The debate over the legalization of Marijuana has been a long standing battle. In 1970, novelist Gore Vidal wrote, “… the government has learned nothing from past attempts at prohibition, not to mention repression” as he argued that the legalization of marijuana is not a complicated issue, but one only complicated by politics and greed. Today, thirty nine years from Vidal’s writing, let us revisit the issue of the legalization of marijuana. Should the sale, purchase and use of marijuana be legalized?
The answer, as Vidal would agree, should be a resounding yes. Marijuana is a drug obtained from drying and crumpling leaves and stem parts of the hemp plant Canabis sativa (American Council for Drug Education). Marijuana was initially used as a form of recreational drugs yet in recent years it has been established that Marijuana and its use has medicinal benefits (Joy, Watson and Benson). Since 1998, in the US 13 states have legalized medical marijuana use. This paper argues that such freedom should be given to all persons.
The United States of America (US) had formed a nation through the central belief that each person has the right to direct their lives in freedom of choice, so long as their personal choices do not curtail the freedom of others (Vidal). Specifically the US Declaration of Independence speaks of the inalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. While marijuana is considered a drug by legal standard the effects of marijuana do not compare to the long-term health effects of other illicit drugs.
It is neither addictive, nor does it lead to the use of heavier drugs or have long-term negative effects on health. The use of marijuana does not curtail the freedoms of persons who do not wish to use it nor does it prevent other persons from exercising their personal rights. As such every person who would like to use marijuana, should have the freedom to do so, so long as such actions do not harp on the freedom of others.
Secondly, as was proven to previous attempts at prohibition of alcoholic beverages, prohibition does not prevent the distribution of the restricted substances, it only promotes the formation of black markets, dubious characters and inflation in prices of illicit substances. These effects lead people to crime waves or can cause death, as exemplified again by the case of the prohibition on alcoholic beverage. In the end, the prohibition only detracts from the government’s purpose of securing its citizens.
While some may argue that legalizing the use of marijuana will only create an addition, it is should be argued that marijuana is not addictive nor does it have long term effects. It is not an intrinsically flawed substance and as such there should be no prohibition of it. Again others may argue that drug use is dangerous to the user, it should be reminded that the consumption of alcohol can bring risk to a person and those in his surrounding and more seriously, the consumption of alcohol can lead to alcoholism or addiction as well.
Works Cited
American Council for Drug Education. “Basic facts about drugs: marijuana. ” American Council for Drug Education website. 26 March 2009. <http://www. acde. org/common/Marijana. htm> Janet E. Joy, Stanley J. Watson, Jr. , and John A Benson, Jr. , “Marijuana and Medicine: Assessing the Science Base,” Division of Neuroscience and Behavioral Research, Institute of Medicine (Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 1999). Vidal, Gore. “Drugs: Case for legalizing marijuana. ” The New York Times on the web. 26 March 2009. <http://www. times. com/books/98/03/01/home/vidal-drugs. html>