Legalization of Marijuana Production for Individual Use Essay Example

Introduction

Policy regarding the decriminalization of marijuana production for individual use continues to be the subject to be debated on in most countries in the world. The different government considers dissimilar decision concerning policy from explicit toleration to full prohibition. For the policy to be successful implementation matters (Decorte, Bouchard and Potter 2016, p.34) It has come into the attention of many governments who tolerate the policy they should focus on the objective of promoting good health to the public, crime reduction and social-economic development. There are so many alternative strategies they have to make more effective and humane drug policies that will direct the resources they have on harmful features of the drug market, at the same time providing health care and support to people who use or grow drugs such as cannabis. Decriminalization of cannabis production for personal use is among polices accepted so that present drug regime can be reduced. After production of cannabis people will end up using it leading to drug use.

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Decriminalization involves resisting of the drug law that claims possession or drug use such as cannabis for individual use is criminal offense or transportation for health purposes or administrative services. The most important thing about this policy is that it has been formalized as law and if one is caught having the drug or growing it they will not have any criminal record. A criminal record is an obstacle to assess many things such as social services, employment, and education.

This policy will raise many concerns to the government because the government has to put in place mechanism that will help distinguishing cannabis that is for personal use and that will be used to sell or supply to other people. Threshold quantities establishment have been made by some governments to help in guidance on the amount that is supposed to be considered for commercial or personal use, other governments leave the decision to be made by the police or the judges to measure the amount of possession. According to the evidence threshold quantities must be indicative only and other additional factors such as culpability, harm, drug dependency, and intention should be considered. Countries and states that have decriminalization policies are about 30 globally such as Brazil (2006), Portugal (2001) and Czech Republic (2010). Some countries such as Argentina are currently reversing laws regarding decriminalize production cannabis for personal use. In America, more than 14 states have already decriminalized marijuana possession for personal use. Studies show that drug-related problems such as deaths due to drugs and health risks have significantly reduced due to this policy (Hughes, Wiessing, Des Jarlais and Griffiths 2018, p. 158) Also, people have improved the attendance of the programs that treat people who are dependent on the drugs, drug-related crimes have reduced, imprisonment reduction, law- enforcement will divert their actions on people who are trafficking drugs in large quantities thus helping in the improvement of public safety and drug use prevalence will increase significantly ( Bay 2017). Use of decriminalization will reduce incarceration. This is because increased of incarceration will increase financial cost to keep the offender's in prison thus this money can be used in other projects, the criminal justice system will be overburdened, limit drug reduction impact because there is no relationship between incarceration of drug users and reduction of cannabis production in a certain country, also it will read to increase in health issues because many drug users continue using drugs while in prison, this will increase death rates as while as health problems (Caulkins and Chandler 2011). It's important for the governments to reform policies concerning decriminalization so that people with minor offenses such as the production of cannabis for personal use can have little penalties or undergo treatment to reduce the drug use among the people.

Treatment strategy

Considering drug use a health problem rather than as a crime

It's important to start focusing on drug misuse as a delinquent rather than a wrongdoing. It's important to stop punishing people who possess drugs for personal use rather they should encourage them to have treatment for those who are depending on drugs. The UN drug conventions agree to the decriminalization of drugs for personal use and INCB emphasis's that proportional principle should be applied to people who have offenses such as cultivation, personal control of drugs for individual use as a way to remove punishment and conviction for those people (Room and Reuter 2012, p.89). They should be informed on the risk facing them due to drug use and also the government should focus on encouraging treatment for people who are already in drug use rather than treating them as criminal. On doing so drug use among people will reduce and also law enforcers will start focusing on commercial drug sellers rather than people who have drugs for personal use (Maier, Mannes, and Koppenhofer 2017, p. 150). This will lead to the improvement of security in many of the countries.

Proportional Imprisonment of Penalties for Drug Crimes

Laws and regulations formed by many governments should be reviewed so that penalties regarding drug crime can rhyme with the offense committed. Many drug offenders have different aim of drugs. There those who use them for personal use (recreational) while others are serious dealers such as drug traffickers. It's important for policymakers to understand the type of harm caused by people who use or grow cannabis for personal use so that punishment and penalties can be reduced. It's the duty for the law enforcers to treat people who use cannabis for personal use with low priority so that little resources can be used.

Criminology Response

Reducing availability of the drugs to the young people

Decimalization of cannabis production for personal use does not mean that people may not sell them or young people will not come in contact with these drugs.

Even if decriminalization of cannabis for personal use is important to reduce drug use, it's the duty of law enforcement to know the number of drugs available in a certain country. It's important for law enforcers' agency to concentrate on the retail market of drugs as while as drugs people have for personal use so that the young cannot come into contact with them. It's important for them to shape the local market focusing on drugs so that the young people cannot access these drugs. It's also important to know factors leading people to sell drugs to minors for example in the United States people who sell the drug to the young people are poor and say in a highly populated place. So it's important for the government to tackle the problems faced by these people so that they can reduce the engagement of young people in drugs (Fraser S. and Moore D 2011). Decriminalization of cannabis production for personal use can lead young people involving themselves in drug abuse so it's the duty of the law enforcers to make sure that the young don't involve themselves in drug use.

Reducing penalties for crimes committed by people under drug use

These people relate themselves with crimes such as robbery, theft, fraud and viable sex work so that they can get money to buy drugs they are in need of (Jurgens, Csete, Amon, Baral, and Beyrer 2010, p. 480). Many countries have realized that people who commit petty crimes are mostly influenced by the use of drugs. Some countries have launched initiatives that help in identification of these people so that they can be referred to treatment programs rather than taking them to prison as this is more cost effective approach for reducing crime rate conducted by people under drug use (Sharples 2018, p. 16). Referral schemes such as drug treatment programs in prison and court diversion are important because they can change the lifestyle of people who perform petty offense and our dependence on drugs. Law enforcement agencies should focus on refereeing people who are on drug abuse on treatment rather than focusing on prosecution and imprisonment procedures which are expensive processes.

Supporting social and health programs

Due to the recent drug control system, individuals who are in use of drugs are required to live in marginalized areas. Poverty is the main factor that contributes to drug use and drug dependence development. Some government has policies that increase social segregation. They arrest and punish people who use drugs and also deny the opportunity access to employment even education leading to marginalization they already have experienced. Drug use can lead to health risks. Law enforcement agencies should support initiatives targeting those people who are under drug use. It's important for law enforcement agencies and health agencies to come together so that they can reduce health risks and deaths caused by drug abuse.

Solving problems associated with retail markets

Retail drugs functions in many ways like in private or public spaces, dispersed or concentrated areas and they may be controlled either by a small group of people or the large group of people. The markets can cause harm to the community. So it's the duty of a law enforcement agency eliminating any kind of market that may cause any harm to the public. The law enforcement agency should have strategies that could eliminate retail markets so they should have good intellect concerning the local market and target to impact market shape so that they can reduce the effects that may be caused by retail market (Woods 2011, p. 1). Example law enforcement in North Carolina, the USA where the police used the Boston model. They gathered data on young drug dealers for a long time in the local market, they communicated with their parents and people who acted as influence then they confronted these young dealers with the data they had gathered. They approached the dealers and assured them that they were in danger of imprisonment if they continue with that kind of business. Due to these initiatives, fewer people were arrested after two years and property crime and violent reduced by 25%. The local market doesn't practice such business today (Yablon 2011). This has reduced drug used among the public.

Recommendation

It's important to change approach so that drug usage can be preserved as a health challenge instead of treating them as a criminal offense. It's important to adapt treatment to people who are faced with a small offense but are dependent on drugs.

It's important for law and regulations to be reviewed so that they can decriminalization of cannabis production for personal use or small penalty for people who use drugs at a low level not getting the same penalty like people who are drug traffickers.

It's important to preserve criminal procedures that have a burden on prison capacities to people who are involved in more severe criminal offenders.

Conclusion

Decriminalization of drugs and small penalties for people who have committed small offends such as possession of drugs for personal use will reduce drug use among the public. It's the duty of law enforcers to make sure laws regarding drugs are reformed. Treatment of people who are drug dependence should be considered instead of imprisonment.

References

Bay M., 2017. "The Effects of Marijuana Decriminalization on the US Prison Population". Caulkins J., & Chandler S. (2011). "Long-run trends in the incarceration of drug offenders in the US". QNRS Repository, 2011(1), 2168.

Duke S.B., 2010. "Cannabis Captiva: freeing the world from marijuana prohibition". Geo. J. In...