The Legalization of Marijuana

Paper Summary:

The paper looks at the history of the legal enforcement of marijuana and explores the political and social arguments that promote its legalization. The paper then examines the arguments that contend that legalization should remain illegal within the domestic market. The paper concludes that the legalization of marijuana should not be realized in the current social and political climate.

From the Paper:

"The question of Marijuana legalization has plagued the American justice system for well over half a century. The rampant use of Marijuana in the late 1960s and 70s thrust it into the prominence within the American legal system. Although the narcotic has been banned since the early 20th century in most countries it is currently widely used still within both the United States population and around the world. The active resistance to regulation and criminalization of cannabis has made the question of whether expanding monetary and human resources on stopping the spread of marijuana feasible and effective. Current research seems to suggest that neither is the case with marijuana as its spread within society, especially the United States has reached new highs every year. The ineffectiveness of current policy as well as the moral and political debates about the legitimacy of marijuana has thrust the question of whether or not it should be legalized within the United States."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Husak, D. (2005). The Legalization of Drugs. Cambridge: Cambridge UniversityPress.
• Rosenthal, E. (2003). Why Marijuana Should Be Legal. Seattle: Thunder's MouthPress.
• MacCoun, R. J. (2001). Drug War Heresies: Learning from Other Vices, Times, andPlaces. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
• Earleywine, M. (2002). Understanding Marijuana: A New Look at the Scientific Evidence. Cambridge: Oxford University Press US.
• Boire, R. G. (1996). Marijuana Law. Boston: Ronin Publishing.

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