Federal Legalization of Recreational Marijuana Research Paper

Federal Legalization of Recreational Marijuana - Research Paper Example Proponents argue that legalizing marijuana would increase revenue, lower burden on law enforcement, increase national security, safeguards individual rights, and make consumption safer. Opponents on the other hand, argue legalizing marijuana would create a gateway for harder drugs like cocaine, emergence of black markets, create new users, cause health problems, and loss of productivity. The issue is thus a headache for the federal and state governments bearing in mind the public support that legalization has been getting over the years. Leaders and mostly governors are also at a loss whether to succumb to people’s needs or use their discretion or moral values in deciding whether to support or not. The issue is thus becoming a great concern not only for law enforcement officers but also parents, educators, health care workers, government and the public as a whole. This paper is to discuss the debate surrounding federal legalization of recreational marijuana to get an insight i nto its complexity. Whilst Hanson et al, Donovan et al, Rushefsky, and Fox et al argue that legalization is necessary for a safer society; Martel is against such a move. Morgan on the other hand, gives a balanced view on the subject. Martel argues that it is the media especially print media who constructed the problem of recreational marijuana in the 1960s, reported on it and mobilized groups around the issue by creating a moral panic (Martel 11). Moral panic in this case refers to â€Å"sudden rise of an issue, often out of proportion with reality, and it is more or less equally rapid disappearance from public agenda† (13). This moral panic created fear in the public that their social values are being threatened by drug use giving rise to Pro-marijuana groups in its defense to the public and also law governing bodies. This Martel believes should be rejected at all cost. He agrees with Blanchard the Attorney General’s sentiments that it is time to take into account