The Legalization of Marijuana

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The Legalization of Marijuana The legal status of marijuana is one of the most disputed topics of today. Once completely frowned upon, marijuana’s legality was never questioned; however, fast forward to the present and one will notice that this negative stigma is beginning to fade away. The negative claims regarding marijuana are gradually becoming discredited by science. Without this negative propaganda, the positive aspects of marijuana are beginning to surface. Marijuana should be legalized because it is relatively harmless when compared to other legal substances, entails economic benefits, and would allow the authorities to focus resources on illegal activity that affects the people they took an oath to serve. Marijuana poses fewer health-risks than many substances that are currently deemed legal by the government. It is often argued that marijuana is addictive, and that it is harmful to one’s health. It is true that smoking marijuana is not completely harmless, as the repetitive inhalation of any form of smoke will have adverse effects on one’s health. That being said, these effects are very miniscule when marijuana is smoked in moderation. Marijuana has not been scientifically proven to have any lethal or even life-altering side-effects. In regards to addiction, marijuana contains no physically addictive properties. One may become psychologically addicted to the euphoria obtained after smoking marijuana; however, anything that brings enjoyment has the possibility of becoming psychologically addictive. One would assume that something deemed legal by the government would be safer than something that is considered illegal, ironically this is not the case. Cigarettes are considered legal even though they pose a huge threat to on... ... middle of paper ... ...he most popular recreational substances. The commonality of marijuana translates into the need for a large amount of authoritative resources to enforce the laws on it. The resources used on marijuana prohibition are being drawn away from other illegal activities that are far more serious. When making arrests and/or confiscating marijuana the authorities are not improving the safety of the person with the marijuana nor are they improving the safety of those around them. Marijuana has not been proven to cause any behaviors that would incite criminal or violent activity, yet the law causes the authorities to treat it as so. Marijuana is a substance that generally brings forth feelings of happiness and contentment. It is illogical for the authorities to continue placing such emphasis on the prohibition of a substance that does not pose a serious danger to the public.

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