Al-Roumi 1 Izze Al-Roumi Kristen Foster CO150.

03 November 25, 2013

Why should Marijuana be legalized in the United States? What is marijuana? Marijuana is a plant that people take-in into their body to either get high or medication. Usually people smoke marijuana but could also be eaten by mixing it with brownies. I am writing this paper to support my idea on why should marijuana be legalized. Marijuana has been illegal in the United States since the 1970s. It has been in debate whether to legalized it or not. Since the 1990s, about 13 states have legalized marijuana medically and in the 2012 election, Colorado and Washington state have legalized it but having trouble with the federal for selling it. The most shocking thing is that marijuana is illegal while other substances like alcohol and tobacco are legal. Alcohol has been known for making people do stupid stuff and do not remember it the next day. While getting high, it only makes you happy, lazy and hungry but you still could control your self from doing something stupid. No substantial evidence links marijuana to traffic accidents, domestic violence or cancer, yet pot is illegal. (Short, 2013). Meanwhile, alcohol remains legal despite the fact that it has been proven to contribute to many societal ills, including domestic violence and auto accidents. So, not causing any accidents, domestic violence nor cancer is illegal while alcohol, which causes all that is legal. I think that something must be wrong here. How

Al-Roumi 2 could you legal something that affects people and not legalize something that does not affect them as much or not even half of it. It doesn't cause hangovers or overdose deaths, and its not linked to violence or reckless behavior (Short). This means that after taking marijuana and sleep, you will still remember what happened the day before. Marijuana will not kill you if you got really high, while alcohol could kill you if you drank a lot or high percentage of concentrated alcohol. The large majority of people who try marijuana do it experimentally and never become addicted. Unlike other substances, pot has very few severe withdrawal symptoms and most people can quit rather easily. (Gumbiner, 2010). Since you will not get addicted to marijuana while you could get addicted to tobacco, why is marijuana illegal? Will legalizing marijuana help the country/states economy? The states could see a major economic boon because of the legalization. The new measure is expected to bring the two states more than $550 million combined (Bradford, 2012). Since only two states legalizing marijuana could have an income $550 million joined, why dont you legalize it through out the country. If only those two states could make this much, how much could the whole country make? Having this much of money in income, with in years, the US will not need to be indebted with other countries money and to start lending others money. This would be perfect for the countrys economy. In addition to creating jobs, legalizing marijuana increases state revenues (Duprey, 2013). Since legalizing marijuana will create more jobs, why dont they legalize it and start to hire the unemployed people. This would help lots of families from losing their houses and to have some food on the table. A lot of people in this country are unemployed, due to the economy, and are willing to do anything to support their family. Legalizing marijuana

Al-Roumi 3 could help those people by creating them some jobs. In fact, marijuana is the greatest revenue producer of all agricultural products grown in the U.S. With production values of roughly $36 billion annually. (CNBC, 2010). Since marijuana has the highest revenue, shouldnt people go into business and help the countrys economy? This could make the United States one of the richest countries in the world, if not the richest country in the world. Will legalizing marijuana affect the drug war or reduce drug dealers? Should the country people from doing/taking stuff that could be legal but make them fight for it? Prohibition, as we learned with alcohol in the 1920s, not only does not work, but gives rise to staggering rates of death, disease, crime and addiction. In fact, it guarantees them. (CNBC). So this could mean legalizing marijuana could stop crime. It could stop crime by making the people buy marijuana legally and do not need to go to drug dealers. Over the past four decades, the U.S. has spent more than $1 trillion fighting the war on drugs. (Goldman). So legalizing marijuana will not just decrease crime, but also save these country lots of money. Why should decriminalizing drugs, though, reduce crime? Criminals do not get involved with drugs because they like drugs, but because they like crime. (Goldman). This means that lawbreakers like to do stuff that are illegal just to get in trouble. Legalizing marijuana could give them fewer options to get into trouble. This could be a positive thing for the country, less criminal rates. This government could just make it easier for them selves and cost less by just legalizing it. Marijuana could also be used as medication to a lot of sick patients. Compounds in marijuana can relieve pain, combat nausea and stimulate appetite (Cox, 2012). Having something that could cure/help a lot of ill people, why cant they take it unless

Al-Roumi 4 they are in one of the few states that allow it medically. What if that person lives in a state that does not allow him/her to have marijuana medically and cannot afford to go and live in a state that legalizes medical marijuana? Marijuana has been found to suppress cancer, reduce blood pressure, treat glaucoma, alleviate pain and even inhibit HIV. It is an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective. Can you understand more now why its illegal? (True Activist). It really stunning that not allowing something that could prevent people from getting HIV (Aids), which is very lethal. Lots of people are dying from cancer and they are not able to get marijuana, which helps their treatment. On the other hand, People would say that smoking marijuana could cause lung cancer. I agree with them that smoking marijuana could cause lung cancer due to the chemicals of the paper. However, marijuana could be eaten which will not cause lung cancer, as you are not taking in any smoke. One of my friends, 29 years of age, has been diagnosed with glaucoma at the age of 25 years. He had trouble seeing stuff until he started using marijuana. He eats it as brownies everyday and his sights had been much better and able to drive. The doctor was shocked with his improvement with his sight. Would a lot of people be affected as second hand smokers? Well yes of course, just like smoking cigarettes which is legal that could cause cancer to second hand smokers while smoking marijuana could only making second hand smokers high. However, this is not a really a big deal. This issue could be solved just like drinking alcohol in public is forbidden. Smoking marijuana could be only smoked in restricted areas and not in public areas. However, Second hand smoker will never be as high as smoking it nor getting as close to it. If you are a second hand smoker and you have a drug

Al-Roumi 5 test the next day, you should not be positive. If for some reason you were positive for marijuana, there is a second text to prove that you are a second hand smoker. Lots of people claim that marijuana lead to hardcore drugs. Well, I disagree with them. Its not a gateway drug like people think it is. (DC Council member, 2013). Since Washington DC have made lots of studies whether it leads to other drugs, and the answer was no. Another friend of mine, have been smoking marijuana for some time. He was never lead to other drugs. Its just what you had in mind since you started marijuana would lead you to do other drugs. It was always in your mind not marijuana. Should marijuana really be legalized? In my and many others opinion, yes it should be legalized. As I have mentioned in the article, it is much less harmful than other legal substance like alcohol, could be used as medication and also it will help the countrys economy by a lot. However, what the opponents have been claiming about marijuana could be solved like it causing lung cancer by eating it as a brownie.

Al-Roumi 6 Citation D.C. Councilmember: Marijuana Does Not Do Harm, Its Not A Gateway Drug." CBC. N.p., 11 July 2013. Web. 18 Nov. 2013. <http://washington.cbslocal.com/2013/07/11/d-c-councilmember-marijuana-doesnot-do-harm-its-not-a-gateway-drug/>. Legalization Will Reduce Crime, Free Up Police Resources." CNBC. N.p., 20 Apr. 2010. Web. 18 Nov. 2013. <http://www.cnbc.com/id/36201668>. Dupey, Mathew. "Marijuana Legalization: Colorado Pot Stores Are Going to Be an Economic Boon." (2013): n. pag. Www.policymic.com. 06 Nov. 2013. Web. 18 Nov. 2013. Bradford, Harry. "14 Ways Marijuana Legalization Could Boost The Economy." (2012): n. pag. Web. 18 Nov. 2013. Goldman, David. "Will Legalizing Drugs Reduce Crime?" (2013): n. pag. Web. 18 Nov. 2013. True Activist. "Still Believe Nature Got It Wrong? Top 10 Health Benefits of Marijuana Read More Http://www.trueactivist.com/still-believe-nature-got-it-wrong-top-10health-benefits-of-marijuana/." (2013): n. pag. Web. 9 Oct. 2013. <http://www.trueactivist.com/still-believe-nature-got-it-wrong-top-10-healthbenefits-of-marijuana/>. Gumbiner, Jann. "Is Marijuana Addictive?" (2010): n. pag. Web. 21 Oct. 2013. <http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-teenage-mind/201012/is-marijuanaaddictive>. Short, April M. "Is Marijuana Addictive?" (n.d.): n. pag. Web. 16 Oct. 2013.

Al-Roumi 7 <http://www.alternet.org/drugs/7-ways-booze-more-dangerous-pot>. Cox, Lauren. Medical Marijuana: Benefits Vs. Risks. Livescience.com. Live Science. 05 November 2012. Web. 9 October 2013