The Effects of Legalizing Drugs Essay - 2011 Words

Tobacco is the number one preventable killer in America with alcohol at number two (Preventable Causes of Death). And if drug-related crime and deaths were not enough for society, Marijuana is now legal in Colorado and Washington--which has already created new substance-related problems. Just the fact of legalizing it confuses teens into thinking that it’s not risky anymore, thus promoting adolescent use. Legal or not, the addictive nature of pot has always been the most influential gateway substance to either alcohol, tobacco, or hard drugs. This means that Marijuana is almost always linked to substance-induced destruction whether it’s directly or indirectly, legal or illegal, self-destructive or destructive to others. Therefore, the†¦show more content†¦The new policy is confusing in Colorado and Washington, the states that have made it legal for someone twenty-one or over to own an ounce of Marijuana at a time for private recreational use. The problems with this new legal policy are that it is virtually unenforceable and it contradicts the Constitution of The United States of America. Article VI Clause 2 of the Constitution states that the Constitution is â€Å"the supreme law of the land; and the judges in every state shall be bound thereby anything in the constitution or laws of any state to the contrary notwithstanding.† This means that because federal law states that Marijuana is illegal, there is a contradiction when states try to make it legal. In turn, this causes problems in areas like the federal school district where federal and state laws tend to clash. At the University of Colorado Boulder, spokesman Bronson Hillard says that because these schools receive federal funding, they must abide to the no â€Å"drugs on campus† policy that the rest of America stands by, creating tension and confusion on campus (Harvey). H.Norman Arkans from University of Washington agrees when he says that they also are †a large recipient of federal money, so there is a conflict.† Conflict is right. Now students are pouring into the campuses stoned and unable to retain any information. Many of the students are unsure about the laws and get in trouble because the drug is not allowed on campus.Show MoreRelatedShould Marijuana Be Legalized?1314 Words   |  6 PagesMarijuana, also known as cannabis, has been deemed an unacceptable and illegal substance in Canada, as well as in many other nations. It is a drug which can alter an individual’s sense of perception and distort one’s senses, and may become addictive if used repeatedly. Although marijuana is looked down upon in society when used for recreational purposes, it serves several beneficial purposes in the medical field. 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Those who support its legalization, for medical or for recreational use, fail to recognize that the greatest costs of marijuana are not related to its prohibition; they are the costs resulting from marijuana