One can suggest that there will always be a group of people who will use and abuse drugs, and they will simply use what is available to them, whether legally, such as alcohol, or illegally, such as marijuana or more harmful drugs such as heroin. If marijuana were more widely available, it may lead to the decrease of more harmful drugs among the population of addicts. Marijuana has historically been looked upon in a negative light, often labeled a ‘gateway drug,’ or believed to having high addiction rates. However, “most people who use marijuana don’t regularly use other drugs” (Shatkin). Additionally, only about 9% of people who try marijuana become addicted, far less than those who become addicted to nicotine (32%) and heroin (23%) (Shatkin). Currently, 54% of Americans believe marijuana should be legalized across the United States (Society's Changing Views on Cannabis). If marijuana were to become legal, its benefits would be extensive, such as a boost in the economy, and a lowering in crime rates. Additionally, marijuana offers considerable health benefits for many conditions and diseases, including cancer. If marijuana were to become legal across the United States, it would create a plethora of jobs; by the year 2020, the legal marijuana industry is expected to create over a quarter of a million jobs (Borchardt). Nevada, who legalized weed July 1st, 2017, expects the recreational marijuana will support over 41,000 jobs until 2024, generating over $1.7 billion in labor
The Detroit Free Press Editorial Board’s Article Let the people decide about legalizing marijuana(2016) was an attempt to convince readers that Michigan Legislature is currently a “dysfunctional waste,” determined to keep Marijuana legalization off the ballots.The Press got their opinion across by using uncredited polls, tugging at the reader's emotions when describing both parties, and overall biased tone with underlying motives. The author uses pathos, ethos, and logos very effectively when trying to persuade the reader. Pathos is being used when the author attempts to appeal to our emotions while trying to pity MILegalize. Logos is being used when the authors tries to connect with our common sense in order to persuade by reason. Lastly ethos is being used when the author attempts to sway our opinion of michigan legislature, but altering our view of their character and morals.This article was written with intentions to get voters riled up, discredit the michigan legislature and provoke change within the court systems. The Editorial Board only presented their side of the argument, concluding they are targeting left-wing moderates that are for the legalization of marijuana.
In 2014, after Colorado legalized marijuana. They pulled $25 million pot-related tax revenue. According to an analysis by NerdWallet, if all 50 states legalized marijuana today, the country would gain over $3 billion in tax revenue. Also, $8.7 billion a year is spent on enforcing laws against weed, think of what else we could be spending that kind of money on. Furthermore. Cannabis has a ability to clean toxins underground, making soil much healthier for farming, thus creating more jobs. The fiber that comes from the plant can be used to make paper products, eliminating our need to chop down trees. In addition, it can also be substituted for cotton in the production of textile. Cotton requires a large amount of pesticide to grow. Using cannabi instead will significantly reduce the usage of harmful chemicals. So not only will marijuana help our economy, it will be better for our environment,
Have you ever wondered when and why marijuana was made illegal? The herbal plant, commonly used in medicines, was not considered a drug in the early 1900s. The Marijuana Tax Act of 1937 banned the use and sales of marijuana. This act was put in place due to careless slander. Marijuana, in America should be legalized because it is safer than alcohol and tobacco, marijuana funds gangs and cartels, and marijuana can replace toxic, addictive pharmaceuticals.
Can you imagine being just six-years-old and suffering from over three hundred violent seizures a week? From birth, Charlotte Figi suffered from a rare form of epilepsy, which caused these seizures. After trying everything to help Charlotte, her parents finally decided to try medical marijuana, and it worked! Charlotte still had seizures, but now, she had maybe two or three seizures a month instead of three hundred a week. Charlotte’s story and many similar stories, along with medical research and sound reasons, have caused the public’s opinion about marijuana to change in favor of legalizing it, and I agree. I strongly believe that marijuana, and especially medical marijuana, should be legalized across the entire
Through the years marijuana has been known by many names, and almost as many opinions have been held concerning its effect on people. Not all of those opinions have been correct in fact; most have been pure propaganda. Marijuana is not a gateway drug. It does not have fatal side effects, and it is not only used by lazy people. These are just some of the stigmas that have plagued marijuana over the years. The truth is that marijuana is a medicinal plant and, as such, should be used to treat medical conditions instead of the chemicals created by big pharmaceutical companies. Though today marijuana still has a negative stigma associated with it, medical marijuana should be legalized nationwide due to its health benefits for those with terminal
We all know that there are two types of marijuana, medical and recreational. Marijuana like this should be legalized because synthetic weed can prove fatal or addictive. Marijuana should be legalized in the United States is because its non-addictive, non-toxic, and could prove to be a big help in medical research (both mental & physical health).
Cannabis, also known as marijuana among other names, is a psychoactive drug from the cannabis plant intended for medical and recreational use. The legality of marijuana has been a passionately debated subject for decades. As of 2018, only eight states have marijuana legalized for recreational use. In addition to, there are roughly about twenty-two states that have medical marijuana broadly legalized. Such as the state of new york. Although, the legalization of marijuana will prove beneficial not only for science, people, and economics, but also for planetary properties. However, the legalization of marijuana here in New York can cause many dilemmas such as, it is a gateway drug, it is harmful to the state, and recreational use can be detrimental
Everyone has days that are very stressful or days when they just want to give up on life itself, but sometimes taking a deep breath can help or simply a cigarette can do the trick. However, in today’s society, Marijuana is usually the go to antidepressant even though it is illegal. Many people believe Marijuana should be legal in the United States and there have been rumors rising that the state of Texas may become one of the few states to legalize the drug. Marijuana has been portrayed as better than most legal drugs or alcohol out there. Smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol actually cause more deaths than Marijuana, about 50,000 people die from alcohol poisoning and about 400,000 people die from the use of tobacco. Marijuana is nontoxic and cannot cause death by overdose. Although Marijuana does have some health risk, these risks are less severe when compared to other drugs, such as alcohol. Marijuana is the third most popular drug
America paints this picture that nothing good can come from this plant, but on the contrary, it has a lot of beneficial factors if it was legalized. For example, marijuana being legalized in Colorado brought in millions of dollars in tax revenue. Colorado collected almost $70 million in marijuana taxes, nearly double the $42 million collected from alcohol taxes. There are numerous ways that marijuana can benefit the U.S. if it were decriminalized. Marijuana could save America money by not having to spend money on enforcing the law. at the same time bring in money. Marijuana can play a huge role in medical research. Marijuana should be legalized in the U.S.
The legalization of marijuana has been questionable for years now, but the government always declines. I feel that marijuana should be legalized because it helps reduce crime in our cities, its not a toxic substance, and helps with medical problems.
Across the world people are looking for ways to either smuggle marijuana into the United States or find a “plug” to sell drugs to them. Constantly people being arrested for the usage of drugs, the most common being marijuana. In 28 states medical marijuana is allowed, but only 9 states are allowed to use it without a prescription. Marijuana should be legal for medical uses, getting high or stressing off, and we would benefit as a country.
The legalization of Marijuana, both medicinally and recreationally, has been a hot topic in American culture for some time now. Some states have begun adopting much more liberal laws on Marijuana, although many states still have not done so. Overall, for the states that have legalized the use of Marijuana, things have gone rather well to this point. Due to the benefits of Marijuana legalization, Marijuana should be legalized both medicinally and recreationally in all 50 states in the USA.
Legalizing the street drug marijuana is just one of those topics that most people have pitched into and has something to say about it. Marijuana refers to the dried leaves, flowers, stems, and seeds from the Cannabis sativa or Cannabis indica plant. The plant contains the mind-altering chemical THC and other similar compounds. Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug in the United States. Its use is widespread among young people; and in 2015, more than 11 million young adults ages 18 to 25 used marijuana in the past year. In the United States of America, twenty-nine states have marijuana legalized in some way or form. From those twenty-nine states, there are eight states that have it legalized for recreational usage, but out of those states all of them prohibit the usage of the drug on public properties. For any and every person in the United States to be able buy the cannabis plant out of a dispensary in one of the legal states, you have to be 21 years of age or older.
The legalization of Marijuana is a very controversial topic and many people have differing opinions. I’ve asked three people three questions. The first person I asked is a Vice Principal on the Navajo indian reservation, he is the supervisor of enforcing the disciplinary action at his high school. The second person that I asked grew up in the 1970’s and the bohemian culture, when smoking marijuana was a popular and common thing. He was a surveyor for cedar city for forty years when he retired in the last year. The third person I asked was a college attendee and was born in 1993 and would be classified as a millennial in today's world. She’s from Fairplay Colorado, attends Fort Lewis College, and is a Studio art major. I asked each of these people three questions. Question one was: What do you think of the legalization of cannabis in colorado? The second question: What are your experiences with marijuana? Third question: Is legalizing marijuana, in your opinion a good thing? With a little debate and more follow up questions these people made their opinions clear.
Over three billion dollars each year is spent by the United States to enforce marijuana laws. In a time where most Americans are living paycheck to paycheck spending this kind of money on anything is unheard of let alone, on keeping a plant out of the hands of citizens (Marijuana Arrests by the Numbers. (n.d.). Retrieved January 10, 2018, from https://www.aclu.org/gallery/marijuana-arrests-numbers). This money could be better put to use in areas like public schools or other public services like highways and transit services.