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.
Marijuana can be used by the public for many purposes. Medicine is an important part of our lives and marijuana has been tested to cure cancerous cells as well as help people with their epilepsy. Using marijuana for medical purposes is one major aspect that people should take into consideration for legalizing it. Marijuana’s market has also been brought to many people’s attention because it has been poised to grow faster than smart phones. Together, these reasons have been more than enough for people to consider legalizing marijuana.
Today in America, millions of American citizens are both confused and outraged by the fact that there are still laws that are preventing people from using one of the most popular and controversial, illegal substances in the world: marijuana. According to recent polls, fifty percent of Americans want marijuana to be completely legal and decriminalized (Blodget), and a whopping eighty percent of Americans want it to be at least legalized for medical use (RangelMD). So why do so many Americans want marijuana to be legalized? To some this question can be easily answered, but to others, it’s not so simple. There are way too many reasons to count why
In the United States, we have enacted numerous bans and restrictions against certain drugs and substances with the purpose of protecting the general public from their negative effects. On this list of illegal drugs are harmful and addictive substances such as cocaine, methamphetamines, and heroin. A substance called cannabis, also known as marijuana, is also on this list. As of now, it is illegal to buy, sell, possess, or use marijuana in any shape or form in the state of Louisiana. However, due to the advancement of technology and of human perspective and innovation, it has come to light that marijuana could actually be of benefit to our society through its medicinal uses in treating a range of conditions and diseases as well as its possible social benefits in helping individuals stray from heavier drugs by acting as a substitute. Now that the wheels of time are turning and that medical marijuana is becoming a budding industry, the question remains: should marijuana be legal all across the United States of America? With the benefits it could bring with its medical, social, and economic uses, marijuana could be a profitable asset to our society if it were to be legalized, and I believe that we should strive for that outcome.
One of the primary focuses of America 's War on Drugs is the controversial drug Marijuana. Marijuana remains the most widely used illegal drug and stirs up constant debate everywhere. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime from the World Drug Report 2004 an estimation of about 4 percent of the world’s adult population (162 million) consume marijuana annually (156). For thousands of years human beings have attempted to find ways to get passed the struggles of everyday life. With the pain of the world stopping people from enjoying simple pleasures, sometimes there is a need for help. Marijuana brings millions of people relief from pain flet on a day-to-day basis. This completely natural plant which previously helped so many people has puzzled the leaders of our nation for a long time. The effects of the drug on a individual level is what 's prevented the product from being legalized. Many issues involving this plant, like the speculation of it being a gateway drug, has put yet another block on its legalization. Even with the drugs known speculations, the benefit that it brings to the table most definitely out way its disadvantages. Marijuana can also alleviate several symptoms associated with cancer and Aids treatments and disorders. While Marijuana is effective as a medicine, it is also extremely lucrative. The economic benefits that Marijuana brings to the table are endless. Non legalization is a waste of societies hard earned money to continue to enforce
Americans nationwide have been using marijuana for decades due to a variety of reasons. Talks of marijuana legalization and marijuana use across the country has rapidly grown and America is getting one step closer to becoming a “weed nation”. Many Americans disagree with the legalization of marijuana, but a majority of voters believe recreational marijuana should be legal nationwide. Last year alone, nearly twenty tons of marijuana was sold to recreational and medical users, which resulted in $63 million in tax revenue and an additional $13 million in licenses and fees. Legalizing and regulating marijuana will bring the nation's largest cash crop under the rule of law, creating jobs and economic opportunities in the formal
Marijuana is becoming one of the most commonly used and abused drug in the United States. “According to government surveys, about 25 million Americans have smoked marijuana in the past year, and more than 14 million do so regularly (Norml). The reasons some people smoke marijuana can be for just relaxation, just to be curious, and more reasons. Even though marijuana is bad in several ways, it is good for one reason which is medical purposes but that does not mean it should become legal. Marijuana can cause good and bad, but the bad outweighs the good. There are numerous reasons marijuana should remain illegal.
First, this paper will explain why supporters of the legislation I researched believe marijuana should be legalized. A majority of people have come to agree that marijuana should be legal. This stat has change from the stiff opposition of just a few years ago. A majority of the country now supports full legalization, and three quarters of the
This energy and man power should be focused on real issues such as violence, homicide, and the sale of other major illegal substances that take hundreds of life each and every day as seen on televisions news shows and read in daily newspapers. Marijuana users have not been known to cause the malicious injuries or damaging life threatening disorders that other illegal substances have. Nor does it have the same effects as legal substances such as alcohol which is used in excessive overdose can cause poisoning and at times lives, or life threatening conditions, but its still considered legal. There has never been an incident in which a person who smokes marijuana has faced this type of outcome. This is also not a physically addictive drug. By these findings one can agree with Mcgath's essay again when he stated "Congress needs to acknowledge this constituency exists, and stop legislating as if marijuana smokers were dangerous people who need to be locked up. Marijuana smokers are simply average Americans."
The quote, "States that have adopted medical marijuana laws have experienced few, if any, significant problems. Several recent studies have found that medical marijuana laws do not result in an increase—and might actually result in a decrease—in rates of marijuana use as well as traffic fatalities, prescription overdose deaths, suicides, and crime rates," from the article Marijuana Should Be Used for Medical Use proves that the legalization of marijuana has benefitted communities and helped crime and danger rates decrease. People could argue that the legalization of medical marijuana could severely damage communities increasing crime rates and drug trade. It is a known fact that the illegal trade of marijuana, in many cases, results in crime and many broken laws particularly for the possession of an illegal substance. The quote “A 1990 scientific survey of oncologists (cancer specialists) found that 54% of those with an opinion favored the controlled medical availability of marijuana and 44% had already suggested at least once that a patient obtain marijuana illegally” from the article Medical Marijuana Should Be Legalized suggest that the legalization of marijuana is strongly supported by communities themselves, and that ill patients shouldn’t have to risk getting in trouble with authority for the possession of marijuana for their health issues. The statistics show that the
Marijuana is a substance that has become very much a part of American culture. Nearly 65 million Americans have either used it occasionally or regularly. The use of marijuana hit mainstream America about thirty years ago and it has been accepted by a large segment of society ever since (Rosenthal 16). The debate on whether this substance should be legalized or not remains a very hot topic today. Despite government efforts
The legalization of marijuana is, and has been a heavily disputed issue for decades. On one hand, marijuana could lead to a medical breakthrough, or at least provide relief to cancer and AIDS patients. On the other hand, legalizing a drug could expose it to too broad an audience. As a drug, marijuana has never proven to be anywhere near as harmful as cigarettes or alcohol. Each year in the United States, 400,000 people die from tobacco, 50,000 from alcohol, and from marijuana, zero. Regardless of what side one may take to this argument, there are some causes to this marijuana debate that everyone should know. Marijuana was not always illegal, and the reasons behind the history of narcotic regulation are interesting when viewed from
It is very well known that the majority population of the United States is very diverse and divided in their beliefs. One of the more controversial and heated topics today is the topic of Marijuana legalization. The majority population of the United States is divided in this controversy in whether or not to legalize and decriminalize or to keep it illegal. Some of the stronger points of argument on this topic are the health risks involving the use of marijuana, medical uses, and the tax revenue it could produce if legalized.
Marijuana is a cannabaceae plant, which has always been associated with negative connotations until recently, when it has been discovered that this plant may be used to cure diseases and improve a country economy. Thus, the American opinion is split on the question of “Marijuana Legalization”. In fact, a survey undertaken by CNN/ORC International Poll states that 55 % of Americans believe that the use of marijuana should be legal, while only 44 % think it should be illegal (CNN). I also share the American majority opinion since there is some evidence that marijuana yields positive results.