Political Issue Analysis: The Legalization of Marijuana

The past several years, the United States has witnessed an increase in the use of heroin. President Trump recently declared a “National Public Health Emergency” to combat this “opioid crisis.”

“Elements of the directive include:

• Allow patients further access to “telemedicine” so they can receive prescriptions without seeing a doctor

• Make grants available to those who have had trouble finding work due to addiction

• The Department of Health and Human Services will hire more people to address the crisis, particularly in rural areas

• Allows states to shift federal funds from HIV treatments to opioids, since the two are linked as drug users often share infected needles”

In the midst of this, some have advocated that the legalization of marijuana will reduce both the number of drug overdoses and the level of drug-related crime. Proponents for the legalization of marijuana also say this will help solve the United States’ “prison problem.”

Is there credibility to any of these claims?

We discuss this and more Think Outside Politics’ first political analysis podcast.

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