Decriminalization of Marijuana

Paper Summary:

The paper maintains that marijuana laws are costly and ineffective and its decriminalization will allow for a more judicious allocation of funds. The paper argues that decriminalization will undermine the black market and will not precipitate the increased consumption of the narcotic by young people. The paper concludes that the positives of decriminalization certainly outweigh the negatives.

From the Paper:

"To begin with, the marijuana laws in America are costly to enforce and inefficacious. For instance, a July 2005 report revealed that federal spending devoted to enforcing criminal sanctions against marijuana use runs to around $4 billion each year - and yet fails to make any perceptible impact upon the country's perception of, or use of, marijuana. What makes the matter more problematic is the fact that the federal government spends more on enforcing marijuana prohibition than it does on policy formulation or on treatment programs (Hemp Information, para.1). Suffice it to say, any laws which are costly and which have little impact upon a perceived problem should be dramatically altered in their scope and application - or struck down entirely."

Sample of Sources Used:

• British Broadcasting Corporation. "Cannabis 'not linked to harder drugs.'" BBC News: Health. 3 Dec. 2002. British Broadcasting Corporation. 17 Feb. 2007 <http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/2538065.stm>
• Global Sativa Corporation. "Marijuana Myths: Marijuana Causes Lung Disease." Exposing Marijuana Myths: A Review of the Scientific Evidence. 2006. Global Sativa Corporation. 17 Feb. 2007 <http://www.marijuana.com/marijuana-myths/myth-04.php>
• Hemp Information. "US Spend nearly $4 Billion Annually on Failed Pot Policy." Worldwide News: USA. 7 Jul. 2005. Hemp Info. 17 Feb. 2007 <http://www.chanvre-info.ch/info/en/US-Spend-Nearly-4-Billion-Annually.html>
• King, Ryan S., and Marc Mauer. "The War on Marijuana: The Transformation of the War on Drugs in the 1990s." The Sentencing Project: Publications. 2005. The Sentencing Project: Research and Advocacy for Reform. 17 Feb. 2007 <http://www.sentencingproject.org/Publications.aspx?IssueID=5>
• Marijuana Policy Project. "Parents Ask Tough Questions." N.d. MPP: Marijuana Policy Project. 17 Feb. 2007 <http://www.mpp.org/atf/cf/%7BFC4E88DF-6ACE-4AA6-851C-0688A929D3C5%7D/parent_tax_and_regulate.pdf>

More papers on Decriminalization of Marijuana:

• Argumentative Essay # 131879 : "Decriminalization of Marijuana"
• Essay # 25326 : "Decriminalization of Marijuana in Canada"
• Essay # 26193 : "The Decriminalization of Marijuana"

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