IF3059 Social Issues: An Essay on the Legalization of Cannabis Sativa

This essay examines the legalization of Cannabis Sativa, drawing upon various sources to analyze its social, economic, and ethical implications. It reviews the historical context of drug legalization, addressing issues of racism, class, and social exclusion. The essay considers the potential benefits of legalization, such as reduced crime rates and increased tax revenue, alongside potential drawbacks like health complications from overuse. The author reflects on personal beliefs regarding drug use, acknowledging the potential medicinal benefits of cannabis while advocating for responsible regulation and individual choice. Ultimately, the essay argues for a reevaluation of drug policies, suggesting that a commercialized and regulated approach could mitigate the negative consequences associated with the black market and promote safer consumption practices. Desklib provides a platform to access this and other solved assignments for academic assistance.

Running head: LEGALIZING CANNABIS SATIVA 1
Legalizing Cannabis Sativa
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LEGALIZING CANNABIS SATIVA 2
legalizing Cannabis sativa
INTRODUCTION
The German parliamentarians passed an act legalizing use of marijuana for medical
purposes. They all voted unanimously in favor of the bill that was launched in March 2017. This
meant that ill people suffering from severe illnesses would be able to obtain the drug under a
doctor’s prescription. This would help a lot of patients with chronic pains, nausea and also
suffering from disease progression. This meant that the German state had allowed for the states
to plant and cultivate the marijuana crop for future use and also so that they could monitor the
quality. But till when they full able to produce their ow in the required quantities, the country
will be shipping them. However, the drug still remains illegal for personal possession
(Senthilingam, 2017).
Statistically, the drug happens to be the most cultivated, produced, trafficked and
consumed drug globally. This is one of the reasons why the legal limits of the use and shipment
of the drug have caused so much contention globally. In the United States, the drug is available
and allowed for medicinal as well as recreational purposes. Many countries are working towards
legalization of the drug from Canada, Australia, and Ireland to the recent Germany and Uruguay.
In Africa, South Africa is still pending approvals (Loria, 2018).
This is still a point of contention being that the legal limits as well as the allowed control
is yet to be defined as research found out. Many people, researchers as well scientists are yet to
define is Marijuana is really good or bad. This is quite a big challenge as they determine and also
influence how the policies are changed. Such measures change social and cultural norms which
affect real life scenarios (Muanya, 2017).

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This article seeks to analyze some of the facts presented by some rewoned media and
researchers.
LITERATURE REVIEW
The research article by Tom and Daniel sought to explore legalization of drugs in terms
of historical mileages, racism, class, and social exclusion based on the empirical evidence
provided to support the case. They also sough to make legal accusations from the facts collected
and they made more focus on harm and cost and the problems that have been endured in
regulation (Jackson, 2018).
Statistics presented show that over 90% of the Americans of the drug related homicides
are due to systematic crime. Hence, Wincup presents a situation where money is freed to solve
the cases that are associated with drug use. Being that over a pound is spent daily on drug related
treatment, over 3 pounds are saved on enforcement as Murphy and Roe, (2007) found out. This is
due to the research that suggest support is a better offer as compared to punishment given to the
drug traffickers and mostly the drug users. This is because their abuse of drugs comes from a
societal anomaly that they use the drugs to hide or escape from. This may be poverty, failure in
education to poverty that leads to exclusion (Guardian, 2008).
A researcher estimated that the number of public offenders that are imprisoned in
America to date has 330,000 drug offenders that makes the population to be quite larger than the
number that is in for other crimes since 1970. More to that, there is the issue of racial disparity
that is overshadowed by the large number of drug detainers. The law still follows the 1968 Anti-
Drug Act that allows for the jail sentence of a year for those found guilty of the crime. This is a
crime that has seen many defendants black, the latter white followed by Hispanics. The blacks
have been known to sere longer jail sentences for equivalent crimes that their counterparts have

LEGALIZING CANNABIS SATIVA 4
done. This brings forth the issue of technicism. This creates an enormous social inhibitor to the
marketing of the drugs as well as the commercialization of the same due to the illegal markets
that are already there (Miller, 2017).
Third world and developing countries like Afaghistan, and Bolivia are some of the drugs
are grown such as opium and cocoa have seen some of the biggest demonstration in a plea to ger
registered as legal farmers and stop the conflict between the independents buyers and sellers and
the government. On April 2008, the daily mail reports published an article “Cannabis on last U-
turn”. This saw the upgrade of the drug to class B from a class C drug, an issue that Mr. Brown
couldn’t be happier about. This was also supported by scientists and thus due to one of the views,
the government perception concerning cannabis has lied between the rationality of the policies
being made (The guardian, 2008).
The UK drug commission held the drug debate that the ACMD listened closely to and
also have recommendations to base on the scientific evidence rather than the political
suggestions. Dennis and Silverstone look into the future of the judicial system which they
describe as being threatened based on the punitive state that have powers as showcased in the
Drug Act of 2025 and Proceed of Crime Act 2002 that gives the police power to forfeit that
makes anyone who falls makes their list of suspects to stand the risk of forfeiture whether the
crime has evidence or not. More to that, the drugs act makes it possible for presumption to be
presented as evidence and the defendant has to prove his or her innocence (Ellis, 2012).
To Ellis, the prohibition of drugs is both unjust and also futile and seemingly expensive.
They present difference negative consequences of the measures taken to curb the drug supply.
They show that prohibition has caused terrible, inhumane, and discriminatory catastrophes. This
forces society to face the differences between prejudice and fallacious science. To the article

LEGALIZING CANNABIS SATIVA 5
writers, there are more problems presented and even more so mixture of emotions created to
prohibit the drug. The efforts made to stop it only leave the rug consumption amongst the rick,
creates a mountain of law problems, promotes impunity, lengthens illegal jail terms for those
judged guilty over drug crimes and promotes violence and ill-health (Ellis, 2012).
Cannabis sativa faces the same problems as mentioned above. Howver, it also presents
more benefits among them its therapeutic effects that have helped patients suffering from chronic
illness like cancer bear with the discomfort and pain that comes from chemotherapy and also
create an appetite towards food when underdoing the painful and uncomfortable procedure. It
also treats and prevents eye disease glaucoma that damages the optic nerve and often leads to
loss of vision due to pressure in the eyeball. It has also shown to have significant capability in
stopping cancer from spreading amongst many others (Whiteman, 2017).
PERSONAL REFLECTION.
I personally believe that the fight against drugs has been too long, expensive and rather
too involving. Being that each and every avenue towards drug use, drug trade and drug
prohibition have been used and there have been more failures than solutions found, then may be
its term to try a new method and a totally different way around it. Like any other drug, when
overused or abused, cannabis stative can lead to health complications and even more so cause
deaths as research seems to show. However, the drug has registered more advantages than
disadvantages and thus may be commercializing the trade and providing policies that allow use
of the drug in allowable quantities from certified suppliers can help reduce the population
overdoing on it and those compromising on the quality of the drug in the black market. More to
that, some journeys are best realized on an individual path than that of a group of people. Would
I use the drug if I were of normal health? Not really. I believe it isn’t right to test the devil.

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However, would I use the drug for medicinal purposes? Yes, I would, I believe illness requires
one to go through all available options. Its best to try that say you didn’t and it could have
helped.

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References
Ellis, T. S. D., 2012. Legalise Drugs?. In: T. S. S. Ellis, ed. Debates in Criminal Justice. London:
Routledge, pp. 149-184.
Guardian, 2008. The Observor Drugs poll. [Online]
[Accessed 30 7 2018].
Jackson, C., 2018. Legalising drugs: what are the pros and cons?. [Online]
Available at: http://www.theweek.co.uk/59417/should-cannabis-be-legalised-the-pros-
and-cons-of-decriminalising-drugs
[Accessed 30 7 2018].
Loria, K., 2018. 23 health benefits of weed. [Online]
Available at: https://www.pulselive.co.ke/lifestyle/beauty-health/23-health-benefits-of-
weed-id8119016.html
[Accessed 30 07 2018].
Miller, S., 2017. Hemp: how one little plant could boost America's economy. [Online]
Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/feb/04/hemp-plant-that-could-
boost-americas-economy
[Accessed 30 7 2018].
Muanya, C., 2017. Risks, Benefits of the Cannabis. [Online]
Available at: https://guardian.ng/features/risks-benefits-of-cannabis-use-by-studies/
[Accessed 30 07 2018].
Senthilingam, M., 2017. Germany becomes latest country to OK medical marijuana legalization.
CNN, 20 1.p. 1.

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The guardian, 2008. Britons cant imagone a life without booze. [Online]
[Accessed 30 7 2018].
Whiteman, H., 2017. What are the risks and the benefits of cannabis use? New report shed light.
[Online]
Available at: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/315240.php
[Accessed 30 7 2018].