One of the largest debates in recent history continues as many people debate, should marijuana me legalized or not? Some people may believe that the pro’s out weigh the con’s and visa versa, but the real question is, what would teens, adults, and the government benefit from the legalization of marijuana? For the government to legalize weed, they have to consider the crisis that we Americans are in economically. Many economists agree that legalizing marijuana would give a boost to the deteriorating economy because the consumer would have to pay a tax on the product. Another argument is that by legalizing weed, there will be a decrease imprisonments and crime related to weed like trafficking? In 2000, state and local law enforcement arrested 734,498 people for marijuana violations (http://legalizationofmarijuana.com/). Imagine the reduction of imprisonments if Marijuana was responsibly used. A lot of those imprisonments were due to drug trafficking, which would be majorly reduced because people would be able to buy at local shops.
Another question lingers today asking if marijuana is more dangerous than alcohol. The majority of the people would say that if alcohol, a more dangerous drug than marijuana, is legal to adults 21 and over then Marijuana should also be legalized. There has been many cases in the U.S. where alcohol has cause addiction and domestic abuse (http://www.saferchoice.org/content/view/24/53/). However, cancer is also a major issue, specifically lung cancer. Many would argue that smoking Marijuana, one would have a high risk of lung cancer, which is a major cause of death here in the United States. With being said, many people would agree that marijuana couldn’t even be compared to alcohol. Do the pro’s out weigh the con’s? Should Marijuana be legalized? If so, what restrictions should be put on it?
Although the legalization of marijuana may help keep the crime rate down in drug trafficking, it may open more arrests for violence, robberies, and DUI's. Alcohol is already a major contributor to the DUI arrests, but by legalizing marijuana it would increase DUI's by a large amount. Alcohol and marijuana may not be related in any way, but combined they maintain a major threat to other Americans.
ReplyDeleteThere has been no recorded deaths from marijauna, but look at the reports concerning alcohol. In the United States, roughly 50,000 cases of alcohol poisoning are reported each year, and approximately once every week, someone dies from this preventable condition.
ReplyDelete(http://www.alcohol-information.com/Alcohol_Statistics.html)
And it is hard to prove a DUI concerning marijauna, although I do believe in driving restrictions while under the influence.
I actually know of two students that were supposed to graduate with me who died in car accidents because they were under the influence of marijuana, and my sister's best friend was in a car accident because of a man who was charged with a DUI when he tested positive on a marijuana drug test. It does happen on a daily basis, it just isn't as widely known because sometimes they are minors.
ReplyDeleteI believe that when under the influence of marijuana, the stakes of being more out-of control with one's self is a lesser risk than alcohol. Alcohol has no positive affects on a person, unlike marijuana which is being used as treatment for patients in California and soon to be Florida.The more you drink the worse your decisions, choices, and behavior seem to get. When drinking, makes you make bad decisions, impair vision and increase of violent acts. If you want to be sure to do something extremely stupid or dangerous then drinking an excess of alcohol is a surefire way to get it accomplished.Unlike marijuana, a person is more chill and has a different more opposite side affect than drinking. The worst that happens when smoking marijuana is lung cancer and increase weight from munchies.
ReplyDeleteLegalization of marijuana would be a great benefit to this country. Even if it was legallized though, the government would break it down to a less natural form and probably modify it as well. If that happens then of course people nationwide will still be buying, using, and selling illegal natural forms (it would be a lot less than while it was illegal). So the country would have a smaller amount of crime related to the drug but at the same time recieve money through tax. Some people who have never been exposed to the drug or never seen someone under the influence of it might believe it is worse for you just becasue it is an illegal drug. Marijuana is actually a very mildy effecting drug that a lot of people enjoy. Alcohol is a depressant that can have a person severely impaired for hours and even send them to an emergency room. So if anything, alcohol is far more of a concern than marijuana should be. Marijuana is already availible in a handful of states and noone using it seems to have a problem.
ReplyDeleteSome people may feel that the nation would greatly benefit from the legalization of marijuana, but the reality of the negative consequences of this issue should be held under scrutiny. Legalizing marijuana would give people more opportunities to abuse this new power. Like Brittany stated, alcohol and marijuana combined threatens Americans, and legalizing marijuana, making marijuana more accessible to people, would not help this threat.
ReplyDeletei think that marijuana should not be legalized. i agree with the point that it will help stimulate the economy, but it will also bring the crime rates up. a lot of the crime that is already taking place today is from drugs so with marijuana being legal it will just add to the criminal activity.
ReplyDeleteI dont think maijuana should be legalized because the majority of the time people use it is while they are in a car. At my high school people would skip class to drive around and smoke. They did this cause they had nowhere else to go so they just drove around and this put all the other drivers in danger. If it is legalized this problum will just get worse because it will be like people who drink and drive and they wont think anything of it.
ReplyDeleteI agree with this article. Our country is in a huge economic crisis and the tax revenue we can potentially gain from it is huge. I would estimate at least over 50% of Americans smoke marijuana and if it was legal all of those Americans that are buying it from drug dealers illeaglly could buy it from a store legally and help the economy.
ReplyDeleteAlso, its been proven to help cancer patients and people with glaucoma which are two very bad diseases without cures yet.