Legalization of Marijuana

Economics

January 23，2016

Legalization of Marijuana

        Should Drug Be Legal?   It is hot topic in recently, especially in Canada. Because prime minister Trudeau pushing the legalization of marijuana. He said that “We will create a federal/provincial/territorial task force, and with input from experts in public health, substance abuse, and law enforcement, will design a new system of strict marijuana sales and distribution, with appropriate federal and provincial excise taxes applied.”  

So why push the legalization of marijuana? First of all, Marijuana legalization can be very beneficial to economic growth. The formula of GDP is consumption of households plus government purchases plus investment plus amount received in sale of exports minus amount spent on imports. Because if the legalization of marijuana, so the consumption of households and investment must increase compare with original which will cause GDP increase. Secondly, the legalization of marijuana would create a great number of employment opportunities. A very big industry chain be created by marijuana. From the cultivation of marijuana to pot processing to sale of cannabis needs amount of labor force, so employment rate will increase, unemployment rate will decrease. Thirdly, government can add sales tax on cannabis which means government can get extra money on pot. Last but not least, if legalization of marijuana, the definition of crime will be changed which means police officer cannot catch the people who have relation- marijuana offences. It will reduce the money on fight against drug crime. All of these money can be used on public construction and social welfare in order to improve happiness index of citizen of nation. For instance: build the hospital, establish school and so on, which not only can ensure the health of people, but also enhance the quality of national.

There exist many problem on legalization of marijuana. First, the problem of misuse is very serious, the most common physical side effects of pot include asthenia, stomach upset, nausea, racing heart rate and so on. The most common psychological side effects of pot include sleepiness, confusion and paranoia. Second, it is easier for youth acquire cannabis. Teenagers lack self-control and the ability to distinguish right or wrong, so pot maybe can lead them astray. Fewer of the heavy cannabis users completed college and more had yearly household incomes less than $30,000. When asked how marijuana affected their cognitive abilities physical and mental health, the majority of heavy users reported that marijuana had negative effects in all these areas of their lives. What’s more, the black market issue is very thorny problem need government to handle that. Black market will use the low price to attract user, which will damage the economic construction of country. Meanwhile, pot can be “gateway drug”, which leads to the use of hard drug. A lot of user use the hard drug after they use marijuana.