After looking into all the issues of legalizing marijuana and looking at the pros and cons, the only conclusion we should come to is to legalize it. Aside from our feelings against it, it makes no sense not to legalize it. To make it legal, and stop all the hardcore drug enforcement would save the U.S at least a couple billion dollars. Legalizing it would also bring revenue of up to $6.2 billion annually by taxing the sales of it. Plain and simple, we need to legalize marijuana.
Economics : If we legalize marijuana from an economical view, the government would be able to put a tax on marijuana like they do alcohol and cigarettes, which would be a huge advantage to our economy. There would be less criminals out on the street selling illegal drugs because it would not be illegal. There would be less prisoners in the jail, which in return would decrease our taxes and we would not have to pay to food and housing of the prisoners. There would be less road rage because people would be laid back and our fine police officers could use there time with other more serious criminal matters. I want to add that there are at least 16 states that have already decriminalized marijuana use.
The jobs it would provide and monetary loss that could be avoided is evident. Health wise marijuana is a safer controlled substance. Marijuana could be an economic gold mine for the U.S. It could be a venture the United States government should not overlook. Legalizing marijuana would and could decrease crime in the drug world.
Others, like me, think that the government shouldn’t have the power to outlaw if it’s not harming or endangering others. There are many reasons why I believe marijuana should be legalized. Marijuana could generate billions of dollars to use for more serious problems, prohibition doesn’t help anything, and legalization could possibly reduce drug use by teens. Our government currently spends billions of dollars annually to lock up marijuana users. These people are normally very peaceful, relaxed, and non-violent.
However, the pro-legalization Americans respond in saying increased marijuana use has no lasting health effects, legalization will allow for better regulation of distribution, and marijuana legalization will reduce alcohol consumption in America. There is no empirical data to support that marijuana use will increase when legalized or that we will see an increase in automobile crashes. Those who are not necessarily marijuana users but support legalization argue that the financial benefits of legalization outweigh the negative implications that come with
Imagine how much more money could be made if marijuana became legal. The extra tax revenue would help society because there would be an extra income that could be used towards health care or other things that benefits society. Drug dealers cause a threat to society and if marijuana was decriminalized drug dealers would lose most if not all of their business and crime would decrease. (SASTISTIC PG 4 5 OF RESEARCH NOTES) if marijuana were to be controlled by the government people would more likely to buy from a store than a shady drug dealer. Thousands of job opportunities would be made available if marijuana were to be decriminalized.
Marijuana legalization would have social benefits. The most obvious benefit is the reduction of alcohol and hard drugs abuse. If marijuana were more readily available, the abuse of more harmful drugs like cocaine, heroin, and PCP would decline rapidly. It would also lead to a decrease in black-market drug activity, which means less crime on the streets as a result of drug related standoffs and "turf
Marijuana is not a gateway drug, it's not physically addicting, and it doesn't kill brain cells... The propaganda surrounding marijuana is deceitful. It's time to wake up and realize this natural, God-given plant will only benefit society instead of being detrimental as many may think. It would cut down on prison space by legalizing marijuana. If you look at alcohol prohibition in the 1920s, look how many less gangs and crime there was after alcohol was legalized again.
They say that marijuana is not as harmful as alcohol or tobacco products so why shouldn’t it be legal? One of the biggest things on people’s minds is the money that can be made from the growing and selling of marijuana and how much the government wastes each year trying to fight a losing battle on the war against marijuana.
It is then left up to the patient to find a medical marijuana clinic and obtain a legal medical marijuana card. Marijuana has a plethora of benefits not only to our society but more for medical purposes. In an article written by John Burnett, he discusses possible outcomes if marijuana was legalized. He states that legalizing marijuana would drop crime and addiction rates. People who are addicted to narcotics due to chronic pain, would more than likely stop using if they could legally obtain marijuana.