Muschong 1 Kayla Muschong Mr.

Bennion AP Government 9 December 2013 The Push for the States Choices: The Regulation of Marijuana Overtime, marijuana, rated a Schedule 1 substance under the federal Controlled Substances Act, has become a more and more prominent drug in American society. The American citizens learn of this drug in many ways, such as through song lyrics, people on the internet, or at school. Whether we like it or not, marijuana has become mainstream through the course of history, now affecting many lives on a day to day basis. Not only has it simply become increasingly prominent and well-known, but the people of America have become more reliant on it, as many desire it for medical and recreational uses. However, marijuanas increasing role in our society has posed a question about who should regulate it: the federal government or state governments? Therefore, as evidence presents itself, state governments should clearly have the power to regulate the use of marijuana in America. To begin, state governments should have the authority to control the usage of marijuana in the United States because states can test out certain laws before other states put them in place. One of the best things about the federalist government in America is the fact that some states can try a policy and see if it prevails, and other states can follow suit if they wish. This tactic benefits the nation as a whole, because state government leaders can effectively put laws into place that they know will work. This is a huge benefit of our federalist government as it promotes innovation by allowing for the possibility that a single courageous State may, if its citizens choose, serve as a laboratory; and try novel social and economic experiments without risk to the rest of the country. This is evident because throughout the years more states have legalized marijuana, showing that they have successfully observed the effects of its legalization in other states. States already utilize this strategy in other areas, such as the determination of speed limits, so they will only continue to do so in the area of marijuana legalization. As a result, it is clear that states should manage the utilization of marijuana because the ideals of federalism would be used to their full potential, as states would be able to work off of the laws of their fellow states.

Muschong 2 In addition to allowing states to try out certain laws without affecting the rest of the country, the states in America should have the power to regulate the use of marijuana in our society because state governments are closer to the people than the federal government. First of all, each state in America has different people with different needs. There are so many questions that come along with a law that regulates the use of marijuana, each requiring much deliberation and effort: How do you tax it? What quality control standards do you set? The list goes on. Therefore, there is too much to consider in the federal governments answering these questions, especially since different conclusions would have such drastically different outcomes across the states. State governments are ultimately closer to their people, as they know average incomes and other factors that may cause them to determine laws differently. Additionally, state governments should harbor the authority to regulate marijuana, as it is a concern of the well-being of their citizens. Thousands of Americans use medical marijuana on a daily basis to help them with many health problems on behalf of a doctors recommendation. For example, certified family practitioners in California treat patients with marijuana have concluded, after prescribing a host of conventional medicines to treat respondents that marijuana is the only drug available that provides effective treatment. Without access to medical marijuana, outraged patients across the country would lead to chaos and possibly fatal results for many. Therefore, the regulation of marijuana in America should be left up to the states so they can more personally account for the well-being of their people. In conclusion, marijuanas usage in the United States should be the right of the states to determine. Allowing states to define if its use should be legal or not utilizes one of the most positive things about federalism, as states can test drive certain laws and policies about the drug without affecting the rest of the country. Additionally, state governments more directly represent their people, so they can make decisions and specificities about the laws that are more personalized for their citizens. Finally, marijuana, especially when used medically, is a concern of the well-being of American citizens, which is a states job to monitor. Consequently, the question of where the control of marijuana should reside grows stronger as the presence of the drug increases. So, as marijuanas role in our society can only increase, it is not only time to make a decision now, it is time to make the right one.