Another view of how laws become created is the consensus view. It implies consensus (agreement) among citizens on what should and should not be illegal. This idea states that all groups come together, regardless of social class, race, age, gender, and more, to determine what should be illegal. This view also suggests that criminal law is a function of beliefs, morality, and rules that apply equally to all members of society (Dawe, 1970).

1.7.1 Marijuana Legalization (Example)

One example of decriminalization that came from a vote of consensus in states like Colorado, Washington, and Oregon was the legalization of recreational marijuana. Recently, Texas has shown signs of potentially decriminalizing marijuana and seeking reform laws. According to the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune poll, more than half of the state’s registered voters support marijuana legalization in the state (a consensus). But only 16 percent said possession of marijuana should remain illegal under any circumstances. Marijuana is certainly a great example of decriminalization, whether it is for recreational or medicinal purposes. (University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll, 2018). Read the full article Led by Democrats and young adults, most Texas voters want to legalize marijuana, UT/TT Poll finds for more information on Texas proposing changes. Some of the results from the poll can be seen in figure 1.4.

1.7.1.1 Should Marijuana be legal in Texas? (Graph)

Figure 1.4. A bar graph from the University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll, June 2018 showing

1.7.2 Adam Ruins Everything: The Sinister Reason Weed Is Illegal (Video)

Figure 1.5. Watch the YouTube Video “Adam Ruins Everything – The Sinister Reason Weed is Illegal [Youtube Video].”