Madison Hurst ENG 091 Mrs.

Petty 12/10/13

Hurst 1

Why Marijuana should be legalized The legalization of marijuana has been under much debate ever since the debut of the drug. Marijuana, also known as cannabis sativa or indica, are the dried leaves of a hemp plant that are smoked for both recreational and medicinal uses. The effects of the drug are feelings of euphoria, creativity, hunger, and calmness. Despite all of the positive qualities of the hemp plant, it is still illegal in 47 states for recreational use and only 20 states have legalized medical marijuana. Although many people view it as a highly addictive drug, marijuana should be legalized due to how much money the government would make from the legalization, its valuable medicinal properties, and how safe the consumption is. Prohibition is the act of forbidding something by law. Based off this definition, marijuana is currently being prohibited. It would be conclusive to say that marijuana has been stigmatized much like alcohol was in the early 20th In the 1920s, The United States had a prohibition on alcohol. Many religious lawmakers found alcohol unholy and against the good word, so it was outlawed. stigmatized However, though it was illegal, many people started underground trades for alcohol and became immensely wealthy from that. This showed the government that despite the law, people still found a way to obtain what they wanted. It also made the

Hurst 2 government realize just how much money they were losing from lack of tax revenue from alcohol and from imprisoning those who were found under the influence of alcohol. This realization led to the lifting of the alcohol ban. As many researchers have pointed out, the prohibition on alcohol is parallel to the prohibition on marijuana (Ajo, 12). The War on Drugs has lost the United States an estimated $1 trillion, which is more than triple the amount of money the government was losing during Prohibition. Legalization of marijuana will help stimulate the economy. Marijuana has been described as a painkiller, anti-depressant, appetite stimulant, muscle relaxer, mood enhancer, and an effective sleep-aid. Many doctors prescribe medical marijuana cards to cancer patients or those with severe ailments, due to its healing properties and how it increases their appetite. Others use it for a temporary relief from mental problems, such as anxiety or bi-polar disorder. One of the main arguments against marijuana legalization is the idea of people getting behind the wheel after smoking marijuana. Many people are misinformed and under the misconception that weed impairs a driver more than alcohol. That is false. There is not enough scientific evidence to prove that marijuana is a contributing factor in car crashes (Hunter& Logan 12). In popular media, those under the influence have been depicted as rather slow, dimwitted, laid-back people. While many habitual users do fit some stereotypes, individuals with an IQ over 125 are more likely to experiment with marijuana or other psychedelics in comparison to those with lower IQs. This fact diminishes the idea that marijuana kills brain cells. Marijuana doesnt inhibit any normal brain functions or impair any bodily systems. The safety of marijuana consumption has led one out of every two Americans to try the drug at least once. What would

Hurst 3 happen if everyone was arrested their first time trying marijuana? Half of the country would be incarcerated. Despite all of the reasoning above, marijuana is still outlawed in many states. This has become a nation-wide debate and the fate of marijuana legalization is still up in the air. If one were to ponder whether marijuana should be legalized or not; they should consider how positively impacted the economy would be from the legalization, the valuable medicinal properties, and the safety of marijuana consumption.

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Works Cited

Ajo, Brett. "Prohibition and Humanism." The Humanist (2013): n. pag. Web.

Logan, M.C., Hunter, C.E., Lokan, R.J., White, J.M., & White, M.A. (2000). The Prevalence of Alcohol, Cannabinoids, Benzodiazepines and Stimulants Amongst Injured Drivers and Their Role in Driver Culpability: Part II: The Relationship Between Drug Prevalence and Drug Concentration, and Driver Culpability. Accident Analysis and Prevention, 32, 623-32.

Topic Outline Although many people view it as a highly addictive drug, marijuana should be legalized due to how much money the government would make from the legalization, its valuable medicinal properties, and how safe the consumption is.

The goverment The government would make large sums of money from the taxation of marijuana. The government would also save money from less arrests for marijuana possession. Marijuanas Valuable Medicinal properties Marijuana has been found to relieve stress, alleviate headaches, increase appetite, induce sleepiness, and produce euphoria improving the patients mood. Marijuana Safety Consumption There have been zero overdoses of marijuana in history. There is no scientific evidence of marijuana consumption leading to car accidents. Marijuana has no debilitating health effects.