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Decriminalization of Cannabis in Virginia

            Cannabis is the legal term for what most of the general public refers to as marijuana or weed. Everyone has their own position of marijuana and some understanding of what it is or what it does. What many fail to understand is the legal burden the simple drug can have on a state and its taxpayers. Today in the United States, 17 states and the District of Columbia have decriminalized cannabis ("States That", 2015). Those states realized the problem and did what they had to do to put an end to the mess cannabis caused in their state. The state of Virginia has yet to come to this realization and make a change. Every year cannabis accounts for tens of thousands of arrests. Not only do those arrests affect the person arrested, but all the citizens of the state. Because of that, everyone who resides in the state of Virginia is a stakeholder in this argument. This problem has to do the fact the people are uneducated about these matters and don't know they can speak up to the government and pass a bill just like the 17 states before us. .
             Before the problem can be dissected any further the difference between decriminalized and legalization must be identified. Decriminalization can be defined as the act of eliminating criminal penalties or legal restrictions (Dictionary.com 2010). In this case it would be lowering the charges of cannabis possession charges from criminal offenses into general fines. So instead of a full on arrest it would be a simple confiscation and a ticket. On the other hand, legalization is the complete elimination of cannabis as a criminal offense no matter the charge. It would be legal to consume and have marijuana with nothing but some age restrictions and other safety precautions. The full on legalization is a possibility for the state of Virginia, however so is reducing its outrageous possession charges that have thousands incarcerated and bring those charges down to a fine.


Essays Related to Decriminalization of Cannabis in Virginia

1. The Unsuccessful War on Drugs

Other countries around the world and even two of the fifty states who have decided to decriminalize certain drugs and some even legalize cannabis have seen a dramatic decrease in overall crime. ... Cannabis has been around for centuries and has been well known for its medical purposes and its resources all over the world, during the 1600's people who migrated to the United States were required to grow cannabis, "By order of King James I, every colonist had to supply 100 crops to the Virginia Company to ship back to England and trade. ... Other countries have already decided to decriminali...

  • Word Count: 1472
  • Approx Pages: 6
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

2. Drug Problem?

Under the name Extract of Cannabis, marijuana was once widely used medicinally in the United States, and still has minor medicinal uses in other countries. There is only one species - Cannabis Sativa - which yields both a potent drug and a strong fiber long used in the manufacture of fine linen as well as canvas and rope. ... The Jamestown settlers brought the plant to Virginia and cultivated it for its fiber. In 1762 "Virginia awarded bounties for hemp culture and imposed penalties on those who did not produce it."" ... Sourcebook of Criminal Justice Statistics, 1991, p.532 Even ...

  • Word Count: 6425
  • Approx Pages: 26
  • Grade Level: High School

3. Medical Marijuana

For many years now, pondering minds have questioned the thought of having marijuana, or cannabis sativa, listed as another medicinal drug. ... During the seventeenth century, the English navy had a huge demand for hemp rope, since it was stronger than the rope of other materials, and ordered the colonists of Virginia and Maryland to grow it in order to fulfill this demand. ... All these reasons helped to favor the illegality of cannabis sativa. ... In 1962, a White House drug conference described the hazards of grass "exaggerated," and a 1972 presidential commission recommended decriminalizati...

  • Word Count: 3551
  • Approx Pages: 14
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

4. Legalization Of Marijuana

This is not to say, we should deregulate it completely, but lawmakers should decriminalize the possession and consumption of it by responsible adults. ... (Lykestos, 2) In 1972, the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Legislation (NORML), an organization that supports decriminalization of marijuana, unsuccessfully petitioned the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs to move marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule II. ... Thus, for 25 years the medical marijuana movement has been closely linked with the marijuana decriminalization movement, which has colored the debate. ......

  • Word Count: 2154
  • Approx Pages: 9
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

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