Position statement (outline)

Position ment: Decriminalization of Marijuana Thesis: Marijuana should be decriminalized because it may be the solution to many employment issues facing many states. Decriminalization of marijuana may also aid in reducing the number of minority groups that end up in jail, thus; reducing human potential when it comes to jobs and skills in the labour market (Gerber 47).
2. Body
A. Economic reasons for decriminalizing marijuana
I. One main reason why many states are advocating for the decriminalization of marijuana is because they think it may produce hundreds of employment opportunities.
1. According to Huffington Post’s, Matt Ferner, believes that the legalization of marijuana may raise over 60 million in revenue in a year. Millions of dollars may also be within reach for construction if the drug is regulated just as alcohol and tobacco.
II. Another reason for decriminalizing marijuana may be the benefits the government will receive. This is through the amount of capital they might save in terms of the war against drugs. Billions of dollars are used in this expensive battle to catch, prosecute and house those who purchase and sell drugs (Gerber 59). When dealing with marijuana, the costs are soaring high, and it is no more harmful than other regulated drugs.
III. There is also the issue of the capital lost in terms of tax collection when it comes to drugs. Revenue lost because the government cannot tax illegal drugs is proving costly in modern day. By decriminalizing marijuana, the government may earn tax revenue from legalizing marijuana than fighting it off the market, losing revenue in the process (Gerber 64).
B. Economic reasons against decriminalizing marijuana
I. The implications of legalizing/decriminalizing marijuana are tremendous. Like anything else legalized in the economy, the government is likely to get involved in the stakes of marijuana production, harvest, and sale. This means that; it would be just like any other drug in the economy at the moment; controlled to profit of a few corporations (Morgan 79). The economy should not be controlled by these few corporations, and neither should the production, harvest, and sale of this drug.
II. Just like any other drug, legalizing marijuana may lead to the growth of other trades. Other drugs may make their way into the market, which leads to rise in illegal and illegitimate trade. This implies that, the government might use extra capital annually to fight and combat other drugs off the market (Morgan 98).
3. Conclusion
A. Through decriminalizing marijuana, it is highly likely the revenue a state may receive annually will benefit it tremendously. This is through tax collection, and reduction in costs incurred trying to fight the drug (Gerber 64).
B. Decriminalizing marijuana also means the growth of employment opportunities. Many people will get employment through the production, harvest, and sale of marijuana. It also means the revenue present will create an avenue to create more jobs in areas that are underdeveloped (Ferner 1).
C. Moreover, the legalization of marijuana may increase the number of potentially viable candidates in the skilled job market. It is a known fact that, minority groups face the brunt of law enforcement when it comes to prohibited drugs. By legalizing its use, many youth may get the chance to get different skills for different jobs after school. This increases the revenue in many other fields with a rise in labour (Gerber 66).
Works Cited
Ferner, Matt. “ Why Marijuana Should Be Legalized: Regulate Marijuana like Alcohol Campaign Discusses Why Pot Prohibition Has Been a Failure.” The Huffington Post 28 August, 2012. Print.
Gerber J. Rudolph. Legalizing Marijuana: Drug Policy Reform and Prohibition Politics. London: Sage Publishers, 2004. Print.
Morgan, Kayla. Legalizing Marijuana. New York: Free Press, 2010. Print.