persuasive essay on why weed should be legal

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Persuasive Essay Sample: Should Recreational Marijuana Be Legalized?

Some Americans believe that legalizing marijuana would have more negative outcomes than positive outcomes. Even though legalizing marijuana would increase drug use, legalizing marijuana would boost the economy because legalization would decrease crime rates and legalized marijuana would be safer for consumer use than marijuana from street dealers. 

It’s true that legalizing the use of marijuana would raise the use of marijuna, however, marijuana would boost America's economy. By 2025 America could have a $24 billion income, the legal marijuana industry generated $7.2 billion in economic activity in 2016, and added millions of dollars in federal taxes paid by cannabis businesses. In the state of Colorado, the legalization of marijuana has brought in three times more tax income than the sales of alcohol alone in the first year of it being legalized. 

With the recent legalization of marijuana in the state of Colorado with the building of marijuana dispensaries in local neighborhoods, the crime from local drug street drug dealers and crime has gone down because of increased security presence and more people around the area. Further research has shown that sales of alcohol have dropped and while the influence of alcohol has a 10x more rate of violence than marijuana, such as domestic violence and assault. The legalization of marijuana would benefit the criminal justice system by also reducing the arrest for being under the influence and possession of marijuana. Instead of local police arresting the community for marijuana they could focus on more serious crimes. 

Without the local dispensaries, people result in buying marijuana off the streets which results in them not knowing where it's from or having the possibility of it being covered with mold, fungus, pesticides,or laced with harder and more addictive drugs. Once the full legalization of marijuana is able to be tested and regulated to make sure that the marijuana is safe and free of anything toxic. Which also makes sure it passes the regulations so kids cannot get into it easily such as child-proof packaging, age restrictions for buying, and a license and regulate the entire supply chain of marijuana, including growers, distributors, retailers, and testing laboratories. With this information previously stated it also ensures that drug overdoses are decreasing due to a safer way to obtain marijuana.

With the recent legalization of marijuana in the state of Colorado with the building of marijuana dispensaries in local neighborhoods the crime from local drug street drug dealers and crime has gone down because of increased security presence and more people around the area. Instead of local police arresting the community for marijuana they could focus on more serious crimes. Once the full legalization of marijuana is able to be tested and regulated to make sure that the marijuana is safe and free of anything toxic.The legalization of marijuana would bring in more pro’s than the American population expects.

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Home » Uncategorized » Five Reasons Why We Should Legalize Cannabis

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Five Reasons Why We Should Legalize Cannabis

Cannabis use in the United States has had a long and complicated history. For decades, people who used cannabis were subject to social ostracization and criminal prosecution. However, attitudes toward cannabis have been evolving in recent years. An increasing number of states have started to legalize cannabis for medical or recreational use. This shift in policy has been driven by a variety of factors including changing public attitudes and the potential economic benefits of legalization. In this article, we will explore the potential benefits of legalizing cannabis in our country.

1. Legalization for the Environment

Legalizing cannabis can have significant benefits for the environment. When cannabis is grown illegally, it is often done in environmentally damaging ways, such as using chemical pesticides or clearing primary forests to make room for crops. Legalization could allow customers to support more environmental growers. This will incentivize more responsible growing practices, such as the use of organic farming methods or the use of renewable energy sources to power indoor grow operations. In addition, the culture of growing cannabis can help to discover and preserve precious marijuana seeds , increasing biodiversity and facilitating a deeper understanding of cannabis plants and their cultivation.

2. Legalization for Justice

Where cannabis is illegal, people are being arrested and charged for possession or sale, which leads to costly court cases and a burden on the criminal justice system. Legalization would free up law enforcement resources to focus on more serious crimes and simultaneously reduce the number of people incarcerated for non-violent drug offenses. This could help to reduce the overall prison population and save taxpayers money.

In addition, legalization can have significant benefits for justice and equity, particularly for marginalized communities that have been disproportionately affected by the criminalization of cannabis. Communities of color have been particularly affected by the war on drugs, with Black Americans being nearly four times more likely to be arrested for cannabis possession than white Americans, despite similar rates of use.

By regulating cannabis cultivation and sales, legalization can help to eliminate the black market and reduce the involvement of criminal organizations in the cannabis industry. This can lead to safer communities and reduced drug-related violence in communities that have been most affected by the criminalization of cannabis.

3. Legalization for Public Health

Cannabis has been shown to have many beneficial and therapeutic effects on both physical and mental health. However, people may be hesitant to seek medical marijuana treatment due to fear of legal repercussions if cannabis is illegal. Legalization can allow more people to enjoy better health outcomes. It can also promote the safer use of cannabis by educating the public on appropriate cannabis use and providing quality control measures for cannabis products. Legalization can also lead to increased research into potential medical applications of cannabis and could lead to the development of innovative treatments.

Another potential perk of cannabis legalization is that it could reduce the use of more harmful drugs. In the absence of cannabis, people may turn to more dangerous drugs like heroin or fentanyl to manage chronic pain or other conditions. By legalizing cannabis, we can provide a safer alternative for these individuals and could reduce the overall demand for these more dangerous drugs. States that have legalized cannabis found a decrease in opioid overdose deaths and hospitalizations, suggesting that cannabis are an effective alternative to prescription painkillers.

4. Legalization for the Economy

The legalization of cannabis can generate significant tax revenue for governments and create new economic opportunities. When cannabis is illegal, it is sold on the black market, and no taxes are collected on these sales. However, when it is legal, sales can be regulated, and taxes can be imposed on those sales. In states that have legalized cannabis, tax revenue from cannabis sales has been in the millions of dollars , with California registering a whopping $1.2 billion in cannabis tax revenue in 2021. This impressive income can be used to reduce budget deficits, fund various public services such as education and healthcare, and create new opportunities for investment in projects that revitalize the economy.

Aside from tax revenue, legalizing cannabis can create new jobs. The cannabis industry is a rapidly growing industry, and legalization could lead to the creation of new jobs in areas such as cultivation, processing, and retail sales. This can help to reduce unemployment and create new gainful opportunities for people who may have struggled to find employment in other industries. Legalization can also lead to increased investment in related industries, such as the development of new products or technologies to improve cannabis cultivation or the creation of new retail businesses. There are now several venture capital funds and investment groups that focus solely on cannabis-related enterprises.

5. Legalization for Acceptance

Finally, legalization could help reduce the stigma surrounding cannabis use. Before cannabis legalization, people who use the plant were often viewed as criminals or deviants. Legalization can help change this perception and lead to more open and honest conversations about cannabis use. Ultimately, legalization could lead to a more accepting and inclusive society where individuals are not judged or discriminated against for their personal and healthcare choices. By legalizing cannabis, we can harness the power of a therapeutic plant. Legalization can heal not just physical and mental ailments of individuals but also the social wounds that have resulted from its criminalization.

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The Evidence—and Lack Thereof—About Cannabis

Research is still needed on cannabis’s risks and benefits. 

Lindsay Smith Rogers

Although the use and possession of cannabis is illegal under federal law, medicinal and recreational cannabis use has become increasingly widespread.

Thirty-eight states and Washington, D.C., have legalized medical cannabis, while 23 states and D.C. have legalized recreational use. Cannabis legalization has benefits, such as removing the product from the illegal market so it can be taxed and regulated, but science is still trying to catch up as social norms evolve and different products become available. 

In this Q&A, adapted from the August 25 episode of Public Health On Call , Lindsay Smith Rogers talks with Johannes Thrul, PhD, MS , associate professor of Mental Health , about cannabis as medicine, potential risks involved with its use, and what research is showing about its safety and efficacy. 

Do you think medicinal cannabis paved the way for legalization of recreational use?

The momentum has been clear for a few years now. California was the first to legalize it for medical reasons [in 1996]. Washington and Colorado were the first states to legalize recreational use back in 2012. You see one state after another changing their laws, and over time, you see a change in social norms. It's clear from the national surveys that people are becoming more and more in favor of cannabis legalization. That started with medical use, and has now continued into recreational use.

But there is a murky differentiation between medical and recreational cannabis. I think a lot of people are using cannabis to self-medicate. It's not like a medication you get prescribed for a very narrow symptom or a specific disease. Anyone with a medical cannabis prescription, or who meets the age limit for recreational cannabis, can purchase it. Then what they use it for is really all over the place—maybe because it makes them feel good, or because it helps them deal with certain symptoms, diseases, and disorders.

Does cannabis have viable medicinal uses?

The evidence is mixed at this point. There hasn’t been a lot of funding going into testing cannabis in a rigorous way. There is more evidence for certain indications than for others, like CBD for seizures—one of the first indications that cannabis was approved for. And THC has been used effectively for things like nausea and appetite for people with cancer.

There are other indications where the evidence is a lot more mixed. For example, pain—one of the main reasons that people report for using cannabis. When we talk to patients, they say cannabis improved their quality of life. In the big studies that have been done so far, there are some indications from animal models that cannabis might help [with pain]. When we look at human studies, it's very much a mixed bag. 

And, when we say cannabis, in a way it's a misnomer because cannabis is so many things. We have different cannabinoids and different concentrations of different cannabinoids. The main cannabinoids that are being studied are THC and CBD, but there are dozens of other minor cannabinoids and terpenes in cannabis products, all of varying concentrations. And then you also have a lot of different routes of administration available. You can smoke, vape, take edibles, use tinctures and topicals. When you think about the explosion of all of the different combinations of different products and different routes of administration, it tells you how complicated it gets to study this in a rigorous way. You almost need a randomized trial for every single one of those and then for every single indication.

What do we know about the risks of marijuana use?  

Cannabis use disorder is a legitimate disorder in the DSM. There are, unfortunately, a lot of people who develop a problematic use of cannabis. We know there are risks for mental health consequences. The evidence is probably the strongest that if you have a family history of psychosis or schizophrenia, using cannabis early in adolescence is not the best idea. We know cannabis can trigger psychotic symptoms and potentially longer lasting problems with psychosis and schizophrenia. 

It is hard to study, because you also don't know if people are medicating early negative symptoms of schizophrenia. They wouldn't necessarily have a diagnosis yet, but maybe cannabis helps them to deal with negative symptoms, and then they develop psychosis. There is also some evidence that there could be something going on with the impact of cannabis on the developing brain that could prime you to be at greater risk of using other substances later down the road, or finding the use of other substances more reinforcing. 

What benefits do you see to legalization?

When we look at the public health landscape and the effect of legislation, in this case legalization, one of the big benefits is taking cannabis out of the underground illegal market. Taking cannabis out of that particular space is a great idea. You're taking it out of the illegal market and giving it to legitimate businesses where there is going to be oversight and testing of products, so you know what you're getting. And these products undergo quality control and are labeled. Those labels so far are a bit variable, but at least we're getting there. If you're picking up cannabis at the street corner, you have no idea what's in it. 

And we know that drug laws in general have been used to criminalize communities of color and minorities. Legalizing cannabis [can help] reduce the overpolicing of these populations.

What big questions about cannabis would you most like to see answered?

We know there are certain, most-often-mentioned conditions that people are already using medical cannabis for: pain, insomnia, anxiety, and PTSD. We really need to improve the evidence base for those. I think clinical trials for different cannabis products for those conditions are warranted.

Another question is, now that the states are getting more tax revenue from cannabis sales, what are they doing with that money? If you look at tobacco legislation, for example, certain states have required that those funds get used for research on those particular issues. To me, that would be a very good use of the tax revenue that is now coming in. We know, for example, that there’s a lot more tax revenue now that Maryland has legalized recreational use. Maryland could really step up here and help provide some of that evidence.

Are there studies looking into the risks you mentioned?

Large national studies are done every year or every other year to collect data, so we already have a pretty good sense of the prevalence of cannabis use disorder. Obviously, we'll keep tracking that to see if those numbers increase, for example, in states that are legalizing. But, you wouldn't necessarily expect to see an uptick in cannabis use disorder a month after legalization. The evidence from states that have legalized it has not demonstrated that we might all of a sudden see an increase in psychosis or in cannabis use disorder. This happens slowly over time with a change in social norms and availability, and potentially also with a change in marketing. And, with increasing use of an addictive substance, you will see over time a potential increase in problematic use and then also an increase in use disorder.

If you're interested in seeing if cannabis is right for you, is this something you can talk to your doctor about?

I think your mileage may vary there with how much your doctor is comfortable and knows about it. It's still relatively fringe. That will very much depend on who you talk to. But I think as providers and professionals, everybody needs to learn more about this, because patients are going to ask no matter what.

Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast , an editor for Expert Insights , and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

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Analysis of Arguments: Should Marijuana Be Legalized? Annotated Bibliography

• To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
• As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
• As a template for you assignment

Title of Article #1: Green, T. V. (2021). Americans overwhelmingly say marijuana should be legal for recreational or medical use. Pew Research Center. Web.

Pro Arguments (Support for your position):

• The majority of Americans agree on the necessity to legalize marijuana.
• Its medical and recreational use is a sufficient basis for this change.

Con Arguments (Opposing Views):

• The resistance of older populations to this idea is highly possible.
• This initiative is accompanied by concerns regarding the actual use of marijuana.

Definition(s)

History/background information.

Over the past years, the number of people in the United States supporting the legalization of marijuana doubled, which means the need for action.

Facts/Statistics/Expert Testimony

Numerous surveys conducted over the past decades confirm the support of marijuana legalization by 91% of Americans, whereas the opposition does not provide substantial objections.

Title of Article #2: Lopez, G. (2019). 9 questions about marijuana legalization you were too embarrassed to ask. The Vox. Web.

• Marijuana has already been legalized in eleven states, and their experience can be adopted.
• The need in unity in legislature is required for avoiding conflicts.
• With the development of marijuana market, manufacturers might avoid responsibility.
• The possibility of addiction does not allow introducing this change all over the country.

Over time, there has been no clear opinion of legislators regarding the legalization of marijuana, and the differences are attributed to the policies of Democratic and Republican activists.

Surveys among American indicate their support of the legalization of marijuana, but marijuana laws are varied across the country.

Title of Article #3: McCarthy, N. (2019). The arguments for and against marijuana legalization in the U.S. [Infographic]. Forbes. Web.

• New population groups, including adults aged 55 and older, begin to support this idea.
• The possibility of focusing on other crimes rather than the use of marijuana seems beneficial for their investigation.
• Driver safety after using marijuana does not make this idea an optimal initiative.
• The legalization of marijuana might encourage more people to use it.

In the past, the growing popularity of marijuana resulted in the formation of supporters and opponents of its legalization.

The conducted polls showed that both supporters and opponents of the legalization of marijuana provide substantial evidence for underpinning their particular views.

Green, T. V. (2021). Americans overwhelmingly say marijuana should be legal for recreational or medical use. Pew Research Center. Web.

Lopez, G. (2019). 9 questions about marijuana legalization you were too embarrassed to ask. The Vox. Web.

McCarthy, N. (2019). The arguments for and against marijuana legalization in the U.S. [Infographic]. Forbes. Web.

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IvyPanda. (2023, August 1). Analysis of Arguments: Should Marijuana Be Legalized? https://ivypanda.com/essays/analysis-of-arguments-should-marijuana-be-legalized/

"Analysis of Arguments: Should Marijuana Be Legalized?" IvyPanda , 1 Aug. 2023, ivypanda.com/essays/analysis-of-arguments-should-marijuana-be-legalized/.

IvyPanda . (2023) 'Analysis of Arguments: Should Marijuana Be Legalized'. 1 August.

IvyPanda . 2023. "Analysis of Arguments: Should Marijuana Be Legalized?" August 1, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/analysis-of-arguments-should-marijuana-be-legalized/.

1. IvyPanda . "Analysis of Arguments: Should Marijuana Be Legalized?" August 1, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/analysis-of-arguments-should-marijuana-be-legalized/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Analysis of Arguments: Should Marijuana Be Legalized?" August 1, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/analysis-of-arguments-should-marijuana-be-legalized/.

Argumentative Essay On Marijuana Legalization

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Why Marijuana Should be Legalized Argumentative Essay Outline

Introduction.

Thesis: Marijuana should be legalized as it is more beneficial that it may be detrimental to society.

Paragraph 1:

Marijuana has not caused turmoil in some of the countries where it has been legalized.

• Marijuana does not increase violent, and property crimes as many suggest.
• Studies reveal that in Colorado, violent crimes have declined following the legalization of marijuana.

Paragraph 2:

Prohibiting use of marijuana does not limit its consumption.

• In spite of the many laws prohibiting the use of marijuana, it is one of the most highly abused drugs.
• 58% of young people from all over the world use marijuana.
• It has not been attributed to any health complications.

Paragraph 3:

Legalization of marijuana would help state governments save taxpayers money.

• Governments spend lots of funds on law enforcement agencies that uphold laws restricting the use of marijuana.
• They also spend vast sums of money on sustaining arrested dealers and consumers in prison.
• Legalizing marijuana would result in saving vast sums of money.

Paragraph 4:

Marijuana is less noxious than other legal substances.

• Marijuana has less health side effects than other legal substances such as alcohol and tobacco.
• Alcohol is 114 times more destructive than marijuana.

Paragraph 5:

Marijuana has been proven to have medical benefits.

• Marijuana helps stop seizures in epileptic patients.
• It helps stop nausea in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy .

Paragraph 6:

Marijuana has been proven to be a stress reliever.

• Marijuana relieves stress and depression in their users by causing excitement.
• Its use reduces violence and deaths related to stress and depression.

Conclusion.

There are many misconceptions about marijuana existent in the modern world. People have continued to ignore health benefits linked to this substance citing their unproven beliefs. Owing to its ability to stop seizures, nausea, and stress in individuals governments should highly consider marijuana legalization. Its legalization will also help state governments reduce expenses that result from maintaining suspects convicted of marijuana possession and consumption.

Why Marijuana Should be Legalized Argumentative Essay

The argument that marijuana use should be made legal has gained momentum both in the U.S. and elsewhere in the world in recent years. This has seen the drug being legalized in some states in the U.S. such that by 2013, twenty states had legalized medical marijuana. As of the same year, Colorado and Washington had legalized recreational marijuana. The arguments behind the push for legalization majorly revolve around the idea that the drug has medicinal effects. However, there are also arguments that there are serious health effects associated with the drug and this has only further fueled the already raging debate. This paper argues that marijuana should be legalized as it is more beneficial that it may be detrimental to society.

Marijuana has not caused any notable negative effects in countries where it has been legalized. There is a general belief that marijuana consumers are violent. However, no authentic research can prove these assertions. As already seen, some states in the United States have legalized both medicinal and recreational marijuana. In spite of this, no cases of marijuana-related violence have been recorded so far in such states (Markol, 2018). Reports reveal that the rate of violence and property crimes have decreased in Colorado following the legalization of the drug. If marijuana does not increase violent crimes, there is no reason as to why it should not be legalized.

It is also noteworthy that prohibiting marijuana use does not limit its consumption. Less than 10% of countries in the world prevent the use of marijuana, but according to research, 58% of young people in most of these countries are marijuana users (Head, 2016). General reports reveal that marijuana is one of most commonly abused drug in the world. It is also readily available in most states as it is a naturally growing plant (Head, 2016). In spite of its continued use, there are few cases, if any, of marijuana-related health complications that have been reported in any of these countries (Head, 2016). Therefore, if the illegality of marijuana does not limit its consumption, then state governments should consider its legalization.

Legalization of marijuana would further help state governments save taxpayers’ money. It is widely known that in countries where marijuana is illegal, authorities are stringent and will arrest any individual found in possession of the drug (Sanger, 2017). However, as earlier mentioned, laws prohibiting the use of the drug do not prevent its consumption, and this means that many people are arrested and prosecuted for possessing it (Sanger, 2017). State governments therefore use a lot of funds to support law enforcement agencies that seek to uphold laws prohibiting the use of marijuana (Sanger, 2017). Many people have been arrested and incarcerated for either possessing or consuming the drug, and the government has to use taxpayers’ money to sustain such people in prison. Since these actions do not limit consumption of marijuana, state governments should legalize the drug so as to save taxpayers money.

Another advantage of marijuana is that it is less noxious than other legal substances. According to research, marijuana is the least harmful drug among the many legal drugs existent in the world today (Owen, 2014). There are millions of campaigns every year cautioning people against smoking cigarettes, but there has been none seeking to warn people about marijuana consumption (Owen, 2014). Lobby groups have even been making efforts to push for legalization of marijuana. If marijuana had severe health effects as many purport, state governments would be investing heavily in campaigns aimed at discouraging its consumption (Owen, 2014). According to studies, alcohol, which is legal in many countries, is 114 times more harmful than marijuana (Owen, 2014). Therefore, if such harmful substances can be legalized, then there are no justifications as to why marijuana should not be legalized.

Further, marijuana has been proven to have medicinal benefits. Several countries, particularly in Europe, and the United States have legalized both medicinal and recreational marijuana. Their move to legalize marijuana was based on medical reports that showed a variety of health benefits linked to the drug (Noonan, 2017). Research shows that marijuana can reduce seizures in epileptic persons. Several studies have also proven that the drug indeed has a variety of health benefits. For instance, Charlotte Figi, who is now aged 10, used to have more than 100 seizures every month at age three, but since Colorado legalized medicinal and recreational marijuana, her parents started treating her with the substance, and today her seizures have significantly reduced (Noonan, 2017). Marijuana has as well been proven to reduce nausea in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. Owing to this medicinal value, state governments should consider legalizing the drug.

Additionally, marijuana has been proven to be a stress reliever. Consumption of the drug causes excitement among its users enabling them to forget about troubling situations. Unlike alcohol which is likely to aggravate stress and depression, marijuana works wonders in alleviating anxiety and depression (Sanger, 2017). There are many health and social effects associated with stress, including mental disorders and violence against others (Sanger, 2017). To avoid cases of stress-related violence and mental disorders, state governments should make marijuana consumption legal.

There are many misconceptions about marijuana in the world today. People have continued to ignore the health benefits linked with this substance and have instead focused on citing yet-to-be proven misconceptions. Owing to the ability of the drug to stop seizures, nausea, and stress in individuals, governments should seriously consider its legalization. The legalization will also help state governments reduce expenses that result from sustaining suspects convicted of marijuana possession and consumption. So far, there is more than enough evidence proving that marijuana has lots of benefits to individuals, the society, and the government, and therefore should be legalized.

Head, T. (2016). “8 reasons why marijuana should be legalized”. ThoughtCo . Retrieved June 27, 2020 from https://www.thoughtco.com/reasons-why-marijuana-should-be-legalized-721154

Markol, T. (2018). “5 reasons why marijuana should be legalized”. Marijuana Reform . Retrieved June 27, 2020 from http://marijuanareform.org/5-reasons-marijuana-legalized/

Noonan, D. (2017). “Marijuana treatment reduces severe epileptic seizures”. Scientific American . Retrieved June 27, 2020 from https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/marijuana-treatment-reduces-severe-epileptic-seizures/

Owen, P. (2014). “6 powerful reasons to legalize marijuana”. New York Times . Retrieved June 27, 2020 from https://www.alternet.org/drugs/6-powerful-reasons-new-york-times-says-end-marijuana-prohibition

Sanger, B. (2017). “10 legit reasons why weed should be legalized right now”. Herb . Retrieved June 27, 2020 from https://herb.co/marijuana/news/reasons-weed-legalized

Why Marijuana Should be Legal Essay Outline

Thesis:  Marijuana has health benefits and should thus be legal.

Benefits of Marijuana

Marijuana slows and stops the spread of cancer cells.

• Cannabidiol can turn off a gene called Id-1 and can therefore stop cancer.
• In an experiment, researchers were able to treat breast cancer cells with Cannabidiol.

Marijuana helps with pain and nausea reduction for people going through chemotherapy.

• Cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy suffer from severe pains and nausea.
• This can further complicate their health.
• Marijuana can stir up their appetite, decrease nausea, and reduce pain.

Paragraph  3:

Marijuana can control epileptic seizure.

• Marijuana extract stopped seizures in epileptic rats in ten hours.
• The seizures were controlled by the THC.

Disadvantages of Marijuana

Marijuana is addictive.

• One in ten marijuana users become addicted over time.
• If one stops using the drug abruptly, they may suffer from such withdrawal symptoms.

Marijuana use decreases mental health.

• Users suffer from memory loss and restricted blood flow to the brain.
• Users have higher chances of developing depression and schizophrenia.

Marijuana use damages the lungs more than cigarette smoking .

• Marijuana smokers inhale the smoke more deeply into their lungs and let it stay there for longer.
• The likelihood of lung cancer can be increased by this deeper, longer exposure to carcinogens.

Why Marijuana Should Be Legal

Paragraph 7:

Improved quality and safety control.

• Legalization would lead to the creation of a set of standards for safety and quality control.
• Users would know what they exactly get in exchange for the money they offer.
• There would be no risks of users taking in unknown substances mixed in marijuana.

Paragraph 8:

Marijuana has a medicinal value.

• Medical marijuana treats a wide assortment of “untreatable” diseases and conditions.
• Public health would be improved and the healthcare system would experience less of a drain.  

Paragraph 9: 

Among the major arguments against marijuana legalization is often that legalization would yield an increase in drug-impaired driving.

• This argument holds that even now when the drug is yet to be fully legalized in the country, it is a major causal factor in highway deaths, injuries, and crushes.
• It however beats logic why marijuana is illegalized on the ground that it would increase drug-impaired driving while alcohol is legal but also significantly contributes to the same problem.

Legalization of marijuana would have many benefits. The drug is associated with the treatment of many serious illnesses including the dreaded cancer. Legalization would also save users from consuming unsafe marijuana sold by unscrupulous people.

Why Marijuana Should Be Legal Essay

There is an ongoing tension between the belief that marijuana effectively treats a wide range of ailments and the argument that it has far-reaching negative health effects. There has nevertheless been a drive towards legalization of the drug in the United States with twenty nine states and the District of Columbia having legalized it for medical and recreational purposes. It was also found by a study that there is a sharp increase in the use of marijuana across the country (Kerr, Lui & Ye, 2017). Major public health concerns are being prompted by this rise. This should however not be the case because marijuana has health benefits and should thus be legal.

Marijuana slows and stops the spread of cancer cells. A study found that Cannabidiol can turn off a gene called Id-1 and can therefore stop cancer. A 2007 report by researchers at California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco also indicated that the spread of cancer may be prevented by Cannabidiol. In their lab experiment, the researchers were able to treat breast cancer cells with this component (Nawaz, 2017). The positive outcome of the experiment showed that Id-1 expression had been significantly decreased.

Marijuana also helps with pain and nausea reduction for people going through chemotherapy. Cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy suffer from severe pains, appetite loss, vomiting, and painful nausea. This can further complicate their already deteriorating health. Marijuana can be of help here by stirring up the appetite, decreasing nausea, and reducing pain (Nawaz, 2017). There are also other cannabinoid drugs used for the same purposes as approved by the FDA.

It was additionally shown by a 2003 study that the use of marijuana can control epileptic seizure. Synthetic marijuana and marijuana extracts were given to epileptic rats by Virginia Commonwealth University’s Robert J. DeLorenzo. In about ten hours, the seizures had been stopped by the drugs (Nawaz, 2017). It was found that the seizures were controlled by the THC which bound the brain cells responsible for regulating relaxation and controlling excitability.

Some scientists claim that marijuana is addictive. According to them, one in ten marijuana users become addicted over time. They argue that if one stops using the drug abruptly, they may suffer from such withdrawal symptoms as anxiety and irritability (Barcott, 2015). However, the same argument could be applied to cigarette smoking, which is notably legal. There is need for more studies to be conducted into this claim being spread by opponents of marijuana legalization.

It is also argued that marijuana use decreases mental health. Those opposed to the legalization of recreational marijuana like to cite studies that show that users of the drug suffer from memory loss and restricted blood flow to the brain. They also argue that users have higher chances of developing depression and schizophrenia. However, these assertions have not yet been completely ascertained by science (Barcott, 2015). The claim about depression and schizophrenia is particularly not clear because researchers are not sure whether the drug triggers the conditions or it is used by smokers to alleviate the symptoms.

It is further claimed that marijuana use damages the lungs more than cigarette smoking. It is presumed that marijuana smokers inhale the smoke more deeply into their lungs and let it stay there for longer. The likelihood of lung cancer, according to this argument, can be increased by this deeper, longer exposure to carcinogens. However, the argument touches not on the frequency of use between marijuana and cigarette smokers (Barcott, 2015). It neither takes into account such alternative administration methods as edibles, tinctures, and vaporizing.

Legalization of marijuana would lead to improved quality and safety control. Purchasing the drug off the street provides end users with no means of knowing what they are exactly getting. On the other hand, legalizing it would immediately lead to the creation of a set of standards for safety and quality control (Caulkins, Kilmer & Kleiman, 2016). This would certainly work in the marijuana industry just as it is working in the tobacco and alcohol industries. Users would be able to know what they exactly get in exchange for the money they offer. Additionally, there would be no risks of users taking in unknown substances mixed in marijuana sold on the streets.

Marijuana should also be legal because it has a medicinal value. It has been proven that medical marijuana treats a wide assortment of “untreatable” diseases and conditions. These include problems due to chemotherapy, cancer, post-traumatic stress disorder, migraines, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, and Crohn’s disease (Caulkins, Kilmer & Kleiman, 2016). Public health would be improved and the healthcare system would experience less of a drain if medical cannabis products were made available to those suffering from the mentioned conditions. Consequently, more public funds would be available for such other public service initiatives as schools and roads.

Among the major arguments against marijuana legalization is often that legalization would yield an increase in drug-impaired driving. This argument holds that even now when the drug is yet to be fully legalized in the country, it has already been cited to be a major causal factor in highway deaths, injuries, and crushes. Among the surveys those arguing along this line might cite is one that was conducted back in 2010, revealing that of the participating weekend night-time drivers, “8.6 percent tested positive for marijuana or its metabolites” (“Why We Should Not Legalize Marijuana,” 2010). It was found in yet another study that 26.9% of drivers who were being attended to at a trauma center after sustaining serious injuries tested positive for the drug (“Why We Should Not Legalize Marijuana,” 2010). It however beats logic why marijuana is illegalized on the ground that it would increase drug-impaired driving while alcohol is legal but also significantly contributes to the same problem.

As the discussion reveals, legalization of marijuana would have many benefits. The drug is associated with the treatment of many serious illnesses including the dreaded cancer. Legalization would also save users from consuming unsafe marijuana sold by unscrupulous people. There are also other health conditions that can be controlled through the drug. Arguments against its legalization based on its effects on human health also lack sufficient scientific support. It is thus only safe that the drug is legalized in all states.

Barcott, B. (2015).  Weed the people: the future of legal marijuana in America . New York, NY: Time Home Entertainment.

Caulkins, J. P., Kilmer, B., & Kleiman, M. (2016).  Marijuana legalization: what everyone needs to know . New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

Kerr, W., Lui, C., & Ye, Y. (2017). Trends and age, period and cohort effects for marijuana use prevalence in the 1984-2015 US National Alcohol Surveys.  Addiction ,  113 (3), 473-481.

Nawaz, H. (2017).  The debate between legalizing marijuana and its benefits for medical purposes: a pros and cons analysis . Munich, Germany: GRIN Verlag.

Why We Should Not Legalize Marijuana. (2010). In  CNBC . Retrieved June 25, 2020 from  https://www.cnbc.com/id/36267223 .

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Why Should Marijuana Be Legalized? (Essay Sample)

Table of Contents

Why Should Marijuana Be Legalized?

Introduction.

The question as to whether marijuana should become legal in the United States is one that has attracted much debate. Both sides of the divide utilize high amounts of contradicting research that in many cases fail to outline the ultimate truths towards it. Cannabis sativa, commonly known as marijuana, traces its existence in 6000 B.C, where its seeds were primarily a source of food for people of China. There are numerous perspectives considered in this debate. However, according to the 2013 polls, for the first time, fifty-eight percent of Americans agree it should become legal mainly as an estimated thirty million people in America currently utilize it. Marijuana should be permitted in the United States as its legalization would lead to significant economic benefits, it would lessen cases of illegal drug trafficking and the existence of gangs. Medically, it would bring about several benefits, it is less harmful, and legalization would limit its use.

Reasons why Marijuana should be legalized

Marijuana brings about several medical benefits. For so long people have held on to a notion that marijuana is a harmful drug thereby, failing and ignoring its medical applications. Research by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, marijuana contains an active ingredient known as THC, which is useful in stimulating appetite and has treated glaucoma, pain, epilepsy and spastic muscles that occur due to the MS condition. Further studies have shown that marijuana has the potential to shrink and kill the cancer cell, reduce depression and alleviate anxiety, while its prescription to cancer patients reduces the effects of chemotherapy (Weiss, 2016). The Canadian Medical Association Journal has also documented positive contributions of marijuana towards HIV/AIDS patients. The Journal observed that its use induced appetite, prevented vomiting and wasting away of muscles and in some cases repressed the increase and development of the disease. Moreover, the absolute affirmation by various medical journals and organizations such as the American Cancer society that no individual has ever succumbed to marijuana use, therefore, makes it safer than twenty percent of prescription drugs in the market today.

Legalizing of cannabis sativa would elicit significant economic rewards to a government. Governments incur exorbitant costs in a bid to tame the use of cannabis. According to the Drug Policy Alliance, the United States spends about fifty-one billion dollars every year on the war on drugs, three point six billion dollars of which is on enforcing the cannabis law through arresting, prosecuting and imprisoning non-violent offenders. Nevertheless, despite the over three decades outlawing, about thirty million Americans still use it. Thus, legalizing it would enable the country to save this tremendous amount (Evans, 2013, pp. 2). Additionally, economists note that legalizing marijuana does not create it; instead, it recognizes its unwavering popularity as a commodity with about thirty million citizens utilizing it despite its illegal status. Therefore, according to them, the government could take up control of it and reap a revenue of about 6.2 billion every year from its taxation, if the same parameters of tobacco and alcohol applied (Evans, 2013, pp.  3-4).

Through legalization of marijuana, the country would experience limited cases of illegal drug trafficking and reduce the number of gangs. On average, marijuana farming and sale generates returns amounting to billions of dollars to drug cartels. The Mexican cartels that heavily control the sale of various drugs utilize a chunk of this amount to finance gang activities and expanding their drug territories (Kleiman, 2011, pp. 89). As a result, the country suffers a never-ending drug problem, gang wars as they fight for territories and criminal activities. Legalizing marijuana would introduce stiff competition to gangs and drug dealers, which would reduce their influence and effects on the streets. Due to the legalization progress, farmers and cartels that control the marijuana sale in recent years complain of slowing of their business after several American states legalize it. The sale of one kilogram dropped from a hundred dollars to twenty-five dollars, eliciting their opinions against legalization. Thus, authorization would further weaken the gangs and cartels alike, reduce criminal activities and eventually diminish underage usage.

Another reason cannabis sativa should receive legal acknowledgment is that it would reduce its consumption. The government controls with ease, the use, and access to substances they classify legal than the illegal ones. For instance, the U.S. government has done exceptionally well in limiting the access and use of alcohol for minors by instituting marketing campaigns that educate, informs and warn of the dangers and penalties of selling and use by juveniles. Thus, making accessibility of alcohol impossible for them. Henceforth, legalizing marijuana will enable the government set up standards, strict regulations, and price controls thereby, combating teenage access and use. For instance, researchers observed the dropping of cannabis use in Colorado to twenty from twenty-three percent by 2013, which is lower than the national range of twenty-four percent. Moreover, they have documented that youths are finding it harder to access marijuana in legalized states as compared to before where its access has reduced to roughly seventy percent down from ninety percent (Wong, Clark, & Harlow, 2016, pp. 38-39).

Marijuana is less harmful compared to alcohol and tobacco, thus should be legalized. American history has for long held to the prohibition of cannabis while ignoring apparent and increasing harm substances such as alcohol and tobacco cause. According to Alternet organization, marijuana presents less addictive tendencies as compared to alcohol and tobacco. Most health professionals and scientists agree that the evidence of addiction observed among marijuana users produce minimal to no problems, as its effects are primarily euphoric and pose no health effects. Alcohol and tobacco, on the other hand, cause serious health issues. For instance, they predispose a user to various types of cancers such as liver, stomach, mouth and throat cancers and heart diseases (Poindexter, 2014). Moreover, alcohol use causes deaths of one in every five users and fuels domestic violence, drunk driving and accidents among some of its users. However, the use of marijuana has not resulted in deaths or triggered any social effects. Thus, since it is evident that its effects are minimal compared to already legalized substances, there is no cause for its prohibition.

The debate on whether marijuana should be legalized should be outdated, and instead, it becomes legal wholly. By the United States government continually treating it as an illegal substance, it continues to spectacularly lose benefits such as significant contributions towards the medical field and minimal harm to its users; boosting of the economy, lessening the influence of gangs and drug trafficking, and plummeting its use. In my opinion, it is the high time that the federal government followed the example laid by various states to end marijuana prohibition.

• Evans, D. (2013). The economic impacts of marijuana legalization, 2-4.
• Kleiman, M. (2011). Surgical strikes in the drug wars: smarter policies for both sides of the border. Foreign Aff. 90, 89.
• Poindexter, O. (2014). 6 powerful reasons to legalize marijuana. From the New York Times. Alternet. Retrieved Octo. 9, 2017 from https://www.alternet.org/drugs/6-powerful- reasons-new-york-times-says-end-marijuana-prohibition
• Weiss, S. (2016). Researching the potential medical benefits and risks of marijuana. National Institute on Drug Abuse. Retrieved Oct. 9, 2017 from https://www.drugabuse.gov/about- nida/legislative-activities/testimony-to-congress/2017/researching-potential-medical- benefits-risks-marijuana
• Wong, K., Clark, C., and Harlow, G (2016). The legalization of marijuana in Colorado: The Impact. Rocky Mountain High Intensity Drug and Trafficking Area, 4, 38-45.

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Marijuana Argumentative Outline

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