Bridging the Gap

The legalisation of marijuana in the UK. It concerns whether legalising the drug would be overall beneficial not only for the individual user, but also for the country in terms of economy, healthcare and if the risks and possible damage to people outweighs the pros, or if either the pros or cons will occur.

This issue is sociological because it impacts the structure and functioning of a society. Not only does it effect the society both on an individual and national scale, but it also sets up the country for similar issues in the future.

Legalising marijuana would offer positive and negative effects on society. Taxation and regulation would result in more money being generated for government services such as healthcare and infrastructure, as well as removing improving the safety of the drug as more stringent codes would be put in place to ensure safety, meaning a healthier user. However, wider access to the drug could lead to higher usage of other substances (as its often considered a 'gateway') which could increase strain on the NHS, jobs (as people wouldn't/would be less likely to work) etc, which would be detrimental to the overall wellbeing of the country from a health and economic standpoint.

Sources: Me

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