Legalization of marijuana is a hotly contested debate in the U.S and the world at large. There is a lot of controversy and division about whether this unique drug should be legalized. Marijuana was banned in the U.S in 1923. The use of marijuana dates back to centuries in ancient Spanish. There have been many arguments for the prohibition of Marijuana. These are based on philosophy, economy and health among others areas. However, this paper seeks to argue that contrary to the common belief, Marijuana is actually beneficial to humans and should be legalized.
The cost of implementing the laws and regulations against Marijuana are extremely high. The government spends billions of dollars fighting cartels and retailers of these drugs. The campaigns referred to us ‘War on Drugs’ require a lot of resources. This is not to mention the time and resources spend by the criminal justice system to ensure implementation and compliance with these legislations.
On the contrary, if the drug would have been legal the government would be collecting billions arising from taxes. It would also save millions from budgetary allocation to the criminal justice system. It is vital to realize that in the contemporary society, there are many other pressing issues that need urgent attention and resources but marijuana is not one of them.
Another cardinal reason why Marijuana should be legalized is the fact that banning it does not help. The fact that it is illegal will not reduce its accessibility and consumption. On the contrary, it is accelerated. Many people are significantly influenced by the ‘forbidden fruit’ effect. By making the drug illegal, the government pushes its dealers to look for clients at all costs irrespective of the clients’ age. This has made Marijuana very popular among American high school students. Research indicators that banning a drug will not necessary lead to reduction in its use. It is vital for the government to engage more on education and treatment.
It has also been proven to have medicinal value to cancer and HIV/AIDS patients. It helps to relieve the pain and increase their survival rate. This drug is also used to stimulate the appetite of individuals and thus help them live a healthier life.
Marijuana has also some religious significance. Just like other religions believe in consuming wine, other people also believe that Marijuana has spiritual significance as thus encourage their followers to use it. The First Amendment is the United States constitution stipulates that the government will respect the freedom of religion among other essential rights and freedoms.
Moreover, Marijuana has also significant natural importance. If Marijuana is made legal, there would bring clarity as to use the hemp plant. It has been proven that the hemp plant is an extremely valuable earthly resource. Therefore, the confusion and debate about its use would come to a fruitful conclusion. People would be able to harness its agricultural and industrial significance. It is for these reasons that this paper argues that Marijuana use should be legalized.
Works Cited
Goldstein, Margaret J. Legalizing Drugs: Crime Stopper Or Social Risk? New York: Twenty-First Century Books, 2010.
Morgan, Kayla . Legalizing Marijuana. New York: ABDO, 2010.
Ruschmann, Paul . Legalizing Marijuana. New York: Infobase Publishing, 2010.
