Preview

Current War Against Marijuana

Powerful Essays
Open Document
Open Document
2467 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Current War Against Marijuana
Josh Williams | Current Was Against Marijuana | Final Scholarly Review |

Sanjay Marwah
Fall 2012 |

Josh Williams
Sanjay Marwah
Fall 2012
Scholarly Review
Current war against Marijuana

Introduction:
Law enforcement has developed a low tolerance for marijuana and other drug use. The newest policy concerning marijuana control was put into motion in 1994. Since then, there has been research and data exploring the advantages and disadvantages concerning the changes and innovations that have been made thus far. Reviewing the existing research gives a better understanding of why the marijuana policies are what they are and why they are still in place.
The war against marijuana has been a reoccurring problem since the 1960’s. There has been substantial research conducted in the past 40 years as to what proper administrative steps to take to continue to slow the growth of marijuana criminal activities (Stephanie, 2010). The problem with this particular type of research is that it uses qualitative data and surface marijuana production information to assess how to innovate policing policies and attempted strategies. In preliminary research, the common idea that there should be a different research method explored to enhance marijuana policing results was a continuing trend. The missing research must allow officials to accurately judge the performance of current policies their affects of the drug distribution process. The current strategy is missing another level of research rather than simply scratching the surface of marijuana affairs.
Because of the absences of valuable research concerning the base business of marijuana, the programs, strategies, and theories that exist are voided attempts to enforce irrelevant policies. Instead of making educated guesses about proper policing strategies, there has to be a greater, deeper amount of research taken to fully understand the businesses and production of marijuana. Porter, Gaines, and



References: -Porter, G., Gaines, L., & Holbrook, B. (2004). BLOWING SMOKE: AN EVALUATION OF MARIJUANA ERADICATION IN KENTUCKY. In American Journal of Police. Eastern Kentucky University. -Johnson, B. D., Golub, A., Dunlap, E., & Sifaneck, S. J. (2008). An analysis of alternatives to new york city 's current marijuana arrest and detention policy. Policing, 31(2), 226-250. doi:10.1108/13639510810878703 -Jonathan, P. C., & Rosalie, L. P. (2006). Marijuana markets: Inferences from reports by the household population. Journal of Drug Issues, 36(1), 173-200. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.guilford.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/208830046?accountid=11235 -Stephanie, F. W. (2010). Up in smoke. ABA Journal, 96(12), 50-55,64. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.guilford.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/817291284?accountid=11235

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Powerful Essays

    For many years in the past, marijuana has been made to look like a dangerous drug, linked to crime and addiction. In the early 1920s and ‘30s most people still did not know what marijuana was or had even heard of it yet. Those who had heard of it were largely uninformed. The drug rarely appeared in the media, but when it did it was linked to crime and even thought to be murder-inducing. A 1929 article in the Denver Post reported a Mexican-American man who murdered his stepdaughter was a marijuana addict (Baird 2011). Articles such as this began to form a long-standing link between marijuana and crime in the public’s mind. Soon, laws against marijuana began coming into place. In 1970, Congress classified marijuana as a Schedule I drug, meaning it had no medical utility.…

    • 2054 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Peat, M. (1977). Marijuana : A Study of StatePolicies and Penalties . Washington: The Center.…

    • 2935 Words
    • 12 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    In 2011, after legalizing marijuana in California, the juvenile crime rate dropped 20 percent. The number of arrests for violent crimes dropped by 16 percent, homicide went down by 26 percent and drug arrests decreased by nearly 50 percent. In 2010, marijuana possession accounted for 64 percent of all drug arrests, and in 2011, that number decreased to only 46 percent (Sankin, 2012, California Marijuana…

    • 766 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Medical cannabis has been a topic for debate since the late 1990’s when California became the first state to legalize cannabis for medicinal purposes (Sankin 2). Proponents of cannabis tout the plant’s healing properties, while detractors claim that the plant remains a highly dangerous drug. Likewise, public opinion is split as to whether dispensaries are a positive or a negative influence to their communities. Even though opponents claim that medical cannabis dispensaries cause crime, in reality dispensaries bring many benefits to a community. They decrease crime, bring revenue to cities and states and their residents, and provide comfort and support to residents of the community.…

    • 1161 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Best Essays

    as to whether to legalize the drug on a federal level or not (Smith 1). There is a battle between…

    • 2911 Words
    • 12 Pages
    Best Essays
  • Good Essays

    Marijuana is the most commonly used illegal substance in United States and in many other countries; this is a statement that seems to be in each article that is written about the legalization of marijuana. This is a subject that has been up for debate for quite a few years now. There are many people who support the legalization of this drug and are strongly convinced that marijuana is not a drug in which one should be punished for, but rather a drug that should not be frowned upon and seen as a way to help our nation economically and medically. On the other end, there are also many people who support the criminalization of marijuana and believe it is a drug that should remain illegal or else further use of the drug may increase and become dangerous. There was a time in history when the use of marijuana was quite popular until it became illegal, like many other substances, it did not stop people from using. The question still remains, should marijuana be legalized? Throughout this writing piece, information regarding different views and opinions on the legalization of marijuana will be presented, along with positive and negative effects this would have on our nation economically and medically.…

    • 1383 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    The war on drugs touches every level of society. Despite the fact that marijuana effects are far less harmful than those of most other drugs, including alcohol and tobacco, it is the most common drug that over 20 million Americans have been arrested and charged with its use since 1965. Every year, the U.S. government spends large amounts of money to control drug use and to enforce laws that were created to protect society from the dangers of certain drugs. Some argue that the fight against marijuana is wasteful spending and that society has already lost the war. Some believe the only way to solve the problem is to end the fighting altogether by decriminalizing the use of plant. Our country spends $68 billion a year on prisoners, one-third of which are imprisoned for non-violent drug crimes. About half of these prisoners are marijuana offenders. This means that one-sixth of our countries prisoners are in jail for marijuana related charges (Wolff). Legalizing the drug would free up much needed prison space for more violent crime offenders and also saving the country over $11 billion a year. In the 2010 edition of “The Budgetary Implications of Drug Prohibition,” Jeffrey Miron, director of undergraduate studies at…

    • 1421 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Better Essays

    Marijuana vs. Tobacco

    • 1085 Words
    • 5 Pages

    {text:bookmark-start} Drug Policy Alliance Network (n.d.). Marijuana: the facts. Retrieved January 16, 2009, from http://www.drugpolicy.org/marijuana/factsmyths/ {text:bookmark-end}…

    • 1085 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Why Marijuana Is Bad

    • 565 Words
    • 3 Pages

    In today’s urban culture we see, hear, or talk about drugs almost every day. To most, America’s war on drugs is a joke, something to laugh at, and something to poke fun at. However, the war on drugs is a serious business that shouldn’t be taken lightly. Perhaps one of the biggest threats on the streets is the commonly abused gateway drug, Marijuana. Marijuana, weed, pot, Mary Jane, whichever you want to call it, is a disgusting drug that should never be legalized like alcohol or cigarettes. If anything, Marijuana should be hunted down to the far corners of the earth and burned without mercy.…

    • 565 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Marijuana Legalization

    • 2144 Words
    • 9 Pages

    For most of the 20th century and beyond, it has been illegal in the United States and other countries, turning its sale and usage into a vast underground market that has gone untapped by any professional outlet. Some say that it is a harmful, addictive drug that leads to health detriments down the line for those who use it. However, there are others who claim that it is perfectly safe, not addictive, and could be an incredible source of income for a legitimate economy. The legalization of marijuana has the potential to create an incredible revenue stream of a highly demanded product that is safe to use. In this essay, the pros and cons of marijuana legalization will be explored and discussed.…

    • 2144 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    The legalization of medical marijuana is a current policy issue that has caused much tension between the different levels of government, as well as between the state and local agencies. This public policy has caused much conflict because of the various aspects of it such as legalization for medical use, the decriminalization of marijuana; and the many discrepancies that it has between federal and state laws. Legalization of medical marijuana has many pros and cons that have been brought to light by many different branches of the government, however, the issue of federalism is extremely prevalent.…

    • 992 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Marijuana has been illegal in the United States since the Marihuana Stamp Tax Act was enacted by congress in 1937. Since then, between the “period 1965-2007 there were 19,342,363 arrests for cannabis offenses, 89% of them for the possession of a small quantity of cannabis.” (St. Pierre, 2008) Much like the prohibition of alcohol, prohibiting the use of Marijuana has failed. It is time to put an end to this failed policy by legalizing Marijuana. At an estimated $35.8 billion, marijuana is by far the largest cash crop in the United States when compared to the average production values of other crops from 2003 to 2005. (Gettman, 2006)…

    • 2105 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Medical Marijuana Essay

    • 4010 Words
    • 17 Pages

    After the release of the film “Reefer Madness” in 1936 and all of the horrible things marijuana is purported to make a person do, who would have thought marijuana would ever gain legal status anywhere in the U.S.? It only took 76 years but on November 6th, 2012 marijuana became legal for recreational use in two states: Colorado and Washington. This report aims to analyze the many organizational aspects that need to be established in order to facilitate the growth, distribution, regulation, and the effects on both our economy and the people who will be using marijuana in those two states.…

    • 4010 Words
    • 17 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Legalizing Marijuana

    • 2436 Words
    • 10 Pages

    Marijuana has been vilified in America over the past 70+ years. Despite its many practical uses, medicinal and industrial, our Federal government insists on maintaining the status quo that the growth, possession and use of marijuana is criminal despite the evidence that the legalization of marijuana would have a positive influence on America. In this paper I will discuss the history of marijuana, the industrial uses of hemp, the prohibition of marijuana, the economic impact prohibition has on America, the effects of marijuana use on the mind and the body, marijuana for medical use, and how legalization of marijuana would have a positive influence on America. Although I support the legalization of marijuana I do not support the legalization of other Schedule I drugs, therefore this paper is not about the legalization of all drugs.…

    • 2436 Words
    • 10 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    With the legalization of marijuana a whole new array of possibilities opens up. The government can increase tax revenue by putting a sales tax on marijuana. By increasing taxes on legal marijuana we can boost and stimulate the economy. Studies have shown that illegal drug traffic adds up to approximately $100 billion dollars a year. With governments scrambling to find new sources of revenue to pay for important social objectives such as health care and education the legalization and taxation of marijuana can drastically help. It is shown that by legalizing marijuana the government expenditures would dramatically decrease. The savings would involve reductions in police expenditures, in prosecutorial and judicial expenditures, and in jail and prison expenditures. All of these events can be obtained with the legalization of marijuana.…

    • 786 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays