Why Not Legalize Marijuana?

1165 Words3 Pages

Marijuana should be legalized for both recreational and medicinal use because the US economy can reap significant benefits from legalization as well as create an influx of jobs and also to reduce street and gang disputes relating to marijuana. Also, marijuana should be legalized because it has been dealt an unfair hand by society and is justifiably safer than most know it to be. First, marijuana should be legalized in the US for both recreational and medicinal purposes because there is a very substantial profit that can be made from it. By placing a tax on Marijuana, similar to what the Government has done with various alcohol and tobacco products, The US Government can use America’s largest cash crop to its advantage. Perhaps even plans using such a tax can be set up to start paying the 16 trillion dollar debt the United States has accumulated. Further, such a tax could be on a state to state basis, allowing for competition and to keep the economy going. As well as more jobs in each state being created as a result of legalization. The result is a potential chain reaction: legalization in all states results in a tax the government can make a profit off of, also more business competition and an influx in new jobs; National debt and unemployment go down, the economy goes up. In an exclusive interview with CNN and John Hudak, editor of the Fixgov blog said that 2014 is a year to “ wait and see” when he was asked if he thought other states besides Colorado and Washington would legalize marijuana for recreational use. Hudak also commented on “marijuana tourism”, which was the influx of people traveling to Colorado to buy Marijuana "It has to have a real impact on those local economies ... If marijuana tourism can become something tha...

... middle of paper ...

... for recreational use “may take more of a step forward in legalizing for medicinal purposes”.

http://www.balancedpolitics.org/marijuana_legalization.htm
This is simply a list of pros and cons for why or why not Marijuana should be legalized. The strongest and most common argument of those that oppose legalization is that marijuana is a “gateway drug” that will lead users to use harder drugs such as cocaine and heroin down the road. Arguments from those who support legalization are that if used in moderation, marijuana is no more harful than alcohol or tobacco. Also, a strong argument is the outstanding fact that no person has been killed as a result of the use of marijuana alone. Also the benefit that states could potentially get by charging a tax on marijuana as well as the use of the drug being “morally wrong” have been brought up by either side of the debate.

Open Document