The temptation to conclude in favor of legalization of marijuana has remained unchanged for some time with some democratic leaders agreeing while others rejecting the legalization. The same dilemma has been experienced by the public with strong arguments being made in favor of legalization and others opposing it. A public opinion poll that was conducted 2013 revealed in the United States revealed that 44 percent of the public polls supported legalization with 23 percent being strong supporters and 21 percent being somewhat supporters. Out of the public opinions, 34 percent opposed legalization while 23 percent were unsure. Surprisingly, recent opinion polls from Pew Research Center have shown similar results proving the subject of legalization of marijuana as complex and nuanced one. While the supporters of legalization of marijuana seem to be the ones that are greater in numbers, there have been a number of notable differences in opinions over the issue. For instance, democrats who support legalization were 49 percent and those who opposed were 28 percent. The republican supporters were 50 percent while those who opposed were 32 percent. Young millennial aged between 18 and 28 were not sure about the legalization, while there were 38 percent supporters and 39 percent those who opposed. On the basis of race, Whites supporting legalization were 49 percent to 32 percent while Blacks supporting legalization were 38 percent to 36 percent. Hispanics were close to even; those in support of legalization were 37 percent to 37 percent (Walker, 2014). However, with the public having almost the same opinion poll, it can be seen that the only solution to dealing with the problem of marijuana is by imposing restrictive laws that control consumption and the distribution of the drug.

The Past and the Present Politics of legalization of Marijuana

However, majorities across all demographic groups and partisans consider that those found in possession small quantities of marijuana should not result in jail time. In a recent meeting of National Governors Association in Washington, Governors have taken cautious steps in loosening their drug laws despite the overwhelming support for legalization of marijuana. Nevertheless, republicans and state chief executives have been concerned about the children and public safety after Colorado began selling recreational marijuana. As a result, this has been a hot political debate in United States as other states have been watching closely Washington and Colorado plans to become the national pioneers to approve recreational marijuana use in 2012. Some of the key issues that have been raised concerning marijuana legalization include the projections on tax revenue. As a result, voters in states such as Florida have been proposing for the amendment of the constitution so as to allow legalization of marijuana on medical grounds. Despite President Obama’s administration has given a green light to the states to experiment regulation of marijuana, Obama commented that he considered marijuana to be more dangerous than alcohol. However, the debate on whether marijuana should be legalized of not cuts across party lines since history with the liberal and liberty-minded Republicans being in favor of the shift (Walker, 2014).

As Hofstadter (1989) described in his book concerning the era of consensus in American history, the modern consensus had been coalesced around the past American moderate liberal tradition. Hofstadter explained that the focal point of this tradition was the ideology of the free-market democracy in the American politics. Consequently, Hofstadter argued that the free-market democracy frequently subverted the American system from the beginning; resulting to the somewhat paranoid voice in the American politics. The modern liberal society in America that has drawn contentious debate on legalization of marijuana can be traced to its production in the past. For instance, America encouraged production of hemp between 1600 and 1890s which was used in making ropes, sails and clothing. Marijuana was a mixture of dried leaved that came from hemp plant. However, after the Civil War, marijuana became popular ingredient in various medicinal products. In 1906, America passed Pure Food and Drug Act that allowed labeling of any cannabis that had been put in the category of over-the-counter remedies. Between 1900 and 1920s, the Mexican Revolution flooded in U.S, introducing recreational use of marijuana leaf. Marijuana become associated with the immigrants from Mexico, and anti-campaigners starting warning against the encroaching menace. As a result, this instigated a flurry of research whereby marijuana was connected to crime, violence and other social deviant behaviors. During the Great Depression, there was massive unemployment which made marijuana business to boom, and in retaliation to the menace, the United States had outlawed marijuana (Serow & Ladd, 2010).

In 1932, that is when the issue of controlling and regulating marijuana was introduced as opposed to banning it. As a result of the democratic rights that had been instituted in the constitution, there were those who supported that the banning of marijuana was an infringement of their individual freedom. The state implemented the Uniform State Narcotic Act which mandated the Federal Bureau to accept the responsibility for control the social problems resulting from marijuana use. In 1944, the La Guardia Report found marijuana was not a dangerous drug and after New York Academy conducted a research, the report showed that the drug did not actually induce insanity. Before the research was conducted, there was the popular belief that the drug led to sexual crimes, violence and insanity. As a result, this lurid propaganda had led to the Congress passing Marijuana Tax Act. The Statute effectively criminalized marijuana, forming a restriction against those who paid an excise tax on certain drugs that had been authorized for industrial or medical use (Walker, 2014).

In1951 to 1956, the federal government passed stricter sentencing laws which include the Boggs Act, 1952. Other federal laws that were passed included Narcotics Control Act, 1956. Theses statutes provided mandatory sentences for drugs such as marijuana. For example, a person charged with possession of the drug for the first time attracted a minimum sentence of up to 10 year of a fine of $20,000. However, in 1960s, political and cultural climate changed around the use of marijuana among the countercultures. They argued that marijuana cause more lenient attitudes and as a result, the use of the dug become more popular among the middle-upper class. For instance, reports commissioned by President Johnson Roosevelt found that neither did marijuana induce nor did it lead to the heavier of the drug. As a result the government started considering redrafting policies concerning its use in treatments as well as criminal penalties. As a result, this caused a lot of debate among the politicians during that time with Congress repealing the mandatory penalties related to marijuana drug. For instance, they widely acknowledged that the mandatory sentences had done nothing but to impose often unduly charges. As a result of these criticisms, the federal government introduced a statute that differentiated marijuana from other narcotics, as well the mandatory charges that had been attached to marijuana offenses. In 1972, Shafer commission was introduced by President Nixon, started revising the laws concerning legalization of marijuana and considered that those who were caught using the drug for personal gains were supposed to be decriminalized. However, most of the states rejected the proposal by the Shafer Commission and instead, they chose only to reduce the penalties (Hofstadter & Lasch, 1989).

Beside the issue of legalization of marijuana being centered on the politicians, in 1996, a nationwide movement emerged where the parents and other lobby groups emerged in an effort to prevent the use of the drug among the teenagers. Some of these groups managed to influence the government, including the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA). These instruments of fight against drug led to the 1980s War on Drugs (Walker, 2014).

Conclusion

Since 1986 when President Reagan passed the Anti-Drug Abuse Act, new laws were enacted that raised the federal penalties for those who would be found in possession of or dealing with marijuana drugs. In 1986, President George Bush made a declaration of War on Drugs in a speech which was aired on television. However, the debate on whether marijuana should be legalized or not has been continuing form some time and the current government considers restricting its consumption has resulted in billion of money lost through black market. As such, most states consider legalizing the drug will help in controlling its distribution and discourage illegal trade; thereby reducing the harmful effects caused by irresponsible consumption of the drug.

References

Fenwick, H. (2009). Civil liberties and human rights. California: Routledge

Hofstadter, R., Lasch, C. (1989). The American political tradition and the men who made. New

York, NY: Vintage Books

Serow, AG., & Ladd, E.C. (2010). The Lanahan readings in the American polity. New York,

NY: Lanahan Publishers, Incorporated

Walker, J. (2014). After legalization: Understanding the future of marijuana policy. Washington

DC: FDL Writers Foundation

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