The Legalization of Marijuana Is More Important Than We Think

The legalization of marijuana has been an ongoing and heated debate over the years, ever since the substance was banned by the United States government in 1937 when the Marijuana Tax Act was passed. The first state to push against this was Oregon—36 years later—when legislators successfully decriminalized cannabis. As of 2017, 29 states, as well as the Federal District of Columbia, have legalized the substance for medical use. Most recently, Ohio, Florida, North Dakota and Arkansas have approved of marijuana solely utilized for medical purposes.

Without even touching upon the racist ideals behind the ban of marijuana, it is also crucial to examine the true risks and benefits of the drug.

California made history in 2012 with their legalization of marijuana for recreational use for people over 21. The states of Arizona, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Alaska, Massachusetts and Maine have also followed in these footsteps. 

When arguing about the legalization of cannabis, one must take into account the racist origins of the substance’s ban. Harry Anslinger, the first commissioner of the U.S. Treasury Department’s Federal Bureau of Narcotics, cracked down on marijuana using racist remarks and fabricated data. According to Anslinger, most users were “Negroes, Hispanics or Latinos,” which was dangerous, as the substance made “darkies” believe they were “as good as white men.” Anslinger’s studies and surveys, which were later proved to be counterfeit, claimed that cannabis could brainwash people into believing in communism, among other ridiculous and unsupported declarations.

While this racist and completely unscientific language has been removed from the anti-drug laws used in today’s legislature, the war on drugs—and in particular, the war on marijuana—has continued to carry its racist undertones into the present day. According to research conducted by the American Civil Liberties Union, use of marijuana is equal among black and white Americans. However, African-Americans are four times as likely to be arrested for marijuana possession (in 2010) than whites. At a state level, these numbers were even more shocking. For example, in the state of Iowa, blacks were around eight times more likely to be arrested.

The cost of this “fight” against cannabis is in the billions. The same study done by the ACLU estimated that states pay 3.613 billion dollars each year on marijuana possession enforcement. An estimated 65 million dollars of taxpayer money went to housing these convicted inmates in the states of California and New York in 2010.

Without even touching upon the racist ideals behind the ban of marijuana, it is also crucial to examine the true risks and benefits of the drug. In 2015, The US National Institute of Health published a survey which determined that cannabis was around 114 times less harmful than alcohol—a legal substance. The research also found that cannabis, when compared to other recreational drugs such as nicotine, cocaine and heroin, was the lowest-risk substance on the list.

The substance’s positive medical uses have also been proven scientifically. Marijuana, according to Reuter’s, can ease symptoms of multiple sclerosis such as spasticity. When muscles in people with MS contract painfully, groups of chemicals found in marijuana (cannabinoids) can help regulate this. A study done by the New York University Langone Comprehensive Epilepsy Center found that marijuana decreased patients’ seizures by around 54 percent. Another research study funded by the American Association for Cancer Research showed that the use of cannabidiol—a compound found in marijuana—showed “dramatic reductions in tumor volumes.”

If marijuana were to be legalized, it would save billions of dollars for states, taxpayers and the entire country. Furthermore, it would help patients combat lethal diseases and ease symptoms and pain. The legalization of cannabis would also prevent minorities from filling up jails, saving money and removing a racist piece of legislature. Just as the government revoked prohibition 84 years ago, it is the time for the United States to recognize that the positives outweigh and outnumber the negatives of legalizing marijuana.