STEP 5

FiNAL PAPER

Paola Rodriguez June.10.2007
Economics B Band

“Marijuana should be legalized in NYS due to the economic benefit”... Should it really be legalized?

There is nothing healthy about marijuana. However many people consume big quantities & throw away cash to satisfy their cravings. Marijuana is a big problem in society today. It is the most frequently used illegal drug in the United States. The group that smokes it most is young adults. The number of smokers is increasing. Over 83 million Americans over the age of 12 have tried marijuana at least once. A survey, which is conducted yearly, includes students from 8th, 10th, & 12th grades. In 2001, the survey showed that 20 percent of 8th graders have tried marijuana at least once, & by 10th grade, 20 percent are smoking it at the moment. Among 12th graders, nearly 50 percent have tried marijuana/hash at least once, & about 22 percent were current users. Nearly 50 percent try marijuana before graduating from high school.

Marijuana is quite dangerous. Once a person starts smoking, he or she begins to lose their brain cells. They end up having a short term memory. Marijuana causes many health problems. For example, it increases the risk of getting cancer. Nowadays most people, both young & adults, smoke marijuana. They know the risk they are taking by smoking marijuana, but they still choose to do it. It's a known fact that the causes of smoking marijuana are hazardous, not only towards their health. The most dangerous thing about marijuana is getting caught with it.

Why do people continue to smoke if they know the consequences? They probably do it because they haven’t really become conscious at all about each & every one of the effects of smoking marijuana. There are many reasons why people should not smoke marijuana & why it should be kept illegal. Smoking marijuana affects a person's health. The substances found in marijuana are damaging. Smoking marijuana can also affect the people around the user. A person also tends to spend a lot of money on marijuana that can be spent on productive things. All these things can affect the country's economy as much as the people.

Marijuana should not be legalized because it affects the person's health. Marijuana is made of substances that are fatal to the human body. Marijuana contains cannabis, which is a mix of dried, shredded flowers & leaves of the hemp plant. It is a mind-altering or psychoactive drug. If a person smokes his or her physical condition will be miserably affected, so it will be very difficult for them to be active &, for example, do well in sports. Smoking marijuana causes cancer & is harmful to the lungs, reproductive system & the developing fetus, therefore reducing the length & quality of the user’s life. A British study confirmed that people with HIV who smoke progress to full-blown AIDS almost twice as fast as non-smokers. Another study, made in 1994, indicates that both marijuana & cigarettes have a detrimental effect on vitamin E status of HIV-1 infected individuals. Scientific experiments show that smoking marijuana impairs motor coordination & stability in multiple sclerosis, thus causing gait disturbance. There is no evidence that marijuana improves or slows the progression of glaucoma. Smoking marijuana induces asthma attacks. Marijuana is a major cause of crashes & trauma. Since it is fat-soluble, marijuana's intoxicating effect lasts longer than alcohol poisoning. Studies have shown that children born to mothers who smoked marijuana while pregnant tend to have lower performance on intelligence testing & more behavioral problems.

The effects of marijuana on each person depend on the following: the user's experience, how strong the marijuana is (how much THC it has), what the user expects to happen, the place where the drug is used, how it is taken, whether the user is drinking alcohol or using other drugs, among other things. Some people feel nothing at all when they smoke marijuana. Others may feel relaxed or high. Sometimes marijuana makes users feel thirsty & very hungry or it gives them “the munchies”. Some smokers can get bad effects from marijuana. They may suffer sudden feelings of anxiety & have paranoid thoughts. This happens when more marijuana is used. Marijuana affects not only those who consume it but the non smokers as well. Buying, selling, using or growing marijuana is illegal in every part of the United States. Penalties consist of jail time, a fine or both. In some states, a person can be arrested for just being in a place where the drug activity is taking place.

The government states that “it is neither legal nor compassionate to provide a harmful, addictive drug with no scientifically proven medicinal efficacy.” Marijuana has never been scientifically shown to be safe or effective as medicine as required by federal consumer protection laws. Congress enacted certain laws to protect patients from uninformed physicians who were prescribing drugs which did more harm than good. It is not good medical practice to allow a substance to be used as medicine if that product is not FDA approved, if it is ingested by smoking, if it is made up of hundreds of different chemicals, if it is not subject to product liability, if it is exempt from quality control standards, if it is not governed by daily dose criteria, if it is offered in unknown strengths (THC) from 1 to 10 percent, & if it is self prescribed & self administered by the patient.

Marijuana should not be legalized because of the amount of money spend on it. A person can be starting to smoke marijuana & he does it because he thinks the drug will calm his nerves. In the near future he may see himself in a desperate need for a pull. When this happens he will want to pay whatever price just for one pull. Marijuana is very expensive today. Each small bag (0.20 oz) of marijuana can cost at the very least like $20! The sellers will never be any help to this problem. They try to sell marijuana at a convenient price to get more customers. After a while that person plus many others are going to think about all the money that they have paid out on a certain quantity of marijuana & will regret wasting it & for not earning that money for more necessary things, like buying a car of the year.

People argue that marijuana should be made legal. Prohibition causes marijuana to be expensive, which leads to a black market. This black market creates gangs & violence. People think legal marijuana would be taxable, safer for consumers & cheaper, thus decreasing organized crime. “Alcohol prohibition did not work, & there is no logical reason to believe that marijuana prohibition is a better idea.” They also believe that the government is wasting time & millions of dollars by prohibiting marijuana. Taxpayers are forced to pay billions of dollars to persecute, prosecute, & incarcerate people for having marijuana. “If marijuana was legal & regulated (like alcohol & tobacco) this money, plus tax revenues from marijuana sales could be used for other purposes such as education & health care.”

What people do not realize is that legalizing marijuana will not benefit the economy at all. If marijuana is legalized, the black market & the violence associated with the sale of marijuana might be reduced. However, more people will use the drug & as a result, become addicted, thus creating a huge problem. There will be more car accidents due to the slow reflexes of the driver. The driver will have to waste a lot of money on insurance plus on the damage caused by the accident. Also a person who smokes marijuana can lose hours of work, meaning he or she can lose a certain amount of money that they would have gained. A young adult can miss out on school or even drop out. This is a problem to the economy as well, because that person could have gone to college & earned a degree & joined a labor union & contributed to the progression of the country. If marijuana was to be legalized, it will benefit more the government than the people. Stores will sell the drug & profit off of it since the product will be taxed. The tax then goes to the government & since people are willing to spend whatever on marijuana they the people will make the government earn millions. However the government will not legalize marijuana. “I have no assumption that if the US were to legalize pot it would do so as anything other than a Soviet-style centrally planned industry; this is the trend for everything the US government has done over the last 70 years & legalization of pot would be the last place the government would shift gears.”

Those are just some of the numerous reasons of why marijuana should not be legalized. As one gets used to marijuana it makes them want more & more each time they take a pull because they will want to feel high. They will end up not having control over themselves. Eventually they will want to keep smoking & there is not much they can do about it because the body is asking for it. If a person is caught with marijuana, they can receive a large fine &/or go to jail. If they are caught more than once, or if they look like they are going to sell the drug, the punishment is harsher. It's better to think about the risk before buying marijuana. Carrying marijuana around is illegal in all 50 states, & the laws in some foreign countries are even stricter than they are in this country. The physical effects of consuming the drug are not noticeable in the outer appearance & one cannot notice all the physical effects of smoking immediately. But the user will absolutely be sorry the day he sees himself behind bars not being able to breathe right & with slow reflexes.

STEP 4

ROUGH DRAFT

Paola Rodriguez June.05.2007

Economics B Band

Why should marijuana not be legalized?

There is nothing healthy in marijuana. However many people consume big quantities & throw away cash to satisfy their cravings. Marijuana is a big problem in society today. Due to the fact that the biggest target of smoking marijuana is young adults, the result is a greater increase of smokers & the dangers to young adults on getting addicted are superior.

Marijuana is very dangerous. Once you start smoking, you begin to lose your brain cells & a lack of short term memory. Marijuana causes many health problems, like lung cancer & is ten times stronger than cigarettes. Marijuana can even end your life. Some people I know both young & adults smoke marijuana. They know the risk they are taking by smoking marijuana, but they still choose to do it. I hear about the causes of smoking marijuana & they are hazardous.

The sellers will never be any help to this problem. Sometimes I get worried because I may wake up & find out my friend or someone I know is dead from doing this habit. I ask myself “Why then do you continue smoking?” Maybe you do it because you haven’t really become conscious at all about each and every one of the effects of smoking marijuana. There are a lot of reasons why you should not smoke. Some of them are that smoking marijuana affects your health. Also you tend to spend a lot of money on marijuana. The substances in marijuana are damaging & even fatal. When you smoke marijuana you are not respecting yourself & the people around you.

The primary motivation why marijuana should not be legalized is because it affects your health. If you smoke your physical condition will be miserably affected, so it will be very difficult for you to do well in sports. “Smoking is the biggest cause of lung cancer” (Jillian Powell). If you decide to smoke, think about the risk you are taking before buying it. Smoking marijuana produces deadly diseases like cancer & reduces the length & quality of your life. Yes, the physical effects are not noticeable in the outer appearance & you don’t notice all the physical effects of smoking immediately. But you absolutely will be sorry the day you see yourself in the hospital not being able to breathe, or when you realize your reflexes are slower.

The secondary motivation why marijuana should not be legalized is because of the amount of money spend on it. Maybe you are just starting to smoke marijuana & do it because you think this will calm your nerves, but in the near future you will see yourself in a desperate need for a pull. When this happens you will want to pay whatever price just for one pull. Marijuana is very expensive today, especially in New York. Each small bag (0.20 oz) of marijuana can cost the least like $20! After a while you are going to think about all the money that you have paid out on a certain quantity of marijuana & will regret it for not earning that money for a brand new car of the year.

The third reason why marijuana should be kept illegal is because it contains substances that are fatal to the human body. Marijuana contains cannabis, which is a mix of dried, shredded flowers & leaves of the hemp plant. It is a mind-altering (psychoactive) drug. As you get used to marijuana it makes you want more & more each time you take a pull because you want to feel high. Can you see yourself not having control over yourself? Eventually you will want to keep smoking & there you can not do anything about it because your body is asking for it. You want to feel in control not out of control with your own body.

Last but not least on why you marijuana should not be legalized is for the reason that is very disrespectful for those that are around you. Think about it. When you smoke you harm the person that is next to you. If a nonsmoker lives or works with a smoker, for example, that nonsmoker actually breathes in smoke that is equivalent of several cigarettes a day. This is not good because it shows selfishness in your part don’t you think? People do not like the smell & will not feel comfortable standing or sitting near you. Now you have a problem because you must worry about those who are smokers & those who aren’t. Nobody likes to have problems in their lives but here you are creating one for yourself. I am sure you don’t want to create troubles in your life. This is why is just better for you to avoid this situation that is getting a “little” problematic.

I believe those are just some of the numerous reasons of why marijuana should not be legalized. So I hope that now those of you who smoke are able to think a little & try to make a smart decision. In addition to all the reasons I’ve said, I would like you to think about how much you love yourself & then whether you want to continue harming yourself. Place your thinking cap on & give thought about all the people who love you. Your family, for example, does not want to see you suffering, sick, or dead. If you decide that marijuana should be legalized then that’s a shame on you. If you decide that marijuana should remain illegal then I congratulate you because you have just saved yourself a big headache. Make sure you remember that if you propose yourself to do something you can achieve it.

STEP 3

OUTLiNE

Intro: Marijuana should not be legalized

I) Big problem
a. Nothing healthy
b. Waste of money
c. Young adults are the target

II) Dangerous
a. Lose brain cells
b. Causes many health problems
c. People I know smoke
d. They are aware of risk

III) Many reasons against marijuana
a. Health
b. Money
c. Fatal
d. Disrespectful

IV) Health
a. Physical condition is affected
b. Produces deadly diseases
c. Not noticeable
d. Still affects

V) Money
a. Once used you want more
b. Willing to pay any price
c. Expensive
d. Regret wasting money on it

VI) Fatal
a. Contains cannabis
b. Mind-altering drug
c. Addictive
d. Uncontrollable

VII) Disrespectful
a. Harms other people
b. A nonsmoker is affected as if he smoked
c. Selfishness
d. Creates a problem
e. Best to avoid the situation

VIII) Conclusion
a. Marijuana should not be legalized
b. Make a smart decision
c. Think about how much you love yourself
d. Think about others
e. Shame on those who want it to be legalized
f. It should remain illegal
g. If you propose yourself something you can achieve it

STEP 2

I decided to do a little bit of investigation to answer at least all of the questions I had stated before.

This is what I figured out ..

--> what is marijuana
"Marijuana -- also called weed, pot, reefer, grass, dope, ganja, mary jane, and hash -- is the drug most often used in the US. Most users roll loose marijuana into a cigarette (called a "joint"). The drug can also be smoked in a water pipe, called a "bong" Some users mix marijuana into food or use it to brew a tea. Hash users either smoke the drug in a pipe or mix it with tobacco and smoke it as a cigarette. A new way of smoking marijuana is to slice open a cigar and replace the tobacco with marijuana, making a "blunt." When smoked with a 40-ounce bottle of malt liquor, it is called a "B-40."" All forms of cannabis are mind-altering (psychoactive) drugs."
--> what substances does marijuana have
"It is a mix of dried, shredded flowers and leaves of the hemp plant (Cannabis sativa)."
--> what is marijuana used for
Marijuana is not used as a medicine. "Under US law since 1970, marijuana is a Schedule I controlled substance. This means that the drug, at least in its smoked form, has no commonly accepted medical use. THC that is manufactured into a pill can be used for treating the nausea and vomiting that occur with certain cancer treatments. The oral THC can be used to help AIDS patients eat more to keep up their weight, as well."
--> why it is not legal at the moment
"IT IS NEITHER LEGAL NOR COMPASSIONATE TO PROVIDE A
HARMFUL, ADDICTIVE DRUG WITH NO SCIENTIFICALLY PROVEN MEDICINAL EFFICACY .. Marijuana has never been scientifically shown to be safe or effective as medicine as required by federal consumer protection laws. Congress enacted these laws to protect patients from uninformed physicians who were prescribing drugs which did more harm than good..."
--> does each state have the same marijuana laws
"Buying, selling, using or growing marijuana is illegal in every part of the United States. Penalties vary from place to place, but usually consist of jail time, a fine or both. In some states, you can be arrested for just being in a place where you know drug activity is taking place."
--> why should it be legal
"Prohibition causes Marijuana to be expensive and creates a black market. This black market creates gangs aka violence. Legal marijuana would be taxable, safer for consumers, and cheaper, thus decreasing organized crime."
"People have a basic right to make choices for themselves as long as their actions do not harm others.
Responsible individuals in a free society should be allowed to choose whether or not they use marijuana. Individual liberty is a fundamental value.
The government is wasting our time and money by prohibiting marijuana.
Taxpayers are forced to pay billions of dollars to persecute, prosecute, and incarcerate people for having marijuana. If marijuana were legal and regulated (like alcohol and tobacco) this money, plus tax revenues from marijuana sales, could be used for other purposes such as education and health care.
Prohibition is not an effective solution to the problems associated with marijuana use.
Marijuana, like tobacco and alcohol, can be abused. But prohibition is expensive and ineffective; education and regulation are better solutions. Regulating sales of marijuana and teaching people the truth about its health effects will allow us to minimize the harms and costs to society.
We have learned a lesson from history.
Alcohol prohibition did not work, and there is no logical reason to believe that marijuana prohibition is a better idea."
--> why it should not be legal
"Marijuana has many harmful effects: it is psychotoxic, addictive, cancer-causing, immunosuppressive, harmful to the lungs, reproductive system and the developing fetus. A British study confirmed that HIV positive persons who smoke progress to full-blown AIDS almost twice as fast as non-smokers. How much worse with marijuana? A 1994 study indicates that both marijuana and cigarettes have a detrimental effect on vitamin E status of HIV-1 infected individuals. These findings are of particular concern in light of the important role of vitamin E. in the immune processes. Scientific experiments show marijuana-smoking impairs motor coordination and stability in multiple sclerosis, causing gait disturbance. There is no evidence that marijuana improves or slows the progression of glaucoma. Smoking marijuana induces asthma attacks. Marijuana is a major cause of crashes and trauma. Since it is fat-soluble, marijuana's intoxicating effect lasts longer than that due to alcohol. Studies have shown that children born to mothers who smoked marijuana while pregnant tend to have lower performance on intelligence testing and more behavioral problems."
--> what is economic benefit
Scale of benefit to the economy of the local community, particularly in terms of job creation or maintenance.
--> what will be the result of marijuana becoming legal
"If we legalize marijuana, we reduce the black market and the violence associated with the sale of marijuana. "
"By legalizing marijuana, more people will use the drug and as a result, become addicted."
--> how might the government react to the outcome/result
the government won't legalize marijuana. "I have no assumption that if the US were to legalize pot it would do so as anything other than a Soviet-style centrally planned industry; this is the trend for everything the US government has done over the last 70 years and legalization of pot would be the LAST place the government would shift gears."
--> how does marijuana affect the people
"The effects of the drug on each person depend on the user's experience, as well as:
-how strong the marijuana is (how much THC it has);
-what the user expects to happen;
-the place where the drug is used;
-how it is taken
-whether the user is drinking alcohol or using other drugs.
Some people feel nothing at all when they smoke marijuana. Others may feel relaxed or high. Sometimes marijuana makes users feel thirsty and very hungry - an effect called “the munchies”. Some users can get bad effects from marijuana. They may suffer sudden feelings of anxiety and have paranoid thoughts. This is more likely to happen when a more potent variety of marijuana is used."
"Jail sentences and fines have done little to suppress the use of marijuana in the United States. Despite the health and legal risks that come with using marijuana (or any illicit drug), it continues to be the illegal drug of choice for many Americans, as it has for decades."
--> what are the penalties of using marijuana at the moment
"If you're caught with marijuana, you could receive a large fine and/or go to jail. If you are caught more than once, or if you look like you're going to sell the drug, the punishment is harsher. Marijuana laws vary from state to state. However, keep in mind that carrying marijuana around is illegal in all 50 states, and that the laws in some foreign countries are even stricter than they are here."

sources:
http://www.mentalhealth.com/book/p45-mari.html
http://www.healthatoz.com/healthatoz/Atoz/dc/caz/suba/tnsa/tsglossary.jsp
http://www.south-ayrshire.gov.uk/LocalPlan/glossary.htm
http://www.drug-rehabs.org/marijuana-laws.php?state=New%20York
http://www.mjlegal.org/
http://www.drugwatch.org/Marijuana%20not%20legal%20nor%20compassionate.htm
http://www.usask.ca/education/ideas/tplan/sslp/values/legmarij.htm
http://justinmundie.wordpress.com/2006/11/10/why-marijuana-should-be-legal/
http://www.reason.com/blog/show/117302.html

STEP 1

Topic : Marijuana should be legalized in NYS due to the economic benefit

In order to discuss this topic I need to do the following:
- research more about marijuana
- answer these questions :
--> what is marijuana
--> what substances does marijuana have
--> what is marijuana used for
--> why it is not legal at the moment
--> does each state have the same marijuana laws
--> why should it be legal [due to the economic benefit]
--> why it should not be legal
--> what is economic benefit
--> what will be the result of marijuana becoming legal
--> how might the government react to the outcome/result
--> how might it affect the people
--> what are the penalties of using marijuana at the moment