Marijuana Legalization


Book Description

Marijuana Legalization: What Everyone Needs to Know(R) provides readers with a non-partisan primer covering everything from the risks and benefits of using marijuana to what is happening with marijuana laws around the world. This book serves as the price of admission for any serious discussion about marijuana legalization.




Legalizing Cannabis


Book Description

Marijuana is the most widely used illegal drug in the world. Over the past couple of decades, several Western jurisdictions have seen reforms in, or changes to, the way cannabis use is being controlled, departing from traditional approaches of criminal prohibition that have dominated cannabis use control regimes for most of the twentieth century. While reform is stalled at the international level, the last decade has seen an acceleration of legislative and regulatory reforms at the local and national levels, with countries no longer willing to bear the human and financial costs of prohibitive policies. Furthermore, legalization models have been implemented in US states, Canada and Uruguay, and are being debated in a number of other countries. These models are providing the world with unique pilot programs from which to study and learn. This book assembles an international who’s who of cannabis scholars who bring together the best available evidence and expertise to address questions such as: How should we evaluate the models of cannabis legalization as they have been implemented in several jurisdictions in the past few years? Which scenarios for future cannabis legalization have been developed elsewhere, and how similar/different are they from the models already implemented? What lessons from the successes and failures experienced with the regulation of other psychoactive substances (such as alcohol, tobacco, pharmaceuticals and “legal highs”) can be translated to the effective regulation of cannabis markets? Legalizing Cannabis will appeal to anyone interested in public health policies and drug policy reform and offers relevant insights for stakeholders in any other country where academic, societal or political evaluations of current cannabis policies (and even broader: current drug policies) are a subject of debate.




The Legalization of Drugs


Book Description

In the United States today, the use or possession of many drugs is a criminal offense. Can these criminal laws be justified? What are the best reasons to punish or not to punish drug users? These are the fundamental issues debated in this book by two prominent philosophers of law. Douglas Husak argues in favor of drug decriminalization, by clarifying the meaning of crucial terms, such as legalize, decriminalize, and drugs; and by identifying the standards by which alternative drug policies should be assessed. He critically examines the reasons typically offered in favor of our current approach and explains why decriminalization is preferable. Peter de Marneffe argues against drug legalization, demonstrating why drug prohibition, especially the prohibition of heroin, is necessary to protect young people from self-destructive drug use. If the empirical assumptions of this argument are sound, he reasons, drug prohibition is perfectly compatible with our rights to liberty.




Legalization and World Politics


Book Description

Exploring the intersection of international law and world politics from the viewpoints of the two disciplines.




Cannabis


Book Description

"This book does not take a position on whether expanded legal use of non-medical cannabis should continue. It seeks to provide a consolidated source for the evidence, issues, challenges, and experiences with legalized cannabis for non-medical use and the lessons learned from America's long history with alcohol and tobacco control. It seeks to provide guidance for those who are and will continue to be in positions to struggle with the issue of cannabis control"--




Marijuana Federalism


Book Description

On marijuana, there is no mutual federal-state policy; will this cause federalism to go up in smoke? More than one-half the 50 states have legalized the use of marijuana at least for medical purposes, and about a dozen of those states have gone further, legalizing it for recreational use. Either step would have been almost inconceivable just a couple decades ago. But marijuana remains an illegal "controlled substance" under a 1970 federal law, so those who sell or grow it could still face federal prosecution. How can state and federal laws be in such conflict? And could federal law put the new state laws in jeopardy at some point? This book, an edited volume with contributions by highly regarded legal scholars and policy analysts, is the first detailed examination of these and other questions surrounding a highly unusual conflict between state and federal policies and laws. Marijuana Federalism surveys the constitutional issues that come into play with this conflict, as well as the policy questions related to law enforcement at the federal versus state levels. It also describes specific areas--such as banking regulations--in which federal law has particularly far-reaching effects. Readers will gain a greater understanding of federalism in general, including how the division of authority between the federal and state governments operates in the context of policy and legal disputes between the two levels. This book also will help inform debates as other states consider whether to jump on the bandwagon of marijuana legalization.




Considering Marijuana Legalization


Book Description

Marijuana legalization is a controversial and multifaceted issue that is now the subject of serious debate. In May 2014, Vermont Governor Peter Shumlin signed a bill requiring the Secretary of Administration to produce a report about various consequences of legalizing marijuana. This resulting report provides a foundation for thinking about the various consequences of different policy options while being explicit about the uncertainties involved.




Legalizing Marijuana


Book Description

With the increase in states legalizing marijuana, understanding the debate about marijuana is more important than ever. Learn about the movement to legalize, the arguments on each side, and what it means for patients, state economies, and legal systems. Examine issues including the history of the movement toward legalization in the United States, efforts toward legalization around the globe, the risks/benefits of marijuana use, how it works in the body, safety regulations, economic impact of legalization, problems surrounding patchwork legalization across the nation, and the dark side of marijuana: addiction.




The Health Effects of Cannabis and Cannabinoids


Book Description

Significant changes have taken place in the policy landscape surrounding cannabis legalization, production, and use. During the past 20 years, 25 states and the District of Columbia have legalized cannabis and/or cannabidiol (a component of cannabis) for medical conditions or retail sales at the state level and 4 states have legalized both the medical and recreational use of cannabis. These landmark changes in policy have impacted cannabis use patterns and perceived levels of risk. However, despite this changing landscape, evidence regarding the short- and long-term health effects of cannabis use remains elusive. While a myriad of studies have examined cannabis use in all its various forms, often these research conclusions are not appropriately synthesized, translated for, or communicated to policy makers, health care providers, state health officials, or other stakeholders who have been charged with influencing and enacting policies, procedures, and laws related to cannabis use. Unlike other controlled substances such as alcohol or tobacco, no accepted standards for safe use or appropriate dose are available to help guide individuals as they make choices regarding the issues of if, when, where, and how to use cannabis safely and, in regard to therapeutic uses, effectively. Shifting public sentiment, conflicting and impeded scientific research, and legislative battles have fueled the debate about what, if any, harms or benefits can be attributed to the use of cannabis or its derivatives, and this lack of aggregated knowledge has broad public health implications. The Health Effects of Cannabis and Cannabinoids provides a comprehensive review of scientific evidence related to the health effects and potential therapeutic benefits of cannabis. This report provides a research agendaâ€"outlining gaps in current knowledge and opportunities for providing additional insight into these issuesâ€"that summarizes and prioritizes pressing research needs.




Marijuana 360


Book Description

In 1996, California became the first state to legalize medical marijuana when voters passed Proposition 215, also known as the Compassionate Use Act. Since then, 24 states and the District of Columbia have passed laws legalizing marijuana in some form. Four states, including Alaska, Oregon, Colorado and Washington, have legalized marijuana for recreational use. Many states, including Arizona and Ohio, have marijuana proposals on an upcoming ballot or are considering legislation to allow for legalized cannabis use. Despite the rapid trend toward legalization, there are many people and groups that are opposed to the decriminalization of the drug. Since the actual medical benefits of marijuana are still unknown, as are long-term effects of recreational use, many in the medical community are opposed to legalizing it. Law enforcement and educators have also been vocal opponents of legalization efforts because of the potential increase in crime that may result. On the other hand, there are many others who are in full support with the push toward legalization. This includes well-known groups such as the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws and the Marijuana Policy Project. Businesses and entrepreneurs who are poised to make thousands, if not millions, from sales, are actively supporting the new laws. Those who now use marijuana, or those who want to but are deterred because of its legal status, are also in favor of changing the laws. Marijuana 360 examines the perception of marijuana legalization from the perspective of those who are directly involved some aspect of legal marijuana. The authors interview a variety of representatives from different constituent groups that have been affected by marijuana legalization. For example, the authors interview a variety of law enforcement officers from states that have legalized marijuana and from those states that are considering it, to get their impressions of the impact the law has made (or will make) in their area. Other constituent groups include medical professionals, educators, parents, lawmakers, business owners, drug users, corrections personnel, legal personnel, and others. Each chapter will focus on a different group and present that group’s perceptions and impressions of marijuana legalization. Marijuana 360 increases our understanding of what different professionals think about the legalization of marijuana. To help facilitate this, each chapter will begin with a general summary of major points to be, highlight major events or people who play a key role in that topic, provide data and summary information on relevant topics, when appropriate, and provide resources for those who want to seek additional information.