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The War on Illegal Drugs(Marijuana)

An Essay ExaminationSubmitted to the

College of Arts and LettersUniversity of Santo Tomas

In Partial FulfillmentOf the Requirements of

Health EconomicsProf. Joseph Andre Dela Pasion

Prepared and Submitted by

34. Camille V. Ramirez

2014071098

Section: 2BPH

December 2, 2015

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Popularized in the 1960s by music and mass media, drugs invade all aspects of society. Drugs have been part of our culture ever since the middle of the last century. An estimate of about 208 million people internationally, consumes illegal drugs. The most commonly used illegal drug is marijuana. According to the United Nations 2008 World Drug Report, about 3.9% of the world’s population between the ages of 15 and 64 abuse marijuana. Young people today are exposed earlier than ever to drugs. Based on a survey by the Centers for Disease Control in 2007, 45% of high school students nationwide drank alcohol and 19.7% smoked pot during a one-month period. People take drugs because they want to change something about their lives some want to fit in, to escape or relax, to relieve boredom, to seem grown up, to rebel, or simply just to experiment. Some think drugs are the solution. But eventually, the drugs become their problem. Difficult as it may be to face one’s problems, the consequences of drug use are always worse than the problem one is trying to solve with them.

The real answer is to get your facts straight and not to take drugs. Drugs are basically poisons. The amount taken determines the effect on the mind or on the body. A small amount acts as a stimulant (speeds you up). A greater amount acts as a sedative (slows you down). An even larger amount can act as poison and can kill. This is true of any drug. Only the amount needed to achieve the effect differs. But many drugs have another liability: they directly affect the mind. They can distort the user’s perception of what is happening around him or her. As a result, the person’s actions may be odd, irrational, inappropriate and even destructive. Drugs block off all sensations, the desirable ones with the unwanted. So, while providing short-term help in the relief of pain, they also wipe out ability and alertness and muddy one’s thinking.

Medicines are drugs that are intended to speed up or slow down or change something about the way your body is working, to try to make it work better. Sometimes they are necessary. But they are still drugs: they act as stimulants or sedatives, and too much can kill you. So if you do not use medicines as they are supposed to be used, they can be as dangerous as illegal drugs. [1]

Today, problems concerning illegal drugs are not just encountered here in the Philippines, but it is a pain-in-the-butt to most of the leaders in other countries in the world. Many government leaders in different countries have been fighting a losing war against drugs for decades. Budgets have increased dramatically over the last two decades and drug-related incarcerations consistently reach new records yet drug problems worsen: adolescent drug abuse is increasing, overdose deaths are at record levels, heroin and cocaine are cheaper, more pure and more

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available than ever before, and health problems related to drugs, especially the spread of HIV/AIDS are mounting. Meanwhile an expensive and ineffective international counter narcotics policy entails growing human rights and environmental costs. Drug problems can be reduced at less cost if we change course and adopt strategies that work. At a time when the federal budget is limited programs need to be re-evaluated. Funding needs to go to programs that work. We need new ideas to save lives – we can't afford to continue to be wrong.[2] To combat illegal drugs, and to possibly get rid of it, there are certain action steps that the government can do to alleviate this ever growing problem.

One action step that may be done is to shift resources into programs that actually work. Knowledge about illegal drugs and its possible effects to the body and to the mind must be disseminated to the public especially to those who are more likely users, abusers or about to use or to take illegal drugs. The government and the program making body shall be intentional in educating the mass, not leaving out any important knowledge that the people should know, and when heard of, would somehow discourage the people to use the said substance. Other action steps are: to focus on the law enforcement body, and to be more strict with the law regarding this issue; introduce new recreational activities to users or possible users of illegal drugs in order to divert attention, and to decrease demand. There are many action steps that the government may take in order to combat illegal drugs.

When it comes to my stand regarding the legalization of medicinal marijuana, and if you want me to focus on my normative economics, I would probably say that it’s a big no no for me. I grew up in a Christian family, and I never really heard my parents say that a drug such as marijuana is something that is “okay” to take neither did I hear that it was something good and of medicinal value. I always look at marijuana in a negative way and have placed it in the dark side ever since I’ve learned about its effects on human mind and body. For me, I think that the bad effects still outweigh the good ones. It is written in the bible in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.” When one takes marijuana, the known effects are: rapid heartbeat, disorientation, lack of physical coordination that is usually followed by depression, or sleepiness, some users even suffer from panic attacks and anxiety. [1] I for one, think that these effects aren’t what God intended for us. He has not created our bodies to experience these things intentionally. He did not create us to abuse our body.

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Medicinal marijuana may be beneficial such as its property to relieve pain, to relieve seizure attacks, and its ability to slow down Alzheimer’s disease but know that there are a lot of drugs and remedies available in the market for these situations/disease as well. Marijuana isn’t the only option we have! We actually have a lot of available remedies, and I don’t think that there is a disease that is cured only by medicinal marijuana. There will always be a choice in curing diseases, and I think that people should think of the other choices available and not to confine their minds to thinking that medicinal marijuana is the only choice there is. Once that marijuana is legalized even if it has medicinal property, the only factor that would allow it to be addictive and/or toxic is its dose. Even if strict implementation is implied in this country, I think that abusers will still find a way to acquire marijuana. Workers in this country are easily tricked or blinded by money offered by the users. Being addicted to any substance is something I am against and something I would not do and it is obviously something not taught.

When it comes to my positive economics, being someone who is actually concerned about the economic status of my country, I might probably have a changed mind, and will choose that path to legalize medicinal marijuana. If I will disregard my thinking of the bad effects outweighing the good ones and all the other reasons why I didn’t like marijuana, it is possible to approve of any law regarding the medicinal properties of marijuana.

Taxed and well-regulated medical cannabis programs create numerous economic benefits to state and local governments.  These systems are already being implemented in over 23 states in the US and their reward is bountiful.  Here are some of the economic benefits that regulating cannabis can inject into our ailing economies:

In legalizing medicinal marijuana, the government can, without a doubt, gain additional millions of revenue from it. Cannabis is a $25+ billion dollar industry.  Currently, all of those revenues go directly to cartels and criminal gangs.  Through regulation and taxation, we can transform these black market billions into taxable revenues.  This new income can bolster our state economy without raising taxes on main street Also, legalizing medicinal marijuana would mean more jobs can be more available to the public, such as farming jobs for those who grow and tend these plants, police jobs and law enforcement jobs for those who are part of the reinforcement team when it comes to strict implementation of the law, pharmacist who are licensed to dispense these medicinal marijuana, manufacturers would tend to hire more workers that can help in the processing and packaging of this drug. More jobs can mean less unemployment rate, and this is something I am approved of. Job creation

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is integral to any robust economy.  Cannabis jobs already exist; unfortunately, they all are held by criminals.  A well-regulated medical cannabis program will create new jobs for hard-working, tax-paying citizens.  From horticulturists cultivating plants, to labs testing the safety of the medicine, to employees at dispensaries, regulated medical cannabis will create thousands of new, high-paying jobs in our country.

Moreover, legalizing medicinal marijuana can decrease government spending. Cannabis prohibition is expensive.  Economist from Harvard, Jeffrey Miron, estimates that $20Billion is spent by the US government per year fighting this little green plant.  Much of this cost comes from burdening our justice system, wasting law enforcement’s time, and using $125/day of taxpayer money incarcerating cannabis offenders. To add insult to injury, these efforts continue to fail as cannabis is more available than ever before. And I think this is also observed in the Philippines today.

As a result, applying the increased revenues with the decreased expenses caused by medical cannabis legalization yields a net gain in the billions.  This ‘new’ money can be used to fortify our many distressed and underfunded public works programs like the lagging education system, build new roads that reduce traffic and increase Social Security and Medicare benefits for our seniors. Also, by implementing a law that will legalize medicinal marijuana, it can weaken criminal organizations. How do gangs and cartels have the same weapons that our military uses?  Why do drug dealers drive $100,000 cars? Because selling illicit drugs is a wildly lucrative and untaxed business. Legalizing and regulating medical cannabis will take this profit center away from murderous criminals and transfer it to licensed and regulated businesses. By taking these revenues from organized crime, we can significantly weaken them financially.  Additionally, we will be able to control how and to whom medical cannabis is dispensed by setting responsible standards to which businesses must adhere. Liquor stores ID customers, drug dealers do not. [4]

Bibliography[1] Carroll, G., & Gregorian, A. (2015). Foundation For A Drug Free World. Retrieved

November 29, 2015, from Drug Free World: http://www.drugfreeworld.org/drugfacts/the-truth-about-drugs.html

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[2] Zeese, K. B. (2009, July 9). Common Sense for Drug Policy. (D. McVay, Editor) Retrieved November 29, 2015, from CSDP: http://www.csdp.org/news/news/8steps.htmCommon Sense for Drug Policy

[3] AOL Money & Finance. (2012, November 11). 14 Ways Marijuana Legalization Can Boost The Economy. Retrieved November 30, 2015, from Huffington Post: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/07/marijuana-economy-14-reasons_n_2089107.html

[4] Economic Benefits of Regulation. (2015). Retrieved November 29, 2015, from Halcy Organics: https://halcyonorganics.com/economic-benefits-of-regulation/

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