For many years, most of the European countries and the states of the USA debate about the legalization of drugs. Historically, marijuana has become one of the most popular and frequently discussed drugs. Moreover, it is already legalized in several states in the US and in the several other countries around the world. As it usually is, there are two main camps of supporters and opponents of legalization. The problem of this issue is rather complex and controversial. This inconsistency can be understood by considering the arguments of both positions, i.e. for and against. Anyway, if marijuana is legalized completely, it will definitely entail a lot of consequences, both good and bad. However, if one considers this issue thoroughly, taking into account the results of the most valid studies, it becomes clear that any harm from legalization, i.e. physical, psychological, economic, and political harm, can be reduced as much as possible. The ways to reduce the harm from marijuana legalization and will improve the overall level of benefits for the entire state and an individual citizen.
Since the beginning of 1970, when marijuana was included in the list of banned substances, only about a fifth of the US population supported the issue of legalization or decriminalization of the drug (Robinson, 2014, p. 27). This proportion remained stable until the early 2000s, but the debate has increased dramatically in the last decade. According to surveys, in the autumn of 2013, the number of supporters of legalization exceeded the psychological barrier: "58% of Americans were in favor of free distribution of marijuana". This is partly the merit of young generations, as their support of the legalization reaches 69% (Robinson, 2014, p. 30). In fact, marijuana has become a part of the popular culture: nearly half of Americans born after 1960 have used marijuana in adolescence and do not consider it a dangerous drug (Miron, 2004, p. 87).
"From 12 to 15 million Americans smoke weed regularly", and 11% of the population used marijuana in the past year at least once (Pacula, et al., 2015, p. 9). In such circumstances, the issue of the legalization cannot stay out of politics. More than two dozen states and the District of Columbia already decriminalized marijuana use or allowed to sell the drug for the medicinal purposes. In November 2012, the states of Washington and Colorado fully legalized marijuana for people over 21, but the retail sales began only in January 2014 (Pacula, et al., 2015, p. 10). Recently, the question of whether to legalize certain drugs rises again. Hemp is the subject of the greatest debate. These debates are conducted mainly by those who want to see changes in the law, i.e. consumers, those who have the profit from the sale of the drug and those who think that it is a matter of freedom of choice. Is cannabis a harmless natural substance? The statements that hemp is a harmless, natural substance are made frequently (especially by young people). Moreover, there are statements in support of the argument that marijuana is harmless and has many applications in medicine. In addition, marijuana has long been used to treat a variety of serious diseases and its positive effect has long been proven (Robinson, 2014, p. 44).
Marijuana also has its negative properties, and the opponents of legalization point to this important fact. Many studies on the use of marijuana to treat certain conditions have been implemented during the past years. The main portion of these studies is the treatment of "glaucoma, the effects of nausea during chemotherapy, muscle spasms in people suffering from multiple sclerosis, and the appetite stimulation in patients suffering from debilitating diseases such as AIDS" (Pacula, et al., 2015, p. 16). Those who oppose the marijuana legalization argue their position as follows. Many illegal drugs have medical uses. For instance, "heroin is used in a pharmaceutical form for the treatment of severe pain", often in certain cases, i.e. incurable diseases; "small amounts of cocaine is still used as an anesthetic, and amphetamine is used for the treatment of sleep disorders and hyperactivity in children" (Miron, 2004, pp. 102-103). But this does not mean that they are harmless drugs for any use. When it comes to the legalization of narcotic substances, the question of dependency raises immediately. Indeed, marijuana users rarely develop physical dependence, but the regular users can notice a common phenomenon, i.e. the development of a deep psychological dependence, when the whole life is built around consumption. There are even consumers who cannot get up in the morning without taking the drug. Although people have been the hemp farmers for thousands of years, most of this vegetable raw material was used to produce fibers for clothing, ropes, and so on. There are examples of the applications of hemp as a "mind-altering substance"; however, the widespread application was not noticed even in those countries, where it grew naturally (Miron, 2004, p. 63). Its use as a drug had been revived years later.
There is no a long history of mass consumption, today's generation of consumers is the first in the history of the world, who use cannabis on a large scale. On this basis, one can say that no one knows exactly what will be the results of its legalization. There are also a number of the equally important issues relating to the spread of marijuana after the legalization, as well as the age limits for its sale. Some have suggested selling it in the local pharmacies to people who have reached a certain age (Robinson, 2014, p. 96). In this model of the spread, dealers have to meet the needs of those who have not yet reached the required age. Anyway, a number of illegal dealers will decline that can significantly reduce the level of the crime. Dealers will still not disappear, as they will serve the younger generation and continue to sell drugs. That is what happened in Amsterdam since cannabis became available in the café (Miron, 2004, p. 45). Dealers simply switched to the sale of other drugs, particularly amphetamine, which is manifested in a massive increase in its consumption in the Netherlands. If cannabis is legalized, the private sector would carry out its supply and distribution. It is unlikely that the government would consider the opportunity to be involved in the production of cannabis for the street use, while the private companies would set the price according to the market. When America legalized the sale of alcohol after its ban in 1933, new breweries had set prices as per the forbidden drink (Miron, 2004, p. 46). Perhaps, it is likely to happen in the case of marijuana. It is possible that the competition with suppliers will lower the price a bit, but it will happen only if sales increase, as more and more people will consume the drug. Beyond that, it is very possible that the government will establish a tax on cannabis as well as it did for alcohol and tobacco. This may indicate a general rise in prices and a decrease in the growth of crime in order to pay.
One should consider the effect that will influence the mass consumption of marijuana on the level of public safety and the law. Today, the streets of America face a problem with people who are under the influence of alcohol. Hence, it is very important to approach the analysis of this problem very carefully. The theory of drug use is based on the fact that the use of legal and illegal drugs leads to predictable consequences. This theory has attracted particular attention during a debate on the legalization of marijuana. Opponents of legalization, including the Federal Bureau of Narcotics, claimed that "marijuana use was the first step to heroin addiction". However, the recent studies have shown that the vast majority of marijuana smokers do not become heroin users (Pacula, et al., 2015, p. 19). As it is known, marijuana is considered a much safer substance than any other drug or alcohol is. Supporters of the referendum believe that marijuana is not as toxic as alcohol and other drugs are, and its use does not lead to a socially dangerous behavior and does not cause harm to the body comparable. In addition, they believe that one cannot be overdosed when smoking marijuana. Marijuana legalization will increase the tax revenues and create new jobs. That is, the unemployment rate will be much lower. Marijuana legalization could bring the United States billions of dollars in new tax deductions. For example, in 2014, the marijuana merchants brought the Colorado $100 million, of which "$40 million was spent on building schools and promoting healthy lifestyles" (Robinson, 2014, p. 105). As already mentioned, the legalization will significantly reduce the level of crime. Legalization of marijuana will reduce the number of people arrested. In addition, according to supporters of the referendum, legalization could reduce the interracial tension in the states: for instance, "black teens are arrested nearly four times more often than their white peers are in cases involving the spread and use of marijuana" (Robinson, 2014, pp. 103-104). In addition, there are also a few things that need to be addressed regarding the problems that can occur with the marijuana legalization. Opponents of legalization believe that "marijuana use impairs intelligence and attention and prevents the training of adolescents" (Pacula, et al., 2015, p. 21).
Many studies suggest a correlation between the low IQ and marijuana, but it remains uncertain if this situation is a cause or a consequence. Legalization of marijuana in the United States is important for the rest of the world: in the case of success, the experience of the USA will be an example for other countries and help in the global fight against drug trafficking, which is currently at an impasse and provoke the social tension only in the Third World countries. The issue of legalizing marijuana affects many different aspects of the state and society. Even if marijuana becomes legalized in all states, there will be still those who would be against it. Drug cartels of Colombia and Mexico may be affected by the legalization, but at the same time, they may begin to cooperate in terms of legal import, which will also reduce the level of crime that comes from their activities.
Conclusions
In conclusion, the analysis of the problem of the marijuana legalization point to the complexity and inconsistency of the issue. These contradictions arise because marijuana has long been banned throughout the world as the narcotic substance. Some countries and the US states have already legalized it, which makes it possible to trace the consequences of this step. As it turns out, the legalization of cannabis has both positive and negative consequences. If one considers the sum of these effects, it becomes clear that the issue is still controversial and ambiguous. In some cases, legalization brings a good result, but it has the negative consequences as well. At the same time, some aspects of economic, political, and social order remain unchanged. Therefore, it would be correct to assume that the issue should be studied in depth and detail. Risks associated with the legalization of marijuana should be reduced to the minimum and do not exceed the benefits.
References
Miron, J. A. (2004). Drug War Crimes: The Consequences of Prohibition. Oakland, CA, USA: Independent Institute. Retrieved from http://www.ebrary.com
Pacula, R. L., Powell, D., Heaton, P., & Sevigny, E. L. (2015). Assessing the Effects of Medical Marijuana Laws on Marijuana Use: The Devil is in the Details. Journal Of Policy Analysis & Management, 34(1), 7-31. doi:10.1002/pam.21804
Robinson, M. B. (2014). Lies, Damned Lies, and Drug War Statistics. Albanay, US: SUNY Press. Retrieved from http://www.ebrary.com
