According to the CDC, “Marijuana, which can also be called weed, pot, dope, or cannabis, is the dried flowers and leaves of the cannabis plant. It contains mind-altering compounds like THC, as well as other active compounds like CBD, that are not mind-altering”. There have been many debates regarding the legalization of marijuana. When discussing the topic of legalizing marijuana, there are many sides to look at. Marijuana can be used for medical purposes, such as helping people come out of seizures, people in terminally ill conditions, and it also helps someone dealing with stress and anxiety issues. Legalizing marijuana would decrease the unemployment rate and make America money. Also, legalizing it would decrease the size of prisons, because there are many people thrown into jail because of marijuana.
Marijuana is a drug that is being used throughout the world and is now proven to be one of the most beneficial drugs out there. More than half of the population annually uses marijuana or has used it before. If marijuana was legalized, there would be more jobs available such as distributors, harvesters, and dispensary clerks. Some may even start businesses, and this will create even more jobs for people. The United States would also profit from this because they would be able to tax it. According to the article ‘The Economic Benefits of Legalizing Weed’, “Sales in North America grew 30 percent, to 6.7 billion, in 2016, and are projected to increase to 20.1 billion by 2021”. Obviously, if marijuana is legalized, it could help the economy on a federal and local level.
Legalizing marijuana would decrease the rate of men and women being sent to prison on charges related to marijuana. Instead of the government spending millions of dollars on prison, they could be using that money for something more positive. Marijuana arrests have now accounted for over half of drug arrests in the U.S. The ACLU states that “of the 8.2 million marijuana arrests between 2001 and 2010, 88 percent were simply having marijuana”. Legalizing marijuana could help so many people dealing with a criminal record for simply having or consuming a drug that is not doing any harm.
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It is worth noting that marijuana is a proven, effective, medicine. Since marijuana is illegal, ill people are denied medicine that could possibly change their lives. Marijuana should not be handled under the same conditions that are obtained with other drugs. Marijuana is considered to be a controlled substance, which should not be an issue because morphine is also considered a controlled substance, yet it has been approved for medical purposes. There have been many cases where marijuana has helped some people deal with the pains of their illness. The book ‘Marijuana as Medicine? The Science Beyond the Controversy’ stated: “This man died of his cancer, but, according to his wife, using marijuana, a drug he would never have tried otherwise, made his last months bearable”. People that have cancer and use marijuana say that it helps with nausea, vomiting, appetite, pain, and anxiety.
Alcohol is considered to be a dangerous substance if consumed on a regular, whereas marijuana doesn’t have such a negative effect. Therefore, if alcohol is legal, marijuana should also be made legal. Alcohol can be toxic to a person’s healthy cells and organs. Alcohol also has a higher mortality rate than marijuana. Heavy alcohol consumption can depress the central nervous system, including unconsciousness, coma, and even death. Unlike alcohol, marijuana does not cause overdoses. Also, drugs such as painkillers, heroin, and cocaine are drugs that cause damage to your body and could also ruin your life. Marijuana should not be in the category of these different drugs.
Another reason marijuana should be legalized is because it would keep people off of the streets and away from more harmful drugs. Marijuana is usually sold by drug dealers, and they tend to sell more harmful drugs as well. Therefore, if it was to be legalized, marijuana would be sold in a store the right way. It would also reduce the number of drug dealers because then people would not feel like they have to sneak around and purchase the product, instead, they could go to a store and purchase it. This would also help stop children from being exposed to harmful drugs or even selling them. Being a drug dealer would not be effective anymore. Marijuana should be sold legally so children can stay away from falling into bad habits and it makes it harder for someone to become a drug dealer.
There is so much good that can come from legalizing marijuana. Marijuana can help make things better for so many people and many different ways. Legal marijuana can help our government by using some of the money that they are using for prisons on something in a more positive light. It also makes them billions of dollars if they tax it. Marijuana is one drug that does not have many negative side effects on the body. Health is a major concern for many people, so some may not want to legalize it, but studies have shown there are not many health risks, and in fact, there are more positive health factors that marijuana could contribute to. It also helps with lowering the number of kids on the street and local drug dealers. Marijuana would bring more positives than negatives.
Works Cited
- NIDA. “Marijuana”. National Institute on Drug Abuse, 23 Sep. 2019, http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/marijuana Accessed 5 Dec. 2019.
- Krishna, Mrinalini. “The Economic Benefits of Legalizing Weed”. Investopedia, 18 Nov. 2019, www.investopedia.com/articles/insights/110916/economic-benefits-legalizing-weed.asp
- Mack A., Joy J. 'Marijuana as Medicine? The Science Beyond the Controversy'. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 2000. 6, Marijuana and Cancer. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK224387/
- ACLU. “Marijuana Arrests by the Numbers”. American Civil Liberties Union, www.aclu.org/gallery/marijuana-arrests-numbers
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