Marijuana Legalization Mind Map by Ethan Liang

Further Questions for Research:

ejl184_ — 2023-11-16 18:04:38 UTC

Why has the decriminalization of marijuana led to a drop in crime rates? What factors contributed to the decrease in crime?
To what extent should marijuana be legalized? Many public places prohibit the use and distribution of marijuana, but what would happen if marijuana was allowed in these areas? Essentially, how would complete legalization affect society in places where it is completely prohibited such as schools, businesses, parks? Would things change or remain the same? What does this change have to say about the society we live in today?
How can the legalization of marijuana benefit the economy and what can the legalization of marijuana have on businesses?

MAIN ARGUMENT:

ejl184_ — 2023-11-16 18:09:36 UTC

The legalization of marijuana in the United States is a benefit for society because it has led to many changes where the positives outweigh the negatives. Specifically, the legalization of marijuana leads to benefits such as decrease in crime, decrease in the negative perception of drugs, and promotion of economic wealth.

What does marijuana do to the human brain?

ejl184_ — 2023-11-16 18:14:52 UTC

Marijuana provides euphoria, which is a sense of relief and makes users feel good. Marijuana affects the brain by overriding the user's nervous system.

How has the legalization of marijuana affected crime?

ejl184_ — 2023-11-16 18:15:55 UTC

1. Crime has decreased dramatically due to increased use of marijuana from its legalization.

2. There are now less instances of rape, theft, murder, robbery, etc. because of legalization of marijuana.

3. These findings were concluded through quasi experiments, which compared areas where there was and wasn't legalization of marijuana.

What is marijuana? What is the difference between recreational and medical use?

ejl184_ — 2023-11-16 18:18:49 UTC

Marijuana is a psychoactive drug and used recreationally (for enjoyment) or medically (to relieve pain).

ejl184_ — 2023-11-17 03:14:18 UTC

What is the background of marijuana and backstory behind its legalization?

ejl184_ — 2023-11-17 03:14:40 UTC

For many years, the distribution and use of marijuana was prohibited; it was only used for medical reasons. However, in 2012, states started to legalize the recreational use of marijuana.

How is marijuana generally viewed by society?

ejl184_ — 2023-11-17 03:36:09 UTC

Marijuana was first seen as a dangerous substance because of its dangerous side effects. However, recently it has been seen in a more positive light because even though it can produce harmful effects, it is useful as a medication and for feeling good. With recent legalization, marijuana has become more popular and perception has changed.

How has the legalization of marijuana affected the youth?

ejl184_ — 2023-11-17 03:36:23 UTC

With decriminalization, the feeling that marijuana is encouraged to be used is given off. Additionally, legalization makes it more attainable for youths to have. As a result, adolescents are more susceptible to use and get addicted to marijuana due to its decriminalization, encouraged use, and how easily accessible it is.

ejl184_ — 2023-11-17 03:50:38 UTC

ejl184_ — 2023-11-17 03:57:43 UTC

Why is marijuana deemed as dangerous?

ejl184_ — 2023-11-17 03:58:41 UTC

The Controlled Substance Act of 1970 is an act that defined what marijuana and other drugs listed in Schedule I are and claims that these substances have a high potential for abuse and are not medically useful.

ejl184_ — 2023-11-17 03:59:12 UTC

Why was marijuana banned for so long?

ejl184_ — 2023-11-17 04:01:55 UTC

The Marihuana Tax Act of 1937 allowed the regulation of possessing, using, selling, and cultivation of marijuana by paying tax money. There were very high restrictions to use marijuana other than for medical reasons. Those trying to access marijuana for different reasons would be prosecuted.

How is it known that crimes decreased because of marijuana legalization?

ejl184_ — 2023-11-17 04:06:05 UTC

Quasi experiments were performed to test rates of crimes such as rape, murder, etc. in areas where marijuana was legalized and where it wasn't legalized. Crimes rates within the same states of when marijuana wasn't legalized to when it was legalized were also compared.

What are the results of the quasi experiments?

ejl184_ — 2023-11-17 04:07:04 UTC

The quasi experiments did show that there was a connection between marijuana legalization and crimes committed. Specifically, the rates of crime decreased when comparing crimes during pre-legalization years to crimes after legalization.

Impacted policing

ejl184_ — 2023-11-17 04:14:03 UTC

Policing on drugs was very serious because of how addictive and dangerous marijuana can be to the public. As a result, police stations focused too much on marijuana cases and looked away from other crimes. However, with the legalization, the relocation of police allowed them to focus on these other crimes and with this larger emphasis, the overall crime rate was able to decrease.

Prevents the black market from taking place

ejl184_ — 2023-11-17 04:17:06 UTC

Before legalization, drug dealing and the black market were rampant, causing lots of crime. After legalization, drug dealing has significantly decreased since it is now easily accessible and people don't need to spend lots for the black market. Furthermore, legalization caused drug dealers to move away from the drug trade, which decreased crime rates. It is important, however, to note that the argument about decreased crime rate is not official due to being unsure what drug dealers did after legalization. It’s not safe to assume that they completely stopped doing illegal acts, but it is probable.

What crimes decreased with legalization?

ejl184_ — 2023-11-17 04:19:26 UTC

The legalization of marijuana led to a reduction in rapes and property crimes in Washington compared to the rates of these crimes during pre-legalization years (2010-2012). Moreover, it was found that legalization increased the overall use of marijuana and reduced the use of other drugs and alcohol.

Decreased gang activity

ejl184_ — 2023-11-17 04:20:29 UTC

With legalization, it is harder for gangs to make a profit in the illegal cannabis markets. As a result, many gang activities stop because there’d be no point in participating since everyone is able to get their hands on the drug. Also, the decrease in gang activity leads to an overall decrease in crime because gangs are known to commit crimes. With less gangs, there are less groups willing to take risks for profit.

What are the consequences of legalizing marijuana?

ejl184_ — 2023-11-17 04:22:55 UTC

While there are many benefits to legalizing marijuana, there are also negatives of putting marijuana in the market and allowing it to be used by everyone.

ejl184_ — 2023-11-17 04:23:38 UTC

According to this article, the legalization of marijuana also increases the likelihood of binge drinking along with using marijuana in general.

Example of a state's crime rate affected by marijuana's legalization

ejl184_ — 2023-11-17 04:27:03 UTC

Crime rates in Washington dropped due to marijuana’s legalization. Specifically, rapes dropped by 15% to 30%, property crimes fell by 10% to 20%, and theft decreased by 13% to 22%.

When do these conclusions about marijuana's legalization become invalid?

ejl184_ — 2023-11-17 04:27:30 UTC

While these arguments are pretty convincing, there are are concerns about the validity of these conclusions made.

Results of quasi experiments do not expand to the entire United States

ejl184_ — 2023-11-17 04:28:41 UTC

A problem with the arguments that support marijuana's legalization is that the data collected is mostly based on 2 states, Washington and Oregon. It would be nice to see more states' data focusing on pre-legalization and legalization years so that researchers can be confident that legalization benefits the entire United States.

Increased use of marijuana

ejl184_ — 2023-11-17 04:30:55 UTC

There is an increase in use since marijuana is now in the free market. Everyone wants to give it a try since they won't be penalized for using it. This sparks questions of how is health affected now that marijuana is legal.

It seems like marijuana use is encouraged

ejl184_ — 2023-11-17 04:31:41 UTC

A consequence of legalizing marijuana is that the policy makes it seem like using the drug is encouraged. Because it has given off the feeling that it is encouraged, more people are prone to use marijuana and suffer because of it.

How has legalization of marijuana affected voting and participating in politics?

ejl184_ — 2023-11-17 04:34:25 UTC

The legalization has sparked both support and resistance. As a result, it is difficult to tell how influential marijuana will be in the future and if the legalization of marijuana will continue on.

2016 Incident

ejl184_ — 2023-11-17 04:36:17 UTC

In 2016, the Denver District Attorney wrote a letter to Californians warning them that recreational crime concerning marijuana has surged in areas like Denver and Colorado. This shows that there is fear surrounding the legalization of marijuana and has impacted how politics work. Furthermore, it shows there are differing opinions on the legalization of marijuana and it's difficult to tell how legalization will change in the future.

2017 Decision

ejl184_ — 2023-11-17 04:37:46 UTC

At the general election ballot in November 2012, Washington citizens voted for a law that allowed the production, processing, and selling of marijuana as long as there was regulation in place such as licensing and control by a board. 55% of votes went toward enacting this law, showing that the majority of people preferred the legalization of marijuana, which is interesting considering that the drug was banned for many years prior.

Bolsters the economy

ejl184_ — 2023-11-17 04:39:08 UTC

The legalization of marijuana opened up a legal market, making it difficult for crimes. Legalization offers safety and more reliable cannabis. This benefits society because it allows citizens to feel safe about the products they use and lets them know that what they're using is allowed and protected by the laws. Moreover, the opening of a legal market boosts the economy, allowing legitimate businesses to profit rather than who break the law.

Older generations

ejl184_ — 2023-11-17 04:43:05 UTC

Older generations view marijuana as dangerous and shy away from it since the drug banned for ever since they were young. This differentiates from the newer generations in that many among the youth view marijuana as good and useful for medical/recreational purposes.

When did marijuana legalization start picking up? What patterns can we see today?

ejl184_ — 2023-11-22 08:19:00 UTC

By the end of 2017, marijuana became legal in 9 US states, about 22% of the US population, and the article says that more states are likely to make the same decision. As of today, there are 24 states, two territories, and the District of Columbia that have allow marijuana for recreational purposes.

How do people and overall groups feel about marijuana's legalization?

ejl184_ — 2023-11-22 08:37:11 UTC

There are both supporters and objectors of marijuana's legalization. It depends on how they believe marijuana will impact society in terms of usage and what they believe will impact their community the most in terms of the policy change. There are also people who support and disagree with legalization at the same time.

How are future politics affected?

ejl184_ — 2023-11-22 08:38:15 UTC

Future candidates and politics concerning drug use are more prominent nowadays as drug use becomes more widespread and apparent in the United States.

ejl184_ — 2023-11-22 08:39:07 UTC

Decreased use in other substances

ejl184_ — 2023-11-22 08:46:54 UTC

With marijuana's legalization, people began to use the drug much more, increasing marijuana usage. Also, with the increase in marijuana usage, other drugs and alcohol have been used less since marijuana had stronger effects and these substances were substitutes.

ejl184_ — 2023-11-22 08:48:08 UTC

According to the article linked, there are many people who support legalization of marijuana for medical use, but disagree with its legalization for recreational purposes.

Younger generations

ejl184_ — 2023-11-22 08:56:38 UTC

Although younger generations do not view marijuana as completely dangerous like older generations, they still view marijuana with a degree of caution. However, with recent change in marijuana's legalization, some have begun to view marijuana in a better light. This is because the legalization implies that the drug is good and somewhat encourages people to use it.

Easily accessible and more prone to getting addicted

ejl184_ — 2023-11-22 09:18:30 UTC

Now that marijuana has been made legal in many states, it is much more accessible to the public, which makes it more likely that individuals—especially the youth—become addicted to marijuana.

Why do people support marijuana legalization?

ejl184_ — 2023-11-22 09:29:12 UTC

Some reasons people support marijuana's legalization is because

It is an additional way to profit legally
Marijuana can allow people to feel relaxed both recreationally and medically
The enforcement of marijuana was too cost-expensive
Believed that people should do what they want to do

Why do people disagree with marijuana legalization?

ejl184_ — 2023-11-22 09:31:33 UTC

Some reasons why people disagree with legalization is because

Marijuana can be dangerous and addictive if used incorrectly
Can impact children and public places—it will smell like marijuana everywhere and marijuana will be prevalent in places where it shouldn't be
It should only be for medical purposes only
Healthcare challenges—a need for more professionals to combat addiction and marijuana-related issues

ejl184_ — 2023-11-22 09:32:05 UTC

What are the benefits for society from marijuana's legalization?

ejl184_ — 2023-11-22 09:55:53 UTC

1. Crimes rates have dropped after the decision to legalize marijuana.

2. Promotes economic growth. Selling marijuana can generate significant tax revenue and bring new jobs to cultivate and regulate marijuana.

3. Decrease in stigma surrounding drug use. People are less afraid and instead cautious of the drug.