Should Marijuana Be Legalized?

The legalization of marijuana became a heated political subject in the last few years. Twenty-one states in America have legalized medical marijuana. Colorado and Washington are the only states where marijuana can be purchased recreationally. Marijuana is the high THC level part of the cannabis plant, which gives users the “high” feeling. There is ample evidence that supports the argument that marijuana is beneficial. The government should legalize marijuana recreationally for three main reasons. First, I will present two common arguments against the legalization of marijuana and then refute them. Second, I will explain how there is no proof of harmful effects from marijuana and that there are many health benefits prominent. Third, I will describe how legalization would bring in tax revenue for the government. Finally, I will go into detail on how legalization would decrease crime rates.

The major debate in America today, is whether Marijuana should be legalized or kept illegal. Marijuana is the most widely used illicit drug in America, of the nearly twenty million current drug users, 14.6 million are using marijuana (National 73) . Therefore, if marijuana is legalized in America, the number of users will skyrocket. Hence, marijuana should stay illegal in America for the reason that if it is legalized, more adolescents would acquire the drug easier, roads will become more dangerous and finally, more marijuana means higher chances of addictions and use of other harmful drugs.

What could the United States do with 7.7 billion dollars? What could the state of Kentucky do with 5.3 billion dollars? How could the country even get this much extra money? By legalizing marijuana in the United States we could generate such revenue. There are several benefits to legalizing marijuana, which include stimulating the economy in the United States, helping patients in pain, and eliminating illegal drug use one the streets.

Today, more than 20 states are currently approving the use of Medical Marijuana. Gathering statistical data from Gallup Politics in 2013, 58% of Americans say the drug Marijuana should be legalized, for the first time ever recorded. Gallup had first asked the question of legalization in 1969, when only 12% favored legalization. Had I been included in the study, I likely would have been for the legalization. Medical Marijuana had been used for centuries prior to it becoming illegal, and it is important to know what decided the illegalization of medical marijuana, whether there is currently a benefit of treatment with medical marijuana, and the regulation of Marijuana.

Marijuana can be viewed in two ways: an addictive illegal high or a medical treatment drug. Marijuana first and foremost is an illegal drug, and can land you up to 7 years in prison just for possession or up to 14 years in prison for the supplying and production of the drug. However, marijuana is not all bad. It can be used for medical purposes (shown in certain states of the USA). Many people are unaware of this, so this leads us to the question: Marijuana; legislation or a continued ban?

Marijuana legalization would allow for legal distribution and taxation of cannabis as well as decrease expensive enforcement and incarceration costs. Political authorities debate whether legalization or decriminalization is necessary. Derived from the hemp plant called Cannabis sativa, marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug in the United States (Glauser). Usually smoked in a blunt, joint, or pipe, the dry, shredded brownish-green mix of stems and leaves can be mixed in food, or brewed into a tea. Delta-9-tetrahydrocannibinol (THC) is the main active chemical that rapidly passes from the lungs into the bloodstream when someone inhales marijuana. Once the THC reaches the brain, the chemical reactions lead to the “high” that users experience when they use marijuana. Only lasting a few hours, these effects are short term. More realistic concerns question whether or not users will become addicted to cannabis. “Compared to other substances, marijuana is especially un-addictive; it’s often paired with drugs like alcohol, cocaine, and heroin, but when discussing addiction, a much more appropriate comparison would be to caffeine” (Glauser). As a non-addictive substance that can be therapeutic, reduce arrests, and boost the economy, marijuana should be legalized.

One of the most divisive issues in America today is whether to legalize the cultivation, sale, and possession of cannabis. The prohibition of marijuana cost tax payers an annual of 12 billion dollars a year to prosecute recreational users as criminals which was a component in our deficit today. The current prohibition of marijuana makes criminals of otherwise law abiding cannabis users. Legalization will provide medical benefits of marijuana, and economic benefits of legal marijuana, and the re correct the societal harm that results from the current prohibition of marijuana on the federal level and the majority of states. Those in favor of the current prohibition claim “there are no good reasons to legalize marijuana”, but they do not know all of the plants benefits.

Marijuana is contervisol topic all around the world, some countries like Amsterdam and states in the United States have legalized marijuana, and this has put preasure onto other countries to legalize. Marijuana is also referred as weed, herb, and pot and is derived from a plant called cannabis sativa, also known as hemp plant. The cannabis plant produces THC, which stands for tetrahydrocannabinol, and there are over 85+ individual cannabinoids, which are found in marijuana, but THC is responsible for the sensation of “high” felling. THC binds to special receptors in the brain and all around the body called cannabinoid receptors, the receptors trigger series of chemical reactions, which causes change in the body, and function of the brain. Prominence of marijuana, is surrounded by great controversy, there are two definite sides, those who believe marijuana should be legalized for recreation use, and those who believe marijuana should stay illegal for its own good for the society. Legalizing marijuana can create more jobs but marijuana should be kept illegal because we do not know the long term affects, marijuana can damage your health, and the use of the drug can impact public safety.

Marijuana is the most frequently used illegal drug globally; different types of the drug have been used for many years for their social, aesthetic, and medicinal effects. International laws and treaties have forbidden farming, possession, and selling of marijuana. This makes lawbreakers out of more than the 125 million people marijuana consumers and those who supply them. The trade makes illicit markets totalling to billions of dollars per year, some of the illegal activity results in violence and corruption by public officials. Millions of marijuana users are arrested annually for possession of drugs, and some traffickers also land in prison (Kacey, 2014).

“There’s nothing new about cannabis, of course. It’s been around humankind pretty much forever. In Siberia charred seeds have been found inside burial mounds dating back to 3000 B.C. The Chinese were using cannabis as a medicine thousands of years ago. Marijuana is deeply American too—as American as George Washington, who grew hemp at Mount Vernon. For most of the country’s history, cannabis was legal, commonly found in tinctures and extracts” (Sides). This is how the national geographic article “Science Seeks To Unlock Marijuana’s Secrets” by Hampton Sides was opened. Very good opening sentences that provide a good idea of marijuana and a little history on it as well. There are many problems in todays society, but the argument of

The legalization of marijuana has achieved national attention within the last few years. Twenty-five states and the District Of Colombia have decriminalized marijuana but only 4 have legalized it strictly for recreational purposes. It has been an increasingly popular idea to legalize it across the U.S, but this new trend should not continue. Marijuana consists of very helpful benefits towards medical issues such as HIV, AIDS, and seizures. However, this drug should never emerge to legalization because it causes short-term affects on the users health and specifically the brain. It causes long-term affects including a negative correlation between smoking marijuana and ones income and learning capabilities. It causes dependency to people who smoke it especially before the age of 18. And, it does in fact show signs of a “gate way” drug for a significant amount of people. Citizens should not easily obtain this drug, especially younger kids. This drug should not meet legalization for these reasons stated; however the medical benefits should continue to help with serious health issues.

Cannabis is not a drug, Marijuana should be legalize because many people use it for different reason and it shouldn 't matter to the government on how people use this substance. Cannabis is less harmful than alcohol and cigarettes, prohibition diverts critical law enforcement resources from violent and property crime, and marijuana benefits many people that has medical problem like glaucoma, cancer and epilepsy.

There are many places where we can find marijuana successfully legalized, both by individual states here in the United States and by Federal governments abroad. I’ll start by introducing an example here in the U.S.: Colorado. On November 6, 2012, the citizens of Colorado voted in favor of Amendment 64 which allowed for the personal use and regulation of Marijuana (Ferner, 2014). Through this legislation came the Colorado Revised Statutes which regulates the medical and retail marijuana industry (Colorado Department of Revenue, 2015). These statutes outline everything from how much an entity can produce legally to the penalties involved if they don’t follow the rules. Colorado has seen great financial success from this, as it has taken in $53 million dollars in tax revenue in 2014 (Colorado Department of Revenue, 2015).

Five territories in the United States; Colorado and Washington in 2012, with Oregon, Alaska and Washington D.C. quickly following their example, have already found substantial evidence to support the legalization of marijuana. I absolutely agree with the legislation passed in these areas making the use of marijuana legal, so long as it is sold and regulated by the government in a similar fashion to alcohol and tobacco. Like tobacco and alcohol there should only be certain settings in which it is acceptable to engage in such activities. The use of marijuana as a medicinal drug is absolutely agreeable because it can help so many who cannot find relief from their disorders through any other means, but the recreational use would also have a number of positive effects on America as a whole.

I know at this point many will think; ok, maybe tobacco and alcohol are worse than marijuana, however legalizing this drug will only lead to an increase in violent crimes, and will cause more accidents on the road due to impaired driving. Furthermore, it will increase the use among teens and minors. As well as becoming a gateway drug that will lead to other dangerous drugs, and what about the use of the drug while a woman is pregnant, how will that effect a baby in the womb? Let me begin by saying, that at this moment there is no research that indicates that a woman smoking marijuana can hurt an unborn baby, but just like tobacco and alcohol it is not safe for a pregnant woman or woman breast feeding to use the drug. With any substance there will always be risk that can be harmful to an unborn baby or babies who are breast fed. But without any research we will never know what effects it can have, the more reason why they should take marijuana off Schedule I and allow for more research to be done.