Entry 1, Decriminalizing Marijuana

Entry 1, February 05

Topic: Decriminalizing Marijuana

Marijuana has been a serious issue worldwide in our community. It has been viewed in many different aspects through different cultures around the world. It has faced certain critiques as well as understandings. Many countries have different aspects of its use and put out different laws depending on their views. Countries such as Holland, Canada, Jamaica, and Iran go for its use and decriminalization whereas countries such as Cyprus, United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates have strict laws against it. It has been misused in many places but used wisely (as a hemp plant) in many others to produce clothes, ropes as well as medical care.

Article 1: Canada
CBC News
In depth Marijuana: Canada's marijuana law and the debate over decriminalization
http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/marijuana/marijuana_legalize.html

The article examines the issue of the use of cannabis in Canada. It goes on to talk about how people use it personally, and have rights to own a certain amount. Breaking the rules will lead to a fine. But as a nation, Canada is very calm with the use, as it is used medically in patients who suffer from Scoliosis, sleeping disorders, etc.
“Cannabis is less harmful than alcohol and should be treated not as a criminal issue but as a social and public health issue” a quote said from Nolin (part of the article). They go against criminal records as they don’t see it as a ‘drug’ so people caught with possession are charged fines and not sentenced to prison.

Article 2: USA & Mexico
CNN News
Former Mexican official urges legalizing marijuana
http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/02/02/us.mexico.marijuana/index.html

“The United States and Mexico should both legalize marijuana in an attempt to break the power of the Mexican drug cartels and end the spiraling violence south of the border, a former Mexican foreign minister said Tuesday.” They say that its impossible to stop distribution of marijuana in the United States through Mexico as some states such as California distribute marijuana legally for medical purpose. It states that other countries such as Afghanistan smuggle drugs such as heroin and no one does anything to stop them because the government is making profit, so the hemp plant shouldn’t be even considered anything in front of Class A drugs being trafficked. X-rayed machines will be put up on the border to take some control of the cars that are passing for weapons, etc through the Mexican border, but as for hemp, it does not seem to bother them.







Article 3: Portugal
Time News
Drugs in Portugal: Did Decriminalization Work?
http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1893946,00.html
Portugal decriminalized, not only marijuana but every other drug in their country, literally dropping down the laws and not putting people into prison for possession; instead they send people with possession to psychologists, health care, community service, as they say that prison drives ‘addicts’ or ‘users’ to a downfall in life. The drug use rate rapidly decreased in the country which proves other countries wrong for fearing decriminalization. Less people actually smoked marijuana as it wasn’t considered a ‘serious matter’ and people didn’t really care. “Proportionally, more Americans have used cocaine than Portuguese have used marijuana.”

Reflection/Analysis
In my opinion, I do not see the hemp plant as being something strikingly illegal. It was used for thousands of years even before Christ to produce products such as ropes, clothes, footwear, etc. Through-out the past, it has been consumed by humans worldwide. Some over users go towards a downfall as they face laziness, depression and emotional stress/feelings and many other disorders such as forgetting a lot, sleeping disorders, mood swings. On the other hand though, the hemp plant being worldwide as well as know as a fact, it is the fastest growing plant on the planet. So in my personal opinion I don’t consider it being a drug, it is just a mind altering substance. In California as said it is used for medical reasons to cure patients that have to fight through Scoliosis (back pains), have sleeping disorders, appetite disorders and illnesses revolving in this sector. If it is used wisely and within boundaries it can be a positive aspect in human life as it also relieves stress. Countries such as Portugal and Holland decriminalized it in order to reduce the usage of other substances such as cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine. And this plan seems to work very well as people use hemp instead of Class A drugs. It has reduced crime and drug intake rate. Hemp as a substance was going to replace paper at one point in history, and some American law was written on hemp too. People that use this plant wisely don’t seem to have an altering lifestyle and it does not affect their personality. So I think if marijuana was decriminalized for personal use as well as medical it would not be a problem in today’s society as drug & crime intake would reduce and people will view everything differently. Other countries have strict laws though as they have different political views, but in my opinion it should be decriminalized.