The Aftermath and Effects of Legalization of Marijuana

Marijuana, we all have an idea of what it is, what it does, and how illegal it is. But did you know there have been absolutely no deaths recorded from the usage of marijuana according to the book, Drugs of Abuse (2017). Marijuana, according to Medicine Net “is a recreational drug that comes from the hemp plant cannabis sativa. For years, marijuana has been considered as a destructible herb that jeopardizes the lives of many and is perceived to be an additional issue in today’s society, however, based on the development in the medical field and the monetary value associated with marijuana, the legalization of marijuana will in fact result in more good than harm. The legalization of marijuana will eventually result in more good than harm because marijuana has been proven to have medical properties in the Health Care System and it has great potential to contribute to economic growth through a thriving industry that can create jobs.

The legalization of marijuana will eventually result in more good than harm because it has been proven to have medical properties in the Health Care System. Do you suffer from chronic pain, epilepsy or other sicknesses? If so, you may want to consider marijuana. People generally associate marijuana with ‘drugs’, ‘narcotists’, and ‘devastation’ however, marijuana has its buried good side. According to Railton (2018), “A large review from the (NASEM) assessed more than 10,000 scientific studies on the medical benefits and adverse effects of marijuana and found that marijuana, or products containing cannabinoids are effective at relieving chronic pain”. I cannot imagine how dreadful it must be to experience persistent, perpetual, permanent pain, but marijuana can help to relieve the discomfort. “In June 2018, the Food and Drug Administration approved the use of a medication containing cannabidiol (CBD) to treat two rare, severe, and specific types of epilepsy that are difficult to control with other types of medication” (Railton, 2018). Another beneficial impact that might emerge from the legalization of marijuana is the decrease of opiate consumption which can lead to addiction and ultimately death. According to a study published in the American Public Health Association, “since Colorado has legalized recreational cannabis, the percentage of opioid- related deaths has declined by 6.5% which halted a 14-year trend of an increasing number of opioid-related deaths in the state”(Williams, 2017). Like Colorado, the legalization of marijuana in Jamaica will eventually do more good than harm as it relates to Health Care.

The legalization of marijuana will eventually result in more good than harm because it has great potential to contribute to economic growth through a thriving industry that can create jobs. The economic benefits that producers and consumers would receive are numerous. Both the jobs creation and the tax revenue that could be generated would make the government a main benefactor. According to (Cox, 2019), “The marijuana industry added 64,389 jobs in 2018, a 44 percent gain, according to industry experts Leafly and Whitney Economics”. Not only does the legalization of marijuana aid in job creation, it also contribute vastly in the tourism industry which inevitable will eventually create economic growth. “In 2015, 85% of the 8% who visited a dispensary cited legal marijuana as the driving force behind their vacation which implies that at least some of the improved economic impact being witnessed in Colorado is the result of legal marijuana”(Williams, 2015). In addition, the tax revenue that can be generated from marijuana if or when it becomes legalized can be utilized to fund humanitarian projects for those that are poverty stricken or underprivileged. For example, according to (Chung, Ajilore & Perez 2019) “In Washington, marijuana sales surpassed $1 billion in FY 2017, the state collected $314.8 million in excise tax revenue and the revenue was primarily used to fund Medicaid which secured health insurance for many low-income Washington residents”. Like Colorado and Washington, the legalization of marijuana will eventually do more good than harm as it relates to contributing to economic growth.

Viewed from a different perspective, there are some individuals who argue that the legalization of marijuana will be more harm than good as it is addictive and its legalization will increase the usage among people as it will be readily available. These claims are respectively supported by (Stimson 2012) who believes that “Marijuana is an addictive, gateway drug” and (Barbradozier 2014) who argues that “there is a high chance that marijuana’s legalization will increase its usage among people as it will be readily available”.

While these claims may be true, the opposing view that the legalizing of marijuana will result in more harm than good because it is addictive and its legalization will increase the usage among people as it will be readily available is simplistic and impractical for many reasons. Marijuana opponents claim marijuana should be illegal because it is a perceived gateway drug and its usage will increase as a result of the drug being more accessible. While this is an enthralling argument, it is no reason for marijuana to be illegal. First of all, is marijuana even a gate way drug? A ‘gateway’ drug according to the Cambridge English Dictionary is defined as “a drug whose use may make it more likely that someone uses other, more dangerous”. Based on research, according to (Szalavitz, 2019) “there is no conclusive evidence that the drug effects of marijuana are causally linked to the subsequent abuse of other illicit drugs”. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (2019), “the majority of people who use marijuana do not go on to use other, ‘harder’ substances”. While it may be true that the legalization of marijuana will allow for it to be more accessible it will result in more good than harm because it would help to minimize the amount of illegal sales from ‘street drug dealers’. For example, according to the article ‘Does marijuana legalization lead to increased use? (n.d.)’, “When it comes to use by young people, experts have found that in the majority of states that have approved medical marijuana, usage has actually decreased which is due to a diminished “forbidden fruit” effect and decreased access to marijuana as it moves from the unregulated street to inside licensed dispensaries. Therefore one can now determine that the opposing view that the legalizing of marijuana will result in more harm than good is simplistic and impractical for the reasons stated.

It is vivid that there are arguments for whether or not marijuana’s legalization will do more good than harm however the arguments supporting the claim that the legalization of marijuana will eventually result in more good than harm clearly outweigh the counter arguments. Legalizing marijuana may just be the missing piece to the puzzle as it relates to health care and may just be what is needed to expand the economy. Remember now there is no recorded deaths associated with marijuana therefore according to German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, “That which does not kill us, makes us stronger”.