Chris Scutt 6/4/13

1. America’s Coalition Puts Marijuana Legalization Up For Discussion Chris Scutt6/4/13

2. My Synopsis • A consortium of nations have put to thought to legalize marijuana and no other illicit drugs • Also, with this legalization there will be a range of ideas to reassess how the drug war is carried out • Also, by exploring de-penalizing marijuana by advocates of more liberal drug laws

3. Key Points “the drug problem requires a flexible approach,” “it would be worthwhile to assess existing signals and trends that lean toward the decriminalization or legalization of the production, sale and use of marijuana.” “the United States, the country with the heaviest drug consumption and one that has spent several billion dollars on drug interdiction in the Americas, only to find that marijuana and cocaine continue to flow heavily and that violence has surged in Mexico and Central America as the drugs move north.”

4. Key Points (Continued) “Uruguay’s president has put forward a plan for the government to legalize and regulate the sale of marijuana.” “But the United States has so far rejected legalization as a solution to drug violence.” “Kevin Sabet, director of the Drug Policy Institute at the University of Florida, said advocates of drug liberalization were overplaying the significance of the report, which he said contained a lot the Obama administration would agree with.”

5. Key Points (Continued) “He said a discussion of legalization was only natural, particularly since two American states, Washington and Colorado, have moved in that direction.” “Institutions in the drug-producing nations are going to have to change the way they do business” “You cannot only rely on reducing demand and ignore deep-seated institutional problems.”

6. My Opinion • My opinion is that they should stop de-penalizing marijuana and look into the future for our country and our citizens • Also, instead of spending billions of dollars trying to stop drugs for coming north instead make money by legalization and have laws to the new enforcement

7. Why I Chose This Subject • I chose this subject because it interests me a lot and it we could legalize marijuana it would bring a lot to our needed country • Also, because society today would penalize marijuana, but in the article we finally have a thought to put marijuana legalization up for discussions

8. Society • It will affect society in many ways such as bringing money to bring down our national debt • Also, it will bring more jobs in the U.S. which we really need • Also, it might bring an end to the drug war on the U.S. and Mexican border

15. The Future • In the future, if we were to legalize marijuana across the country we wouldn’t have to worry about crime based on marijuana • Also, if this would occur then we would include a lot of things in our favor such as jobs in the U.S. which we really need