Is Legalizing Cannabis “Bad For Society?”

As one US State after another legalizes medical and recreational cannabis, it seems only a matter of time before cannabis is legalized at the federal level. And with Canada, Mexico, and a host of European nations legalizing cannabis, most western, first-world countries appear to be headed toward eventual legalize cannabis as well.

The roots of this growing trend?

There are a variety of reasons behind the shift in beliefs and perspectives that have many folks favoring an end to the 100+ year cannabis prohibition.

Some attribute it to changing attitudes toward recreational drug use in general. There’s a growing realization that, as with alcohol, cannabis and other “controlled substances” can be used casually with no ill effects.

The embrace of medical cannabis, due to its undeniable therapeutic benefits, is another significant contributing factor.

There’s also the commercial potential of legalized cannabis. The most cynical cannabis advocates point to business interests lobbying lawmakers for new legislation to cash in on a highly lucrative cannabis trade.

But what about the opponents of cannabis legalization… What motivates these folks?

Many in this camp are driven by religious ideology. Christian beliefs, in particular, dictate that mind-altering substances disrupt your "connection with God.”

But other, non-religious detractors also decry cannabis legalization as a “bad for society.”

The question of “why is cannabis bad?” is posed to us here at Cannawayz.com all the time. And it’s an issue we’ve contemplated quite a bit. In turn, prompting us to evaluate the situation, outlining positions against and for cannabis legalization…

There’s Already Too Much Vice

Recreational cannabis use, like alcohol and tobacco, amounts to a vice. Meanwhile, we already have legalized access to alcohol and tobacco, not to mention the massive consumption of cannabis and other illegal drugs through a long-standing black market. So, why authorize even more vice?

Counterpoint: Vice is a Subjective Moral Judgement

How each of us chooses to live our lives is a personal decision. We have the freedom in our society, within the bounds of the rule of law, to set our moral standards. So, while some folks may not agree with drinking alcohol or smoking cigarettes, or smoking pot, others don’t necessarily have any “moral” issue with imbibing those substances.

It’s Moral Slippery Slope

If we legalize cannabis, what’s next? Much like cannabis is considered a “gateway drug,” many suggest legalizing cannabis would be a “gateway” to legalizing other, more dangerous drugs.

Counterpoint: Legalizing All Drugs Would Benefit Society

What percentage of crime is “drug-related?” How much violence has occurred due to the “illegal drug trade?” What are the benefits of handling drug abuse as a “punishable offense” versus an ailment needing medical intervention? 

The statics are staggering: 1 million people are arrested and incarcerated for drug possession or use in the US every year.

Moreover, the illegal drug trade is the single biggest driver of organized crime in the US. And the vast majority of violent crimes perpetrated by organized criminals are drug-related. In particular, violent crime along the US-Mexico border is largely drug-related.

If all drugs were legalized and regulated, and drug “abusers” were given medical treatment rather than prison sentences, the US crime rate would plummet by 30%-40%.

It’s Bad For Your Health

Just as drinking too much alcohol and smoking cigarettes (supposedly at any level) is bad for your health, so too is excessive cannabis consumption. In turn, legalizing cannabis is apt to increase its usage and thereby raise the number of cannabis-related ailments.

Counterpoint: All Things in Moderation

Doing too much of anything is bad for you, even exercise. But just as moderate alcohol consumption is reasonably safe, so too is moderate cannabis consumption.

It’s a Danger to Society

An average of 10,000 people are killed every year in drunk driving accidents. And roughly 65% of on-the-job deaths are related to alcohol or drug use. Do we need to authorize yet another contributor to reckless driving and workplace accidents?

Counterpoint: Drug Use Will Persist Regardless of Legal Status

Whether or not drugs are legal, people will use them. And that use, legally sanctioned or otherwise, is bound to result in fatal car accidents, lethal workplace accidents, and other deadly mishaps.

But legalizing, regulating, and approaching drugs with “treatment” rather than “punishment” has a better chance of minimizing the drug-related death toll than continuing the current prohibition.

Change is Inevitable

Those who oppose cannabis legalization for religious or moral reasons are unlikely to change their position. The dogmatic, black and white perspective that informs their worldview is, for better or worse, unwavering.

But, as Bob Dylan said: “Times, they are a-changin'.” Reflected by the fact that cannabis legalization is a domino that, sooner or later, is going to fall. And the legalization of other currently controlled substances is bound to follow.

Meanwhile, those who oppose this progression will ultimately be left on the wayside on the “wrong side of history.”

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