The rules or laws, that are currently on marijuana make it illegal to possess any amount of marijuana unless you have a medical marijuana license. As mentioned, the laws governing the use of marijuana are bed rules for the American people. The laws infringe on civil liberties of citizens who use marijuana in recreation without negative effects on others. However the goal of this rule is to keep people from using marijuana at all. In effect these rules may actually want to make people use marijuana even more, as some find it a thrill to break the laws. even without this factor, the laws are not good deterrents to keep people from using marijuana. The rules can be improved by being reformed. Thus allowing people to use marijuana recreationaly in a home environment or where it is deemed socially acceptable. The substance can be regulated, like alcohol, by a Government agency which will maintain order in keeping the substance within a new rules system.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Tools
Our current laws regarding the use of marijuana involves sanctions for people who use marijuana illegally (without a medical marijuana license). For many years it has been clear to the American people that if you use marijuana illegally, and are detected by a law enforcement officer of a kind, that you will have negative consequences (fines, probation, jail). Inducements would solve many problems regarding the recreational use of marijuana. By inducing such behavior all citizens could gain from the use of marijuana. I'm not inferring that marijuana users are the ones necessarily being rewarded for using marijuana, though we can't forget exercising civil liberties, but as previously mentioned everyone would benefit from the taxes that would be levied on the good. This brings me to my idea that regulatory tools would best suit my policy issue.
We are already spending way too much taxpayer money regulating the use of marijuana, so regulating the legal use of marijuana would cut back on these costs. However you may ask yourself, what would be the conflict of legalizing marijuana? The answer is people would be only be causing harm to themselves (as if alcohol doesn't cause harm to oneself?) not to mention that we are currently causing harm on every American citizen who has the burden of paying for sanctions against marijuana users. By regulating the recreational use of marijuana, both groups would benefit from the results.
We are already spending way too much taxpayer money regulating the use of marijuana, so regulating the legal use of marijuana would cut back on these costs. However you may ask yourself, what would be the conflict of legalizing marijuana? The answer is people would be only be causing harm to themselves (as if alcohol doesn't cause harm to oneself?) not to mention that we are currently causing harm on every American citizen who has the burden of paying for sanctions against marijuana users. By regulating the recreational use of marijuana, both groups would benefit from the results.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Targets
The targets for the reform of marijuana laws are not only marijuana users but everyone in the United States. The targets can be constructed into two groups; marijuana users, and people who don't use marijuana. Both of these groups would drastically be affected by a policy change in the current marijuana laws. My reasoning is quite simple, people who use marijuana would no longer fear negative repercussions from using the substance and will win back an important civil liberty. People who don't use marijuana would benefit from taxes paid by marijuana users. However this can only be achieved by a collective effort from both groups, or targets, that my policy is aimed towards. Yet one problematic factor is the idea of people using their "local knowledge", or what their individual communities think of the specific policy issue.
In Southern California it seem that peoples "local knowledge" towards marijuana and the reform of the current laws is more accepting than other parts of the nation. If it were up to the public, for example in Venice, California, the "local knowledge" of peoples view on marijuana would most likely cause the residents to favor or propose policies that would favor the reform of marijuana laws. However where I'm from, Wimberley, Texas, people who use their "local knowledge" in determining policy issues with marijuana would most likely be opposed to a change in our current marijuana laws. Its all a matter of what is deemed acceptable in each community, or region. California being a Democratic state with many liberals, and Texas a Republican state with many conservatives. Although I'm not suggesting that all liberals are for the legalization of marijuana and all conservatives opposed. So with this factor could the targets be changed from marijuana users and people who don't use marijuana to target groups of liberals and conservatives, or perhaps Democrats and Republicans?
In Southern California it seem that peoples "local knowledge" towards marijuana and the reform of the current laws is more accepting than other parts of the nation. If it were up to the public, for example in Venice, California, the "local knowledge" of peoples view on marijuana would most likely cause the residents to favor or propose policies that would favor the reform of marijuana laws. However where I'm from, Wimberley, Texas, people who use their "local knowledge" in determining policy issues with marijuana would most likely be opposed to a change in our current marijuana laws. Its all a matter of what is deemed acceptable in each community, or region. California being a Democratic state with many liberals, and Texas a Republican state with many conservatives. Although I'm not suggesting that all liberals are for the legalization of marijuana and all conservatives opposed. So with this factor could the targets be changed from marijuana users and people who don't use marijuana to target groups of liberals and conservatives, or perhaps Democrats and Republicans?
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
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