The Federal Government Must Decriminalize Marijuana Essay

Lately it seems that drug policy and the war on drugs has been in the headlines quite a lot. It is becoming increasingly apparent that the policies that the United States government takes against illegal drugs are coming into question. The mainstream media is catching on to the message of organizations and individuals who have long been considered liberal Counter Culture supporters. The marijuana question seems to be the most prevalent and pressed of the drugs and issues that are currently being addressed. The messages of these organizations and individuals include everything from legalization of marijuana for medical purposes, to full-unrestricted legalization of the drug. Of course, the status quo of vote seeking politicians and†¦show more content†¦While marijuana was not actually outlawed until the Marijuana Tax Act of 1937 it was a part of the country and society since before the arrival of its current transplanted inhabitants. Hemp is the name of a species of Cannabis that has been used throughout history for many things including rope, clothing, medicine, oils and other such novelties. Marijuana and hemp are both of the species Cannabis Sativa and occur naturally along with a score of other variations of the plant. Marijuana is simply a form of hemp that is higher in delta-9- tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), marijuana’s naturally occurring psychoactive chemical. Today we hear many nicknames for marijuana including: weed, pot, budda, grass, and bud to name a few. Marijuana has long been used by the indigenous peoples of North and South America for many things, from medical to religious purposes. Of course a select few Europeans exploited narcotics and different types of marijuana. However, in Europe it was not a widespread phenomenon, and neither was it from the time of colonization or even industrialization in America. It was not until the era of the 19th amendment to the U.S. constitution, known as prohibition, that marijuana became a widely used substance in the U.S.. A largeShow MoreRelatedArgumentive Essay1121 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿ Argumentative Essay Legalization of Marijuana Ashley Bassett Eng. 1301 Instructor: Pam Hesser pg.1 The recreational use of Marijuana should be legalized. According to the New York Times The social costs of the marijuana laws are vast. There were 658,000 arrests for marijuana possession in 2012, according to F.B.I. Figures compared with 256,000 for cocaine, heroin and their derivatives. Even worse, the result is racist, falling disproportionately on youngRead MoreThe Legal Problem Of Regulation And Marijuana1565 Words   |  7 PagesRegulation and Marijuana Since 1863, the United States has had a dual banking system composed of both federal and state chartered institutions. 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