The Legalization of Marijuana Essay - 868 Words

One of the most controversial topics in the news today is the legalization of marijuana. Supporters believe that the drug is not harmful and can have numerous benefits. However, opponents argue that marijuana can lead to addiction and other more dangerous drugs. In the end, marijuana should be legal based on economic, medicinal, and philosophical factors. First, the legalization of marijuana would have a tremendous economic impact. Since â€Å"marijuana is thought to be the second most profitable cash crop in the United States,† (Erb __) the government could control and then tax the drug if it is legal. This would mean that an enormous amount of money could be raised through the taxing of the drug. A recent study at Harvard estimated†¦show more content†¦endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness† (Dec of Ind ____). This suggests that the government cannot dictate a personâ₠¬â„¢s actions since all individuals are guaranteed basic freedoms. Lastly, legalizing marijuana would be a philosophical issue for all human beings. Despite these positives, people still disagree with the legalization of marijuana. They believe that the drug can lead to a lifetime of addiction. Opponents believe that marijuana is a gateway drug that can lead to other more harmful and dangerous drugs. Additionally, people think that marijuana is more harmful than tobacco. However, research and statistics have proven that each of these arguments is untrue. Firstly, people argue against the legalization of marijuana because they think that the drug can lead to addiction. Research has shown that only about 9% of marijuana users will have a serious addiction (Iverson ____). By contrast, â€Å"32% of tobacco users †¦and 15% of alcohol users will become addicted† (Gumbiner _____). These statistics show that marijuana is less addictive than two substances (tobacco and al cohol) that are already legal in the United States. In conclusion, the argument that marijuana should not be legalized because of its addictiveness is false since very few people become dependent on the drug. Secondly, opponents of legalizing marijuana think that the drug isShow MoreRelatedThe Legalization Of Marijuana Legalization1061 Words   |  5 PagesThe Legalization of Cannabis in Ohio Marijuana is a controversial topic all across the United States. Recently marijuana has been voted on, legalized, and denied legalization in multiple states. There are still more states trying to fight the green fight for marijuana. The fight for legalization hasn’t been an easy one for cannabis supporters; they have been fighting tooth and nail to make it happen. 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