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Legalization Of Marijuana Drug Analysis

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The Drug Enforcement Administration has declared marijuana to be a Schedule 1 drug, which is a preposterous indictment for a substance proved to relieve anxiety, alleviate the symptoms of depression, aid in pain management and act as a catalyst for ending addictions to other drugs such as heroin and alcohol. Weighing the pros and cons of marijuana and its legalization clearly indicates that there are more benefits than negatives to making marijuana a drug that should be available to the general public for medicinal and recreational use. Cannabis has a plethora of known benefits and very few negative side effects, and some would argue that there are relatively no negative side effects. “Between 2002 and 2013, the rate of heroin-related overdose …show more content…

However, while it is known to not have any true side effects, many people still consider it a gateway drug. A good amount of people who abuse drugs like cocaine or heroin usually say they started off by smoking marijuana, but the “high” wasn’t enough anymore. This could be a fair argument however, it conflicts with the DEA’s definition of a schedule 1 drug, which marijuana is, and someone’s irresponsibility with another drug should not be a causation for making a drug illegal. If marijuana was ever to become legalized nationwide for recreational use it makes sense that it should be regulated the same way tobacco and alcohol are. Tetrahydrocannabinol or THC is the compound responsible for the high which smoking or ingesting marijuana comes from. THC is the part of marijuana which should be regulated as getting children high is ethically and morally wrong, but just as opioids are legal, in certain doses, THC and CBD should be legal and utilized as well. Marijuana being legalized, at least for medicinal use could potentially save many lives and lead to longer, healthier …show more content…

Marijuana is a monumental industry capable of reaping billions of dollars, but at its present illegal state is only helping drug dealers and growers while simultaneously costing our government money. Dr. Jon Gettman makes a claim in his 2007 case study that “the U.S. marijuana industry is a $113 billion annual business that costs taxpayers $31.1 billion in lost tax revenues (Krulik)”. 31.1 billion dollars is a huge loss to take for essentially, no reason. If we find cigarettes acceptable to be legal despite the very obvious health risks why would we not legalize marijuana too, even if there are a few minor risks. Gettman has also come to the conclusion that 10.7 billions dollars a year are being spent on marijuana related arrests, most of which are simply minor possession cases. Between the 31.1 billions dollars being lost on sales and the 10.7 billion dollars being spent on law enforcement of the plant, about 41.8 billion dollars in revenue are being lost solely because the government would rather keep marijuana illegal than oversee and regulate the growth, distribution and consumption. 41.8 billion dollars could save programs in schools, fund highways, and stimulate the economy in a way we may have never seen before. Legalizing marijuana would also be the start of a massive new market creating countless jobs. Just as cigarette and alcohol companies, marijuana could

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