Persuasive Essay On Legalization Of Marijuana

1210 Words3 Pages

High Time for Change
“I think people need to be educated to the fact that marijuana is not a drug. Marijuana is an herb and a flower. God put it here. If He put it here and He wants it to grow, what gives the government the right to say that God is wrong?” -Willie Nelson ("101 Marijuana Quotes: Funny, Inspirational, And Face Palms - Mary Jane 's Diary."). Once legal, marijuana was used for medicinal purposes and the hemp from the stem of the plant was even used in products such as paper, fuel, and clothing (“5 ways Hemp Will Change Our World”). As manufactured pharmaceuticals began to grow in the 1920s and 30s, the use of herbal medicine diminished because physicians did not believe it was as effective. Now illegal, it is classified as a …show more content…

The controversy surrounding marijuana has been based on negative effects that have long been disproven such as a high rate of addiction and an increased risk of cancer. Despite this, some still believe that marijuana is dangerous and should remain illegal. Although, many others believe otherwise. The use of marijuana should be legalized due to the adverse effects of prohibition as well the inarguable economical and medical benefits.
Research shows that the prohibition of marijuana produces more unsatisfactory results than intended. Prohibition actually creates a black market rather than eliminating it, because due to marijuana being illegal people turn to these black markets in order to sell and purchase the drug. This also leads to an increase in drug and gang violence because instead of legally being able to solve conflicts that comes along with this business, some use violence to resolve …show more content…

The production and sale of marijuana could be taxed if legalized, which would cause tremendous economic growth in the United States. The cost of government expenditures could be reduced a significant amount annually. The government would no longer have to spend money used for the incarceration and prosecution of cannabis users and sellers. This would lead to 1.8 billion dollars being saved a year, which is the amount of money the police spend arresting marijuana consumers and dealers. Taxpayers would also save a hefty sum of money if marijuana were legalized. American taxpayers contribute 41.8 billion dollars a year in the enforcement of laws concerning marijuana. If marijuana was taxed like all other goods about $2.4 billion dollars in revenue could be produced annually. If it was taxed the same way alcohol and tobacco were, nearly 6.2 billion dollars in revenue could be seen every year (Miron). In addition to helping the economy, the legalization of marijuana could also help those who deal with agonizing pain due to illness or

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