The Legalization of Marijuana

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There has been a debate over the legalization of marijuana since it was made illegal in the 1920s. There are opponents on both sides of the issue. There are many benefits to the legalization of marijuana, but there are also detrimental effects to society that are caused by marijuana use. These issues need to be debated to determine if the legalization of marijuana would benefit the United States. According to a 2003 Zogby poll, “the government should treat marijuana more or less the same way it treats alcohol: It should regulate it, control it, tax it, and only make it illegal for children.” (Nadelmann, Ethan)

Cannabis has been around since ancient times. The first use of marijuana dates to 7000 B.C. Marijuana was used as a medicinal herb by ancient Chinese, Egyptians, Greeks and Romans. Cannabis was legal to use in the USA until the 1920s’. In 1913 California became the first state to outlaw Cannabis. Other states quickly followed suit with marijuana prohibition laws and eventually the federal government outlawed it as well. “In many western states, it was simply a matter of prejudice against Mexican-American and Mexican migrants, with whom marijuana was popularly associated” (Nadelmann, Ethan). Because of medical studies, many people believe marijuana is helpful for some medical conditions which led to the legalization of marijuana but only for medical use. As California was the first state that outlaw the Marijuana, in 1996 California become the first state to allow it for medical use after the voters approved a statewide ballot issue. Today, there are sixteen states in the United States that have legalized medical marijuana.

Marijuana is a prevalent recreational and medicinal drug. It is the third most common drug used in t...

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Nadelmann, Ethan. “Make Marijuana Legal” CBS NEWS. n. page. Web. 15 Mar.2012

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Frank, Newport. "Record-High 50% of Americans Favor Legalizing Marijuana Use." (2011): n. page. Web. 29 Mar. 2012. www.gallup.com/poll/150149/Record-High-Americans-Favor-Legalizing-Marijuana.aspx>

Guarino, Mark. "High school seniors smoke marijuana more than cigarettes, survey finds." (2011): n. page. Web. 30 Mar. 2012. .

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