Is Marijuana A Gateway Drug?

Cannabis Sativa, or marijuana, has been around for centuries. This flowering plant has been grown in many locations across the world. Marijuana comes from flowering top of the Cannabis Sativa plant which contains the chemical Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). THC causes mind-altering states which relaxes the user. After the Mexican Revolution the United States stated seeing an increase of Mexicans immigrating into the United States. These new immigrants brought along with their culture and native language. In the Mexican culture marijuana was used as a medicine and a relaxant. The media then began to play on the fears that the public had about the new immigrants by spreading false claims about the “disruptive Mexicans” with their crazy behavior due

For many years now marijuana has built up its reputations as the gateway drug which destroys youths lives. Not saying this is false “...the majority of people who use marijuana do not go on to use other, "harder" substances” (Is Marijuana a gateway drug?). But what does it do to the body. “How marijuana affects health is determined by how it's consumed. Marijuana is most commonly smoked, such as from pipes, bongs, paper-wrapped joints, blunts and other items including devices that heat or vaporize marijuana...” (Marijuana and Lung Health). Any kind of smoke in general is dangerous to humans so it does not matter if it is firewood smoke or tobacco smoke it is not healthy for the lungs. It is already know that smoke from tobacco is harmful and kills 480,000 people annually. “There are approximately 600 ingredients in cigarettes. When burned, they create more than 7,000 chemicals. At least 69 of these chemicals are known to cause cancer, and many are poisonous” (What is a Cigarette).While marijuana does have some of the same chemicals in tobacco it does not have as much. So why is something that is recorded to kill 480,000 people annually legal but something that is not as harmful illegal. If marijuana was legalized in all states this would significantly decrease government spending on trying to prevent a drug that is very easily accessible. “Harvard Economist Jeffrey Miron, estimates that state and federal governments spend an excess of $20 billion per year fighting this little green plant… to add insult to injury, these efforts continue to fail as cannabis is more available than ever before.” (Gov. Reg.) This would save taxpayer money which could be used for other public works