Marijuana Should Be Legal

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Marijuana is the fifth most addicting drug in the United States (Henningfield). An even more shocking fact is that two states, Washington and Colorado, have made it legal for recreational use. Just like alcohol. Marijuana used to be legal, up until 1937 when it became illegal with the Marijuana Tax Act. It was only in March 2011 that medical marijuana was legalized in Washington, Colorado, and Alaska because of sick people who had a variety of sick diseases ("Legal History of Cannabis in the United States"). American Society of Addiction Medicine thought that this was a bad idea, and declared that the use of medical marijuana should be put to a stop. This opened up an opportunity for these states to put legalizing recreational marijuana on the ballot. Eventually Washington and Colorado took upon these opportunities and soon legalized marijuana in 2013 with Amendment 64 in Colorado. Now marijuana is legal and open to buy if you are 21 years of age or older. What will legalizing marijuana effect? HIstorians can look to the end of The Prohibition for answers.

Alcohol is the second most addictive drug in the United States (Henningfield). Alcohol kills over 2.5 million people every year! This statistic combines death from alcohol poisoning, as well as drunken driving, etc. The Alcohol Prohibition began in 1920 through 1933. The prohibition was when all alcohol was illegal. This include, the consumption of alcohol, making alcohol and selling it to criminals. In 1933 Congress approved the 21st Amendment ("Alcohol"). The 21st Amendment it allowed sale and consumption of alcohol, that finally ended prohibition. The world thought once alcohol was legalized again that everyone would go drink excessively, crash their cars, and cause a ruckus throughout the United States. Although when it was legalized, the crimes rates went down, and the health went up! There were fewer people in jail and in the hospital. Because alcohol was legal again, people didn’t have to sneak around to get a drink and risk getting arrested. Then there were less people who would try to make their own beer and end up getting alcohol poisoning, so there were less people who would end up in the hospital.

The end of prohibition opened up many job creations for everyone around the U.S.. Everyone was now able to sell beer and alcohol, and made a reasonably good amount of money.

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