Notes

Marijuana Legalization and Regulation

There is more public support for marijuana law reform than ever before with new polls showing more than half the country is in favor of legalizing marijuana. The Drug Policy Alliance (DPA) believes marijuana should be removed from the criminal justice system and regulated like alcohol and tobacco.

The legality of cannabis varies from country to country. Possession of cannabis is illegal in most countries and has been since the beginning of widespread cannabis prohibition in the late 1930s.[1] However, possession of the plant in small quantities has been decriminalized in many countries and sub-national entities in several parts of the world. For example, cannabis in Canada will be legal for recreational use if legislation is passed in spring 2017.

Arguments in Favor

1)
Cannabis is 114 Times Less Toxic Than That Other Legal Substance, Alcohol, in a comparative analysis on the risks of recreational drugs, alcohol was the top contender, while cannabis was considered the lowest risk, making cannabis literally 114 times safer to use than alcohol, a legal substance for adults ages 21 and up.

2)
It’s possible to undercut the black market by making the legal market more appealing to the standard cannabis consumer through legalization and tightly controlled regulations. Mexican cartels once supplied the United States as the top source of illegal cannabis, but since legalization has swept across four states and Washington, D.C., the amount seized by Border Patrols has dropped 24% in the past year, and the price of Mexican-grown cannabis has dropped from $90 down to $30 per kilogram. Legalization brings proper regulation and infrastructure, and ushers in potency testing, product variety, warning labels, and overall peace of mind for the consumer.