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Argumentative Essay on “Legalizing Marijuana in America”.

In American society, the discussion of marijuana legalization has been a conversational

argumentative concern; furthermore in American politics now. There are still many strong

arguments about why marijuana must be legalized and my argument is based on

factual information supporting to demonstrate why marijuana should be legal. There has been

controversy over marijuana legalization, with just an unusual number of inconsistent research

studies. There are several viewpoints to remember and they all seem to fall linked to the

debater's personal motivations whether this is discussed from a medical, political or

financial standpoint; and to see whether the State government ought to be our rulers or we

should be accountable for our actions.

The number of people tried to point many factors, why marijuana ought to be legal and it

continues to grow day after day. It should be specified in March 2016 that perhaps the AP-

NORC Center for Public relations Analysis announced that 61 percent of Americans appear to

support the specific drug legalization. The knowledge is increasing in a moment, but

legalizations still moving very slowly, with about four states and only the Columbia District

marijuana legalization is done throughout the U.S. Moreover, there are certain people who

oppose the fact that marijuana should remain illegal in the U.S.

The clinical data also suggest concerns with the argument over the legalization of

marijuana. Therefore, studies and experiments have shown concerns, that the use of marijuana

has been dangerous in certain university-run research studies. For example, a study conducted by

Northwestern University throughout the Hippocampus journal tried to show, with the help of

MRIs, a strangely shaped hippocampus in teenagers who had used marijuana extensively for a

time span of three years at an age of 15-16 (Paul, p.2 2015). The hippocampus seems to be an
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area of the brain primarily accountable for both short-term memory and long term memory.

According to Lei Wang, Ph.D. Professor, “Advanced brain mapping tools allowed us to examine

detailed and sometimes subtle changes in small brain structures, including the hippocampus.”

(Paul, p.2 2015) Precisely, there is indeed a legitimate concern that young adults might see their

brains negatively affected by using marijuana and that there is a bigger worry that perhaps the

long-term consequences on the liver, lungs, and other vital organs are not well identified to make

marijuana legalize. In addition, there is compelling evidence in the paragraph marijuana and

driving, that shows marijuana has a negative effect on one's driving ability since individuals have

a powerful addictive behavior, though some surveys have shown that it is comparatively less

harmful and safer than alcohol (Wilkinson, p.7 2016). Nonetheless, there is still no specified

level of THC, the active compound of marijuana, that can determine if you are over or below the

intoxication threshold.

The third argument that make marijuana legalization illegal is the impact on

environmental and electric grids. The statement has been backed by factual

arguments; wherein 2012 a study by researcher Evan Mills, Ph.D., at a Lawrence Berkeley

National Lab discovered that legally grown indoor marijuana farms accounted for 1 percent of

our country's energy consumption, making the total just over $6 billion per year (Mills, p.3 & p.6

2012). If marijuana were made legal, it really is necessary that electric power demands for indoor

growing crops could destroy the country's power grids, from shading to temperature

requirements through air-conditioning systems. In addition, there are problems that farms

growing outdoor marijuana can have a negative impact on the local atmosphere, such as the

wildlife environment (Mills, 2012).

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Now since we comprehend why legalization may not always work, we would now look at

the sorts of reasons behind the support for legalizing marijuana. In addition, if marijuana is

legalized, there have been reliable resources that provide factual arguments that help the reader

understand the medical and financial benefits. Additionally, some people consume marijuana for

medical use. They believed it helps in the discomfort, and it helps to reduce severe pain.

Marijuana does have many medical benefits, varying from pain relief to stopping Alzheimer's

from progressing. Undoubtedly there really is no fabricated medication on a market that helps

with one treatment as much of the different kinds of disorders, as Marijuana. Research by

Donald Tashkin from the University of California, a pulmonologist who has studied marijuana

for 30 years, refutes the misconception that marijuana causes lung cancer and suggests marijuana

may get a beneficial effect and therefore does not lead to cancer of the lungs (Kaufman, p.1

2006). Cancer patients who are using marijuana claim it helps patients in many ways: tempering

diarrhea, reducing fatigue, growing appetite, alleviating pain and calming anxiety. The

subsequent clinical trials include evidence that smoking marijuana works to a limited degree to

alleviate the emesis caused by chemotherapy. In medical comparisons, THC managed better than

a placebo to decrease the nausea induced by chemotherapy (Joy J, p.2 2000).

Moreover, Evan Wood, the founding member of the International Center for Science in

Drugs policy, legalizing marijuana would have been profitable to our economy and government;

U.S. taxpayers have invested an approximately $2.5 trillion on drug combat. Legalization of

marijuana would, however, produce billions in U.S. government profits and taxation; while

banning marijuana can cost the taxpayer trillions of dollars every year (Evan, p.1 2015). It not

only helps in making huge profits by collecting more taxes but it can also help to invest those in

the betterment of the state. Income generated from taxation in these nations is placed on things
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like education, healthcare, and recreational drug regulation. The topic of marijuana also makes a

rhetorical appeal ethos by comparing it with the alcohol. Having discussed in the start that

marijuana is safer and has less negative impact as compared to alcohol. Alcohol seems to cause

more accidents and increasing health issues.

Throughout the essay, we have argued equally the legality of legalizing marijuana and

how dangerous it is to make marijuana legal. The essay is backed by factual evidence supporting

all the arguments we have put forth. The essay shows a clear thesis statement that shows concern

regarding the medical and financial benefits of making marijuana legal in the U.S. The essay has

conclusively supported its opposing arguments that how making marijuana legal can cause

indoor and outdoor danger for the environment and electric grids. In addition, it can be

dangerous because it can cause cancer to some extent that is later overshadowed by many

researchers. The arguments in favor are also backed proofs and evidences, the arguments consist

of the medical and financial benefits. Marijuana can help the state to grow its taxes and revenues

and re-invest the collection of profits on the health, infrastructure and other facilities.
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References

1. Paul, M. (2015, March 12). Teen Cannabis Users Have Poor Long-Term Memory In

Adulthood. Retrieved from https://news.feinberg.northwestern.edu/2015/03/csernansky-

teen-cannabis-use/

2. Wilkinson, S. T., Yarnell, S., Radhakrishnan, R., Ball, S. A., & D'Souza, D. C. (2016).

Marijuana Legalization: Impact on Physicians and Public Health. Retrieved from

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4900958/

3. Mills, E. (2012). The carbon footprint of indoor Cannabis production. Energy Policy,

46(December), 58–67. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2012.03.023

4. Kaufman, M. (2006, May 26). Study Finds No Cancer-Marijuana Connection. Retrieved

from https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/2006/05/26/study-finds-no-

cancer-marijuana-connection/ea496081-b529-4948-9960-9e725a376e5a/

5. Mack, A., & Joy, J. (2000). Marijuana as Medicine? The Science Beyond the

Controversy. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25077214

6. Nosyk, B., Wood, E., & Kerr, T. (2015, April 14). The rise of marijuana and the fall of

cocaine in the United States: for better, for worse? Retrieved from

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/add.12738
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