Candidly Canada: Legalizing marijuana is step forward
With rising temperatures up north, Canada isn’t only reaching new highs in spring weather, but also in its forward-thinking policies.
According to the CBC, Canada’s liberal government will announce legislation this month that will nationally legalize marijuana by next summer. Provinces will have the right to decide how the marijuana is distributed and sold, what prices are appropriate and what age to sell to.
College students across the continent are a key voter group interested in legalizing marijuana. The University of Michigan reports that more than 38 percent of college students used marijuana in 2015.
If students are becoming more comfortable with marijuana, their voices could add leverage to the argument for more U.S. state governments to consider the implications.
As several U.S. states have already legalized marijuana, making the plant legal nationwide has been an ongoing issue, leaving many wondering the potential consequences of marijuana for individuals, states and the country.
Canada’s intended policy refers mainly to recreational cannabis because medical usage is already legal. According to the Washington Post, America’s Drug Enforcement Administration classifies marijuana as a drug with “no currently accepted medical use” and precludes doctors from prescribing it.
However, 25 states have already legalized medical marijuana, and The National Institute on Drug Abuse says two FDA-approved medications contain cannabis chemicals in pill form. Before America can really consider permitting recreational use, the country must recognize its medicinal qualities.
Beyond treating conditions such as mental illnesses, addictions, epilepsy and chronic pain, marijuana also has many other benefits. According to US News, research in some of the 25 states where medical marijuana is legal has found a possible protective effect against opioid overdose deaths.
On a larger scale, governmental taxation of marijuana could provide new funds for the economy. Colorado’s Marijuana Policy Group has shown an increase of about $2.4 billion in revenue in 2015 alone. One NPR interview says the state funds are primarily going toward education – teaching youth about the potential risks and teaching adults about how to treat this newly legal substance.
A focus on education helps bring awareness to the negative side effects marijuana may have on the developing brain and while driving, creating greater awareness and transparency for safe usage.
With different Colorado municipalities able to disseminate the money however they choose, the state is also seeing cities give back to homelessness or creating college scholarships. On a national scale, the potential revenue marijuana taxes might generate could go back to areas of concern for American voters, including healthcare, education and the environment.
One Science Nordic article even suggests a sharp decrease in organized crime from legalizing marijuana. Drug gangs lose their incentive to smuggle cannabis across state and national borders as the demand for illegal means of obtaining it lessen. Less drug trafficking is associated with less violence and crimes, fostering a safer community for everyone.
Legalizing marijuana is also associated with supporting the fight against America’s mass prison incarceration. According to the ACLU, marijuana arrests now account for more than half of all drug arrests in the United States.
Of the 8.2 million marijuana arrests in the past 10 years, 88 percent were for simply having marijuana. Trying to uphold marijuana regulation costs states over $3 billion – money that could be better spent for public interests.
Public and government officials must be willing to open their minds to all the social and economic benefits that legalized marijuana provides. Canada is taking a significant step forward in its plans, while the United States continues to stay stagnant.
If young people are already very interested in the marijuana industry, the government should take advantage of that opportunity. Otherwise, the United States might just go up in smoke.
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