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Amanda Chee

Melvin Cobb

Educational Technology 171

November 7, 2013

Marijuana Legalization

Marijuana, also known as cannabis, is illegal to possess, use and sell in many states.

Currently in California, you are able to use cannabis if you obtain a medical card. Colorado has

also just recently passed the use of marijuana. Marijuana should be legalized in all states because

it is safer and less addictive than alcohol and tobacco and will also generate huge amounts of tax

revenue for the federal government.

The restriction of marijuana causes our youth to believe that all drugs are similar. Despite

this belief, the use of marijuana has had zero deaths. Cigarettes and alcohol which are both made

with lots of toxins are both legal and more addictive. Marijuana on the other hand is a natural

plant that has been grown and used for everyday life dating all the way back to 3000 BC and was

first used as medicine in China. It is also less dangerous than alcohol or tobacco as alcohol

poisoning kills someone everyday. Long time use of tobacco and alcohol consumption lead to

many other diseases and marijuana is used as an alternative to pain killers for some of these

diseases. Studies made by British Columbia Mental Health and Addictions Journal showed that

the health-related costs for those who consumed alcohol were eight times greater than those who

used marijuana and forty times greater for those who used tobacco. “In terms of costs per user:

tobacco-related health costs are over $800 per user, alcohol-related health costs are much lower

at $165 per user, and cannabis-related health costs are the lowest at $20 per user (norml).” Not

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only are the health costs of tobacco and alcohol much more expensive but tobacco and alcohol

are far more toxic, addictive, and harmful than marijuana.

The United States first began to regulate marijuana during the mid 1930’s for all the

states. A similar regulation was also done on alcohol on January 16, 1920 but the prohibition of

alcohol caused a huge abuse of alcohol consumption among many. There also became a steep

rise in organized crime because of such high demand. Alcohol restriction in the early 1920's and

marijuana restriction today are similar. Alcohol was legalized thirteen years after December 5th

1933 and eventually lead to less crime. Today’s main problem for marijuana as an illegal

substance is that it causes distribution by criminals which means that it is only putting money

into their pockets with zero tax dollars. If we legalize marijuana, we can tax it highly and make

money for our government just like with alcohol and tobacco products.

Marijuana is America’s number one cash crop topping out at $35.8 billion while

exceeding corn at $23.3 billion and wheat at $7.5 billion. Why shouldn’t we legalize it so

America can finally tax it and get all of marijuana drug trafficking off the streets? The

government arrests over 700,000 Americans for possession every year which is more than the

population of Wyoming! This unnecessary process causes an overwhelming amount of wasted

money that could be used for more important things like building highways, or helping fund

schools but is instead wasted on the process of putting harmless civilians under arrest and put to

trial. We also have to pay tax dollars on their prison housing. Every year 2.4 million people use

marijuana for the first time. Cannabis laws are rarely ever in effect and many cannabis users will

never be arrested for it. If the laws for marijuana usage were to be enforced that would take a

huge toll on tax payers’ money while also putting kids and others into trouble for trying to smoke

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a plant. By enforcing these laws it costs America $7.7 billion per year. In the long run, enforcing

marijuana laws for Americans is not practical because of this.

By legalizing marijuana America can become more financially stable while also reducing

the crime rates and with it, the amount of organized crime being held in America as well. Due to

the elimination of underground marijuana market, and on the rise of state regulated marijuana

dispensaries. American adults can be the buy marijuana for recreational use and ever so bringing

America a consistent amount of tax revenue such as alcohol and tobacco do so

presently.Legalizing it would only bring good to our society.

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References

Ferner, Matt. "Why Marijuana Should Be Legalized: 'Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol”

Campaign Discusses Why Pot Prohibition Has Been A Failure. The Huffington Post.

TheHuffingtonPost.com, 28 Aug. 2012. Web. 09 Dec. 2012.

Gable, Robert S., "The Toxicity of Recreational Drugs," American Scientist (Research Triangle

Park, NC: Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society,

May-June 2006) Vol. 94, No. 3, p. 207.

Head, Tom. "8 Reasons Why Marijuana Should Be Legalized." About.com Civil Liberties.

About.com, n.d. Web, 2012

Venkataman, Nitya. "Marijuana Called Top U.S. Cash Crop." ABC News. ABC News Network,

18 Dec. 2006. Web. 9 Dec. 2012.