Arguments Against Legalizing Marijuana

Legalization of Marijuana
With the United States recovering from a painful recession, the fiery debate over the legalization of marijuana has once again come to the forefront of American politics. The arguments from both sides are valid and convincing. For some, it’s a simple moral issue. For others, it delves deep into issues of personal freedom and economical wellbeing. While the legalization of marijuana could generate a large amount of much needed stimulus to the economy, I believe it is a potentially harmful drug to be readily available to the public and should remain illegal.
The legalization of marijuana would have many diverse benefits. The most relevant and current of these benefits are the effects on the American economy. The
government would be able to heavily tax and regulate the product because it is a good with a theoretically low elasticity, so users would be willing to pay a large tax in exchange for being able to legally use the drug, much like how the alcohol and tobacco industries are treated. In addition, other facets of the American economy would benefit. Jobs would be created from various government agencies which would need to be created, marijuana farms to be run, and potentially limitless business and labor opportunities in the marijuana industry.
Other nonmonetary benefits could arise from the legalization of marijuana.
Violent gangs thrive from a constant flow of cash from illegal practices, a large portion of which is tied to the production and sale of marijuana, among other illegal drugs. By legalizing the drug, it no longer becomes of much value to these gangs, since it is readily available on the free market, and could decrease gang violence. In addition, the legalization of marijuana would render many petty crimes tied to marijuana use and sales void, alleviating the problem of overcrowded prisons, as well as allow a more efficient allocation of police and legal resources away from being tied up in enforcing marijuana laws. As for the harmful health issues with regards to marijuana, legalization would allow the government to regulate and standardize the products which involve
marijuana. A final argument for the legalization of marijuana comes from the simple political view of personal freedom and less government intervention. Such a belief would go hand in hand with marijuana legalization, since many see its use as a personal choice that as Americans, they have the right to do. With the government staying out of the citizens’ personal lives, marijuana users could do so without fear of running into trouble with the law. While some are concerned about the health risks in marijuana use, numerous studies have argued that marijuana use is actually less harmful than alcohol and tobacco. Many reasons exist for arguing for the legalization of marijuana, but contrasting these reasons with the cons of such a law help to understand why such a debate exists.
On the otherhand, I believe the legalization of marijuana would be a tragedy.
There are many reasons for this, the most prevalent being that it is unhealthy. Studies have shown that regular marijuana intake has many adverse side effects. It has been proven that using marijuana over long periods of time is correlated with a decrease in memory function. These people, commonly known as potheads, have a much shorter retention of short term memory. Another adverse health effect is that while marijuana itself is not addictive, it is an example of a gateway drug. A gateway drug is a drug that can lead the user to more addictive and harmful drugs such as cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine. These drugs are highly addictive and have plenty of their own side effects, one of which is death. One last health effect is that the use of marijuana can affect nonusers, too. Similar to cigarette smoke, marijuana smoke has negative effects for those who inhale it, even if not directly. Both first and secondhand smoke can cause throat, tongue, and lung cancer, plus plenty of other problems like emphazema. Marijuana clearly isn’t a benefit to a persons
health. In addition to affecting health, marijuana, if legalized, would affect the community as a whole. First, legalization of marijuana would make it more likely to wind up in the hands of children. It is common knowledge that underage people can easily obtain alcohol, cigarettes, and other more sinister paraphernalia. Marijuana would be no exception. With younger children and teenagers being exposed, more and more people would be potentially hurt by the aforementioned negative health effects. Another negative effect on society in general is an increased number of impaired drivers on the road. Drunk driving is already a problem, and marijuana has similar effects to reaction time and motor skills. There would certainly be an increase in car accidents and deaths of the innocent if marijuana were legalized. A final cost of society is that more serious criminals would be going free. Many of the users and dealers of marijuana also dabble in other more serious crimes. Without this lesser crime’s consequences, these future criminals wouldn’t be deterred from these more serious crimes like arms dealing or more illegal drug dealing. It’s simply not safe to allow marijuana to be legalized. As demonstrated through comparison, the arguments for legalizing marijuana and keeping it illegal both have powerful and thought-provoking reasoning, and accurately reflect why people can be so split about this sensitive issue. While some type of compromise may be reached, it is unlikely that everyone will be satisfied, and so the debating will likely continue for years. A number of states have allowed the use of marijuana for strictly medical use, which some see as a step forward towards legalization. In addition, California has begun considering the effects of a flat out legalization, and may very well vote on it in November. The arguments transcend political affiliation, as well. While Democrats may tend to support legalization of marijuana, there are also a lot of Republicans with Libertarian views who also support legalization, feeling that the fact that it is currently illegal unfairly has the government intervening in the personal lives and freedoms of American citizens. Marijuana can be a touchy issue for some, but by thoroughly examining the underlying concerns from both sides of the legalization debate, it is easy to see why it is such an important issue in today’s society.