Legalization

Essay by Anonymous UserHigh School, 11th gradeA, November 1996

download word file, 3 pages 4.3

Legalization

Legalization of marijuana has been a controversial issue in the U.S. for

the past several years. The people vs. the federal government is just one of

the main debates over legalization.

In the past marijuana was required to be grown on most plantations in

the southern region. It could be purchased in one ounce packages for only

twenty five cents. Further down the time line we find that marijuana is

increasingly being used in the inner cities and suburban areas. Marijuana was

considers legal in the late 1800's but a bill was passed and marijuana was

quickly considered to be illegal. The federal legislation prohibiting marijuana

passed at the end of 1937 congressional session was virtually scare enacted.

people feared the effects of it and wanted to stop the growth and importation

of it. Congress passed the Marijuana Tax Act, which 'requires all persons

who import, manufacture, produce, compound, sell, deal in, and dispense pay

a graduated occupational tax.'

This tax was an attempt to make it harder for

dealers of marijuana to make money off the export and import of marijuana.

Attempts that he government has made to pass bills that decriminalize

marijuana were shot down by legislature and the federal government. A

survey taken says that although illegality should be maintained, the penalties

for it should be lessened. There is a theory that marijuana stimulates

violence, yet it has not been proven as a fact. In several states, such as New

Jersey, the marijuana regulations and penalties have been lessened. Governor

Cahill, from New Jersey, recommended that criminal penalties for a small

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possession of marijuana should be reduced by making it a disorderly person

offense.

Several states have lessened their penalties for possession, but none

have legalized it. Dr. Tod Mikuriya, from the Indian Hemp...