Ryan's+Policy+Paper

Ryan Healey Position Essay Marijuana was prohibited in the late 1930's. Like all prohibition, it outlaws the drug's sale and posession. The cost of this prohibition is enormormous for the U.S government, $8.61 billion in 2007(4) in support of prohibition enforcement and perpetrator incarceration. Repealling this prohibiton could prove to be very beneficial for the U. S., an estimated $10-14 billion dollars in revenue that taxation could generate(1) and with it, the American public misses out on millions of jobs (farms devoted to marijuana cultivation and other forms of marijuana distribution). Also, an estimated 800,000 people are incarcerated each year (3), 89% of all drug related arrestes (5). Through its repeal, jail populations would be significantly decreased, leaving room for more serious offenders, ones who threaten the American public and not thier government's undeserved sense of pride and superiority. Marijuana’s prohibition was originally enforced under the guise of a tax, The Marijuana Tax Act, which acted as the first federal ban on the possession and cultivation of marijuana (3). Its founder, Harry J. Anslinger, the head of the newly formed Bureau of Narcotics, was a bigot who used fear and racism to persuade the majority of the American public, still easily swayed by ignorance, that marijuana was dangerous and was a serious threat to established American values and way of life. //"Reefer makes darkies think they're as good as white men," – //John Anslinger . He gained the support of powerful figureheads in American industry and government and through acts of deceit, persuaded the passing of the illegalization of marijuana (2). Proceeding these unconstitutional events of self before whole, countless of innocent, drug seeking individuals have been incarcerated. Also organized crime has seen a sharp influx, surrounding mainly around the distribution of illegal substances. The viewpoints can be described as two sides of a fence, both black and white. In one yard, individuals favor the illegalization of marijuana and the other favors the contrary, obviously. Those that favor its prohibition believe that the substance is detrimental to one’s health. It is perceived as addictive and linked to more harmful narcotics, (such as heroin, cocaine etc.). It has become associated with unfashionable lifestyles ,such the kind that do not contribute to the advancement of conventional society (losers, hippies etc.), the prospect of enabling this kind of conduct can seem most unappealing. Also marijuana’s ban has become the status quo meaning people have become comfortable with its illegalization, inertia is a powerful thing, once a thing is put into motion it doesn’t want to stop. And lastly they simply feel advocates for pro-legalization have not made an appealing case and until they do, they will continue to go un-persuaded (6). On the other hand, pro-marijuana advocates believe that marijuana’s legalization can significantly, if not totally, diminish the black market surrounding the narcotic and with it, our country would see a sharp decline in the organized crime activity situated around its illegal distribution. They find the current situation similar to the prohibition of alcohol and believe that, upon its legalization, it can be regulated in a similar manner, bringing in significant revenue through taxation (5). There are also those individuals who believe it should be legalized for and only for their excessive consumption. Luckily this is a small minority. I, personally, favor the legalization of marijuana. I cannot deny the similarities between its prohibition and the prohibition of alcohol (I also believe excessive alcohol consumption is more detrimental to one’s health than the excessive consumption of “Mary Jane”). I believe that the United States government would benefit greatly from the large amount of money a system of taxation on marijuana would bring in, an estimated $14 billion, especially in our current economic situation. I believe its legal distribution would create jobs for honest American citizens and take jobs away from drug dealing criminals. I believe marijuana possession and consumption is not wrong and is a god-given personal choice, and due to the very minimal amount of dangers it poses to personal health and the amount of danger s an illegal crime market poses to a community, I believe it is hypocrisy, if not lunacy, that marijuana is still illegal, allowing the harmless narcotic to contribute to illegal crime, countless citizen deaths and frivolous incarceration and law enforcement spending. I would think that an approach to marijuana, one that is similar to alcohol, is completely logical, if not ridiculously obvious. I am a “legalize it” supporter, not for its image, not for its effect, but for the people’s freedom to choose what is right for them and not some government agency. Key findings that have influenced me the most in choosing my opinion are the minimal health endangerments marijuana proposes to the individual, the racist bigotry surrounding the start of marijuana’s prohibition, the high statistics of useless government spending and incarcerations involved in our government’s war on marijuana and the high amounts of revenue marijuana’s legal distribution and taxation could introduce into the American economy. So, after thinking about the issue, weighing the pros and cons of various solutions and courses of action related to the issue of marijuana’s illegalization, I think marijuana should be legal. After all, this is America isn’t it? (1) http://www.prohibitioncosts.org/ (2) http://blogs.salon.com/0002762/stories/2003/12/22/whyIsMarijuanaIllegal.html (3) http://www.kstatecollegian.com/2.2505/1.223403 (4) http://media.www.redandblack.com/media/storage/paper871/news/2007/10/02/Opinions/Marijuana.Should.Be.Legalized-3004237.shtml (5) http://www.salem-news.com/articles/october092008/marijuana_100808.php (6) http://civilliberty.about.com/od/drugpolicy/tp/Why-is-Marijuana-Illegal.htm