What portion of Americans support legalizing marijuana?
Current Events Friday
Data Scavenger Hunt
Find answers to the following questions using the visual above:
According to the data from the chart, what portion of Americans currently support the legalization of marijuana?
In 1969k what portion of Americans supported the legalization of marijuana?
Describe one trend in the chart regarding support for the legalization of marijuana.
What is the best explanation for that trend?
Do you think Marijuana should be legal, or not?
Big Brain Questions
Answer these questions by yourself using your brain and the links below:
As you know, The Controlled Substances Act (CSA) of 1970 is the federal U.S. drug policy under which the manufacture, importation, possession, use and distribution of certain drugs (including marijuana) is regulated and forbidden. As everyone on earth knows, the CSA was signed into law by President Richard Nixon on October 27, 1970. Therefore, according to the federal government, is marijuana legal?
This week, 57% of voters in Ohio, a Republican leaning state, supported legalizing the use of recreational marijuana for those age 21 and above. As you know, marijuana is now legal, in one way or another, in 39 states. Is marijuana legal in Ohio?
Wait a second. According to the CSA marijuana is illegal in the United States. According to Ohio voters, marijuana is legal in Ohio. Oh, and Ohio is in the United States. Explain how both these things can be true.
Federalism is a division of powers between state and national governments. Explain how different federal and state laws on marijuana relates to federalism.
In a democracy, the will of the majority of the people is supposed to be followed by the government. Based on your knowledge of American politics, especially focusing on the idea of democracy, explain how something supported by over 2/3 of all Americans is illegal.
Write and Discuss
Take ten minutes to write about the question at the top of the page and then discuss with your classmates.
Act on your Learning
Register to Vote and then go vote when you are old enough.
Get Creative
Current Attorney General Merrick Garland is in charge of enforcing the nation’s laws, including the 1970 federal law outlawing marijuana. Attorney General (A.G.) Garland controls many officers to enforce U.S. law including the FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigations) and the DEA (Drug Enforcement Agency). But because Marijuana is now legal according to Ohio law, state troopers, drug enforcement agents, or police are not going to enforce laws against marijuana. Describe a hypothetical situation where a person in Ohio could be arrested for using marijuana.
