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Should Marijuana Be Legalized?

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Growing up, everyone has been taught that "Drugs are bad." As kids, we nodded and promised not to be influenced by drugs; however, many people in society today are drug users or addicts.
If legalized, marijuana would benefit the United States in terms of health, economy, and social reparations.

Marijuana restriction laws may have a huge effect on underage usage. There has been similar evidence from the regulation of tobacco and alcohol. The correlation of smoking and drinking limits with the lowered uses by students may be seen in marijuana usage as well (Boffey).
As stated by the Institute of Medicine, only 9% of marijuana users develop an addiction, when compared to higher figures of 32% of tobacco, 23% of heroin, 17% of cocaine, and 15% of alcohol. A study in New Zealand found that, on average, eight IQ points are lost by the time heavy marijuana users reach the age of 38. Another study in 2002 in Canada also showed similar trends for heavy school-age users who smoked more than five joints a week.
Proponents claim marijuana can slow or stop damage caused by glaucoma by lowering eye pressure, but Henry D. Jampel, professor of ophthalmology at Johns Hopkins University, points out that marijuana could actually worsen the vision loss caused by glaucoma.
He explains that "although marijuana does lower the eye pressure, it also lowers blood pressure." The lowered blood pressure could result in reduced blood supply to the optic nerve, causing impairment of the crucial functions

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