Transcript Legalize Marijuana

Legalizing Marijuana
Alexis Timpson
Current Marijuana Conditions
• Current Laws
• Support for
Legislation
• Politics
• Medical Uses
Current Laws
• The current law
regulating marijuana is
the Comprehensive
Drug Abuse Prevention
and Control Act passed
in 1970.
• Current convictions of
sale and possession of
marijuana can be up to
one year in prison and a
5000 dollar fine, with a
simple possession charge
being only probation
depending on the judge
Support For Legalization
•
There are currently many organizations on the internet that support the
legalization of marijuana medically and for healthy adults.
•
Currently there are 14 states that have medical marijuana legalized, and
several states including Hawaii and Washington that are loosening their
possession charges.
Politics
Medical Uses
•
Modern research suggests that
cannabis is a valuable aid in the
treatment of a wide range of
clinical applications.
•
These include pain relief -particularly of neuropathic pain
(pain from nerve damage) –nausea,
spasticity, glaucoma, and
movement disorders.
•
Marijuana is also a powerful
appetite stimulant, specifically for
patients suffering from HIV, the
AIDS wasting syndrome, or
dementia.
• Emerging research suggests that marijuana's
medicinal properties may protect the body against
some types of malignant tumors and are
neuroprotective
• Currently, more than 60 U.S. and international
health orginazation support granting patients
immediate legal access to medicinal marijuana
under a physician's supervision.
Benefits
• Taxation
• Medical
• Reduced Crime
• Alcohol v. Marijuana
• Control Potency
Taxation
• Taxes can be put on
Marijuana so therefore the
government would be
getting more money.
• The taxes that the
government could put on
marijuana would be the
same as cigarette taxes.
• Marijuana is a known
substance that so many
people use legally or
illegally.
• Legalization of Marijuana will make it in high
demand therefore more people will be
consuming the drug. When there is more
people consuming the drug more money will be
going towards the government.
• Whether its legal or not it will be consumed by
many.
• Mike Moffit " Estimated that 0.5 grams, which
amounts to a unit of marijuana, would be sold
on the street for $8.60 when the cost of
production for the unit was only $1.70."
Medical Benefits
• In medical history no one
has been recorded for
overdosing on marijuana.
• Many deaths have been
reported for legal
substances such as alcohol,
cigarettes, and many overthe-counter medicines and
prescriptions.
• Helps reduce pain for
chemotherapy patients.
Alcohol vs. Marijuana
• There have been no reported
accidents from being high like
there have been from drinking
alcohol.
• Alcohol poisoning is getting
more common with teens.
• In a recent study conducted
involving 41,821 people, the
number of people killed in an
accident was 16,653, the
number of people killed in a
drug or alcohol related accident
was 25,168, and the number of
people killed in an accident
involving marijuana was zero
Control Potency
• It would give the government
control over the substance.
Scientists would be able to take
out as much of the
tetrahydrocannibonol (THC) as
needed so that the high from
marijuana is weakened.
• Restrictions on how much could
be purchased within a specific
amount of time could be made
by the government.
• Age limit the same as tobacco
(19) or even as high as alcohol
(21)
Negative
• Marijuana is often used as a
stepping-stone drug, leading
to heroin, cocaine, or other
harder drugs.
• Stoned driving and other
dangers would be increased.
• Some consider use of the
drug as morally wrong.
• Legalization would increase the chances of the
drug falling into the hands of kids.
• Because of drug-related arrests, people who have
committed or are likely to commit more serious
crimes can be taken off the streets.
• Physical damage would be done to users that
abuse the drug.
• More widespread use would increase the dangers
of secondhand smoke-damage to bystanders.
Conclusion
• Essentially the benefits
outweigh the negative
effects it could have on
our society.
• Government can make
huge profits from the
industry
• States have already
begun legalization for
medical purposes