Most Common Illegal Drugs in the United States Essay

The truths about marijuana are slowly starting to resurface, the government keeps ignoring that cannabis could one day be as powerful for the U.S. Unfortunately, these truths about marijuana are under a lot of criticism because of the stereotype of what people see as a "marijuana or cannabis smoker." There is a great difficulty in this law because marijuana is still recognized as a harmful and dangerous substance in some states. This can cause problems because each state has their different views and opinions on the matter, and have their own rules and how the rules apply towards it. The twenty-six states and the District of Columbia currently have laws legalizing marijuana in some form, but California, Massachusetts, and Nevada just passed the law for recreational use. The states that have medical marijuana and recreational legalization are Washington, Oregon, California, Colorado, Nevada, and Alaska. The states that only have medical marijuana legal are Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota, Michigan, Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, Connecticut, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, Florida, Louisiana, Arkansas, New Mexico, Arizona, Hawaii (Ingraham). However, legalizing marijuana could have some benefits instead of being a drug with some bad reputations. Marijuana should be legalized because of medical reasons, safety reasons, and have some benefits to society.

The question of whether or not marijuana should be legalized for recreational and medicinal use has been a three decade long conversation. There are many pros and cons to legalizing marijuana. There are many different ideas about the effects of marijuana, but as with any drug answers are going to vary depending on the person you survey. Age, health, and mental stability are all factors to consider how a drug can positively or negatively affect you, and marijuana is no different. To be legal or not to be legal is the million dollar question up for debate.

     Marijuana does have some negative effects, but compared to other drugs marijuana is harmless. Other drugs are highly addictive were marijuana is not. Alcohol is one of the most leading causes of car crashes. Marijuana is nowhere near being a leading cause of death. Other drugs can lead to cancer where marijuana is used to cure it, and other drugs can lead to deaths. Other drugs impair you vision, but marijuana does not. All the other drugs except alcohol are gateway drugs, and the only way to purchase them is by smuggling them across the border. Many advocates say “we should begin to reflect that reality in our state and federal legislation, and stop acting as if otherwise law-abiding marijuana smokers are part of the crime problem. They are not, and it is absurd to continue using law enforcement resources arresting them.” (Gary) Many advocates also say, “Far more harm is caused by marijuana prohibition than by marijuana itself.”(Gary)

After many years of trying to make the plant grow, perfectly, indoor, growing marijuana have become lucrative and more desired. Though marijuana growers know that planting the plant is dangerous and can even lose their house or all their property, they are taking the risk because it is a good business. The prohibition made the plant more profitable because growing them indoors takes a great amount of time and money. Growers needs to use high technology to perfectly monitor the new environment that human have created for the plant. As a result, the plant, from being naturally grown outdoors and cheaply and accessibly, became expensive. There is so much money with this business because, one of the reasons, growers don’t even have to pay taxes from selling them. However, in today’s society, California is having a big experiment trying to find a way to legalize marijuana. The growers that made their business out of it could pay taxes that can help them have more money to supports its people. Also, I believe if this happened, human can again reconnect

Finally, the main reason millions of Americans want marijuana decriminalized is the positive effects it could have on our despicable economy. First off, decriminalizing marijuana will prevent users from going to prison which will save all us tax payers a whole lot of money. In California alone, the cost of marijuana enforcement can be estimated at over $200 million per year (Gieringer). The money is being spent on state prison, jail costs, court and probation, felony arrests, misdemeanor

This solution is not only medically sound, but it is also financially beneficial to the American population and federal government. Since 2015, marijuana has become the fastest growing industry in the U.S. (“Office of National” 7). If marijuana becomes legal in all fifty states, the industry will become larger than the organic food market (“Office of National” 6). Therefore, legalization of marijuana for medicinal purposes will not only create a thriving agricultural industry, but it will also bring in revenue for the fiscal budget rather than drain it. In 1996, California became the first U.S. state to legally allow medical marijuana for patients with a valid doctor’s recommendation, and the

At this point, the legalization of marijuana, especially that which occurs in California, is a topic of extreme importance now. A change of perspective on the legendary War on Drugs can come as a result of the successful implementation a regulated marijuana market in California seeing as though the state has the highest GDP (n.a., n.d.) and thus, it is the state with the biggest economy in the country. By correctly implementing a regulatory body and system in said state, a precedent can be formed, leading to the consequent legalization of marijuana in the rest of the

Should marijuana be legalized? Many Americans have been asked this question or have heard some type of news about the issue. Marijuana is commonly known as cannabis which refers to the dried up hemp plant cannabis sativa, even though marijuana is a plant and has no chemical additives it has been a tropic of controversy for many years but nowadays it is in the spotlight more than ever. For centuries, marijuana has been used by people throughout the world for religious, recreational and medical use. A few countries like the Netherlands and Uruguay have already legalized marijuana for recreational use and many other countries are taking a step towards doing so. Is it finally time for the United States to take a closer look into possibly legalizing marijuana. Marijuana should be legalized for medical and recreational purposes because it would aid in the War on drugs, it would become an important source of revenue for the government and reduce overpopulation of American jails.

Marijuana has a greater beneficial impact on society then many people realize. Marijuana should be legalized for medical as well as recreational purposes. This is a highly controversial issue that is being debated throughout the country. In essence marijuana is evaluated by the effectiveness of the drug. It is defined as the dried flowered clusters and leaves of a hemp plant smoked for the intoxicating effect. Whether it should be legalized or not is the real question.

Marijuana has been around for centuries and has been used for many things, such as the oil in the cannabis plant, which is high in protein and essential fatty acids, or the plant is dried and made into hemp, and hemp into baskets or bracelets. Other than protein and crafts, marijuana has long been used for recreational purposes. With the underground black market controlling the trade of marijuana, it poses more risks than legalizing it. Marijuana is highly illegal in the United States, and the repercussions are very harsh, in some places more than others. Recreational marijuana use should be regulated or decriminalized.

The argument of legalizing marijuana has been in the forefront of politics in the United States of America for the last few years. Marijuana comes from the plant Cannabis sativa which has been used throughout history in religious practices, medicine, paper, fiber, and recreation. Its use was banned in the United States of America during the 1930s. This ban was due to public fears surrounding the negative social effects of the drug. Not only were many of these negative effects exaggerated, but the use of this plant has been shown to have many positive attributes. Allowing citizens of the United States of America to plant marijuana could help save the environment. Allowing marijuana to be sold in the United States of America could also help boost the economy. Most of all, the use of marijuana is capable of helping to prevent many individuals who have life-long or terminal diseases from suffering. Marijuana should be legal in all 50 states because of its environmental, economic, and medical benefits.

Some medical reasons that marijuana shouldn’t be decriminalized are that it has long and short terms effects. Examples of the short term outcomes include memory loss, difficulty with thinking, loss of motor skills and increased heart rate. According to the National Institutes of Health show that someone smoking about five joints per week is taking in as many cancer causing chemicals as someone smoking a pack of cigarettes every day. There is no science proof that smoked marijuana can be used for medication. Since cannabis plants are polluted with a range of fungal spores, smoking marijuana may increase the risk of infectious organisms. Taradiff, J. "Marijuana and the War on Drugs. “Marijuana. Farmington Hills, Michigan: Thomas Gale, 2008. 157. Print.

Marijuana has a long standing history of being one of the most controversial substances in America. While the history or the Cannabis plant indicates not only acceptance as a useful plant, but even advocated as a source of revenue and medicinal usage, much of the United States government propaganda over the last 100+ years has led Americans to accept very slighted and often false information about the plant and its uses. Based on the origin of the illegalization of marijuana and the inconsistent findings of its effects in comparison to other substances, both legal and illegal, marijuana should be decriminalized and treated as a recreational substance just as alcohol and tobacco are.

"In any civilized society, it is every citizen 's responsibility to obey just laws. But at the same time, it is every citizen 's responsibility to disobey unjust laws." Martin Luther King Jr. Many people ask “why should marijuana be legalized”? when the real question that we should be asking is “why shouldn’t marijuana be legalized”?. Marijuana also known as hemp is a naturally grown plant that has been around for decades dating back to around 2697 B.C., when the Egyptians would use it to cure many common ailments, and the Chinese would use it for therapeutics. Using marijuana not only to cure common illnesses but for your pleasure as well should be up to you the free citizens of California and not to the government. The first major reason

Marijuana is believe it or not, one of the safest ‘illegal’ drugs on Earth. It is safer than legal alternatives: alcohol or tobacco. According to CNN “1 in 8 Americans smoke marijuana on a regular basis.” the drug can provide medical benefits, lower social costs, and better the economy. Therefore Marijuana should be deemed legal for recreational and medicinal usage across America, because it provides medical benefits, lowers social cost, and betters the economy across the board.