The legalization of marijuana is one of the many controversial debates in America today. Some people believe that marijuana is a gateway drug and is very harmful, marijuana enthusiast argue that cannabis isn’t harmful and can drastically improve the American economy. “Marijuana prohibition cost America $7.7 billion dollars a year.”(Head 2012) The legalization of marijuana would avail many people. If marijuana is legalized then the American government could tax it and help pay the U.S. debt also, another benefit of legalizing marijuana is that it can be used for several medicinal purposes, and lastly the legalization of marijuana would save the Americans tax dollars for not having to take care of prisoners who would be arrested dealing with marijuana.
Approximately 440,000 people die a year from smoking tobacco products and alcohol poisoning kills 50,000 people annually, while no one dies from smoking marijuana. “Alcohol and tobacco, though are legal, are for more harmful than marijuana.”(Head 2012) Over 4000 harmful chemicals are in cigarettes that cause countless deaths each year but tobacco is still somehow legal. Many people say that marijuana is a gateway drug but over 60 million people try marijuana, if marijuana was really a gateway drug millions of crack heads and heroin addicts would be running around America right now. Since marijuana is the most popular drug in America of course people who abuse other substances have tried marijuana.
America is more than 10 trillion dollars in debt. “The legalization of marijuana would create another item that could be taxed.” (Messerli 2011) The taxation of marijuana could drastically increase Americas Economy. Over 20 million people in America smoke marijuana on the regular basis. “A study found that legalizing marijuana and taxing it can produce considerable revenue for America.” (Head 2012) Marijuana is already a major cash crop in the United States and billions of dollars are