CON SPEECH FOR THE LEGALIZATION OF MARIJUANA

Con speech for the legalization of marijuana An Assignment Submitted by Name of Student Name of Establishment Class XXXX, Section XXXX, Fall 2012

CON SPEECH FOR THE LEGALIZATION OF MARIJUANA

Abstract Marijuana or cannabis legalization issue is a hot topic for discussion in the United States as there are four key elements argued: marijuana decriminalization, medical marijuana legalization, marijuana legalization for agricultural usage, and the problem of reducing its harm effects with or without legalization. Although there is a growing support for legalizing marijuana in the United States there are many more cons for legalization, including both social and economic costs paid by the American society as a result. Keywords: Marijuana, legalization, United States, drugs, intoxication.

Con speech for the legalization of marijuana

CON SPEECH FOR THE LEGALIZATION OF MARIJUANA Marijuana or cannabis legalization issue is a hot topic for discussion in the United States as there are four key elements argued: marijuana decriminalization, medical marijuana legalization, marijuana legalization for agricultural usage, and the problem of reducing its harm effects with or without legalization. Although there is a growing support for legalizing marijuana in the United States with three major players - Phoenix founder John Sperling, Ohio insurance executive Peter Lewis and New York philanthropist George Soros - investing more than $7 million to revise nationwide drug laws (GANJABUS, 2012), there are many more cons for legalization, including both social and economic costs paid by the American society as a result. To argue against marijuana legalization in the US is important and essential task as, first, there is a well-organized drug trafficking with Mexico marijuana export to the US accounting for 15-26 percent of Mexican drug trafficking organizations revenues (Kilmer et al., 2010). Second, marijuana is so far a single illegal drug considered to be legalized in the US since 2000 with 40 percent of California, Colorado, Alaska and Nevada residents standing for its possible legalization (Zedillo, Wheeler, 2012). In 2010, Ammiano Bill in California needed 3.6 percent more votes to be adopted (California Statement of Vote, 2010, p.7) with California becoming a major opponent for legalization featuring Northern California as a center of marijuana production (Kilmer et al., 2010). Third, marijuana is the most widely used illicit drug in the US - 17 million Americans older than 12 years old justified the past-month marijuana use, while 374,000 users coming up to an emergency room with marijuana-related problems annually (SAMHSA, 2010). Moreover, 36.4 percent of high school seniors justified marijuana use in 2011 to compare with 31 percent in 2006 (Quinton, 2011).

CON SPEECH FOR THE LEGALIZATION OF MARIJUANA When it comes to marijuana decriminalization, proponents argue that state control of marijuana production and distribution will weaken drug trafficking and related wars (The Economist, 2009; Johnson, 2010) as well as answer all economic problems through direct tax revenue and reduced state expenditures, in particular as regards to Californian case (Stateman, 2009; Grammy, 2012; Viliello, 2009). However, marijuana legalization is unlikely to solve illicit drug trafficking as licensed and legally grown cannabis will always include $50 tax surcharge engaging former gangs in various state regulations, such as minimum wage levels and standardization. Thus, productivity costs are likely to increase significantly, making their current business less attractive (Vitiello, 2009). On the other hand, while license and marijuana legal sales can bring $900 million and $349 million (Sanders, 2009) respectively, they are unlikely to overweight social costs linked to addiction and health treatment as America spends up to $76 billion a year on drug education and medication (CNOA, 1998, p.1). For instance, in 2007, US collected $9 billion on alcohol excise on a federal level and $5.5 billion on a state level. Instead, Americans spent $185 billion in alcohol-related costs, including criminal justice, health care and productivity problems (Harwood, 2000). The major concerns of marijuana legalization is drug effect on the user and increasing interest in trying marijuana. According to the Centers for disease control and prevention research data, people permanently using marijuana are subject to behavior changes with 26.7% of past year marijuana users being high on at least one occasion while at home caring for their family (1994, p.4). At the same time, one million of child abuse cases happen under the influence of additives (CNOA, 1998, p.3). Currently, marijuana retail price is estimated at $300-$450 per ounce with restricted buying interest due to high costs

CON SPEECH FOR THE LEGALIZATION OF MARIJUANA and detention fears (Zedillo, Wheeler, 2012). Marijuana legalization would lower current retail prices more than 80 percent which will have unpredictable influence on consumption tendencies (Caulkins, 2001; MacCoun, 2010), nevertheless, triggering increase in marijuana use (Williams et al., 2004; Kilmer et al., 2010). On the other hand, marijuana legalization in linked to the harm it causes, in particular, intoxicated driving that totaled up to 2.7 million cases in 2008 (Federal Bureau of Investigation, 2008), non-fatal overdoses with panic attacks and hallucinations (Ferner, 2012) as well as marijuana-related disorders that increased significantly in 2001-2002 to compare with 1991-1992 (Johnston, 2003). According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), permanent marijuana usage increases testicular cancer risks with lungs immune system being unable to fight off damaging bacterium evolving the disease. The research showed that disorders of having testicular cancer were 70 percent higher among men who reported current marijuana use compared with nonusers, while 80 percent of disease cases happened with cannabis users age 18 and older (NIDA, 2010). In addition, marijuana consumption is linked with some cases of tuberculosis transmission when permanent users were involved in hotboxing. Generally, marijuana smoking induces cough, creating perfect conditions for disease transmission (Oeltmann et al., 2004). Further, marijuana is estimated to have a profound influence on your health with even four marijuana joints damaging your lungs as bad as twenty tobacco cigarettes (Office of National Drug Control Policy). While marijuana, unlike tobacco and alcohol, is not listed among top ten most addictive substances (Rehabilitation from Drug Addiction), it contains tetrahydrocannabinol that remains in users body for weeks causing intoxication and psychotic symptoms (Room, 2008).

CON SPEECH FOR THE LEGALIZATION OF MARIJUANA When legalizing marijuana, even in medical purposes, we forget about marijuana possible abuse and dependance (American Psychiatric Association, 1994). According to the Centers for disease control and prevention, 16.2 percent of marijuana users built up tolerance to the drug so that the same amount of marijuana had less effect than before, while 20 percent used marijuana more often than planned (1994, p.5). More than 30 percent of mature marijuana users developed drug dependance when consuming marijuana permanently during the year (Compon et al., 2004). Consequently, while pro-marijuana groups seek to solve economic or drug trafficking problems that exist in the United States, they forget about high social costs America is to pay as a result. Marijuana is far from being properly researched to understand its true influence on human body and mind. However, those consumption symptoms we can observe currently show that marijuana is an addictive drug that can cause serious damages to our health with strong impact on young generation. Some states are discussing marijuana legalization without introducing mechanisms of its legal production control and on the background of continuous increase in marijuana smoking among youngsters.

References American Psychiatric Association. (1994). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.Fourth Edition. Washington, DC. American Psychiatric Association. California Senate Bill 1449. Amended April 5, 2010.

CON SPEECH FOR THE LEGALIZATION OF MARIJUANA Caulkins, J.P. (2001). When Parametric Sensitivity Analysis Isnt Enough. INFORMS Transactions on Education, Vol. 1, No. 3: 88-101. Compon W.M. Et et al. (2004). Prevalence of Marijuana Use Disorders in the United States: 1991-1992 and 2001-2002. Editorial. (2009, March 5). How to Stop the Drug Wars. THE ECONOMIST. Retrieved 2 October 2012 from http://www.economist.com/opinion/displaystory.cfm?story_id=13237193 Federal Bureau of Investigation. (2008). Uniform Crime reports, Washington, DC. Retrieved 2 October 20012 from http://www.fbi.gov/ucr.htm Ferner M. (2012, August 4). Marijuana Legalization: What Everyone Needs To Know: Risks And Rewards Of Legal Weed. The Huffington Post. Retrieved 17 September 2012 from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/04/marijuanalegalization-research_n_1850470.html GANJABUS. Against the Legalization of Marijuana. Mediacl Merijuana Growing Network. Retrieved 1 October 2012 from http://www.ganjabus.com/2006/02/against-legalization-of-marijuana_25.html Grammy Abbas P. (2012, March 26). Economic benefits of marijuana legalization. Economic Research Center. Retrieved 2 October 2012 from http://www.csub.edu/kej/documents/economic_rsch/2012-03-26.pdf Harwood, H. (2000), Updating Estimates of the Economic Costs of Alcohol Abuse in the United States: Estimates, Update Methods and Data. National Institute on Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse.

CON SPEECH FOR THE LEGALIZATION OF MARIJUANA Johnson, G. (2010, August 26). Legalize Marijuana to Stop the Drug Cartels. The Huffington Post. Retrieved 17 September 2012 from www.huffingtonpost.com/gary-johnson/legalize-marijuana-to-sto_b_696430.html Johnston L.D., O'Malley P.M., Bachman J.G. (2003). Monitoring the Future National Survey Results on Drug Use, 1975-2002. Bethesda, Md: National Institute on Drug Abuse. Kilmer B., Caulkins J., Pacula R., MacCoun R., Reuter P. (2010). Altered State?Assessing how marijuana legalization in California could influence marijuana consumption and public budgets. Santa Monica, Calif.: RAND Corporation. Kilmer, B., Caulkins, J. P., Bond, B. M., & Reuter, P. (2010). Reducing drug trafficking revenues and violence in Mexico: Would legalizing marijuana in California help? Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation. MacCoun, Robert J. (2010). Estimating the Non-Price Effects of Legalization on Consumption. RAND WR-767-RC, Santa Monica, CA. National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institute of Health. (2010, December). Marijuana Linked With Testicular Cancer. Research Findings, Vol. 23, No. 3. Oeltmann J.E., Oren E., Haddad M.B., Lake L.K., Harrington T.A., Ijaz K., et al. (2004) Tuberculosis outbreak in marijuana users, Seattle, Washington. Emerg Infect Dis. Retrieved 17 September 2012 from http://dx.doi.org/10.3201/eid1207.051436 Office of National Drug Control Policy. What Americans Need to Know About Marijuana. Retrieved 17 September 2012 from http://www.ncjrs.gov/ondcppubs/publications/pdf/mj_rev.pdf

CON SPEECH FOR THE LEGALIZATION OF MARIJUANA Quinton S. (2011, December 14). Report: Teen Cigarette and Alcohol Use Declines, Marijuana Use Rises. National Journal. Retrieved 17 September 2012 from http://www.nationaljournal.com/healthcare/report-teen-cigarette-and-alcohol-usedeclines-marijuana-use-rises-20111214?print=true Room R. et al. (2008, September). Cannabis Policy: Moving Beyond Stalemate. The Global Cannabis Commission Report. The Beckley Foundation. Retrieved 17 September 2012 from http://www.undrugcontrol.info/images/stories/documents/Beckley%20Cannabis% 20Commission%20Report.pdf SAMHSA. (2009). National Survey on Drug and Health (September 2010). Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN), SAMHSA, 2010. Retrieved 29 September 2012 from https://dawninfo.samhsa.gov/ Sanders, J. (2009, February 24). Legal Pot: Bill Sees Cash Harvest for State. SACRAMENTO BEE. Retrieved 2 October 2012 from http://www.sacbee.com/capitolandcalifornia/story/1647570.html Stateman A. (2009, March 13). Can Marijuana Help Rescue Californias Economy? Time. Los Angeles. Retrieved 2 October 2012 from http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1884956,00.html The Myths of Drug Legalization (Condensed). California Narcotics Officers Association in cooperation with The California Attorney Generals Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement (1998). Vitiello M. (2009, September). Legalizing Marijuana: Californias Pot of Gold? Retrieved 17 September 2012 from http://works.bepress.com/michael_vitiello/4

CON SPEECH FOR THE LEGALIZATION OF MARIJUANA Williams J., Pacula R.L., Chaloupka F.J. and Wechsler H. (2004). Alcohol and Marijuana Use Among College Students: Economic Complements or Substitutes? Health Economics 13(9): 825-843. Zedillo E., Wheeler H. (2012). Rethinking the War on Drugs Through the US-Mexico Prism. Yale Center for the Study of Globalization. Retrieved 1 October 2012 from http://www.ycsg.yale.edu/center/forms/rethinking-war-on-drugs.pdf.

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