Should Marijuana Be Legalized? - Essay Sample

Introduction

Marijuana, also known as cannabis, weed, pot, hemp, grass, and the herb is one of the typical illegal drugs countrywide. Marijuana is also commonly known to be a getaway drug since it can lead one to a more dangerous drug. Marijuana is a dried type of plant which can at many times smoked like a cigarette or in a pipe or bong. A common argument in this essay is should marijuana be legalized countrywide. Legalizing marijuana has been a very controversial issue in our society countrywide. Although there have been many malicious remarks of marijuana over the past and present, beneficial and true facts of marijuana are resurfacing. Unfortunately, the community has taken it slow in legalizing of marijuana countrywide for stereotype view for people considered the pot smokers (Monte, 241). This is a perception of unmotivated citizens with the logic of keeping marijuana unattainable to the citizens. It is examined countrywide by many people that the disadvantages of marijuana outweigh its advantages of the plant.

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Today, the medical use of marijuana has been vast in treating several symptoms caused by diseases or even by other drugs. The fact that marijuana is less toxic than many other drugs, marijuana can be used to treat patients with a common illness such as cancer. Marijuana has health benefits that many people overlook (Monte, 241). It is vital that the authorities consider the legalization of marijuana for health purposes for the citizens. There is no manufactured medicine on the pharmaceuticals that aids the treatment of many diseases as marijuana. Usage of marijuana for a medical reason since it has minimal side effects and more positive results to the patient.

Legalization of marijuana countrywide will bring societal benefits through reducing illegal activities. Also, it will help the government in its control for the safe use of cannabis and making profits for the help of taxpayers (Monte, 241). Marijuana has been legal the government will be able to take control of significant distributions; hence there will be safety which therefore benefiting a lot of its citizens in many ways. If there is control in the market for the marijuana people, there will be no danger for users to acquire it illegally hence benefiting the government and the society. By legalizing, laws will be made thus changing people's lives in the community since it will no longer be a crime.

Legalizing of marijuana nationwide could be of advantage to the economic growth of the country. Among the economic benefits is employment opportunities. Some types of employment that come with it include delivery drivers, dispensary workers, own private dealers, security guards among others Cerda, Magdalena, et al.24). Another impact of legalizing marijuana economically is the creation of more tax revenue. Tobacco each year brings the government billions of revenue if marijuana is legalized it would bring the same amount of tax revenue. Alongside the generation of more revenue, the legalizing of marijuana would cut the cost of spending it uses in the fight against marijuana.

On the contrary, not all people want the legalization of marijuana in society as it will be considered immoral. By legalization, the government has to ensure there is the protection of all the citizens through preventing possible risks associated with legalizing marijuana (McGinty, Emma E., et al, 114). The government should, therefore, enact laws that would guide its production, sale, possession, and usage of the drug.

Legalization of marijuana countrywide will make it readily available making it possible for more addiction sprout among the users. The addictive nature of drugs will rob the usage of the user the free will. Users will never be able to make informed choices and, therefore, can be capable of making irrational decisions which can make one have immoral behaviour (Cerda, Magdalena, et al.24).

Besides, legalization of marijuana will affect the entire population countrywide, both active and passive users in the case of public use of marijuana (Wilkinson, Samuel T., et al, 446). Both active and inactive users of marijuana can be harmed. By this, it is a significant disadvantage by legalizing of marijuana countrywide. The government will have failed in the protection of every citizen in cases of passive users. If legalized the government should burn the use of marijuana in public places and set smoking zones for active users.

Marijuana is not always good for human health especially active users. Marijuana can cause addiction or health complication when used in large quantity by the user. Among the adverse health effects of marijuana is increased risk of stroke, hallucinations, sexual problems for male, lowered reaction time, severe anxiety and short term memory problems and therefore health effects of active marijuana users will be critical if not controlled (William A, 13). The government will lose economically by using the taxpayers' money in spending it on rehabilitation centers for the addicted, smoking zones and a lot of capital on treating the health issues that come with marijuana.

The legalization of marijuana will also bring societal problems. In most society the use of marijuana is immoral. There will be a lot of problems when it comes to the society if it is legalized. Marijuana users will always require money to buy hence can lead to money constraints among families and antisocial behavior such as stealing or lying (Kilmer, Beau, et al. 2010). Violence among families will increase due to relationship problems or intimate partner violence. The future generation will be at risk if it is legalized as when young people start taking marijuana. Young people in the society at the age of adolescent will decline in IQ which will lead to school poor performance and likely higher chances of them dropping out. Lastly, children born after its legalization countrywide they can get the message that drugs are acceptable in society.

Although some people countrywide will propose that marijuana should not be legalized countrywide due to its effects, I fell that it should be authorized. The debate of marijuana is with no doubt that it should be legalized due to its impacts that follows countrywide (Kilmer, Beau, et al. 2010). As explained above, government revenue addition from marijuana will be added in the total revenue for more and better delivery of common services by the government. The government will gain billions of the tax revenue from the different aspects from plantation to consumptions by the users. On the health sector, I have discussed the vast of marijuana opportunities that will come with marijuana legalization. Health improvement will be increased through the production of pharmacy industries and jobs will be created for the citizens countrywide. However, the ideas of the people who are opposing the legalization have respectable concerns in the debate. In my opinion, the fact will be if marijuana is legalized the people who are against it can stay away from it. Just like alcohol and tobacco, just because they are by law acceptable for adults, not everyone countrywide consumes them.

Work Cited

Kilmer, Beau, et al. Altered state?: assessing how marijuana legalization in California could influence marijuana consumption and public budgets. Santa Monica, CA: RAND, 2010.

Monte, Andrew A., Richard D. Zane, and Kennon J. Heard. "The implications of marijuana legalization in Colorado." Jama 313.3 (2015): 241-242.

Cerda, Magdalena, et al. "Medical marijuana laws in 50 states: investigating the relationship between state legalization of medical marijuana and marijuana use, abuse and dependence." Drug and alcohol dependence 120.1-3 (2012): 22-27.

Galston, William A., and E. J. Dionne Jr. "The new politics of marijuana legalization: Why opinion is changing." Governance Studies at Brookings (2013): 1-17.

McGinty, Emma E., et al. "The emerging public discourse on state legalization of marijuana for recreational use in the US: Analysis of news media coverage, 2010-2014." Preventive Medicine 90 (2016): 114-120.

Wilkinson, Samuel T., et al. "Marijuana legalization: impact on physicians and public health." Annual review of medicine 67 (2016): 453-466.