Marijuana, as evident in the US, is widely used by people. It is an illicit drug that has gone under record for having over 30 million people in 2012 estimated to be using it. Despite the fact that prevalence rates existing for the US population have been lying at a relatively stable grounds in the past decade, the current proportion of users defined by the criteria established by the renowned American Psychiatric Association for the evident dependence or even abuse of marijuana, has immensely increased at a significant rate (Reichman 400). As evident in the early 1990s, several states markedly reduced the penalties charged or criminal status of those considered as first-time marijuana and drug possession offenses that involved small marijuana quantities. Some other states surpassed this by further enacting legislation that meant to give patients protection that they needed against prosecution in all state courts on account of using or growing marijuana, for some medicinal purposes. Many factors may influence the level at which the Marijuana policy and changes in it would generate any cost savings for all state governments. It depends upon different issues, which include many changes in the enforcement departments, in line with this desired policy, changes in the use of this policy. , and it also increases the perceived harmful consequences always associated with using marijuana, and moreover its abuse. The significant gain in research conducted is relevant for all people in relation with discussing marijuana policy, and the main factors that have influenced it are based on both formal and also informal political factors (Reichman 400).
The figures of those abusing and using of marijuana, as recorded, have risen from 31.2 percent to a high of 36.6 percent. In addition to this, prevalence rates in all states, among youth have risen considerably since the mid-1990s before becoming stable, while many perceptions of its harmful influence have been declined. In line with this, the United States has also experienced considerable rates’ rise among young people who use, abuse and also are dependent on this type of drug. The increase in the number of arrests is also an alarming factor (William 21). However, there is an enormous increased pressure on all state legislatures to consider softening their policies regarding marijuana as the main way of minimizing the US criminal justice burden. Despite the fact that there is virtually none or little information available, in line with the economic cost and burden of marijuana abuse or even use, there is an immense growing support for people to do so (William 21).
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During times of Ronald Regan, a renowned US president, the Anti-Drug Abuse Act was laid out in 1988. Its main aim was to create the drug-free United States of America. The key driving force behind this initiative was the renowned Office of National Drug Control Policy, abbreviated as ONDCP. It had a crucial role to vehemently set and implement, as well, the national strategy and cohesion along with maintaining and setting budgets. As evident in the policy and Act, the fundamental objective of the latter was to seek ways of minimizing drug trafficking, their abuse and use, and reducing the predictable consequences (William 90). This meant that drug abuse could only be curbed by cautiously preventing youths from using and abusing illegal drugs, fighting and reducing the vast number of users, and also decreasing drug availability. Since the inception of the ONDCP, it has been under the grant of extremely wider powers by the government. The Director of this organization, by law, can now evaluate, coordinate, and oversee all international and also domestic anti-drug ideas and efforts of the executive branch agencies. He or she has the mandate to always ensure that all anti-drug activities of the nation are well sustained and complemented by all activities at the US state level. The Director always advises the US President on issues regarding any changes that occur in the organization, budgeting, management, and personnel of the Federal Agencies that could, in turn, affect the US’s anti-drug efforts. This organization together with the 1988 Act, that evidently initiated it, are always credited as the utmost powerhouse behind all the American war on drugs (Ritah 12).
It is obvious with the current state that a solid majority of US citizens support legalizing of marijuana in line with its recreational use. The recent Rasmussen poll puts this number at 56%, a record improvement from that of 25% reached at in 1994, and in the early 1990s, of the people who were in its favor. Another revelation came in November 2010, when California residents went out to vote for many ballot initiatives in a bid to legalize the desired possession of sale and use of marijuana. Despite the fact that the measures evidently failed to pass — recording 46% to 54% — the notion that the sought initiative clearly made its way onto the ballot and also garnered that extremely massive support became a remarkable historical fact. This event led Arnold Schwarzenegger, California Governor, to call for decriminalizing possession of marijuana up to 1 oz. a few moments before the vote. This move had the sole intention of bleeding the voters’ support and determination of success from the existing ballot question. In case the initiative would have passed, California would emerge as the first ever state to legalize and allow the use of and possession of the drug outright. This year, Colorado and also Washington State are expected to vote in a bid for total legalization (Rennah 23).
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If one bases his or her evaluation on the success of the fight for total legalization of marijuana on the fact that its support tracks on a greater front with years, the desired change would come out as inevitable if all goes well in the long run. Citizens who are in for the idea never relent in their quest to get marijuana legalized. As the generations keep growing, there will be more support towards this idea and the nation will give in to the people’s demands. The most recent poll conducted by Gallup found that 63% of youths in the age from18 to 29 always favor full legalization of marijuana, compared to 32% of all senior citizens. This shows that the energetic population is for the idea, and since they will rule in the near future, marijuana will be legal in the US.
