By Anna Kosta-Rodriguez
Picture courtesy of Aphiwat Chuangchoem via Google Pexels
Today is 4/20. And if you don’t know what that means, that’s okay, I’ll break it down for you. Let’s start with a couple lighthearted memes and quotes:
“As a part of a balanced breakfast on 4/20, don’t forget to eat your Weedies!”
–Unknown
Now, we all know the immense amount of controversy surrounding marijuana, (its usage, legalization, etc.) and I’m not here to “choose a side”, I’m merely making observations and sharing facts and findings from around the world as many thousands celebrate “Weed Appreciation Day”.
In the United States:
With as many people who are open about how much they smoke the stuff, it may surprise you that marijuana is still fully illegal in 4 out of 50 states in the United States, and the laws in a lot of the legal or partially legal states are still very strict, in fact 19 out of 50 states have not yet decriminalized it. So in states like Nebraska or North Carolina, marijuana is fully illegal, but it has been decriminalized. While in other states like Texas, Iowa, Wisconsin, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee and Georgia, only CBD oil is allowed and laws are “mixed” but marijuana itself has not yet been decriminalized.
Jumping off of those stats, in 2010 we saw that approx. 25% of incarcerated Americans were behind bars for drug offenses, with a whopping 52% of drug arrests being solely for marijuana possession. And the crazy thing is that most people arrested for possession of marijuana aren’t even drug dealers, or anything close, but just little people like you and me.
Portugal and Spain:
Across the pond in Portugal and Spain, their drug laws are so “radical” that they’re actually working. They’re not tossing thousands of recreational users in prison, in fact they’ve done just the opposite. And Portugal in particular has been revolutionary in the so-called “war on drugs” for over 2 decades now.
Back in 2001, Portugal decriminalized drug use. They instituted a public health model (shifting drug control from the Justice Department to the Ministry of Health), and expanded their welfare system. Drug use there continues to be illegal, and drug trafficking is still prosecuted as a criminal offense, but drug usage violations are exclusively administrative violations, and have therefore been removed from the criminal law realm.
For over twenty years, they have seen the benefits of these changes and even within the first ten years it was obvious. Drug related deaths declined rapidly as did drug usage in their most at-risk population. Drug-related imprisonments have decreased and additionally, there has been a vast increase in visits to health clinics treating addiction.
Spain has a variation of drug decriminalization laws, in fact, they may have pioneered the idea. It’s hard to pinpoint the exact date, likely somewhere between the early 1980’s to early 1990’s. In Spain, if you use drugs at home or in a private setting, there is no problem – no laws are broken. But, if you are caught using in public, it’s an administrative, not a criminal, offense. Meaning they have a similar approach as Portugal. They have mental health and addiction facilities which are easy to access, free and have been well used within the last several decades since they changed their laws.
Dealing and trafficking illicit drugs is still a criminal offense and Spain has a lot of issues with that, but the usage has dropped, the deaths have dropped and the number of addicts have dropped because they are giving their people access to resources which most countries haven’t even considered. If the United States took a similar approach, the estimated annual cost savings are upwards of $41 BILLION.
Economic Benefits of Legalization:
Alongside the social benefits of marijuana decriminalization, there are economic benefits as well. First off, with legalization or medicinal use at a minimum, there is a positive impact on tax revenue due to the sales from dispensaries, farms, etc. In Colorado, the legal cannabis industry contributed more than $80.8 million to the local economy in 2017, primarily through taxes and other fees. Additionally, in November 2019 the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission reported that in the first year of opening marijuana retailers, $393.7 million was generated in gross sales.
Secondly, according to an ICF study there are an estimated 81,000 additional direct, indirect, and induced jobs in California as a result of legalized marijuana sales. If legalization continues across the country, there will be an uptake in other jobs related to the field. Workers will be needed for farming, processing, distribution and selling any kind of marijuana-based product. On top of that there would be a lot of other opportunities related to but not directly involved in production or distribution; jobs like finance, construction, software, etc.
Third, investment opportunities will arise if marijuana becomes legal on a federal level. Between farms, dispensaries, medical licenses, etc, a lot of ventures will be made available for those with the money, time and willingness to invest. Should it become legal on a national level, it will open up marijuana companies and their affiliates to listing their stocks on all US stock exchanges, which will in turn bring in more potential investments
The last economic benefit is quite simple, by redirecting the billions of dollars of federal and state funding from marijuana enforcement to its legalization, so much money could be saved. Instead of using taxpayer’s dollars on putting marijuana users behind bars, money could instead be directed on better laws for safer usage. If it were removed from the list of controlled substances, less arrests would be made which would lead to fewer court cases, less imprisonments and, again, money saved. Additionally, if it were legalized across the board, it would make it easier and cheaper to acquire for those who need it for medical usage, thus saving even more money.
Benefits of Medicinal and Recreational Use:
For years we’ve had drilled into our heads the stereotypical potheads, how they’re lazy, can’t keep a job, live in the back of a van or in their parents’ basement, etc. We’ve been taught that weed in all forms is the “Devil’s Lettuce”, but in more recent years it’s clear that there is truth to the medicinal and recreational benefits of its use. Here are a list of reasons using marijuana or cannabis is helpful, in moderation of course:
- It can help you communicate better, open up and socialize, which is helpful for those who have social anxiety
- Cannabis users can sometimes see brighter colors, hear louder sounds, and have richer taste buds, which of course is why moderation is so important
- Researchers say that cannabis use increases the cerebral blood flow of the brain’s frontal lobe which is related to increased creativity
- By micro-dosing or taking Marijuana in low doses it can help reduce stress and anxiety, which is helpful even for those who aren’t fond of the typical “high”
- Cannabis contains hundreds of chemical compounds called cannabinoids that are linked to the relief of chronic pain, hence the reasoning for its medicinal use
- From several studies it was found that marijuana can help slow and stop the spread of cancer cells
- The formation of amyloid plaques leads to Alzheimer’s Disease and THC found in Marijuana has been shown to slow down the build-up of those plaques
- THC in marijuana controls the seizures and spasms caused by Parkinson’s disease and promotes sleep in Parkinson’s patients
- A lot of promise has been shown in cannabis use for patients with ADHD and ADD, helping them maintain focus on tasks given to them
Regardless of anyone’s opinion on the entirety of this topic (and all its myriad of intricacies), it’s 4/20 aka Weed Appreciation Day, and we all know lots of people who will be celebrating this particular “holiday”. If you are one of those people, please partake responsibly, remember that anything and everything in excess is also harmful, know your state’s/country’s laws, and by all means, enjoy yourselves!
Sources:
https://disa.com/map-of-marijuana-legality-by-state
https://groups.ischool.berkeley.edu/Drugs-Incarceration/
https://www.aclu.org/gallery/marijuana-arrests-numbers
https://www.aclu.org/report/tale-two-countries-racially-targeted-arrests-era-marijuana-reform
https://www.sfexaminer.com/marketplace/the-flipside-positive-effects-of-recreational-marijuana/
https://www.investopedia.com/articles/insights/110916/economic-benefits-legalizing-weed.asp
https://www.futurehindsight.com/decriminalization-in-spain/
https://www.euronews.com/2013/11/06/spain-where-drug-consumption-is-not-a-crime
The Write Way TX 