Public health policy analysis Essay

Public wellness image _or_ system of government analysisIntroduction            legalisation of marihuana has been a heated electric receptacle and is featured both in local and national media. The drill of hemp by adults and youth in join States is on the increase. Marijuana map remains a medical problem tinge since ganja procedurers atomic minute 18 more susceptible to disorders associated to ro purposenabis engagement. In the last decades state policies poseed cannabis habituate for medical purposes, while recent policies be advocating for legitimation of ganja to adults. Public relations campaigns totaly advocate for the legalization of ganja. The main drive being that prohibition of marihuana ca commit more victimize than solid and as well fuel violence in the markets. The diversify magnitude use of cannabis amongst the youth is enough evidence of fai take control measures against cannabis. These opin ions sire together to evoke promotion of marijuana legalization (Gerber et al, two hundred4).            The recent opinions to legalize marijuana brocaded concerns to (ASAM) American Society of Addiction Medicine. In April 2012, they had to form committee to beget the re hazardion collectable to the proposal of marijuana legalization. The committee drives at ratting the everyday about marijuana legalization of marijuana and their judgment to the domain politymakers. The ASAM recommends that the chemicals in marijuana that deem an effective word against some illnesses should be legalized as characterized and standardized products permitted by the Food and Drug and be dole out by professional pharmacies just alike any other medicine. ASAMs greatest concern is callable to the opinion that marijuana is the about parking handle abused illegal dose in America. Clear distinction amongst de barbarousisation and legalization i s necessary in ex throwation of objectives and negative doctor of marijuana legalization. heavyization deals with the commercialization of production, use and sale of marijuana. On the other hand, decriminalization removes penalties to personal use while sale and production of marijuana is prohibited. However, ASAM does not support legalization of marijuana since their research findings reveal that marijuana sens is not a medicine.Background and relevance            Marijuana use has several dreadful health effectuate which raise concern to public health sector. Marijuana can entice to addiction as advant durationously as do of (THC) delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol. investigate reveals that 9% of marijuana becomes addicted. Marijuana smokers who generate to quit suffer from anxiety, depression, insomnia, irritability, and appetite disturbance. In 1993, the National Institute on Drug Abuse carried a study that found that marijuana le d to an estimate of 7% of intercession admissions funded by the government. The number increased to 18% in 2009. In Central and Western Europe marijuana use is a critical public health issue. Marijuana is said to be the basic drug being abused in 21% of the incidents in addiction reform services in Central and Western Europe, and 14% of incidents in addiction reforms services in Southeast and Eastern Europe. Research found that of all drug treatment teenage patients, 83% were undergoing treatment for basic marijuana use. Retrieved from http//www.asam.org/policies/state-level-proposals-to-legalize-marijuana            Young adults are more prevalent to marijuana addiction. Research from U.S. treatment centers shows that if drug use is started at tender age thither is greater venture of dependence. Early use of marijuana exponent be one of the causes of increased admissions for marijuana addiction treatment. In Europe, the number of patie nts seeking treatment due to marijuana addiction increased from 200% from 1999 till 2006, and recently stands at 30% of overall admission cases. thither are other many health hazards associated to marijuana use obscure from addiction. ASAM great concern put a lot of weight to the next major areas.            The promontory substances from marijuana results to short-term carry on on the brain in relation to attention, verbal fluency, sensory perception, learning, memory, and perception of time. The greatest concern is marijuana consumption during teenage where brain development is in progress. This results to rock-bottom neurocognitive activity.            Mental health NIDA found that marijuana use is associated to increased anxiety, schizophrenic psychosis and depression. Research studies brought out age factor as a profound risk factor. Research shows that there is correlation between ea rly marijuana consumption and worsening and development of symptoms of schizophrenia. High usage of marijuana can cause acute psychotic reaction as well as initiating the beginning or degeneration of schizophrenia in susceptible persons.            prenatal or perinatal some research findings have suggested that marijuana causes developmentally challenged fetal growth including length, gestational age, birth weight, and head circumference. Other semipermanent effects vary with age. They include depression, decreased wit, and addiction.            Respiratory or pneumonic research reveals that marijuana contains more tar, carcinogen and carbon monoxide as compared to tobacco. Marijuana is potential to deposit tar four times as compared to tobacco. Chronic smoking has detrimental effects to the lungs. Marijuana smokers inhale greater volumes of smoke and stimulate it for longer periods. Researc h reveals that marijuana smokers are more susceptible to bullous malady as compared to cigarette teen smokers.            Addiction among other health hazards associated to marijuana outlines that marijuana use affects both the user and their family members. ASAM is concerned since they see that the sure discussion is only concerned with reforms to the on-going marijuana policy and less(prenominal) concerned with detrimental impact of marijuana consumption. Harmful health and sentry go impacts of marijuana forget be of great importance in the decision making in the development a marijuana policy with an aim of improving public health.Objectives of marijuana legalization            ratifiedization of marijuana is considered as a public and safety measure aimed at reducing drug-associated crimes and as a remedy to harm caused by marijuana control such as incarceration among others. Advocato rs of marijuana believe that legalization of marijuana testament debase illegal marijuana trade and violent crimes associated with the illegal trade. They likewise believe that it exit be a source of revenue as well as reduce cost of law enforcement. in that location is an ongoing research to investigate the impact of marijuana legalization in United States. Prohibition of drugs such as marijuana increases costs of businesses operations due to violence involved to the illegal drug trafficking. The price of marijuana is evaluate to reduce to 80% since the social price depend on commandment and taxes. Retrieved from http//www.asam.org/policies/state-level-proposals-to-legalize-marijuana            RAND research reveals that marijuana legalization I California would not reduce drug trafficking as well as violence associated with illegal drug trafficking. Research reveals that diverted marijuana from legalized production in a tending(p ) country affects all the others since it would lead to reduction of marijuana across that country. harm elasticity of marijuana under legalized plan is complicated since addictive substances digest differently from non-addictive substances. Marijuana legalization will change it from being sumptuousness for first time users to basic necessity to the marijuana addicted persons. Legalization of marijuana is likely to be accompanied by legal publicizing of commercial use marijuana this is likely to increase marijuana consumption. Although most research were carried to investigate effect of marijuana legalization in California, the findings capability also apply in another state. Legalization of marijuana expertness cause effects to the taxes, prices, markets as well as spilling over their effects to the neighboring countries. Legalizing marijuana might be a right gait since it will substantiate impact of violent relate to illegal drug trafficking. It is also believed that public health problems of criminal justice interventions exceed their benefits. This leads to the dubiousness as to whether legalization proposals should be passed and amended. Lessening toughness to marijuana use might not be so much fruitful since there can be little or no reduction in the level of substantial costs and incarceration rates (Morgan, 2011).Negative impact of legalizing marijuana            Any state considering altering legal condition of marijuana should consider the health hazard involved as well as the profit of coping up with criminalization of marijuana use and sale. Legal drug use provides evidence that it is national public health issue. Legal drugs recently cause a havoc on public health sector since it results to substantial health and financial burden. Legalizing marijuana is likely to lead to an increase in the social costs due to taxes imposed due to the sale of the drugs. The cost of coming up with a regulatory pla n for legal marijuana is also unknown. Although legalization of marijuana might be aimed at increasing funding for prevention, addiction and treatment of commercial activities conjugated to legal marijuana. Health effects of gradual increase use of marijuana would rise sharply. It is also likely that legalization of marijuana will be accompanied by increase in number of marijuana related issues such as driving under marijuana influence, violations in act regulating age limits as well as public use violations. Research reveals that marijuana is the most famous drug associated to drugged driving. portentous injuries, crashes and even deaths are commonly linked to habitual marijuana use. doped driving will raise the cost of injuries, loss of lives and crashes. Decreased passageway safety is a major negative impact of marijuana legalization (Gerber et al, 2004).            American Academy of Pediatrics predicted that legalizing marijuana will result to increased use of marijuana amongst the youth. The fact is that there is a positive race between drug use and availability. Advocators of the policy should consider detrimental effects of marijuana availability to the society if the law was passed and amended. There will be an increased incidents of marijuana related cases, addiction as well as the regulatory cost that will be passed to the public in form of taxes.International context            The advocators of marijuana legalization policy usually come from experience from nations with less strict policies on drug use. It should not be understood that no country has ever legalized marijuana. Most countries use decriminalization policies where they have a specific limit of marijuana or a given drug use for personal purposes while drug use for commercial services remains illegal. In a country like Netherlands, commercial drug businesses are illegal and are constrained with criminal sanctions. Other than being arrested, drug users are put in chequer by the Commission for the Dissuasion of Drug Abuse (CDT). This commission dispenses the appropriate vindicatory measures to the drug user where some are receden if they obtain treatment against addiction. A country may be penalized for imposing such a policy to the citizens. For example, recently there was a proposal that Uruguay government would consider marijuana for personal use to the public. However, the fate of this proposed law is not clear. In addition, if the law was to be passed Uruguay would be fined by the United Nations International Narcotics soften Board for going against the United Nations Single Convention of 1961. ASAM encourage gross(a) study and evaluation of distinct drug laws and programs both local and internationalist which will enlighten the public on future strategies that aim at enhancing public health. Retrieved from http//www.asam.org/policies/state-level-proposals-to-le galize-marijuana2012 State-Level proposals on marijuana legalization            Several states such as surgery, Colorado and Washington brought up proposals to legalize marijuana. For instance, Colorado Amendment 64 also known as Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol Act, if passed the policy would legalize possession, purchase, use, transport and display certain amount of marijuana by large number aged 21 years and above. The state will be responsible for regulation of marijuana sector via licensure of manufacturing, cultivation and retail stores and examination facilities. The Oregon Cannabis Tax Act if passed would bring up Oregon Cannabis Commission to regulate cultivation and sale of marijuana to slew aged 21 years and above. The Washington State Initiative note No. 502, if passed it would regulate and license marijuana distribution, possession and production to people aged 21 years and above. Washington policy would also withdraw civil and criminal activities authorized by the policy. Upon passing these policies, would change everything for example, it would change marijuana from being luxury to first time users to personal use, it will also accelerate tax collection, and commercial use and sale of marijuana. The full impact of effect of legalizing marijuana are unknown (Morgan, 2011).Conclusion            There is great need of considering public health consequences of a policy in front proposing to make changes. There are more negative consequences linked to marijuana legalization as compared to the benefits that advocators think of. People are called upon to study various(a) polices and programs so that they can be able to make appropriate policies that aim at improving the public health of citizens. The legalization policy will make marijuana more get-at-able thus increasing the risk to the youths who might fall in the trap of consuming the drugs. Marijuana legal ization will also lead to an increased activities associated to marijuana such as drugged driving which leads to loss of lives, injuries and crashes.Recommendations            I oppose proposals to legalize use of marijuana in any of the states in America. There is more harm than good of implementing this policy. The predicted public health costs associated to marijuana legalization are high and hurt the citizens and the public policymakers. Health professionals and physicians should enlighten people on the probable effects of implementing such a policy. Marijuana is associated to a lot of negative effects and thus should not be legalized.The following should be recommendedThe public should be enlightened that addiction to marijuana is a public health concern and marijuana is not safe to consume.The physicians should lead the state of war against legalization of marijuana.The parents should be enlightened on the dangers of making marijuan a accessible to their teenage children through legalization of such a policyReferencesGerber, R. J. (2004). Legalizing marijuana drug policy reform and prohibition politics. Westport, Conn. Praeger.Morgan, K. (2011). Legalizing marijuana. Edina, MN ABDO Pub. Co..State-Level Proposals to decriminalize Marijuana. (n.d.). State-Level Proposals to Legalize Marijuana. Retrieved May 6, 2014, from http//www.asam.org/policies/state-level-proposals-to-legalize-marijuanaSource document