Marijuana Should Be Legalized

Marijuana Should Be Legalized

Merriam-Webster dictionary defines Marijuana as the dried leaves and flowering tops of the pistillate hemp plant that yield THC and are smoked in cigarettes for their intoxicating effect. The definition could be misleading because of the word “intoxicating” but not everything that is intoxicating means it's bad, painkillers for example. They're considered intoxicating but they are beneficial for people who are suffering certain types of pain. Also marijuana is an intoxicating leave, but it has its own medical benefits.

Laws of marijuana prohibition can cause a huge damage in the society. Peaceful citizens are becoming criminals every day for such reason. In fact, since the establishment of marijuana prohibition in 1937, there have been 55,000 users in the United States. This number had increased to 30 million in 2002 causing more than 734,500 police arrests (Rosenthal & Kubby, 2003). I believe that marijuana should be legalized in the United States because of several major reasons.

There are many medicinal benefits that will come with the legalization of marijuana, in addition to the environmental and economical benefits. Patients with AIDS commonly attribute their rapid weight loss to the nausea the disease causes. Marijuana can help AIDS patients maintain their weight because it the drug causes the patient to feel hunger. Marijuana also reduces the pain of headaches and the anxiety caused by living with the illness. There is no evidence that prohibition lessens drug use and there are several theories that suggest prohibition increases drug use.

The prohibition of alcohol also removed a significant source of tax revenue from the government and increased government spending to enforce to the laws. These are the same issues that are occurring currently due to the prohibition of marijuana use. Since marijuana is not legal, people must go to ...