Legalizing Marijuana

            Personally, I am in a moral dilemma when I start thinking about legalizing marijuana.  As a retired police officer, I spent 20 years enforcing all varieties of law, including drug laws.  I arrested countless individuals for drug related offenses and I’ve seen first-hand the damage done by those who use, possess, and sell drugs.

            Four states have currently legalized the recreational use of marijuana – Alaska, Oregon, Colorado, and Washington.  Eighteen other states have laws allowing the medical use of marijuana (“State Marijuana Laws Map,” 2015).  The American Heart Association recognizes there is positive benefits to using marijuana medicinally, however they caution against the increased risk of coronary diseases as a result of using marijuana recreationally.  In 1972, marijuana was shown to increase tachycardia, a faster than normal heart rate (Rezkalla & Kloner, 2014).  It has since been shown to contribute to a variety of cognitive and behavioral problems, as well as physiological problems such as respiratory, reproductive, and immunological disorders (Rezkalla & Kloner, 2014).  Heavy marijuana use may lead to no-reflow phenomenon, a circulatory disorder, in the heart and the brain, heart attacks, and strokes (Rezkalla & Kloner, 2014).

            Marijuana for medicinal purposes can be used to treat pain resulting from chronic conditions such as cancer, multiple sclerosis, and generalized nerve pain (Greenwell, 2012).  It affects certain areas of the brain and spinal nerves called cannabinoid receptors, causing a change in the way the brain interprets pain.  In most cases, the sensation of pain is reduced as a result.  While there is evidence to suggest that marijuana is effective in treating chronic pain, the results are not consistent (Greenwell, 2012).

            From a law enforcement standpoint, I believe countless lives would be saved as a result of legalizing marijuana.  Drug cartels operating on the southern border of the United States would have their business significantly impacted by legalization.  Currently, there are more people incarcerated in federal and state prisons as a result of drug related crimes than there are for immigration offenses.  Legalizing marijuana would also reduce the costs associated with the care and custody of these inmates.  Legalization also provides an opportunity for increased tax revenues as a result of taxing the product, similar to tobacco and alcohol.  Additionally, jobs would be created through market participation in an open market (Gettman & Kennedy, 2014).

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References

Gettman, J., & Kennedy, M. (2014). Let it grow—the open market solution to marijuana control. Harm Reduction Journal, 11(32).

Greenwell, G. (2012). Medical marijuana use for chronic pain: Risks and benefits. Journal of Pain & Palliative Care Pharmacotherapy, 26, 68-69. doi:10.3109/15360288.2011.652350

Rezkalla, S., & Kloner, R. (2014). Recreational marijuana use: Is it safe for your patient? Journal of the American Heart Association, 3(2), 1-3. doi:10.1161/JAHA.114.000904
State Marijuana Laws Map. (2015). Retrieved from http://www.governing.com/gov-data/state-marijuana-laws-map-medical-recreational.html