Security

Marijuana is used by most people as a desire, not a need.  However there are some people who do consider marijuana a need in their everyday life, not a biological need, but more of a need to feel more secure in their lives.  Some cancer patients claim that using marijuana reduces their physical and emotional pain, as well as the stress that is a result of chemotherapy, despite the fact the the FDA has found that there is no medical use for marijuana.  Marijuana is also used in cancer patients because though they may lose weight during chemotherapy, marijuana has a side effect that increases appetite.  I argue that the use of marijuana should not be limited to medicinal use (thirteen states have legalized medical marijuana use: AK, CA, CO, HI, ME, MI, MT, NV, NM, OR, RI, VT, and WA) but should be legal for recreational use as well.  The use of marijuana provides a alternative to people who, for example, don't like to drink alcohol.  People drink alcohol because the effect alcohol causes on the body makes people feel good, so why shouldn't people be able to use marijuana if it makes them feel good?  For some people using marijuana represents a more spiritual or artistic mood, rather then just a sense of entertainment.  For these people, using marijuana brings not quite the direct satisfaction that people who use it for fun experience, but it provides for artists by enabling what they are able to do because of using marijuana.

People feel secure when their basic needs are taken care of (in our case by the government).  A secure outcome for the reform of marijuana laws would be to legalize marijuana for recreational use, because people who use marijuana would feel secure by not having to worry about being penalized by the law for using marijuana.  People who use marijuana illegally should not have to fear the government, or fear how they are looked upon by the others, simply because they see using marijuana as a desire, or in some cases a need.  Security could best be achieved through the market, because reforming the marijuana laws would maximize self-interests.  Interests in which i believe the government has not right to put a barrier on.  If the government stands by their decision to keep marijuana illegal because society doesn't need it, then why don't they go ahead and bring back prohibition?

Efficiency

The most efficient way to reform the current marijuana laws would be to legalize the good for recreational use. The government would have to help to regulate the amount a person possesses and the age of the person possessing marijuana. I think that the government should allow a person, 18 years of age or older, to possess up to 3 oz of cannabis for recreational use, because no one has a legitimate reason to possess anymore than that at one time for personal use. However controlling these factors would be much easier and more efficient than spending tax payer’s money, as we currently are doing, to persecute people (overcrowding jails with nonviolent offenders) for breaking the current laws. In exchange the government, and the polis, would profit from the money gained through taxation of marijuana, and from the money saved by freeing our jails of people incarcerated for possession of marijuana charges. The input the government would have to exercise would be even more minimal than they are already exerting, and the output would heavily outweigh the input as it would help our economy that is in much need of funds. The cost to legalize marijuana for recreational use would cut back government income from current fines such as possession of marijuana fines, yet this aspect of cost would be canceled out by the judicial systems acquittal of people currently overcrowding jails due to marijuana charges. The benefit would outweigh the cost, and help the polis, because the funds saved by freeing up our jails could be used towards more important issues such as education.

What is Fair?

I believe a “fair” outcome for the reform of marijuana laws would be to legalize marijuana for recreational use, and for the government to place the sin tax on the good, like they have done for tobacco and alcohol. The sin tax would be the best way to achieve fairness, because marijuana users would be able to legally use the good, there would be no negative effect towards people who don't use marijuana, and the government would receive a large amount of money from taxing marijuana, thus benefiting all three categories of people. The market would benefit from the legalization by new business opportunities such as trades between companies, production competition, or competition in sales. The polis would have new job opportunities and would also have more individual freedoms as they would possess the choice to legally consume marijuana as they wish. If the current marijuana laws were changed the polis would also benefit by having safer neighborhoods throughout the U.S. which are currently plagued by drug wars.

Intro

I am creating this blog to inform readers of the need to reform our current marijuana laws in the Unites States. I believe that marijuana should not only be legal for medicinal use, but also for recreational use.