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The unintended consequences of Marijuana Legislation

To evaluate any drug policy and determine whether it is rational or irrational one requires

considering the intended and the unwanted effects of such a system. For example a drug policy

that discourages the use of another drug such as excessive indulging in alcohol, and cause

increased smoking tobacco. Such as policy would be a less pleasing to most people, than a

policy which discourages heavy drinking, but it is not associated with an increase in the use of

tobacco and its derivatives. This effect of the drug policy which is unintended may sound

surprising at first glance, but analysts have said that it presumably arises naturally especially if

the two drugs in question are substitutes of another. This article will look into the consumption of

marijuana; in particular, the author will evaluate the effects of the government interventions on

the use of marijuana.

Prohibiting Marijuana

Marijuana for recreational purposes was moderately popular in the United States of

America unit it became prevalent among the African-Americans and immigrants at which group

across the United States of America called for its prohibition (Colquitt). In 1930, Federal Bureau

of Narcotics was created under the stewardship of Harry Aslinger with the intention of making

Marijuana an illegal substance in the United States of America (Colquitt). The enactment of the

Marijuana Tax Act in 1937 meant that cannabis regulation fell under Drug Enforcement Agency

(DEA) (Colquitt). This Act illegalized cannabis possession and use for whatever purposes under
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the federal law. There was a resurgence of cannabis use in the 1960s and 1970s, and this was

one of the reasons for the beginning of the War on Drugs under President Nixon. The Controlled

Substance Act of 1970 produced a system of classification for narcotics, and it gave the Food &

Drug Administration and Drug Enforcement Agency, full control over Marijuana regulation(U.S.

Department of Justice: Drug Enforcement Administration). Under this act, marijuana is

classified as Schedule 1 drug together with heroin and lysergic acid diethylamide, in the

knowledge that it has a potential for addiction, abuse and has no medical purpose(U.S.

Department of Justice: Drug Enforcement Administration).

Legalization of Marijuana

Research on the medicinal values of marijuana has spurred a growing movement to

legalise the cannabis plant for medicinal purposes. In the United States of America, At least 23

states have access to medical marijuana for treatment of chronic ailments and more states are

debating on the issues of medical marijuana(ProCon.org). States of Washington and Colorado

will go down in history as the first states to legalize recreational Marijuana in 2012 (Pardo).Both

this state’s pushed their way through the unexplored legal territory, because cannabis remains a

banned substance by the federal government. As more states follow suit despite the unchanging

federal laws, the countries which have ratified this law will have to deal with the unintended

consequences of the legislation without the aid of the federal government.

The Unintended Consequences of Marijuana Legislation

An important aspect to consider in the legalisation of Marijuana is the potential effect that

these substances will have on the illegal marijuana consumption. The advocates who are against

the legalisation of marijuana argue that if marijuana use is legalised, it will lead to increased

illegal consumption of marijuana because many people will have access to marijuana substance.
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A study conducted at Michigan State University reviewed the arrest data across the

United States of America from 1988 to 2008(Chu). Data from the Uniform Crime Reports

system (UCR) that records marijuana possession arrest compiled by the FBI and the Treatment

Episodes Data Sets (TEDs) that documents the state level of marijuana treatment admissions was

used. Chu found out that there was an associated 10 % to 20% increase in marijuana-related

treatment and arrests. The study provided sufficient evidence of the existence of a strong positive

correlation between the presence of increased arrest of illegal use of marijuana and medical

marijuana legislation.

In another study that was conducted in California which specifically focused on the

relationship between the passage of the legislation on the medical marijuana and overall use of

marijuana in 50 cities across the united states, revealed that in areas with higher availability of

grass there was a likelihood of current users(Freisthler and Gruenewald). They also noted that

cities which had higher levels of social disorder had a higher rate of both current and lifetime

marijuana consumption. The researchers concluded that there was a more senior complicated

relationship that existed between the availability of marijuana and its overall prevalence of use

(Freisthler and Gruenewald).

There is an also unintended consequence that arises as a result of enacting strict laws

since they create barriers to persons who have been using marijuana to seek help. It is because

the persons are afraid of being apprehended and charged with the possession and use of

marijuana and its derivatives. It, in turn, creates a cycle of marijuana users who could have been

assisted should the legislation prohibiting marijuana use be more friendly than when the law is

not
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While research has indicated the benefits of using marijuana to relieve symptoms that are

associated with specific medical conditions, there are serious public health risks that may be

driven u as a result of legalising cannabis. For instance, although Marijuana is not as addictive as

other substances or drugs, it is a habit-forming kind of practice. The regular use of this drug

could eventually contribute to the decline in cognitive function and cause respiratory illness

among people. Also with the legalisation of marijuana without determination of the amount

which can cause impairment in operating machines and driving is a disaster waiting to happen

since the number of accidents is a concern. As with drinking and driving, the number of

devastating accidents is high, likewise with the consumption of marijuana the likelihood of

accidents will go up.

Another serious consequence of making marijuana accessible and legalising it to the

youth is that teens are susceptible to the effects of smoking bang since their brains are still

developing. By having easy access and smoking it will severely impact on the ability of the teens

to function well academically and in extracurricular activities. It means that it will lead to lower

IQs among the teens

In conclusion, Recreational marijuana cons and pros should be considered carefully

before making a choice. Although by the legalisation of marijuana will lead to increased revenue

to the states, there are too many consequences which are severe and dangerous risks attached to

legalising cannabis. More so, the cost of treating people the addiction and other related illnesses,

as well as the costs of arrests and accidents, could outpace the income from selling legal

marijuana. Before more states follow suit of legalising cannabis, it is critical to examine the

unintended yet negative and severe consequence of allowing this marijuana consumption and

possession.
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Works Cited

Chu, Yu Wei Luke. “The Effects of Medical Marijuana Laws on Illegal Marijuana Use.” Journal

of Health Economics, vol. 38, 2014, pp. 43–61, doi:10.1016/j.jhealeco.2014.07.003.

Colquitt, C. (2015). Up in smoke: the unintended consequences of marijuana legalization in the

united states on public health and safety (Doctoral dissertation, University of Mississippi).

Freisthler, Bridget, and Paul J. Gruenewald. “Examining the Relationship between the Physical

Availability of Medical Marijuana and Marijuana Use across Fifty California Cities.” Drug

and Alcohol Dependence, vol. 143, no. 1, 2014, pp. 244–50,

doi:10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2014.07.036.

Pardo, Bryce. “Cannabis Policy Reforms in the Americas: A Comparative Analysis of Colorado,

Washington, and Uruguay.” International Journal of Drug Policy, vol. 25, no. 4, 2014, pp.

727–35, doi:10.1016/j.drugpo.2014.05.010.

ProCon.org. “29 Legal Medical Marijuana States and DC.” ProCon.org, 2016, p. n.p.,

doi:http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=000881.

U.S. Department of Justice: Drug Enforcement Administration. “Title 21 United States Code

(USC) Controlled Substances Act - Section 801.” Title 21 United States Code (USC)

Controlled Substances Act - Section 801, no. C, 1970, pp. 1–7,

http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/21cfr/21usc/801.htm.