A Case for the Legalization of Marijuana

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Marijuana has been the center of debate for several years now. There are many opinions on the subject, some believe that marijuana will be a “save all” that can help with medical advances, is less harmful than alcohol along with the taxability, so they push extremely hard for it to be legal. Others believe it will cause the world to collapse starting with it being addicting and moving to the detrition of our mental health, and want to do all they can to keep it illegal. Even though some believe it is bad for your mental health and can be very addictive, marijuana should be legal because it has positive medicinal and recreational uses and is taxable and safer than alcohol.
Some believe marijuana is bad for your mental health and can be addictive. John Hawkins author of 5 Reasons Marijuana Should Remain Illegal, made good points about it affecting our mental health. Hawkins referenced a study done by Northwestern University; the study shows that frequent users of marijuana have a different brain structure than individuals, who don’t use it. Habitual use can lead to poor memory retention and may cause changes in the brain that can resemble schizophrenia. The report also shows that the younger a person starts smoking marijuana the worse the affects can be (Hawkins). According to Sabrina Richards author of Is Cannabis Really That Bad? Studies have indicated that individuals who are under the influence of marijuana show a greater chance of partaking in risky behavior. The effects of long-term use may cause extreme anxiety, panic attacks, and some believe it can even cause schizophrenia.
Some research also shows that Marijuana can be addictive for some individuals. While the numbers for the individuals that actually do become addicted...

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... be on board with it. Surprisingly though there are still those, who doubt it and think it should remain illegal, but when you have a something that takes the edge off and is supposed to help with your anxiety, diabetes, and even seizure disorder and it ends up with a long list of harmful side effects isn’t something that’s natural worth a try?

Works Cited
Brownstein, Joseph. "Marijuana vs. Alcohol: Which Is Really Worse for Your Health?" 21 January 2014 . LiveScience. Web. 10 April 2014.
Fairchild, Caroline. "Legalizing Marijuana Would Generate Billions In Additional Tax Revenue Annually ." 20 April 2013. The Huffington Post. Web. 10 April 2014.
Hawkins , John . "5 Reasons Marijuana Should Remain Illegal." 21 January 2014. Town Hall. Web. 10 April 2014.
Richards , Sabrina. "The Scientist ." 23 January 2013. Is Cannabis Really That Bad? Web. 10 April 2014.

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