Social Policy History Scavenger Hunt Assignment Essay

Social Policy History Scavenger Hunt Assignment - Essay Example Federal law is therefore binding on all states and is superior to state law. Historically all social policies directed towards marijuana have considered its essentially negative impact on the society. The legal history of marijuana shows that the drug has regularly been regulated by the government through different Acts. The role of government has been central in the implementation of laws pertaining to marijuana usage. On several occasions throughout history, regulations restricting marijuana usage have been relaxed and tightened. Since laws vary from state to state, laws pertaining to marijuana usage have also seen many inconsistencies. Despite federal law being superior to state laws and having made marijuana illegal, state laws continue to legalize marijuana usage. In such a case, there is increased confusion regarding what laws should be followed and how states can handle the issue. Federal law has been relatively more consistent with its stand on marijuana usage. However, state laws differ on their stand on marijuana usage. With Washington and Colorado having legalized medicinal and recreational use of marijuana within their states, many other states have been joining in. However, the vast majority of the states still continue to prohibit the use of marijuana. This is due to the social costs of marijuana legalization as a result of which social policy has historically shown great concern for marijuana legalization. The association of marijuana usage with other social vices such as crimes has led social policies to be focused more towards restricting marijuana usage. This stance is aligned with federal law which states that marijuana is illegal. The inconsistencies between state laws have also encouraged people to look for permanent answers in federalism (Reisert, 2015). The similarity between the marijuana legalization issue and social