Introduction
Hashish, weed, marijuana, and hemp are all common names for a plant from Central Asia, which today is used not only in textile production and medicine but also in the field of recreation, that is, to relieve stress. The debate about whether it is legitimate to consider cannabis a soft drug has been going on for a long time. A negative consequence of cannabis use is long-term cognitive impairment, which affects young people in the first place since their brains are still in the process of active development.
Meanwhile, the discussion about the legalization of cannabis, ongoing today in many countries of the world, stays uncertain. In addition, the positive aspects of the legalization of marijuana cannot be denied. Marijuana is used for medical and recreational purposes and can help brighten the days of ill patients. Despite this, using marijuana in daily life might cause several problems. Analyzing the legalization of marijuana, one can single out such advantages as a positive impact on the state’s economy and the use of marijuana for recreational and medical purposes, and one disadvantage in the form of the effect of marijuana on car accidents.
Economic Benefit
Cannabis cultivation could be a big business and a potential financial booster for the economy. Currently, marijuana is mostly grown illegally – people who grow marijuana do not pay taxes for its sale and cultivation. However, its legalization can solve this problem, and thereby marijuana will benefit not only people but also the state. Theoretically, marijuana could become a mainstay of the economy in some states and nations, compensating for other industries’ underdevelopment (Ferrucci et al. 400). The central ballast in this solution to the economic problem of many regions is a galaxy of disputes and prejudices regarding marijuana. Some people are convinced explicitly of its safety and benefits for society. However, society equates marijuana with hard drugs that cause an inevitable destructive effect on the human body.
Marijuana as a Medical and Recreational Treat
As a medicine, it was first used in the territories of the countries of the Middle East and was used to treat colds, diarrhea, pain, cramps, muscle spasms, rheumatism, and epilepsy. Today, the drug is still used in some countries to treat people with chronic diseases. In November 2012, Colorado became one of the first two states where voters approved legalized recreational marijuana (Ghosh et al. 4). The positive experience of this state is helpful for research on this theme, as this information might cover the benefits of legalization in other states.
Having analyzed the experience of Colorado in more detail, two main benefits of marijuana legalization can be distinguished. One of the essential advantages of the recreational legalization of marijuana was that pregnant women began to use it instead of alcohol and cigarettes, which are known to have a devastating effect on the fetus, unlike cannabis (Ghosh et al. 5). In addition to the use of marijuana instead of alcohol and cigarettes as a stress reliever, cannabis was not the leading cause of death in cases involving the drug. Death certificates listing do not necessarily indicate that hashish was causal, and proper surveillance depends on reporting practices by coroners, medical examiners, and law enforcement (Ghosh et al. 6). Summarizing all these factors, it can be considered that marijuana might become an alternative for alcohol and cigarettes via its legalization.
Marijuana’s Negative Effect on Drivers
Despite all the advantages of using marijuana, this phenomenon has one serious drawback. It lies in the fact that, according to statistics, many car accidents occur due to the fault of cannabis. For drivers involved in traffic accidents and registered as drug addicts, cannabinoids are the most common psychoactive substance found in the blood; their culpability is three to seven times higher than in healthy drivers (Alameida 4). Such statistics are because it is known that a person under the influence of marijuana has a slowed-down reaction, which is very important while driving. There is a solution to this problem, and it lies in creating a law that will regulate driving under the influence of marijuana. In addition, comparing the percentage of the presence of alcohol and marijuana in the blood of the perpetrators of an accident, we get a ratio of 3 percent for marijuana and 10 for alcohol as the leading causes of an accident (Alameida 28). This ratio suggests that marijuana could be a better alternative to alcohol if legalized.
Conclusion
Summarizing all of the above, one can conclude that the legalization of marijuana still carries more pluses than minuses. The existing shortcomings of legalization can be ameliorated by law and education on this topic. Given the example of accidents, one can consider that the authorities should have swapped alcohol and marijuana at the legislative level. Namely, make alcohol illegal and legalize marijuana since many people use them to relieve stress, and, given the example above, alcohol does more harm than cannabis. The fact that it, with all the consequences of its use, remains legal and the ban on marijuana in most states causes a feeling of injustice. After all, the actual harm of alcohol is known to society as general information, unlike hashish, and does not cause controversy.
Works Cited
Ferrucci, Patrick, et al. “How Market Orientation and Ethics Affected Coverage of Marijuana Legalization.” Newspaper Research Journal, vol. 40, no. 3, 2019, pp. 391–404.
Ghosh, Tista S., et al. “Lessons Learned after Three Years of Legalized, Recreational Marijuana: The Colorado Experience.” Preventive Medicine, vol. 104, 2017, pp. 4–6.
Alameida, Alana. Effects of Marijuana Legalization Policies on Fatal Car Accidents Throughout the Fifty States. 2020. University of Pittsburgh, MPH dissertation. Web.