Personal Wellness Application Assignment 3-2
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Personal Wellness Application Assignment 3
University of Arizona
HPS 178: Personal Health & Wellness
Dr. Adaeze Oguegbu
February 4th, 2024
PERSONAL WELLNESS APPLICATION ASSIGNMENT
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Although marijuana is federally banned, it can be approved in different circumstances by
local governments, so its legal status differs between states. Typically, marijuana is classified as
being completely illegal, legal only for medical use, decriminalized, or legalized.
Decriminalization refers to the drug remaining illegal, but not being prosecuted in possession
cases under a certain amount. Legalization means the removal of all legal prohibitions (NCBI,
2012)
2
. As of November 2023, marijuana is legal for recreational use in 24 states and
Washington DC, decriminalized or approved only for medicinal purposes in 15 states, and fully
illegal in 10 states. The first states to legalize marijuana in 2012 were Colorado and Washington,
and now, over 10 years later, over half of the US population lives in locations that have legalized
marijuana (Washington Post, 2023)
1
.
Image: Washington Post, 2023, map representing states that have legalized marijuana for recreational use.
PERSONAL WELLNESS APPLICATION ASSIGNMENT
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Those who oppose the legalization of marijuana argue against it due to health risks,
financial and resource impacts, and social or cultural issues. Chronic use of marijuana can lead to
respiratory problems, mental health issues, and impaired motor, cognitive, and immune function.
Legalization could cause the incidence of these side effects to increase. Some also argue that
legalization would increase strain on the justice system’s resources as increased use of marijuana
could lead to more behaviors that would come in contact with the justice system, meaning more
resources would be used. Although legalization would allow marijuana sales to be taxed,
bringing in revenue, those who oppose legalization say that this revenue would be off-set by
increased healthcare costs and loss of workplace productivity. If legalized, the price of marijuana
would decrease, which would encourage more use in young communities. One option to
counteract this–implementing high taxes on marijuana sales–could strengthen cartels and other
dangerous groups as they would focus on black-market sales to keep costs low (OJP, 2010)
3
.
Additionally, some experts warn that–contrary to public belief–marijuana is addictive, and
legalizing it would lead to increased rates of addiction and increased rates of marijuana involved
motor accidents (NCBI, 2013)
4
.
Many people argue for legalization of marijuana, saying that it will have beneficial
financial, social, and safety effects. Legal marijuana sales could be taxed to bring in significant
amounts of revenue. It would increase police and justice system resources as revenue and labor
wouldn’t be used up by prosecuting and enforcing marijuana laws. Federal legalization would
also provide a barrier to teen marijuana use as underground markets would be reduced and
marijuana sales would more often be regulated and sanctioned. Regulation would also improve
safety as the drug could be further tested for purity, and environmental impacts could be better
managed. Having a widespread ban on marijuana exposes individuals to the criminal justice
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PERSONAL WELLNESS APPLICATION ASSIGNMENT
3
system for small possession cases which increases their likelihood of committing other, more
serious crimes. These cases are also often disproportionately prosecuted with minorities, further
exacerbating racial inequalities. The argument for legalization also focuses on reducing the
violence associated with the drug market by decreasing the amount of underground sales and
weakening cartels and other drug dealing groups. Some people argue that marijuana is safer than
tobacco or alcohol, both of which are already legal, and therefore marijuana should be legalized
as well (MPP, 2024)
5
.
Public opinion on the full legalization of marijuana seems to be split in two with around
half of the US making it legal for recreational use, and half illegal, decriminalized, or medically
permitted (Washington Post, 2023)
1
. The main arguments against legalization are that it will
increase marijuana use–especially in young people–and aggregate associated health risks,
increase crime and addiction, and that it won’t provide any substantial tax revenue or additional
available resources. Those arguing for legalization assert that it will bring in revenue and reduce
government resource strain, and that it will decrease violence, lessen environmental and racial
inequality issues, and overall make marijuana use safer (MPP, 2024)
5
.
Personally, I support legalization of marijuana. Drug use will continue regardless of
legislation, so legalization will make the sale and consumption of marijuana safer for all parties.
It is in the best interest of both the government and the American people to have marijuana sale
and consumption taking place under regulations, instead of on the black market. While marijuana
use does pose the risk of addiction and certain health issues, this is not any different from the
risks of tobacco or alcohol use, both of which are federally legalized substances. At times in
history when these substances were illegal, like the alcohol prohibition of the 1920s and 1930s,
PERSONAL WELLNESS APPLICATION ASSIGNMENT
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organized crime increased, court and prison systems were overtaxed, and many people turned to
more dangerous illegal alcohol or other dangerous drugs (Cato Institute, 1991)
6
. We have
historical evidence that the banning of alcohol wasn’t successful, so I personally believe that
marijuana should be treated in a similar fashion and legalized.
PERSONAL WELLNESS APPLICATION ASSIGNMENT
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References
[1]
Meko, T., & Blanco, A. (2023, November 8).
More than half of Americans live in
places where recreational marijuana is legal
. The Washington Post.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/legal-weed-states-map/
[2]
Svrakic, D. M., Lustman, P. J., Mallya, A., Lynn, T. A., Finney, R., & Svrakic, N. M.
(2012). Legalization, decriminalization & medicinal use of cannabis: A scientific and public
health perspective.
Missouri Medicine
,
109
(2), 90–98.
[3]
Marijuana legalization: A bad idea
. (2010, October). Office of Justice Programs.
https://www.ojp.gov/ncjrs/virtual-library/abstracts/marijuana-legalization-bad-idea
[4]
Wilkinson, S. T. (2013). Medical and recreational marijuana: Commentary and review
of the literature.
Missouri Medicine
,
110
(6), 524–528.
[5]
Project, M. P. (n.d.).
Top 10 reasons to legalize and regulate cannabis
. MPP. Retrieved
February 5, 2024, from
https://www.mpp.org/issues/legalization/top-ten-reasons-to-end-marijuana-prohibition/
[6]
Thornton, M. (1991, July 17).
Alcohol Prohibition Was a Failure
. Cato Institute.
https://www.cato.org/policy-analysis/alcohol-prohibition-was-failure#the-iron-law-of-prohibition
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