The Argumentr Regardingf The Decriminalization Of...

The Argument Over the Decriminalization of Cannabis nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The majority of Americans choose the same issues as the most threatening to the nation. Invariably among these one will see â€Å"drugs† as a major concern of most Americans. There is speculation that this is due to a perceived association between drugs and crime (Inciardi 1). A good deal of the argument over government policy towards drugs centers on the least unhealthy and most socially accepted of the illegal drugs, marijuana. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Marijuana, scientifically known as Tetrahydrocannabinol, belongs to its own group among other legal and illegal drugs. It is neither a narcotic, such as heroin, nor a†¦show more content†¦This act placed a minimal tax on the possession, distribution, or consumption of marijuana, which was punishable by severe fines of jail time. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Nearly 25% of Americans over the age of 12 admit to having smoked marijuana at least once in their lifetime (Inciardi 167). There is a substantial portion of the American public which favors, in some degree, the decriminalization of marijuana. There are also staunch advocates of the prohibition of marijuana, many of them in our government. They each have effective arguments, often disagreeing over improvable ideas. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The faction in favor of full prohibition of marijuana has a strong set of arguments. Firstly, it argues that by causing an altered state of consciousness, cannabis is dangerous. They argue that it is biologically and psychologically addictive and that it the frequent use of cannabis has serious physiological repercussions. They argue that while marijuana may have marginal medicinal uses, that there are several more effective legal drugs for the same purposes. They argue that marijuana is a â€Å"gateway drug†, which leads users to â€Å"harder† drugs. They say that should marijuana be legalized, its use would run rampant. Some do not believe that it contains any medicinal value whatsoever. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Those in favor of full or partial decriminalization of marijuana have diametrically opposed arguments. They argue that