Marijuana Reforms and the Legal Changes in Marijuana Consumption
Marijuana or cannabis Sativa as it is known has been a recreational and mood enhancing substance which is smoked throughout the world since ancient times has faced legal obstacles and sometimes been subjected to harsh punishment from courts of law. The laws differ from country to country and even within one country laws sometimes are different from one province or state to another. While some are not very strict about it and do not mind private consumption and possession, some hand out harsh penalties and put the smokers or consumers in jail for the same. We shall look into some of the laws in the US and the changes if there have been if any over a period of time.
United States and the changing attitude
Use of Marijuana, possession of it, or selling marijuana is illegal in the majority of the states under federal laws of USA. However, medical Marijuana has been accepted by many states. The patients suffering from cancer or HIV/AIDS and problems like muscle pain and spasms are often treated with marijuana. Chemotherapy patients often consume marijuana to overcome the feeling of nausea and vomiting as a result of the process which leaves them drained of their energy. In the states of Alaska, Colorado, Oregon and Washington in US, medicinal and non medicinal use of marijuana is legal.
Several attempts to legalise it have failed as per the ruling of the Supreme Court of the US. 23 states have allowed medical marijuana to be used by patients when recommended by their doctors to do so. As many as 14 states have also undergone some form of changes in their marijuana laws and made the punishments less severe or made it easier in some form or another to smoke or consume marijuana even without a medical card. Connecticut has decriminalised possession of up to one half ounce of marijuana and made it a fine of $150 without any jail time or criminal record.
Possession of larger amount is still punishable along with imprisonment. Illinois made medical marijuana available for patients for the first time in 2013 along with an ID card patients have to carry. The state of Indiana has allowed cannabis to legal under its Religious Freedom Restoration Act for people who have consumption or application of cannabis as a part of religion. It can be safely assumed that the demand to legalize cannabis grows more momentum; responsible use of marijuana will be allowed for adults just like it is for alcohol.
