Legalization of Marijuana
Thesis Marijuana is a substance that has become
very much a part of American culture. Nearly 65
million Americans have either used it occasionally
or regularly. The use of marijuana hit mainstream
America about thirty years ago and it has been
accepted by a large segment of society ever since
(Rosenthal 16). The debate on whether this
substance should be legalized or not remains a
very hot topic today. Despite government efforts
to isolate and eliminate its use, it is clear that the
use of marijuana is still very popular. There is an
obvious problem concerning marijuana today.
Governments on all three levels: local, state, and
federal are trying desperately to find an
appropriate policy involving marijuana. National
polls show that more than 70% of the American
people, from both ends of the political spectrum,
support controlled access to marijuana for
medicinal purposes. Despite fierce opposition
from the federal government, voters in California
and Arizona passed ballot initiatives in the fall of
1996 favoring the legalization of medicinal
marijuana (Randall 33). If support for marijuana at
least as a medicinal remedy is so high, then why
have only a few states taken steps to change their
policy? There are several reasons why marijuana
remains illegal. Mainly, it is a political issue kicked
around by certain special interest groups. Some of
these groups perceive marijuana as a threat to the
home, tearing families apart and causing them to
abandon traditional values. However these groups
usually are not legitimate areas of legislation. The
more powerful groups have other, more practical
reasons for keeping marijuana illegal. Among the
most powerful of these groups are the combined
law enforcement-judiciary-penal systems. This
group sees the elimination of marijuana laws as a
threat to their jobs. Add to this group defense
lawyers, who stand to make millions of dollars
defending marijuana offenders. Consciously or
not, they
very much a part of American culture. Nearly 65
million Americans have either used it occasionally
or regularly. The use of marijuana hit mainstream
America about thirty years ago and it has been
accepted by a large segment of society ever since
(Rosenthal 16). The debate on whether this
substance should be legalized or not remains a
very hot topic today. Despite government efforts
to isolate and eliminate its use, it is clear that the
use of marijuana is still very popular. There is an
obvious problem concerning marijuana today.
Governments on all three levels: local, state, and
federal are trying desperately to find an
appropriate policy involving marijuana. National
polls show that more than 70% of the American
people, from both ends of the political spectrum,
support controlled access to marijuana for
medicinal purposes. Despite fierce opposition
from the federal government, voters in California
and Arizona passed ballot initiatives in the fall of
1996 favoring the legalization of medicinal
marijuana (Randall 33). If support for marijuana at
least as a medicinal remedy is so high, then why
have only a few states taken steps to change their
policy? There are several reasons why marijuana
remains illegal. Mainly, it is a political issue kicked
around by certain special interest groups. Some of
these groups perceive marijuana as a threat to the
home, tearing families apart and causing them to
abandon traditional values. However these groups
usually are not legitimate areas of legislation. The
more powerful groups have other, more practical
reasons for keeping marijuana illegal. Among the
most powerful of these groups are the combined
law enforcement-judiciary-penal systems. This
group sees the elimination of marijuana laws as a
threat to their jobs. Add to this group defense
lawyers, who stand to make millions of dollars
defending marijuana offenders. Consciously or
not, they
Bibliography: McGraw Hill, 1982. Garner, Charles. Personal Interview Personal Interview. May 16, 1998. Nahas, Gabriel G University of Illinois Press, 1986. Potter, Beverly. The Healing Magic of Cannabis. California : Ronin Publishings, Inc., 1998 Patients Fight for Medicinal Pot. New York : Thunders Mouth Press, 1998 Marijuana as Medicine. Washington : Madrona Publishers, Inc., 1982 Marijuana Should Be Legal. New York : Thunder 's Mouth Press, 1996.