Argumentative Essay: The Legalization Of Marijuana

The legalization of marijuana has been a hot topic in the media for many years now. There is a major divide in those who believe it should be legal, those who do not, and those who think it could be legal with modifications on the usage. The number of those who support the legalization of marijuana is on the rise with nearly 50% supporting recreational marijuana legalization, and 81% supporting marijuana legalization for medical treatment as of 2015 ("Public Support for Marijuana Legalization, 2015”). Marijuana should be legalized on a federal level because it is safer than alcohol, it will increase the economy, and there is an unfair criminalization of marijuana.

The legalization of marijuana has been an argument for over 70 years. Even though voters helped to legalize the drug in Colorado and Washington, it’s still legal for the rest of the United States. There are many pros and cons for marijuana

Many people from all around the world believe that marijuana is an addictive drug that has ruined the lives of millions. The U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that more than 37,000 annual U.S deaths are the effects of alcohol alone. Alternatively, there is not even a category for the deaths caused by marijuana. Many of us think that marijuana kills brain cells but studies show teens that use marijuana as well as alcohol suffered significantly less damage to the white blood cells in their brains. Alcohol use contributes to aggressive and violent behavior while marijuana will only make a person feel more comfortable. “Alcohol is clearly the drug with the most evidence to support a direct intoxication, violent relationships, whereas cannabis reduces the likelihood of violence during intoxications” (Shuette, 2013). The government does not even track violent acts specifically related to marijuana use. Marijuana and alcohol should be switched where marijuana is legal and alcohol is not because it will benefit people more than alcohol will.

The legalization of marijuana is a very debatable subject, some people think it is bad and should be illegal, and some people think it is good in some ways if used properly. It should be legal because it has few negative effects, it serves other purposes than getting people stoned, and it is better than other drugs.

The legalization of marijuana has been in dispute since the idea has come into conception. Exists a myriad of stances: legalization strictly for medicinal purposes, decriminalization of possession(treatment instead of incarceration), a complete prohibition, and finally a stance of the legalization of marijuana strictly for the sake of industrial use.

Marijuana has been used in religious ceremonies or for medical purposes for thousands of years. I have always been against the use of Marijuana up until four years ago when my husband at the age of twenty seven underwent invasive surgery on his knee and has never been the same since. Colorado took a huge step several years ago legalizing marijuana for medical use and in recent years took the plunge to legalize it for recreational use. Marijuana is not always a bad thing nor is it always a good thing. A lot of people will compare it to any other mind altering substance and have very valid points. I would rather have a loved one or myself smoke marijuana or ingest it, instead of popping pain pills or other harmful substances put on the market by the pharmaceutical industry; Recreational use can be safe and accepting if it is regulated correctly and used responsibly.

Because marijuana is illegal in the United States and decades of government sponsored anti-marijuana programs, it’s often associated with crime though there is no association between weed use and crime. Although there are studies that link marijuana and crime, its almost all focused on illegal distribution. People who are high don’t commit violence. Its common knowledge that a person should never take alcohol or weed and drive, but although its true that marijuana affects the ability to drive, it is not as dangerous as drunk or buzz driving. A recent study show that marijuana use increases the odds of a fatal crash by 83 percent while driving with a blood alcohol level of at least .05 increased the chance of being in a crash by 575 percent. It is clear that the roads are threatened more by alcohol than weed but society is also affected by both in very different ways. Colorado is a state where weed is legal to those twenty one and older and offers a look on marijuana’s effects on society such as states with medical marijuana painkiller overdoses deaths have dropped 25 percent due to people substituting their prescriptions for weed (Christensen, Wilson "Is Marijuana as Safe as -- or Safer than -- Alcohol?”). Alcohol does not lower the number of painkiller but because

Marijuana usage is a topic that has been discussed for some time now but the recent medical and recreational legalization of this drug has brought about a new area of unchartered territory. The business industry will have to revise many of their employment and safety requirements. After viewing some current policies many businesses are likely to be forced to established new protocols for intra and inner state practices. There are many types of complications as to why the marijuana usage laws should stay at the federal level and not within the state.

One of America’s biggest controversy today is the legalization of marijuana. There are two forms of marijuana usage, medicinal and recreational. Personally I am in favor of medicinal and recreational use of marijuana. In comparison to the use of prescription pain killers (Opiates) and alcohol, the use of marijuana is far safer. The legalization of marijuana would lead to reduced crime rates and increase local, state and federal revenue.

There are many controversial topics that are discussed in our society and when we discuss these issues we sometimes can come into conflicts on deciding what is the right decision to make because there are too many perspectives. A controversial issue that has been in America for years and has recently become more popular is the issues of the legalization of marijuana. Should marijuana be legalized? Is the popular question that no one seems to have a solid answer to. In recent New York Times articles, they have covered the topic of the Legalization of Marijuana; all articles differ in opinion about what the necessary precautions are for this issues. After reading and analyzing the articles, one could agree that Marijuana should be legalized because it will stop racial discriminations, lessen the rate of crime and help certain health issues.

The times of hearing that marijuana is the devil?s lettuce, evil, illegal, etc. are coming to a halting stop. According to The Boston University of Public Interest Law Journal, ?Marijuana is the illegal drug of preference, with reportedly approximately 16.7 million American users at present? (167). Many citizens are overcoming the false stereotypes associated with marijuana use perpetuated by people who are uneducated about the true benefits legalization would have on society. The number of users is continuing to grow, as well as the number of supporters. For instance, ?In April 2015, a CBS News poll found that eighty-four percent of Americans support medical marijuana as a treatment if prescribed by a doctor? (Titus 39). Most

Marijuana, cannabis, weed, pot, all names of a substance commonly used in the U.S. Around twenty-four million people have used marijuana once before, and about fourteen million smokes on a regular basis. Out of those millions of people 1.6 million were arrested for possession, and zero people have died from smoking marijuana. While overlooking these numbers how many people really need the cannabis? Political figures, religious figures, and health physicians all have a say in the huge controversy of legalizing marijuana.

With $20,000 per year per convictee and little to no harm to health, why is marijuana still illegal? The money we spend on the prevention and criminality of marijuana should be used to educate

Over the past decade, there has been much contention over the legalization of marijuana. Use and possession of marijuana in many countries in the world is considered a criminal offense punishable in a law court. This has changed in the recent past as some countries have legalized marijuana while others haven't. In Europe, North America and South America, small quantities of marijuana have been allowed. In the USA states such as Washington and Colorado have decriminalized use and possession of marijuana for medicinal purposes the entertainment industry is one where has negative effects of drugs are widely visible, taking the many lives of many celebrities such as Michael Jackson, Prince and Marilyn Monroe. Here in Canada, the legalization of marijuana will give restorative alleviation to numerous genuine conditions and diseases. . “Prescription drugs kill about 100,000 people in the world each year. Off the top of your head, do you know how many deaths are caused by using marijuana, either medicinally or recreationally? There are no deaths from cannabis use. Anywhere. You can't find one”. In spite of the fact that marijuana is not a cure to ailment and infirmities, it can give much mitigation to patients. Marijuana has many benefits like, revenue boost, job creation, more effective law enforcement and criminal justice, safety controls, and less money supporting against crimes.

For many years, the legalization of marijuana has been a great argument in our country. One side passionately fights for its’ medicinal properties and the potential for economic improvements, while the opposing side views marijuana as nothing more than a gateway drug, that causes more harm than good. Many states have passed laws allowing for the legality of medicinal marijuana, and 7 states so far, have passed laws supporting recreational use of the drug. (1) It’s important to understand the benefits and downside of marijuana legalization so you can decide for yourself.