Argument in Favor of Legalizing Marijuana

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When comparing alcohol and marijuana which drug is more dangerous? According to statistics over 75,000 deaths in America are linked to alcohol. More than half these deaths are caused by alcohol poisoning. On the other hand marijuana cannot cause death from overdose due to being nontoxic. So why should marijuana remain illegal? Many think marijuana should remain illegal, but legalization would have much more advantages if it were legalized already. Legalization has plenty of benefits, but most ideas are shunned by the media, which only shows the cons of decriminalization. It can help out the economy, which is not doing so well at the moment. There would be a decrease in drug violence, and more room would be made in real criminals in prisons.
And also marijuana will be removed from the black market, away from the youth, and be regulated like alcohol.
First and foremost, our economy is in danger and facing trillions of dollars in debt. If marijuana were to be legalized and sold on the market there would be a tax on the drug. Like cigarettes and alcohol, which happen to have a higher tax than regular items. This is called a sumptuary, or sin tax. This tax is put on items that are not appealing to consumers or not good for one’s health. “A 2006 public policy report suggested that marijuana is the United States' largest cash crop by a significant margin. A similar study carried out by a prominent Canadian economist in 2004 estimated an average markup of $6.90 for each unit (0.5 grams) of marijuana sold on the street, resulting in $2 billion in revenue for the government (in the form of taxes on marijuana cigarettes) if the drug were legalized (Rich, Alex K). ” Alcohol and cigarettes are obviously not good for one’s health, for reasons...

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Works Cited

Rich, Alex K.Stingl, Alexander. "Legalization Of Marijuana: An Overview." Points Of View: Legalization Of Marijuana (2013): 1. Points of View Reference Center. Web. 29 Nov. 2013.

Wright, GeorgeNewton, Heather. "Counterpoint: There Are No Good Reasons To Legalize Marijuana." Points Of View: Legalization Of Marijuana (2013): 2. Points of View Reference Center. Web. 29 Nov. 2013.

Ford, AdamWalter, Andrew. "Point: Marijuana Should Be Legalized." Points Of View: Legalization Of Marijuana (2013): 3. Points of View Reference Center. Web. 29 Nov. 2013.

Cooper, Jonathan J. "Pot Could Be Tax Windfall, but Skeptics Abound." Denver
Post [Denver CO] 20 Sept. 2012: n. pag. SIRS. Web. 20 Sept. 2012.

Fine, Doug. "5 Myths About Legalizing Marijuana." Washington Post. 09 Jun 2013:
B.2. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 12 Dec 2013.

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