Posted: September 10th, 2022

Positive and Negative Impacts of Legalizing Marijuana

Positive and Negative Impacts of Legalizing Marijuana*

As more states legalize marijuana and others try to emulate them, there is the ever-rising debate of its impacts on both the society and the economy. This paper analyses both sides of the discussion and the positive and negative effects claimed to be associated with marijuana. It is only reasonable to consider the bad and good before repealing a law. Some of the areas focused on are the economy, society, and health department by the legalization of the drug. Are the claims about improving the economy true? And how is the community affected by the legalization of marijuana? To some extent, social impacts may recoil to the economy and cause the nation to suffer. The health of individuals who use marijuana is also analyzed alongside its contributions to the medical industry. Through a qualitative methodology of relevant sources, all these questions are answered thoroughly in the paper.
Keywords: marijuana, legalization, impacts, negative, positive

POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE IMPACTS OF LEGALIZING MARIJUANA
The debate about legalizing marijuana – or popularly known as weed or cannabis – has been longstanding as countries try to weigh the pros and cons of the drug. Cannabis is a neuro-stimulating drug that alters the way the mind functions. And while come individuals claim that the drug is harmless and less addictive, some medical practitioners have come out with theories that prove otherwise. While these theories may lay on the table the negative impacts of the drug, some economic analysts claim that the naturally grown drug could provide jobs for many alongside producing byproducts that are beneficial to the society. Before legalizing an already banned substance, it is reasonable to consider the positive and negative impact that cannot be overlooked. This paper investigates the issue of legalizing marijuana through a critical analytical lens to understand the possible negative and positive impacts individuals and society alike may encounter.

LITERATURE REVIEW
When looking at the positive impacts, there are those who view the marijuana legalization as a means to change international treaties. According to an article written by Wells Bennet and John Walsh (2014), they claim that the United States is already involved in three global treaties that criminalize marijuana activities. While the US may face negative impacts such as prosecutions since more states are legalizing marijuana, the step may turn into a positive venture of amending the treaties . International law would experience changes that would allow the conditional legalization of marijuana and expand the beneficial reach of marijuana. Another positive impact of legalization is the regulation of the drug, according to Caulkins et al. (2015). Unlike in prohibited scenarios where weed has to be sold through the black market, legalization will ensure that sales and consumption of the drug are monitored. Marijuana users in states that have banned the drug have to use under zero supervision and without professional advice. This may lead to adverse outcomes since there is no strategy on the distribution of the drug beyond the buying and selling aspect. There may be vast literature talking about the consequences of marijuana, but there is no certainty that marijuana is the cause of the consequences .
Since Washington and Colorado legalized marijuana, other states have tried to follow suit to improve their economy, but the impacts are more likely negative. According to Evans (2013), the impact on the economy may be both positive and negative. First of all, most individuals overlook the actual spending required to move from the current policy and legalize the drug. Whenever a law is changed, there are necessary costs to repeal, implement, and enforce. This will require a significant amount of economic costs being channeled to attorneys, court proceedings, and drug experts. Recreational use of marijuana may be hazardous to public health, according to Lake and Kerr (2017). They claim that the use of cannabis as from a young age may cause mental health and cognitive disorders in specific individuals. Even though the debate on negative health issues is highly debated, there are researches that conclude marijuana harms the brain. Physicians also discourage frequent use of marijuana as it could cause respiratory health issues. There is an increased probability of contracting chronic bronchitis, wheezing, or chronic coughs. People with respiratory illnesses also risk making their conditions worse.
Although there are individuals who may oppose the recreational use of the drug, there are those who support their medicinal values. According to Lin et al. (2015), medicinal marijuana may be used as a form of therapy, but the level of efficiency varies depending on the type of illness. Illnesses such as seizures are controllable under an administered dose of cannabis. Some hospitals give epilepsy patients Cannabidiol to specific groups of people with epilepsy. Epidiolex is a drug that was approved by the FDA in 2018 to aid patients with epilepsy. Cancer patients are another group of patients who may reap the benefits of marijuana if it is legalized. The use of marijuana is known to aid with nausea and vomiting due to cancer chemotherapy. These patients may also improve their eating habits as the drug is known to alleviate food appetite.

METHODOLOGY
Qualitative Approach
The best strategy to tackle the methodology for this research will be conducting a qualitative approach since the aim of this research id to gain an in-depth view of the potential impact of legalizing marijuana. The qualitative methods will involve document reviews on the concerned topic since there is adequate research conducted on the study. The existing data provided in the literature review will suffice the required information.
Document Reviews
The data from the sources is beneficial as it is readily available and can be used for comparison with each other. The only drawback is that the data is already defined and rigid, unlike other data collection methods such as interviews that are more flexible. The sources are appropriate as they solely focus on the impacts of legalizing marijuana and evaluate the benefits and risks in an in-depth manner. The diversity of the sources is also another factor that makes the sources appropriate as they all consider different fields in case marijuana is legalized.

RESULTS
– Through treaty changes, other countries or states would be able to experience the economic and health benefits of the drugs.
– The regulation of marijuana will make it easier to minimize the correlation of marijuana towards some results since distribution can be monitored and implemented under a preferable criterion considering options such as age, prescription, or frequency.
– Repealing the existent laws will mean that states will have to eventually channel more funds to support establishments dealing with an increase in dependency and drug use cases.
– Marijuana users are said to have lower intelligence, and most of them lie across a low socio-economic status . Individuals who abuse the drug regularly experience short attention spans, lower reaction rates, and are more likely to cause accidents if they are operating machinery.
– It is difficult to promise that cannabis may treat illnesses, but it does help ailing people cope with their situation .

DISCUSSION
It is true that the alignment of the national strategies to the international treaties would allow for further commitment to the legalization of marijuana. It will also meant that more individuals globally will be able to access the drug. Sadly, marijuana is said to be leeway to other drugs, and its availability may slow down the process of drug users in recovery programs. Even though some economists may claim legalization may boost trade, there are internal effects that may make the economy stagnate. Considering the health and economic impacts, the negative impacts outweigh the positives.

CONCLUSION
In conclusion, the debate on marijuana depends on the impacts offered by the drug if it is legalized. It is a debate that needs lawmakers to consider both sides of the coin. It seems to be a profitable yet destructive venture if all the facts are analyzed. While some may need drug legalized to improve their economic gains, there is also the need to consider the state. While patients may need the medication to cope with treatment side effects, recovering addicts may spiral due to its availability. Legalizing marijuana is a matter that requires proper preparation and regulation if the law is ever repealed. Not only should the economy receive consideration, but society as well. Scholars are busy debating the topic alongside lawmakers to understand the magnitude of the drug. While most of the health facts are highly debatable, the impacts of drug abuse towards the community are real and threatening if not controlled.

References
Bennett, W., & Walsh, J. (2014). Marijuana legalization is an opportunity to modernize international drug treaties. Washington, DC: Brookings Institution.
Caulkins, J. P., Kilmer, B., Kleiman, M. A., MacCoun, R. J., Midgette, G., Oglesby, P., & Reuter, P. H. (2015). Options and issues regarding marijuana legalization. Rand Corporation.
Evans, D. G. (2013). The economic impacts of marijuana legalization. The Journal of Global Drug Policy and Practice, 7(4), 2-40.
Lake, S., & Kerr, T. (2017). The challenges of projecting the public health impacts of marijuana legalization in Canada: comment on” Legalizing and regulating marijuana in Canada: Review of potential economic, social, and health impacts”. International journal of health policy and management, 6(5), 285.
Lin, T. Y., Chapman, S., Hartsig, S. M., & Smith, S. L. (2015). Potential health effects of legalizing medical marijuana in Kansas: Kansas health impact assessment project. Kansas Health Institute.

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