Legalize Pot

In How to Legalize Pot, Keller talks about the legalization of marijuana and what this process takes in the country. The thesis of the article is that marijuana has been a challenge for long, and it is difficult to explain the legalization process. The author’s main claim in the article is that legalization of marijuana was held inappropriately. The government should remove penalties for possession, the use, and cultivation of small amounts of marijuana because a big market could lead to several consumptions of the drug (Keller 2013).

Other authors like Kleimen also note that a law, which is not obeyed, is a bad law. In the article, it is clear that Kleimen is open to the process of legalization, but he still believes that it is harmful. Furthermore, he did not make outlaws for people to consume marijuana. Even though legalization is a difficult process, some countries have uplifted the ban, and they need to consider the following factors to make marijuana legal. The extent to which sellers promote their products. The state needs to analyze the kind of labeling the marijuana require (Cain 2016). The administration also needs to consider other products that might contain it, ranging from the sweets to other goods in the market. Therefore, it is important to create rules and regulations, which will guide the sale of marijuana in a country (Keller 2013).

The government should also consider the extent, to which the business will grow, and if the companies will need a license for selling marijuana. The author notes that the responses to these questions will contribute to different kinds of markets. He also claims that regulators should predict how customers and manufacturers would react to their instructions. However, they need to decide on the kind of market for the products. Market regulators claim that it is important to observe the inadequacies of other marketplaces in lawful vices like gambling, alcohol, and tobacco, which entered the market without a lot of planning. Furthermore, they have provided a lot of comfort and difficulties (Keller 2013). Therefore, it is the responsibility of the market regulators to ensure that they control the market to avoid the misuses by other sellers.

Keller notes that the tax revenue obtained from marijuana is of benefits, but it is also of a lot of concern. For instance, it is the same tactic used to win the public opinion, approve lotteries, but also causes many miseries in the public domain. Thus, the governments end up creating more addicts in the country. The other claims include legal merchandises, which the society believes are vices. They range from tobacco, pornography, and violent movies to sugary drinks. Keller records that most people think these products are not good, but they still think they should go against the law in consuming them. The limitations on such disapproved goods can differ extensively from state to state (Keller 2013).

Apart from this, Knowles (2013) also claims that the regulators handle longstanding unlawfulness of marijuana, which contributes to a shortage of research on the drug’s consequences. In fact, there is a little scientific consensus on the effects of marijuana on the brain because researchers like the federal government failed to provide proper explanations. The regulators want to see the marijuana sales to turn into a big business and the worst-case scenario would be the big business with a robust inspiration to get more individuals using the product (Keller 2013). Therefore, the regulators must be given a fragmented marketplace like the wine market, and this could be done by limiting the size of licensed purveyors. It could also be beneficial for people to open small businesses at home.

The biggest challenge of the legalization process is how the businesses are going to maintain the marijuana market from being taken by a few large profiteers, like the big tobacco industry. Kleiman’s proposal submitted to the Washington State proposes the following. He requested the endorsing laboratories to test for effectiveness and contamination of marijuana. The team also proposed inventing rules on labeling, so that people know what they are getting. Employing inspectors should operate and ensure that the rules are followed. Advertisement rules are to be created to ensure that they do not become promoting (Knowles 2013). Therefore, all these rules must account for smoking and for marijuana pastries, beverages, candies, ice cream, lozenges, as well as marijuana vapor inhalers.

In conclusion, legalization of marijuana should not be implemented because of the individual rights and public safety. Legalizing will contribute to the increase in crime within the society. The harmful effects of marijuana include severe anxiety, strange behavior, hallucinations, and loss of sense among others. It also contributes to short-time memory loss (Ghosh, et al., 2016). There are usually increased chances of stroke, as well as poor coordination of the brain. The users are likely to contract sexually transmitted diseases than those who do not use the drug. The long-term effects of marijuana include the decline in the intelligence level. Some of the users will have reduced reasoning and ability to learn and complete difficult tasks. Finally, the users will always low life esteem which in turn affects the society negatively.

References

Cain, P. (2016, October 09). How will legal pot be sold? Three things that might happen, and one that won’t. Retrieved December 20, 2017, from https://globalnews.ca/news/2987372/how-will-legal-pot-be-sold-liquor-stores-are-most-likely-option/

Ghosh, T., Dyke, M. V., Maffey, A., Whitley, E., Gillim-Ross, L., & Wolk, L. (2016). The Public Health Framework of Legalized Marijuana in Colorado. American Journal of Public Health,106(1), 21-27.

Knowles, D. (2013, May 28). Colorado becomes world's first legal, fully regulated market for recreational marijuana as it anticipates millions in tax revenues. Retrieved December 20, 2017, from http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/colo-1st-legal-recreational-pot-market-article-1.1356799

Keller, B. (2013, May 19). How to Legalize Pot. Retrieved December 20, 2017, from http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/20/opinion/keller-how-to-legalize-pot.html?pagewanted=all