The Top Ten Reasons Marijuana Should Be Lega

With marijuana being a very popular drug, it is not a harmful drug. Marijuana is used by many people all around the world. The percentage of people who smoke has increased by a significantly large amount. “Ever since marijuana has been known to mankind, not one single account of death

The statement “marijuana is a lot safer than alcohol” cannot go unchallenged and should be debated. One important subject is the risk that marijuana use (especially in young adults) can lead to some kinds of mental illness. “Studies support findings that risk of schizophrenia doubles in young abusers” (U.S. National Household Survey on Drug Abuse, 2009). According to Joseph Califano Jr., CASA founder and chairman of Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) “If we were to make marijuana legal and taxed it, for approximately every dollar of tax revenue, there could be as much as seven dollars incurred in medical costs”.

For many years, there has been a war against society and the federal government on whether or not marijuana should be legal in the U.S., for medicinal and recreational purposes. There are so many positive aspects as to why it would be a highly viable asset to communities all over the U.S. Though there are some aspects to be looked at and taken into consideration when it comes to legalizing this drug, it still stands as an important fact that marijuana should be in fact legalized by the federal government, so that the development of hemp crops can be used as a valuable agricultural crop in the U.S., creating a new bio-fuel to reduce carbon emissions we consume every day, so that we can expose majority of the prohibitions on the dangers of marijuana are solely based on disinformation and lies, and so that dollars collected in tax revenue from marijuana sales can be used for bettering our communities instead of spending our earned taxed dollars on criminalization costs keeping it illegal.

Drinking alcohol is also much more harmful for you than marijuana is, and it too is legal. Alcohol damages your internal organs like your liver, kidneys, and circulatory system. Alcohol also has a much higher dependency than does marijuana. Tens of thousands of people are dependent on alcohol everyday sometimes ruining one’s personal and family life. Alcohol also causes you to lose your inhibitions which could get

Although I admit that there are a lot of loop holes in this argument, I feel that I need to tell everyone how far less dangerous marijuana is than already legal substances such as alcohol or tobacco. Around 50,000 people die each year from alcohol poisoning. Similarly, more than 400,000 deaths each year are attributed to tobacco smoking. Someone would have to smoke over 1400 pounds of marijuana

Many people from all around the world believe that marijuana is an addictive drug that has ruined the lives of millions. The U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that more than 37,000 annual U.S deaths are the effects of alcohol alone. Alternatively, there is not even a category for the deaths caused by marijuana. Many of us think that marijuana kills brain cells but studies show teens that use marijuana as well as alcohol suffered significantly less damage to the white blood cells in their brains. Alcohol use contributes to aggressive and violent behavior while marijuana will only make a person feel more comfortable. “Alcohol is clearly the drug with the most evidence to support a direct intoxication, violent relationships, whereas cannabis reduces the likelihood of violence during intoxications” (Shuette, 2013). The government does not even track violent acts specifically related to marijuana use. Marijuana and alcohol should be switched where marijuana is legal and alcohol is not because it will benefit people more than alcohol will.

Legalizing marijuana will also assure the quality of the drug, which apart from being used for

Marijuana has been vilified in America over the past 70+ years. Despite its many practical uses, medicinal and industrial, our Federal government insists on maintaining the status quo that the growth, possession and use of marijuana is criminal despite the evidence that the legalization of marijuana would have a positive influence on America. In this paper I will discuss the history of marijuana, the industrial uses of hemp, the prohibition of marijuana, the economic impact prohibition has on America, the effects of marijuana use on the mind and the body, marijuana for medical use, and how legalization of marijuana would have a positive influence on America. Although

According to a report put out by the British Police Foundation in March 2000, cannabis has been shown to produce less harmful effects than its other legal counterparts such as alcohol and tobacco. This kind of information calls into sharper focus the question on the minds of many as to why such a plant that is not only less harmful than legal drugs but has significant health benefits has remained illegal.

In the United State marijuana is the leading cause of substance dependence. 1 out of every 10 users becomes very dependent on the drug. The rate of dependence on marijuana is at the same rate as alcohols rate. Half of the daily user who use marijuana are or will become dependent and two thirds of people that suffer with substance disorder is because of marijuana. Addiction risk is also present when using the substance. Even though not scientifically proven marijuana is addicting. Teens from 9 to 16 percent risk for addiction doubles because of the age they started at. Those who use the drug daily have a high a chance of addiction risk that increases from 25 to 50 percent. Annually, 100,000 Americans turn to rehabilitation for help in prevailing over bad cannabis customs . Countries who experience relaxed marijuana like the Netherlands and Britain show why weed should not be legalized. These countries are seeing heavy users and are also seeing withdrawal symptoms from those that are trying to quit the drug. Addiction can lead to many different things. Many of these things are not healthy for you. Once addicted those who try to quit experience withdrawal symptoms, irritability, sleeplessness, decreased appetite, anxiety and craving. Because of all harm that can come through dependence and addiction from the drug legalizing marijuana would not be a wise

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.

What are the prevailing issues for and against legalization of marijuana? Just because something is labelled as “illegal” does not mean it is bad. Likewise, when something is labelled as “legal” does not mean it is not bad. Throughout the progression of time, the Western outlook on Marijuana has changed drastically. A few decades ago, the idea of smoking Marijuana was perceived as a menace to the public and the discussion of legalizing Marijuana was greatly frowned upon. Particularly during the early 1970’s when President Nixon proposed the ‘war on drugs’ policy, where he proclaimed, “The public enemy number one in the United States is drug abuse (Sharp, 1994, p.1).” Despite the ‘war on drugs’ policy, several decades later, America began legalizing the recreational use of Marijuana in four different States including; Alaska, Colorado, Oregon, and Washington. Similarly, with the United States’ impact, Canada is in the midst of legalizing Marijuana with the new Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau in power. Throughout Canadian history, the United States has greatly influenced Canada’s policies and regulations. For instance, the issues of Doctor-assisted suicide and Abortion were first legalized in the United States and not too long after, Canada followed. In spite of the U.S influence, the discussion of Marijuana is a very prominent and controversial topic among Canadians. In fact, Marijuana can be both beneficial and harmful to all users.

Legalization of marijuana will greatly simplify the regulatory burden on hemp and the cultivation in the United States.

Marijuana, weed, hashish, pot, it goes by many names. Many people argue that it should be legalize because it’s no better than alcohol and cigarettes. Although these claims holds some truth, marijuana is still a dangerous drug and adding one more problematic drug into the mix will not improve America’s health and safety issues. Although marijuana has its medical benefits, using it for recreational purposes is dangerous for both us and our society.