Why Should Marijuana Be Legal

Say Yes to Recreational Weed When you think of the legal status of marijuana, what comes to mind? K-9 units, police raids, FBI drug busts, criminal charges, DEA investigations, and jail time all come to my mind. All of these things that help keep marijuana illegal cost the country, the government, and the taxpayers massive amounts of money every year. The real question is why? Why do we try so hard and spend so much money suppressing a substance that is shown to benefit people for both recreational and medical uses. The negative side effects of marijuana and proven almost insignificant, especially when compared next to alcohol and tobacco. For so long American’s have felt that the prohibition of marijuana has been beneficial to themselves and younger generations. This is very far from the truth. It is time for society to come together and realize that the war on cannabis is detrimental to the foundation of society. Marijuana is a safe, easily controllable substance that should be legal for recreational purposes. One of the major benefits insured by the legalization of recreational weed is that the government will cut millions of dollars in spending, and also increase millions of dollars in revenue (Ferner). In the states that recently legalized pot, people expect around ten million dollars the first year on revenue generated by taxes imposed on the sale of cannabis (Jade). This money can then be used to help enforce the regulations that would accompany the new availability of weed. It would help to keep the drug out the hands of those under the age of 21, and would also be used to ensure that schools and advertisements help kids to understand that marijuana is a chemically active substance and is in fact dangerous when abused or used below the age of 21 (Legalizing the Next Seven). Another economic factor which would encourage voters and tax payers to favor legalization is the idea that with less people being charged of criminal offenses (minor possession of

Cited: Ferner, Matt. "Why Marijuana Should Be Legalized: 'Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol ' Campaign Discusses Why Pot Prohibition Has Been A Failure." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 28 Aug. 2012. Web. 19 Jan. 2013. "Legalizing Marijuana Talks Are Lighting up with Indiana State Leaders." WANE TV. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Jan. 2013. "The Next Seven States To Legalize Pot." Rollingstone.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Jan. 2013. Walker, Jade. "Legalizing Marijuana: Washington Law Goes Into Effect, Allowing Recreational Use Of Drug." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 06 Dec. 2012. Web. 21 Jan. 2013.