Editorial Marijuana
Yoshi Uemura
February 24th, 2013
Ann O’Phelan
LA 280 Perspective Journalism
Marijuana? What’s the Big Deal About? The big debate in California is wether the state should legalize marijuana, and then tax it to bring in revenues to help California climb out of the mountain of a debt it got in. Although Marijuana is deemed as a gateway drug that can lead into harder drugs, legalizing Marijuana will help In the past twelve months, only two states have legalize marijuana for recreational use, and California was not one of them. They were Colorado, and Washington. As of right now California can only use marijuana for medical use. California right now is in huge debt of twenty-eight billion dollars. Legalizing, then taxing marijuana would be a solution to help solve California’s debt issues immediately, while taxing Marijuana will make about 1.3 billion a year according to Time Magazine.
However, there are neigh sayers against legalizing marijuana. They think marijuana is a gateway drug and could lead to other “harder” drugs. Many people believe that by using marijuana will increase your risk of trying, and getting addicted to another drug. Another risk factor with legalizing marijuana is the abuse factor of marijuana. While marijuana already is, “ the most commonly abused illicit drug in the United States, and more teens are in treatment for marijuana addiction than for alcohol or any other drug,” according to an article in the Los Angeles Times posted.
Another risk with legalizing marijuana and taxing it along with tobacco and alcohol is allowing another drug to be another problem in society. After tobacco and alcohol follows, domestic abuse, illness, and drinking and driving which all cost money to clean up, and fix. An article in the Los Angeles time wrote that, “CASA estimates government spends $8.95 to clean up the often tragic consequences of addiction, driving under the influence, domestic abuse or illness,”. CASA is the National center for on
February 24th, 2013
Ann O’Phelan
LA 280 Perspective Journalism
Marijuana? What’s the Big Deal About? The big debate in California is wether the state should legalize marijuana, and then tax it to bring in revenues to help California climb out of the mountain of a debt it got in. Although Marijuana is deemed as a gateway drug that can lead into harder drugs, legalizing Marijuana will help In the past twelve months, only two states have legalize marijuana for recreational use, and California was not one of them. They were Colorado, and Washington. As of right now California can only use marijuana for medical use. California right now is in huge debt of twenty-eight billion dollars. Legalizing, then taxing marijuana would be a solution to help solve California’s debt issues immediately, while taxing Marijuana will make about 1.3 billion a year according to Time Magazine.
However, there are neigh sayers against legalizing marijuana. They think marijuana is a gateway drug and could lead to other “harder” drugs. Many people believe that by using marijuana will increase your risk of trying, and getting addicted to another drug. Another risk factor with legalizing marijuana is the abuse factor of marijuana. While marijuana already is, “ the most commonly abused illicit drug in the United States, and more teens are in treatment for marijuana addiction than for alcohol or any other drug,” according to an article in the Los Angeles Times posted.
Another risk with legalizing marijuana and taxing it along with tobacco and alcohol is allowing another drug to be another problem in society. After tobacco and alcohol follows, domestic abuse, illness, and drinking and driving which all cost money to clean up, and fix. An article in the Los Angeles time wrote that, “CASA estimates government spends $8.95 to clean up the often tragic consequences of addiction, driving under the influence, domestic abuse or illness,”. CASA is the National center for on
Cited: Sankin, Aaron. "California Marijuana Decriminalization Drops Youth Crime Rate To Record Low: Study." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 28 Nov. 2012. Web. 24 Feb. 2013. Stateman, Alison “Can Marijuana Help Rescue California’s Economy?” Time Magazine. Time.com 19 March . 2009 Miler, Skip. “Don’t Legalize Marijuana” Los Angeles Times. Articles.latimes.com. 28. January. 2010 Males, Mike. “California Youth Crime Plunges to All-Time Low” Center On Juvenile And Crimnal Justice. http://www.cjcj.org