Argumentative Essay On Marijuana Legalization

Marijuana Legalization

For years the United States of America has been waging a war against drugs. The U.S federal government has spent well over fifteen billion dollars annually on combating illegal drugs. Marijuana in this day and age seems to be one of the most controversial drugs, and is at the forefront of the discussion boards on whether or not one should legalize the drug. Marijuana should be legalized not only because the government could tax it while reducing the national deficit, but also because some patients need it for medicinal purposes, and this will lead to a reduction in the crime rate by removing the taboo from the drug itself.

The legalization topic when it comes to marijuana is somewhat of a touchy subject; people consider

Marijuana is more of a physiological addiction rather than a chemical addiction. Experts say that when someone becomes addicted to a substance that eventually those people will end up throwing their lives away, ruining their families, and losing jobs. Many people are unaware that tobacco, caffeine and alcohol are also drugs, and they are very addictive as well. Most people who are addicted cannot function properly without the use of those products. Marijuana can help some people function as well as people who rely on caffeine, or tobacco. An article that was published in the Wisconsin State Journal details how the U.S government spent over thirty years trying to prove that marijuana is addictive, and after hundreds of experiments and failed tests a report was issued by the Drug Enforcement Agency that showed marijuana not to be addictive. The study continued to say that marijuana was not a gateway drug. All of this information is valid when you look at the amount of incarcerations from minor marijuana

Since marijuana is one of the most prevalent drugs in the world, the criminals will likely test positive for the drug. Because of this testing process, therefore, when crime statistics are reported, the crime is linked with the use of marijuana, based on the reporting method. In most states, the mere possession of marijuana is a crime and is an arrestable offence in most states. The use of other drugs in addition to the marijuana are not divulged in the same report. Jimmy Carter was once quoted “Penalties against possession of a drug should not be more damaging to an individual than the use of the drug itself; and where they are, they should be changed. Nowhere is this more clear than in the laws against possession of marijuana be private for personal use. Therefore, I support legislation amending federal law to eliminate all federal criminal penalties for the possession of up to one ounce of marijuana” (Carter, 2001). The quote from Carter made sense based on the harsh penalties of that time and they should not be any harsher than the drug itself. If marijuana were legal, it would allow police to focus on much more serious crimes and acts of violence. The use of marijuana should also be regulated by passing laws to keep people under the influence from getting into their vehicles and putting others at risk. One can examine the statement that marijuana causes crimes and conclude that the statement is not