The Most Common Reasons People Give to Oppose Legalizing Marijuana

Peoples attitude towards legalization of marijuana has faced a dramatic shift over the past 54 years. From just 12% of the US population in favor of making the drug legal in 1969, the percentage of supporters rose to 53% in 2013, while the opponents decreased almost twice in their numbers, from 84% to 44%. The issue remains fresh, as both sides have enough arguments to support their cause. Among the supporters, the most popular reasons for legalization include health benefits, the belief that marijuana is relatively harmless as compared to other drugs (which include tobacco and alcohol), the possible economic benefits that regulation might bring, and also liberal views. As the medicinal benefits of marijuana are being explored by health researchers, and the other cited reasons can be questioned as well, there are still numbers of legalization opponents, who are mainly republicans, conservatives, people of Hispanic origin, and older population. They cite the substance’s antisocial nature, addictiveness, the need for its governmental control, and the fact that marijuana sometimes serves as a gateway drug. The latter means that individuals who smoke pot are likely to switch to other drugs in the future. There are some arguments against legalization of marijuana which are expressed clearly and supported by the statistics. For example, many opponents believe that all medicinal benefits of marijuana are related not to the fact that people smoke it, but rather the plant’s active substances. In their opinion, it does not mean that smoking of marijuana has any health benefits. Moreover, legalization may lead to the situation in which big companies will take the industry under their control, just like it was in the case of tobacco and the cigarette manufacturers. A large percentage of conservatives, women, and older people believe that the active substance in the weed, THC, causes significant brain damage, especially if consumed in large amounts. It leads to debilitation of the individual’s ability to focus and make decisions. Therefore, young people whose brains have not been fully formed yet should avoid marijuana consumption, which can be achieved by at least limiting its use nationwide. Their main concern is that marijuana is overly available to young people, especially in schools. The anti-cannabis part of the population believes that regulation of the substance will cost the country too much. They compare the possible damage with the damage from alcohol use. They have estimated that the potential losses are 10 times more costly than the tax-based gains. Besides, legalization will call for additional costs on changing the existing state of things. For example, training of police officers and changing the legislation will cost a significant amount of money which could be otherwise spent on social programs. In addition, the opponents believe that its decriminalization will not lead to the positive changes in the society, as 99% of people who are sentenced in relation to marijuana cases are traffickers, not individual users. While there are supporters of marijuana legalization globally who follow the current research results in the area of cannabis consumption and who state the benefits of weed and its positive impacts on health, marijuana opponents have their own stats at hand. They believe that legalization will not only fail to solve the current problem, but will create a number of others, such as increased costs, monopolization of the industry and high accessibility among kids. References Meier et al., â€Å"Adolescent-onset Cannabis and Neuropsychological Health.† Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, August 27, 2012. Mehmedic, Zlatko, et al., â€Å"Potency Trends for THC and Other Cannabinoids in Confiscated Cannabis Preparations from 1993 to 2008.† Journal of Forensic Sciences, Vol. 55, No. 5. Mechoulam R, Peters M, Murillo-Rodriguez E, et al. Cannabidiol—Recent Advances. Chemistry and Biodiversity, 2007. Hà ©zode C, Zafrani ES, Roudot-Thoraval F, et al. Daily Cannabis Use. Gastroenterology, 2008. Henquet C, Krabbendam L, Spauwen J, et al. Prospective Cohort Study of Cannabis Use, Predisposition for Psychosis and Psychotic Symptoms in Young People. British Medical Journal, 2005. Tarter, RE, Vanyukov M, Kirisci L, Reynolds M, Clark DB. Predictors of Marijuana Use in Adolescents Before and After Licit Drug Use: Examination of the Gateway Hypothesis. American Journal of Psychiatry, 2006. In Debate Over Legalizing Marijuana, Disagreement Over Drug’s Dangers, People Press, April 14, 2015.

The American Revolution And The Enlightenment - 1531 Words

The American Revolution brought about changes in the way the world viewed religion, science, and government. The Enlightenment, an European movement that affected social customs and political ideals not only in Europe, but also in America, brought these new ideas and changes to light. Enlightenment’s main goal was to seek out a better understanding of the natural world through reason. Reason is an individual trait, and, according to Enlightenment thinkers, this justifies that power should be help by the people. There was a desire by many colonists to form a government based off democratic ideals with balanced powers, and these principles can be traced back to the Enlightenment movement. One of the most influential Enlightenment thinkers was John Locke who rejected the claim to the Crown, and he believed that individuals held the right to revolt against a tyrannical government. Locke argued that rebellion against the government was acceptable if that government failed to protect the natural rights of the individual including life, liberty, and property. Locke proclaimed, â€Å"Government has no other end, but the preservation of property† (Locke). Locke also believed that a strong powerful government would use its authority to control the governed. Because of this, Locke believed the government should be divided into different branched with a system of 2 checks and balances, allowing each branch to hold only the power needed to fulfill its given function. Locke believed thatShow MoreRelatedThe Enlightenment And The American Revolution2027 Words   |  9 PagesThe Enlightenment and the American Revolution Everyone knows the story of how America came to be. It was similar to David versus Goliath, the American colonists against the potent England. 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Thomas Hobbes believed that all peopleRead MoreThe British Enlightenment And The American Revolution1538 Words   |  7 PagesThe American Revolution was a product of the British Enlightenment as well as both American and British history. The Enlightenment was age of innovation taking place during the 17th and 18th centuries. During this period there were great advancements in science that pushed back religious superstitions, as well as developments in economics and political thinking. (lecture) The British Enlightenment specifically had a large impact on the American Revolution with key figures such as John Locke. HisRead MoreThe Influence Of The American Revolution And The Enlightenment799 Words   |  4 Pagesto the American Revolution had tremendous influence over the Founders of the United States. These ideas came together in the creation of the U.S. constitution, working in tandem to lay the foundation for the way the government should be structured, as well as the core philosophy behind the country. The Enlightenment, also called the Age of Reason, influenced the rest of the world during the late eighteenth century. There were several revolutions taking place at this time, but the American RevolutionRead MoreThe Enlightenment Ideas Of The American Revolution1423 Words   |  6 PagesThe Enlightenment’s ideas in the American Revolution People in America were mad and broke. The colonies did not like the idea of paying high taxes to the King of England. In order to show their rage and anger, they did it by not paying taxes. The King of England was frustrated by the colonist s action and send an army to the Americas to sort this problem out. 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The years 1685 to 1815 (Strayer, 2011) will be the focus of this investigation to allow for an analysis of the Enlightenment ideas’ impact the need for governmental change in the American colonies and France during the eighteenth century, as well as their governmental influences post-revolutions. †¯ The first source whichRead MoreFrench Revolution: the Solution to Class Inequality1141 Words   |  5 PagesThe French Revolution was one of the most important events that occurred in the history of France. The revolution crumpled the Old Regime and completely transformed the social and political system of France. The people of France sought to establish a more egalitarian society through their newly created Republic. When Enlightenment thinkers such as John Locke, Jean-Jacques Rousseau and Baron de Montesquieu introduced individual liberty, natural rights and equality the ideas of revolution emerged. AsRead MoreClassical Liberalism: Two Treatises on Government by John Locke1152 Words   |  5 PagesLiberalism, the Enlightenment, was a political movement that has impacted countries and their policies over many generations. The Enlightenment emphasized the notion that men are inherently good by nature (Bentley). The Enlightenment gave people the idea that a king was not necessary to rule over the people because people are not inherently bad. If anything, the people need someone to guide them but not have absolute rule over them. Revolutions have been based off of Enlightenment ideals because they

Income Poverty Free Essays

The World Bank just updated its estimates of the number of people living in poverty to 1996 and 1998, using 1993 Purchasing Power Parities (PPP) and household survey data (see Table 1 and Table 2). The figures for 1998 are preliminary estimates, based on the most recent survey data available (only a few surveys are available for 1997 and 1998) and actual or estimated growth rates in real private consumption per capita; they will be firmed up as new survey data become available. What story do the new figures tell? First, both the share of opulation and the number of people living on less than a dollar a day declined substantially in the mid-1990s, after increasing in the early 1990s. We will write a custom essay sample on Income Poverty or any similar topic only for you Order Now The same is true for those living below two dollars a day. But the numbers rose again in the aftermath of the global financial crisis. The declines in the numbers are almost exclusively due to a reduction in the number of poor people in East Asia, most notably in China. But progress was partly reversed by the crisis, and stalled in China. In South Asia, the incidence of poverty (the share of the population living in poverty) did ecline moderately through the 1990s but not sufficiently to reduce the absolute number of poor. The actual number of poor people in the region has been rising steadily since 1987. In Africa, the share declined and the numbers increased as well. The new estimates indicate that Africa is now the region with the largest share of people living below $1/day. In Latin America the share of poor people remained roughly constant over the period, and the numbers increased. In the countries of the former Soviet bloc, poverty rose markedly-both the share and the numbers increased. How to cite Income Poverty, Essay examples

Shooting the Hippo ( a book review) Essay Example For Students

Shooting the Hippo ( a book review) Essay World Issues Book ReviewShooting The Hippo by Linda McQuaigLinda McQuaigs most recent book, Shooting the Hippo is about the causes and results of the debt. It is a look at both the factual causes and the arguments which are merely presented to us through the various elements of the media. McQuaig delivers an insightful overview of the extensive media coverage which has bombarded us over the past few years. With the excitement of a mystery writer, McQuaig tells the real story behind the debt. . This book explains the history of the deficit myth, and enables people such as myself who are not experienced in these types of problems to get to the heart of the arguments presented so frequently about our financial situation. I found her book an inspiration which will hopefully help us all to devote ourselves to the enormous challenge which we will face in the future. We are responsible to inform and educate ourselves, our friends, our families and neighbours in the difficult days ahead. To explain McQuaigs title Ill briefly describe the beginning of the mystery. A baby hippo, born in a zoo, is to be shot because of recent government cutbacks which leave nothing to feed or care for the hippo. This image grabs the attention of the reader and leads to numerous other examples which McQuaig uses to break down the popular myths about the deficit. McQuaig, determined to expose one by one, several of the current myths about the state of the Canadian economy, backs up her arguments with interviews and publications. These include: a chief statistician at Statistics Canada who has been working on the statistics of social spending since the middle 60s; the man at Moodys bond rating service in New York who is in charge of setting the credit rating on our federal debt; and noted economists, among others. The book goes on in its investigation as to why the recession in Canada was the worst of the worlds most powerful nations. It is noted that if there is a simple way to explain th e reason for most of the recession then it will in turn account for most of the increase in the debt. McQuaig also presents a bit of history of banking, monetary systems, and the struggle of the conflicts between the rich minority and the rest of us. All of this is presented in a very readable and interesting manner. McQuaig asks an intriguing question to all of us. Are we prepared to see our social programs sacrificed in order to reduce the deficit? Our political figures would have us believe that there is quite simply no other option but to give them up, a view which McQuaig effectively destroys in the 285 pages of this book. In the end, McQuaig warns us not to let our achievements as a society be sacrificed in the name of deficit reduction. Her fear is that we, as a society will not be able to find the determination needed in order to succeed. Over the past few years it has been nearly impossible to open a newspaper without seeing an article on the deficit. The subject of the deficit has been terribly misunderstood, and it continues to be one of our largest problems. McQuaig delivers the message, which is consequently backed up by her interviews, that the deficit is not caused by social spending. Contrary to popular belief McQuaig argues that we are no where near hitting the debt-wall. She del ivers and backs up the argument that fighting the recession, rather than eliminating social programs, would do the most in the attempt to eliminate the deficit. .u2dbff50fe763a6811e0afa03de63ec70 , .u2dbff50fe763a6811e0afa03de63ec70 .postImageUrl , .u2dbff50fe763a6811e0afa03de63ec70 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u2dbff50fe763a6811e0afa03de63ec70 , .u2dbff50fe763a6811e0afa03de63ec70:hover , .u2dbff50fe763a6811e0afa03de63ec70:visited , .u2dbff50fe763a6811e0afa03de63ec70:active { border:0!important; } .u2dbff50fe763a6811e0afa03de63ec70 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u2dbff50fe763a6811e0afa03de63ec70 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u2dbff50fe763a6811e0afa03de63ec70:active , .u2dbff50fe763a6811e0afa03de63ec70:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u2dbff50fe763a6811e0afa03de63ec70 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u2dbff50fe763a6811e0afa03de63ec70 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u2dbff50fe763a6811e0afa03de63ec70 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u2dbff50fe763a6811e0afa03de63ec70 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u2dbff50fe763a6811e0afa03de63ec70:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u2dbff50fe763a6811e0afa03de63ec70 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u2dbff50fe763a6811e0afa03de63ec70 .u2dbff50fe763a6811e0afa03de63ec70-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u2dbff50fe763a6811e0afa03de63ec70:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Write an on three poems from the longlist th EssayMcQuaig criticizes the medias uncanny ability to deliver only half the story, and in doing so points out that the media has created a negative image of spending on certain social programs. In reality, spending on social program has not contributed much at all to the increase in deficit. This is according to a study put out by Statistics Canada. McQuaig relates that Hideo Mimoto, chief of the social security section, who in fact wrote the study, shows that increases in social spending have done very little to nothing at all in terms of increasing the federal debt. The wrong suspects are being brought in for questioning. Unem ployment insurance, which is portrayed so poorly in the media, has created only one percent of debt growth. In comparison one of the largest weights on the deficit was police, military and prison spending.McQuaig delivers the message that if people were really concerned about chipping away at the debt wall, they would be cutting back on police and prisons. McQuaig effectively presents arguments which give impressive evidence that we are continually being misled by the people in power. I believe this book has been an important step for me in considering the future of our country. It is my generation who will benefit from McQuaigs detective work. McQuaig delivers her findings and her opinions in a clear and concise manner. Her book is well written and is a refreshing change to the one sided arguments that are delivered by our corporate leaders. McQuaig effectively analyzed the problem of the deficit in a book that was easy to read because of its voice. At no point did I feel that McQu aig was speaking on an elevated level. She was truthful and if an opinion was voiced it was also proven. McQuaig delivers the problem as she sees it after all the misleading information delivered from others, has cleared away. She poses certain solutions, some of which are unrealistic, such as her suggestion for less police and military funding, and some of which make terrific sense. She points out that the powers that be are not interested in open debate, perhaps they fear they will be contradicted. In the end, I feel this a worthwhile piece of work, it has broadened my understanding of the deficit as well as my understanding that just because somebody holds the power doesnt mean that they are doing good. This book helped explain to me the history of the deficit, and enabled me to get to the heart of the arguments, without having to weed through a lot of high power terms, that usually through me for a loop. I have learned we are responsible to inform and educate ourselves, our friends, our families and neighbours on the road to a solid economical future. Bibliography1. McQuaig, Linda. Shooting The Hippo. Toronto: Penguin Books Canada Ltd., 1995. 2. Stockley, Les. Http://www.wordplay.com:80/books/newreleases/shooting.htmlCategory: Business