badtroy19

Here is a paper I wrote for my Social Problems class. I figured I would post it somewhere it would actually be read so, here it is:

The cultural norms of today are far different then those of our past, culture as a whole is now more educated, accepting, understanding and willing to work toward social equality. However, still today laws remain, created during times of ignorance and fear, that do not flow harmoniously with America’s way of life. One of these rarely mentioned such laws is the criminalization of marijuana or “weed”. Marijuana is the third most popular recreational drug in American, exceed in popularity only by alcohol and tobacco, two legal but far more harmful drugs. Through media, social exposure and the modernization of values, weed is becoming more of a social norm, malls sell marijuana themed items, celebrities openly discuss or promote it’s use, and it’s very often portrayed as positive on TV. About a third of American’s use marijuana on a regular basis the vast majority of them being otherwise completely law abiding citizens. The criminalization of such a large portion of our public is taking an outrageously large toll on our countries capabilities in business, economy, tax costs and labor force.

Every 38 seconds a cannabis user is arrested, accounting for 47% of all drug related arrests in the country. Police arrest more people on cannabis charges each year than the total number of arrestees for all violent crimes combined, including murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault. As a result of this, hundreds of thousands of predominantly young people, face very life prohibiting consequences. Penalties that can be associated with a minor cannabis conviction include probation and mandatory drug testing, loss of employment, loss of child custody, removal from subsidized housing, asset forfeiture, loss of federal student aid, loss of voting privileges, loss of adoption rights, and the loss of certain federal welfare benefits such as food stamps. As the government attempts to fight its war on drugs, they are effectively alienating large portions of entire generations, stripping many important opportunities required for likely success. Youth today are more likely then ever to perceive the police as an instrument of their oppression rather than their protection.

Individuals using weed are not the only ones current marijuana laws harm, in fact they are creating a large burden to all American tax payers. Government reports indicate that the nation's marijuana laws cost taxpayers an incredible $41.8 billion annually to enforce. On top of that, anti-marijuana laws deprive America of many other economic gains and opportunities. The assumed supply of weed with in the U.S. is 31.1 million pounds, holding a retail price of well over 115 billion dollars. The Office of Management and Budget reports that government receipts represent 28.7% of the gross domestic product as tax revenue, in other words, with holding 115 billion dollars of product from the economy deprives taxpayers of 33.2 billion dollars annually. With those two figures, it is reasonable to assume America would potentially have an extra 75 billion dollars annually. In perspective of what an astounding sum 75 billion is, it’s about equivalent to the annual funding for the war in Iraq and about double what the Department of Education spends on k – 12 education a year. With so many areas of America in need of funds to improve, can we afford to waste this large sum of money every year? Despite the governments' best efforts to eliminate the trade of it, weed is nearly impossible to get rid of because of its sheer pervasiveness in our world and our culture. It is one of the oldest and most profitable trades on the globe, spanning across all country boarders and continuously creating billions in revenue. To this day, marijuana use has remained relatively constant with population growth in America, the government’s fight to ban it has made no progress in decreasing it’s use or availability but in fact has only lost tax dollars and created hardship. With this track record of costly failure, why is it still illegal?

The Legal history of weed is ridiculous when compared with today’s standards. Harry J. Anslinger began the real war on marijuana in 1930 when he was given control of the newly created Federal Bureau of Narcotics. Anslinger recognized this as an amazing career opportunity, he now had the power to define both a problem and a solution, as well as gain the funding required. Anslinger funded by the pharmaceutical and chemical companies, immediately drew upon the themes of racism and violence to draw national attention to the problem he wanted to create. His statements were in no way scientific or factual, they were all geared toward scaring or angering the public and had no real research behind them. Some of his quotes regarding marijuana are as follows:

"There are 100,000 total marijuana smokers in the US, and most are Negroes, Hispanics, Filipinos, and entertainers. Their Satanic music, jazz, and swing, result from marijuana use. This marijuana causes white women to seek sexual relations with Negroes, entertainers, and any others."

"Reefer makes darkies think they're as good as white men."

"By the tons it is coming into this country -- the deadly, dreadful poison that racks and tears not only the body, but the very heart and soul of every human being who once becomes a slave to it in any of its cruel and devastating forms.... Marihuana is a short cut to the insane asylum. Smoke marihuana cigarettes for a month and what was once your brain will be nothing but a storehouse of horrid specters. Hasheesh makes a murderer who kills for the love of killing out of the mildest mannered man who ever laughed at the idea that any habit could ever get him...."

"You smoke a joint and you're likely to kill your brother."

After a 7 year campaign against marijuana, on August 2, 1937, marijuana became illegal at the federal level. Anslinger used yellow journalism, lies, racism and fear to out play science and passed a bill on completely fabricated ideas. Since this time, the force of inertia has kept the bill in place, through out the last century, the public has formed many stigmas, fears and un-informed assumptions or stories about marijuana. There are decades upon decades of economic, political, medical, and even racial views of this drug that need to be peeled away to uncover the truth.

The real truth is seldom mentioned when compared to the potential of it’s effects, the world of politics seems to have a fear of being labeled with anything hinting criminal, making it rare for policy makers to acknowledge its existence. While I think change is gradually approaching, a large portion of America continues to assume marijuana is detrimental to individual’s as well as the countries health. In fact though, it is the complete opposite. Practically all studies have found very minute negative effects, as well as many beneficial medical effects. Cigarettes and alcohol have much more severe health consequences and cause infinitely more deaths, claiming more lives then possibly any other cause. There are virtually zero deaths associated with marijuana, yet it remains illegal and considered worse then both cigarettes and alcohol. The logic to marijuana’s criminalization was formed on the basis of lies from the start, there is no real reason for it’s ban and there never was. Marijuana has always been and always will be used very commonly through out the country as well as the world. America’s public policies should reflect this reality, not deny it. It makes no sense to continue to treat nearly half of all Americans as criminals.