Large corporations may say that the economic crisis is not a real problem because they are not feeling the effects from the government’s extraneous spending. Companies such as Lockheed Martin make over sixteen billion dollars each year from government contracts alone, so to them what the government is doing is a good thing (Lokey, 1). They think, “Since we’re doing fine, I’m sure everyone else is too.” This ideology is enormously incorrect because as we’ve all witnessed, many Americans are suffering from this. Currently there are over twenty-five million unemployed Americans, and forty-seven million families receiving food stamps because they can’t afford to buy groceries (Bay, 1). Obviously, this is very problematic for these people. Furthermore, even “average” Americans may not think this is a problem since the government has said they are working on it. Nonetheless - to assume that just because the government has made a statement saying, “they are working on it,” doesn’t mean we should just forget about it. For example, the war in Iraq was declared “mission accomplished” over eight years ago, but still we have troops over there fighting (Moyers, 2). Just because the government told the people something to be believed as true, it absolutely doesn’t constitute an immediate solution.
The legalization of marijuana will be an immediate solution by providing massive economic benefits to our country. By ending the marijuana prohibition we will lower the cost our government spends arresting and prosecuting marijuana “criminals” (45% of all drug related cases) and our country’s economic situation will change dramatically. Our government spends, “...fifty-billion dollars a year on marijuana crime; that’s 136 million a day, five million an hour, ninety-five thousand a minute, or fifteen-hundred dollars a second,” to put it in perspective (Holowach). Not only will the country be saving massive amounts of money, but they will also be generating billions of dollars in revenue from taxes.
If we taxed marijuana similarly to tobacco or alcohol, it will generate tens of billions of dollars in tax revenue (Holowach). All of this money will be flowing straight into our economy and in turn, straight out of the black market. This means the money will be untouchable to criminals and be contributing to the good of the rest of society. The bottom-line is this: Lower expenditure + higher tax revenue = lowering the United States economic deficit (Holowach).
In the act of legalizing marijuana, we will have to regulate it similarly to how tobacco and alcohol are regulated today, but with a few added precautionary measures. Like alcohol, it will only be available to adults ages twenty-one and older, and will be sold only from designated dispensaries. The dispensaries will also only be able to buy their product from licensed growers. All growers will be monitored by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) for safe growing environments along with monitoring THC levels to control quality of the substance being sold. Also, dispensaries will be required to designate between different strains and keep a clean sanitary environment to avoid any type of contamination.
Some people might say that marijuana is a gateway drug and will lead to drug use of harder substances if legalized. The gateway concept states that using marijuana leads a person to experiment with other drugs such as cocaine or heroin, which could cause serious harm. However, marijuana is not a gateway drug. People advocating this have simply found a correlation between using marijuana and using harder drugs; what they fail to explain is that this correlation (which does not imply causation) is due to the fact that those who use harder drugs also tend to smoke marijuana (Blanchford, 327-340). Attempting to use this correlation against the pro-marijuana movement will be the same as someone say that owning a gun leads to murder, because people who commit murder use guns. If explained fully and completely, this argument becomes very obviously invalid.
Others might argue that marijuana is addictive. They feel that marijuana can lead to a physical addiction in which regular users need to keep using to avoid withdrawal symptoms. However, Dr. Lynn Zimmer who has done extensive research in the affects of marijuana has found that, “Epidemiological surveys indicate that the large majority of people who try marijuana do not become long-term frequent users,” (Zimmer, 27) The study goes on to conclude that those who do use marijuana on a daily basis rarely report medical problems from stopping. Arguing against the legalization of marijuana due to dependency is illegitimate and a very slippery slope.
The next issue that may arise with legalizing marijuana is the theory that marijuana kills brain cells and does severe harm to the users well being. There isn’t any convincing evidence that marijuana has any harmful, long-term effects. The effects of marijuana on users’ motivation or memory only last as long as the intoxication period. Zimmer states, “For twenty-five years, researchers have searched for a marijuana-induced a-motivational syndrome and have failed to find it,” (Zimmer, 62). Regarding memory, only short-term memory is affected while intoxicated and the ability to learn new information is returned to normal after the intoxication period (Zimmer, 35-70). These arguments hold no ground in regards to why marijuana should not be legalized.
Implementation of marijuana legalization will have to be executed on a national level. The Senate will have to pass a bill legalizing the use of marijuana for anyone over the age of twenty-one. Once passed, the bill will not take effect for two years, giving government and law enforcement agencies ample time to prepare. This means it will give agencies such as the FDA time to make a subdivision in charge of overseeing the quality of product and sanitary conditions. Other agencies such as the DEA will be able to make plans to downsize the marijuana enforcement section. The agents currently employed in this division will be divided amongst other divisions such as narcotics. This will ensure that no agents lose jobs when this law goes into effect. Also, passing this law will increase the nation’s opportunity to heighten security on hard drugs.
During this time growers will be put through training on quality growing to become licensed growers. Only licensed growers will be able to sell to dispensaries in order to ensure no unwanted contaminants make it to the public market. In addition to a license to grow, growers will be required to have all other licenses currently required to own a business in each of their states. Along with proper training, the businesses will also be required to have regular inspections from OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) to guarantee a safe work environment for all employees, as well as the previously stated FDA inspections. This will certify that all marijuana sold to the public is produced a in a safe environment and is free of contaminates. Following this, six months before the law takes effect dispensaries will be able to apply for sales licenses as well as take a class on the proper procedures for maintaining a suitable business. Dispensaries will also be required to regularly have inspections from both the FDA and OSHA. This is to safeguard that all dispensaries are maintaining a safe environment for the public. They will also be required to have all strains labeled with strain name along with THC percentage, so that the buyer will know exactly what they are getting.
After the two years, marijuana will be legal for all citizens aged twenty-one years and older. This will be similar to alcohol in that users will not be required to get any type of special license (like the current medical marijuana license), but rather be required to show a state issued identification card when buying. They also will only be allowed to by a maximum of one ounce at a time to ensure they aren’t buying it for others. There will be an additional tax similar to alcohol or tobacco on all sales.
The only people who will be negatively affected by this law are the people who are currently illegally selling marijuana in the black market. However, they may open their own dispensary if they so choose. This will give them the same opportunity as every other citizen to sell, as long as they obliged by the previously stated rules.
The economic crisis is only getting worse and if not solved soon, will eventually affect the daily lives of all Americans. Recently, the United States lost its triple-A status, lowering the value of the United States on the world economic playing field. This is just the beginning. Soon countries such as China, whom the United States currently owe over two trillion dollars to, will cut us off, sending the United States into a great depression (Friedman, 263-288). This will destroy the lives of many Americans.
Legalizing marijuana is a legitimate solution to help the United States get out of the hole it has dug itself into. The best part is that it will be Americans saving America because everything will be done locally. This will attend to the unemployment crisis and save the country. The implementation will be cost-effective as well as help save money currently spent fighting marijuana. The economic chaos will be turned around and get back on track. Although Americans’ tendency to over spend may not see vast improvements, at least by legalizing marijuana, Americans will spend on American goods as opposed to foreign imports. This could be one of Americas only chances to save itself from the problems that it has been creating for decades.
Works Cited
Bay, Carrie. “National Unemployment Rate Falls to 9.0%.” 4 November 2011. DS News.
December 2011.
Blanchford, Stacy, and Krapp, Kristine. Drugs and Controlled Substances: Information
for Students. Farmington Hills: Thomson Gale, 2003.
Friedman, Thomas. Hot, Flat, and Crowded. New York: Picador, 2009. Print. pp. 1-288.
High: The True Tale Of American Marijuana. Dir. John Holowach. Straight Inc. 2008. DVD.
Lokey, Houlihan. “2010 Washington Technology Top 100 Government Contractors.” March 2011. Washington Technology.
December 2011.
Moyer, Bill. “Mission Accomplished?” 2 May 2008. PBS. December 2011.
Schlesinger, Jill. “18 Scary US Debt Facts.” 18 November 2010. CBS News. December 2011.
Zimmer, Lynn. Marijuana Myths Marijuana Facts: A Review Of The Scientific Evidence. New
York: Lindesmith Center, 1997. Print. pp. 1-78.
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