Should Marijuana Be Legalised For Recreational Purpose?
- Tanya Shukla
- July 5, 2020
Content :
Marijuana refers to the dried leaves, flowers, stems, and seeds from the Cannabis sativa or Cannabis indica plant, which contains the chemical THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol) and other chemical compounds. THC is supposedly the primary psychoactive compound that makes people feel “high”. It is the most widely used recreational drug worldwide, and around 92 percent of the global population is involved in some kind of marijuana cultivation or use. Approx 200 million people smoke pot across the globe. Around 147 million people, of which constitutes approximately 2.5% of the world population, consume cannabis on an annual basis. This paper is aimed at analyzing the arguments that are being generally given for marijuana legalization and criminalization, and reaching a conclusion on that basis as to whether marijuana should be legalized for recreational purposes. A lot of people believe that marijuana should remain illegal in countries as it has a lot of incomparable harmful effects on different parts of the human body and can be a gateway to harder drugs like LSD and cocaine. Marijuana can have an effect on the body’s immune system, IQ etc. However, the argument produced by people opposing marijuana illegalization claim that marijuana as a drug is less dangerous than alcohol or cigarettes and that various studies have shown how the use of marijuana has numerous medical benefits. It is believed that it s consumption can even slow the process of diseases like cancer and Alzheimer’s disease and can be helpful in the treatment of AIDS. Not just medicinal advantages, but, marijuana, if legalized, can help in the creation of an onboard industry, creating job opportunities for people, giving farmers a proper amount for their cannabis production and curb street crimes involving the sale and purchase of this presently illegalized drug. Various protests in the form of marches and rallies have been held globally advocating for legalizing recreational marijuana in the countries, like the Global Marijuana March, Trump inauguration protest or the NYC Cannabis protest. Apparently, most of these protests have been held in the U.S., the major reason being marijuana legalization in some states of the country. The protestors have been voicing for a federal policy of legalizing marijuana for recreational purposes throughout the country. Different nations have different policies and laws relating to cannabis, like the United States has legalized marijuana in some states, whereas Netherlands has some designated coffee shops where you can go and smoke weed, without any fear of punishment or arrest. The answer to the question, ‘Whether marijuana should be legalized for recreational purposes?’ can have different answers for different people based on what they weigh more on the balance; however, legalization seems to have a lot more advantages than criminalization, looking at the issue from all possible angles and perspectives. Hence, it is submitted that it is high time that countries go ahead to legalize this drug, control it use through policies, tax it heavily like other drugs and generate good revenue from it, which certainly is needed today.
