http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=130&sid=28291642&title=alaska-group-takes-next-step-to-legalize-marijuana
In 1975, Alaska passed a law which stated that the banning of recreational use of marijuana was a violation of privacy rights. Alaska legislation in 1982, however, began to put regulations on the amount of marijuana that one could actually possess: first it was 4 ounces and then it was reduces to 1 ounce. Then, in 2006, Alaska passed another law which re-criminalized the use of recreational marijuana. Now, activists who want marijuana to be legalized have taken action to have petitions signed and currently they have brought forth 46,000 signatures to the petition office.
I feel like this issue is a two edged sword. On one side you have the moral issue of legalized drugs. Do we as a society really want to allow the use of drugs recreationally with no penalty? On the other side you have the logistical issue. If we legalize it will taking away the rebelliousness of doing it by default reduce the problem? Will people then take more into account the health risks that the drugs have on them? I really am in a toss up in this situation because I can see both sides of the argument. I support the fact that people who are using and are addicted to the drugs can't make the rational decisions for themselves to stop. I don't want to sit back and allow groups of people just throw their health and lives away because of a drug-- I feel like we as human beings have an obligation to look out for each other and stop harmful things like that from happening. I also support the fact that doing drugs, and primarily in this case marijuana, is the choice of the person. I myself would never do it so what right do I have to dictate to someone else that they can't. I also can see that some people do it just because of the rebellious factor to it-- the illegal act, if you will, and with legalizing marijuana is could have the potential of reducing the problem just because it's not an act of rebellion anymore. I thought this article was interesting, though, just because the issue is interesting.
In 1975, Alaska passed a law which stated that the banning of recreational use of marijuana was a violation of privacy rights. Alaska legislation in 1982, however, began to put regulations on the amount of marijuana that one could actually possess: first it was 4 ounces and then it was reduces to 1 ounce. Then, in 2006, Alaska passed another law which re-criminalized the use of recreational marijuana. Now, activists who want marijuana to be legalized have taken action to have petitions signed and currently they have brought forth 46,000 signatures to the petition office.
I feel like this issue is a two edged sword. On one side you have the moral issue of legalized drugs. Do we as a society really want to allow the use of drugs recreationally with no penalty? On the other side you have the logistical issue. If we legalize it will taking away the rebelliousness of doing it by default reduce the problem? Will people then take more into account the health risks that the drugs have on them? I really am in a toss up in this situation because I can see both sides of the argument. I support the fact that people who are using and are addicted to the drugs can't make the rational decisions for themselves to stop. I don't want to sit back and allow groups of people just throw their health and lives away because of a drug-- I feel like we as human beings have an obligation to look out for each other and stop harmful things like that from happening. I also support the fact that doing drugs, and primarily in this case marijuana, is the choice of the person. I myself would never do it so what right do I have to dictate to someone else that they can't. I also can see that some people do it just because of the rebellious factor to it-- the illegal act, if you will, and with legalizing marijuana is could have the potential of reducing the problem just because it's not an act of rebellion anymore. I thought this article was interesting, though, just because the issue is interesting.
Yeah this issue kind of reminds me of prohibition. When prohibition was in effect, alcohol use was more of a problem for this country. We legalized it, and it's still used in inappropriate ways, but we don't have the problems we had during prohibition.
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