promotes a stronger resentment towards the law and stronger social and racial rift against the general population and the law enforcers. For example, African Americans are only 12% of marijuana consumers, yet they compose 23% of possession arrests. The illegal aspect of it drives a huge market for drug cartels and gangs.
Now, I am not saying that the legalization of marijuana will put a complete halt on the consumption of marijuana, but it would make certain things much easier. People are going to smoke or consume marijuana regardless of what the law states. The problem with the strict regulation of the law is the time and the resources to reinforce it. Nationwide, over 20 million Americans are arrested for possession or use of marijuana. Imagine the amount of time and resources it takes to arrest and trial 20 million people? This is where our tax money is going. These people who are arrested for possession are placed in institution with others who have committed more drastic crimes.
The amount of money and effort we spend on catching these petty offenders can be better allocated for more important things. If the government were to dismantle the completely useless law, the international drug cartel’s business would take a big hit.
Ironically, the number of users internationally has dropped in certain countries due to their legalization, for example in Portugal, Luxemburg and some European countries.
The comparison of marijuana to other drugs such as cocaine and heroin is absurd. Marijuana is medically proven to be less harmful than alcohol, which is legal. In California some doctors are suggesting the legalization of marijuana for the purpose of researching the medical benefits. We already know that marijuana helps relieve the pain of multiple sclerosis and certain chronic pains without the harsh side effects of some drugs such as morphine. Another benefit is its use for anorexic patients to induce hunger. With the legalization, marijuana can be FDA regulated, therefore only the purest substance is available for consumption rather than the illegal ones which can be laced with harmful ingredients.
http://blogs.laweekly.com/informer/2011/10/marijuana_legalize_california_medical_association.php
