Argumentative Essay: The Legalization Of Marijuana

Have you encountered a friend or family member who has benefitted from the use of marijuana? Perhaps it was you yourself who has found the use of the plant to be beneficial to your everyday life. Marijuana has long been popular for both its medicinal and recreational properties and in the last few years has become a widely discussed topic in the public. Many states have adopted the idea of legalization in varying levels and have left the decision up to the voters. Although many individuals in the United States contend the potential negative effects of marijuana use or exposure, marijuana should be legalized on a federal level as it has proven to make a tremendous difference in the lives of those facing health issues while also creating many financial benefits and has paved a road towards reversing the judgement of marijuana users through decriminalization efforts. The recent surge in use of marijuana for medicinal purposes

States that have fully legalized the use of marijuana in their states have seen exponential growth in tax revenue in a noticeably short period of time. The same can be said for the states that have legalized on a medical level as well, as much of the costs associated goes towards the tax system. The New Frontier Data research firm predicts that “U.S. medical marijuana sales will grow at a compound rate of 12 percent in the next nine years, from $4.7 billion in 2016 to $13.2 billion in 2025” (Mantel). The state of Colorado in 2015 raised roughly 70 million in taxes, nearly double the 42 million collected from alcohol taxes, which part of that went on to fund the Department of Education and was used to fund capital building projects for new public schools. Colorado charges a 10% retail tax and 15% wholesale tax (Basu). The large sums of money collected from tax revenue are great, but there is much work to be done regarding marijuana