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The War on Illegal

Drugs
(Marijuana)

An Essay Examination
Submitted to the
College of Arts and Letters
University of Santo Tomas

In Partial Fulfillment
Of the Requirements of
Health Economics
Prof. Joseph Andre Dela Pasion

Prepared and Submitted by

34. Camille V. Ramirez
2014071098
Section: 2BPH
December 2, 2015

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Popularized in the 1960s by music and mass media, drugs

invade all aspects of society. Drugs have been part of our culture ever
since the middle of the last century. An estimate of about 208 million
people internationally, consumes illegal drugs. The most commonly used
illegal drug is marijuana. According to the United Nations 2008 World Drug
Report, about 3.9% of the worlds population between the ages of 15 and
64 abuse marijuana. Young people today are exposed earlier than ever to
drugs. Based on a survey by the Centers for Disease Control in 2007,
45% of high school students nationwide drank alcohol and 19.7% smoked
pot during a one-month period. People take drugs because they want to
change something about their lives some want to fit in, to escape or relax,
to relieve boredom, to seem grown up, to rebel, or simply just to
experiment. Some think drugs are the solution. But eventually, the drugs
become their problem. Difficult as it may be to face ones problems, the
consequences of drug use are always worse than the problem one is
trying to solve with them.
The real answer is to get your facts straight and not to take
drugs. Drugs are basically poisons. The amount taken determines the
effect on the mind or on the body. A small amount acts as a stimulant
(speeds you up). A greater amount acts as a sedative (slows you down).
An even larger amount can act as poison and can kill. This is true of any
drug. Only the amount needed to achieve the effect differs. But many
drugs have another liability: they directly affect the mind. They can distort
the users perception of what is happening around him or her. As a result,
the persons actions may be odd, irrational, inappropriate and even
destructive. Drugs block off all sensations, the desirable ones with the
unwanted. So, while providing short-term help in the relief of pain, they
also wipe out ability and alertness and muddy ones thinking.
Medicines are drugs that are intended to speed up or slow
down or change something about the way your body is working, to try to
make it work better. Sometimes they are necessary. But they are still
drugs: they act as stimulants or sedatives, and too much can kill you. So if
you do not use medicines as they are supposed to be used, they can be
as dangerous as illegal drugs. [1]
Today, problems concerning illegal drugs are not just
encountered here in the Philippines, but it is a pain-in-the-butt to most of
the leaders in other countries in the world. Many government leaders in
different countries have been fighting a losing war against drugs for
decades. Budgets have increased dramatically over the last two decades
and drug-related incarcerations consistently reach new records yet drug
problems worsen: adolescent drug abuse is increasing, overdose deaths

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are at record levels, heroin and cocaine are cheaper, more pure and more
available than ever before, and health problems related to drugs,
especially the spread of HIV/AIDS are mounting. Meanwhile an expensive
and ineffective international counter narcotics policy entails growing
human rights and environmental costs. Drug problems can be reduced at
less cost if we change course and adopt strategies that work. At a time
when the federal budget is limited programs need to be re-evaluated.
Funding needs to go to programs that work. We need new ideas to save
lives we can't afford to continue to be wrong.[2] To combat illegal drugs,
and to possibly get rid of it, there are certain action steps that the
government can do to alleviate this ever growing problem.
One action step that may be done is to shift resources into
programs that actually work. Knowledge about illegal drugs and its
possible effects to the body and to the mind must be disseminated to the
public especially to those who are more likely users, abusers or about to
use or to take illegal drugs. The government and the program making
body shall be intentional in educating the mass, not leaving out any
important knowledge that the people should know, and when heard of,
would somehow discourage the people to use the said substance. Other
action steps are: to focus on the law enforcement body, and to be more
strict with the law regarding this issue; introduce new recreational activities
to users or possible users of illegal drugs in order to divert attention, and
to decrease demand. There are many action steps that the government
may take in order to combat illegal drugs.

When it comes to my stand regarding the legalization of

medicinal marijuana, and if you want me to focus on my normative
economics, I would probably say that its a big no no for me. I grew up in a
Christian family, and I never really heard my parents say that a drug such
as marijuana is something that is okay to take neither did I hear that it
was something good and of medicinal value. I always look at marijuana in
a negative way and have placed it in the dark side ever since Ive learned
about its effects on human mind and body. For me, I think that the bad
effects still outweigh the good ones. It is written in the bible in 1
Corinthians 6:19-20 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the
Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not
your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in
your body. When one takes marijuana, the known effects are: rapid
heartbeat, disorientation, lack of physical coordination that is usually
followed by depression, or sleepiness, some users even suffer from panic
attacks and anxiety. [1] I for one, think that these effects arent what God

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intended for us. He has not created our bodies to experience these things
intentionally. He did not create us to abuse our body.
Medicinal marijuana may be beneficial such as its property to
relieve pain, to relieve seizure attacks, and its ability to slow down
Alzheimers disease but know that there are a lot of drugs and remedies
available in the market for these situations/disease as well. Marijuana isnt
the only option we have! We actually have a lot of available remedies, and
I dont think that there is a disease that is cured only by medicinal
marijuana. There will always be a choice in curing diseases, and I think
that people should think of the other choices available and not to confine
their minds to thinking that medicinal marijuana is the only choice there is.
Once that marijuana is legalized even if it has medicinal property, the only
factor that would allow it to be addictive and/or toxic is its dose. Even if
strict implementation is implied in this country, I think that abusers will still
find a way to acquire marijuana. Workers in this country are easily tricked
or blinded by money offered by the users. Being addicted to any
substance is something I am against and something I would not do and it
is obviously something not taught.
When it comes to my positive economics, being someone who is
actually concerned about the economic status of my country, I might
probably have a changed mind, and will choose that path to legalize
medicinal marijuana. If I will disregard my thinking of the bad effects
outweighing the good ones and all the other reasons why I didnt like
marijuana, it is possible to approve of any law regarding the medicinal
properties of marijuana.
Taxed and well-regulated medical cannabis programs create
numerous economic benefits to state and local governments. These
systems are already being implemented in over 23 states in the US and
their reward is bountiful. Here are some of the economic benefits that
regulating cannabis can inject into our ailing economies:
In legalizing medicinal marijuana, the government can, without a
doubt, gain additional millions of revenue from it. Cannabis is a $25+
billion dollar industry. Currently, all of those revenues go directly to cartels
and criminal gangs. Through regulation and taxation, we can transform
these black market billions into taxable revenues. This new income can
bolster our state economy without raising taxes on main street Also,
legalizing medicinal marijuana would mean more jobs can be more
available to the public, such as farming jobs for those who grow and tend
these plants, police jobs and law enforcement jobs for those who are part
of the reinforcement team when it comes to strict implementation of the

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law, pharmacist who are licensed to dispense these medicinal marijuana,

manufacturers would tend to hire more workers that can help in the
processing and packaging of this drug. More jobs can mean less
unemployment rate, and this is something I am approved of. Job creation
is integral to any robust economy. Cannabis jobs already exist;
unfortunately, they all are held by criminals. A well-regulated medical
cannabis program will create new jobs for hard-working, tax-paying
citizens. From horticulturists cultivating plants, to labs testing the safety of
the medicine, to employees at dispensaries, regulated medical
cannabis will create thousands of new, high-paying jobs in our country.
Moreover, legalizing medicinal marijuana can decrease
government spending. Cannabis prohibition is expensive. Economist from
Harvard, Jeffrey Miron, estimates that $20Billion is spent by the US
government per year fighting this little green plant. Much of this cost
comes from burdening our justice system, wasting law enforcements time,
and using $125/day of taxpayer money incarcerating cannabis offenders.
To add insult to injury, these efforts continue to fail as cannabis is more
available than ever before. And I think this is also observed in the
Philippines today.
As a result, applying the increased revenues with the
decreased expenses caused by medical cannabis legalization yields a net
gain in the billions. This new money can be used to fortify our many
distressed and underfunded public works programs like the lagging
education system, build new roads that reduce traffic and increase Social
Security and Medicare benefits for our seniors. Also, by implementing a
law that will legalize medicinal marijuana, it can weaken criminal
organizations. How do gangs and cartels have the same weapons that our
military uses? Why do drug dealers drive $100,000 cars? Because selling
illicit drugs is a wildly lucrative and untaxed business. Legalizing and
regulating medical cannabis will take this profit center away from
murderous criminals and transfer it to licensed and regulated businesses.
By taking these revenues from organized crime, we can significantly
weaken them financially. Additionally, we will be able to control how and
to whom medical cannabis is dispensed by setting responsible standards
to which businesses must adhere. Liquor stores ID customers, drug
dealers do not. [4]

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Bibliography

[1] Carroll, G., & Gregorian, A. (2015). Foundation For A Drug Free
World. Retrieved November 29, 2015, from Drug Free World:
http://www.drugfreeworld.org/drugfacts/the-truth-aboutdrugs.html
[2] Zeese, K. B. (2009, July 9). Common Sense for Drug Policy. (D.
McVay, Editor) Retrieved November 29, 2015, from CSDP:
http://www.csdp.org/news/news/8steps.htmCommon Sense for
Drug Policy

[3] AOL Money & Finance. (2012, November 11). 14 Ways Marijuana
Legalization Can Boost The Economy. Retrieved November 30,
2015, from Huffington Post:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/07/marijuana-economy14-reasons_n_2089107.html
[4] Economic Benefits of Regulation. (2015). Retrieved November 29,
2015, from Halcy Organics:
https://halcyonorganics.com/economic-benefits-of-regulation/

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