Shelbylynn Mendive

05/05/2020
SOCIO TTH

The bill I chose to try and convince congress to sign bill H.R.420- regulate marijuana like

alcohol act. This bill is sponsored by Representative Earl Blumenauer of district 3. This bill

purposes legalizing marijuana nationwide and regulated it under the same restrictions as alcohol.

The indicates that the amendment surrounding the Wilson Act or the Original packages act to

insert, “ or marijuana,” after “intoxicating liquors or liquids”; and by striking “such liquids or

liquors” and inserting “such liquids, liquors, or marijuana”. This entails that consumers of this

controlled substance must be of the legal drinking age, follow safety laws such as not driving

under the influence, and making sure to follow an orderly contact.

This bill would decriminalize the possession and usage of marijuana if the laws created

for regulation are still followed. As of right now the bill still stands as introduced to congress.

The bill as of February eighth twenty nineteen was referred to the subcommittee on conservation

and forestry. This bill regulates that it is, “unlawful to ship or transport marijuana from any place

outside a State, territory, or district of the United States.” Which would make it a criminal act to

try and transport marijuana overseas or across our neighboring borders. The purpose that if

illegal transportation is committed that that person should be fined under title 18 of the united

states code and or imprisoned.

The bill goes on to purpose that all businesses growing, selling, or have any involvement

in the substance must have a marijuana permit issued under the title of the secretary of the

treasury. It will also be a criminal act to, “to engage in the business of purchasing marijuana for

resale at wholesale” this bill is trying to ensure that all actions that will be taking place to

legalize marijuana will ensure the safety of Americans and business owners who wish to pursue

business in this field of work.

I chose this bill because I want to research how veterans with PTSD can benefit from the

usage of marijuana. Studies are limited due to marijuana being illegal, and veterans fear legal

repercussions if caught using the substance. Research has shown that Indica strains have helped

manic episodes in PSTD cases. This strain helps calms the body and allows the muscles and

brains to relax. When having a manic episode this would allow the patient a way to find relief

within minutes. If marijuana is legalized it is not just PTSD patients that will benefit but several

others suffer from mental illness. If you look at the other strain type called stevia this has been

linked to helping improve patients with depression. Sativa helps provoke creativity and activity

in the brain which counteracts the symptoms of depression. Marijuana alone cannot combat

mental illness but if we paired it with regular therapy, we could see a huge improvement with

patients involved with mental health care.

Marijuana is cheaper than most prescription coast by a long shot. A prescription of

hydrocodone is used for Corning pain at the retail price coast on average $95.40. For that price,

you can get more than seven grams of medical marijuana which can last a medical user several

weeks. A typical gram in Colorado for dispensary recreational marijuana is $14.14 for a medium

grade strain. This price is much more affordable to the common average user of hydrocodone

than the $95.40. Not only is marijuana cheaper but it is also less addictive than pain killers,

cigarettes, and alcohol. There is no way to overdose on Marijuana and is less habit-forming than

caffeine. This will help lower the number of people addicted to pain killers, which will help our

society that is facing drug addiction.

Keeping this drug illegal is creating a stigma we as a society have on the usage of

marijuana which is preventing it to thrive medically. Even within the medical research

community’s marijuana is not taking seriously and is frowned upon. This is preventing proper

funding for more advanced research to find the positive usage of marijuana. It also makes

patients uncomfortable to ask for options surrounding marijuana and to get necessary feedback.

Making a national law that marijuana is legalized would help move our society in a direction that

could change this stigma and provide more proper research over the drug.

Sociology can be used to inform congress about issues of medical inequality on bill

H.R.420 by looking at it through every three sections of sociological theories. From a conflict

theorist standpoint, we would look at power and inequality. We would look at who has the power

to criminalize and legalize marijuana then we can look at how this is affecting minorities and the

poor. A conflict theorist would look at social and economic factors as the causes of our crime

and deviance. A conflict theorist does not look at these factors as beneficial to our society these

factors show evidence of inequality in our societal system. 52% of all drugs arrest in 2010 were

for marijuana, and according to statistics both African Americans and Caucasians use marijuana

at about the same rate.

Even though both races use the same amount of marijuana arrest, on the other hand,

shows unequal drastic amounts. African Americans have been nearly four times more likely than

cautions to be arrested for marijuana possession. This shows that marijuana laws are enforced

with inequality based on racial issues within our social system and legal system. We need to

legalize marijuana to eliminate discriminatory policing practices and the structural racial bias in

our criminal legal system.

When we look at social inequality surrounding marijuana laws form a symbolic point of

view, we need to look at how legalizing marijuana starts at the induvial level. When looking at

how different social groups view marijuana there seems to vary the point of view. Groups vary

on how it should be legalized; if it should only be medical or free for personal use; how it should

be taxed and regulated. Even though so many groups have different points of views we can

narrow them all down not two groups those who support legalizing weed and those who do not.

As more and more people start supporting the idea that marijuana is a practical medical treatment

for things such as cancer-related nausea and cornea surgery recovery there is dysfunction in our

society. Specifically, there is dysfunction in our social norms. At the individual level, people are

starting with their states with fighting with the legalization of the substance. This will either

continue to eventually be making it nationwide or be crushed by our already set social structures

of marijuana being equivalent to other drugs.

In conclusion, keeping marijuana illegal is hurting us as a society and is creating an

inequality to several races and for people suffering from mental and physical illnesses. Making is

legalized will allow people suffering from several different kinds of illnesses to have a cheaper,

nonaddictive, and more accessible source of pain management. It will also decrease the

incarceration rate of minorities who are being arrested under a racial bias for using marijuana.

Legalizing marijuana will also allow medical research to grow and develop new medical

techniques and statists with the usage of marijuana.