Baker, Danial E. “Legalization of Recreational and Medical Marijuana: What We Don’t Know.” Hospital Pharmacy, vol. 49, no. 4, 2014, pp. 319-320.
The article by Danial Baker refers to the pitfalls of marijuana legalization and is directly connected with the topic. The author emphasizes the fact that marijuana is still “classified as a Schedule I substance” (Baker 319). Although in USA some states have already legalized its usage for medical purposes, marijuana is still prohibited on federal level. The article draws attention to potential risks of usage of this substance that will be preserved even after its legalization and relies on medical researches that contributes to its credibility. First of all, the instances of marijuana consummation have to be indicated in patient’s medical history. However, even now majority of people do not do that. Hence, with its legalization, it will be impossible to prescribe the dose that will not contribute to the development of addiction. Moreover, impact of marijuana on health has not been observed clearly yet. There is no evidence of its either positive or negative impact on patients with serious diseases related to the breath system. Thus, Baker states that due to lack of answers the society should refrain from legalizing drug’s usage even for medical purposes and conduct further, more precise investigation of its impacts.
Bostwick, J. Michael. “Blurred Boundaries: The Therapeutics and Politics of Medical Marijuana.” Mayo Clinic Proceedings, vol. 87, no. 2, 2012, pp. 172-186.
The article by Michael Bostwick is directly connected to the topic of legalization since it touches not only upon the questions related to beneficial or harmful therapeutic effect of marijuana, but also political outcomes of its legalization. It begins with brief overview of the history of marijuana that was first used in medicine in the middle of the XIX century but was eventually completely forbidden in 1970, when it was classified as Schedule I substance. Establishing relationships between its components and psychosis, the author indicates the changes in human behavior and body functions, emphasizing development of addiction. Having compared potential threats and benefits, Bostwick provides the insight into the issue from political perspective. The author reports existence of discrepancies between laws inside each state since states lack consensus on what constitutes physician authorization, which patients qualify for treatment, and how they can acquire their botanical cannabis” (Bostwick 182). The article basically presents author’s personal point of view and, due to its subjectivity, may not be considered as a completely reliable source.
Caulkins, Jonathan P., et al. Options and Issues Regarding Marijuana Legalization. RAND Corporation, 2015.
This paper presents overview of marijuana policies existing in the USA with the emphasis on recent changes that should be taken into consideration in discussion of legalization of cannabis. It begins with brief description of legislative actions taken within a few previous years and related to the problem of legalization of marijuana. The paper underlines false opinions that treat marijuana question as binary choice between prohibition and the for-profit commercial model” and refers to alternative possibilities (Caulkins et al. 2). It defines possible strategies of drug distribution that are hidden under the label of legalization. Marijuana sale may adopt the model of alcohol and tobacco sale or may be accessible only in drug stores on prescription. The article does not present any facts for or against legalization, but it raises many questions relevant to this topic. For example, it is still not clear what types of organizations will be authorized to distribute cannabis, the universal prices and taxes are not defined. No decisions have been made regarding the information about this substance that has to be spread alongside with the sold product.
Cerda, Magdalena, et al. “Medical Marijuana Laws in 50 States: Investigating the Relationship Between State Legalization of Medical Marijuana and Marijuana Use, Abuse and Dependence.” Drug and Alcohol Dependence, vol. 120, no. 1-3, 2012, pp. 22 – 27.
Current article presents the investigation of the impact of legalization of marijuana on the US citizens. It is grounded on analysis of the data received from reports from all the states in order to compare the indicators of the states that allow medical cannabis and the ones that prohibit that. Suchlike analysis indicates a number of possible consequences of legalization including group-level approval of drug use and increased level of addiction. The authors used the following credible sources to address the issue on global level: “second wave of the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC) and National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH)” (Cerda et al. 22). The choice of sources makes the article a trustworthy resource. The results demonstrated higher ratio of marijuana use and subsequent development of addiction in states where marijuana was legalized. On individual level, the rate of usage of this substance was almost 2 times higher in the states that did not prohibit its use. The research does not indicate legalization as direct reason of growing number of marijuana consumers. However, it calls community to consider the observed tendency and concludes with presentation of four potential mechanisms of relationships between legalization and use or addiction.
Crippa, Jos A. S., et al. “Marijuana, Feijoada and the Debate on Drug Legalization.” Frontiers in Psychiatry, 4, 2013, p. 7.
The article entitled “Marijuana, Feijoada and the Debate on Drug Legalization” dives into the subject of legalization and provides thorough description of what is meant by the frame of non-prohibition policy. The author states that the object of legalization is related to cannabinoids – components of marijuana. Some of them possess strong psychoactive features and make negative impact on human organism causing addition. However, such components as Cannabidiol make opposite effect because of its “anxiolytic and antipsychotic properties” (Crippa et al.). This compound is tested as a part of the cure from such health disorders as “Parkinson’s disease, schizophrenia, social phobia, post-traumatic stress disorder, smoking, epilepsy, depression” (Crippa et al.). The article refers to the history of marijuana implementation in medical practice and marks decline of its usage at the beginning of the XX century. It also provides information regarding medical researches aimed at definition of cannabinoids’ positive properties and indicates works of Israeli scholar, Professor Raphael Mechoulam. References to historical data and well-known scholars contribute to the reliability of this source. Authors aim at demonstration of the difference between marijuana as an illegal drug consumed by addicted people and cannabinoids as components with beneficial properties that can be legalized in medicine.
Hopfer, Christian. “Implications of Marijuana Legalization for Adolescent Substance Use.” Substance Abuse : Official Publication of the Association for Medical Education and Research in Substance Abuse, vol. 35, no. 4, 2014, pp. 331-335.
Christian Hopfer focuses on the impact of marijuana legalization on adolescence. The author expresses concerns related to possible increase of marijuana usage among young people that may result in development of addiction. Other negative consequences indicated in the article include development of psychotic disorders, malfunctioning of cognitive mechanism, increase in school drop rate and engagement in dangerous or even criminal activities. He considers legalization and marijuana distribution in pharmacies to be the first step towards its massive expansion of country’s market predicting the emergence of various kinds of products that will contain this substance (not exclusively medicine). There are also concerns due to the fact that “claims that marijuana has medicinal benefits create additional challenges for adolescent prevention efforts as they contrast with messages of its harmfulness” (Hopfer 331). However, the author does not completely object to legalization. Hopfer refers to Colorado’s experience as the example of reduction of marijuana usage among adolescence observed after its full legalization on state level. Legalization of marijuana will require substantial documented guidance for physicians to provide necessary information about both healthy and harmful properties of this substance. The article basically provides author’s ideas and evokes certain doubts in its scientific reliability.