Argumentative Essay: Keeping Marijuana Illegal

637 Words3 Pages

Keeping Marijuana Illegal. Marijuana is a drug that is used by approximately 38% in America. Recently, there has been a movement to legalize marijuana for both medical and recreational use. Some states and communities have already passed laws to legalize marijuana and many more have plans to bring legalization to a vote in the near future. While there are many arguments for why marijuana should be legalized, legalizing marijuana is the wrong choice. Marijuana is addicting, can lead to usage of other drugs and has negative impact on society. I have a child on the way and by the time he or she is old enough to know about marijuana and right from wrong, I want them to make the right decision to stay away from it and know that it’s illegal for …show more content…

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, people who smoke marijuana are 104 times more likely to smoke cocaine, and other addictive drugs, than people who don’t smoke marijuana. This is potentially very dangerous because these other drugs can have adverse reactions that are many times worse than marijuana. Cocaine, like marijuana is a stimulant, but unlike marijuana is many times stronger. Users will become addicted to cocaine much quicker and much more deeply. Legalizing marijuana will multiply the already large problem with illegal drug use. If legalized, marijuana could cause societal problems in many areas. First of all, the easy access to legal marijuana would mean that more of it would get into the hands of kids and teens. Police officers worry that we will see increased crime on the streets as marijuana lowers inhibitions and users will do whatever is necessary to feed their addiction. There are also problems with people who use marijuana and drive. Marijuana should remain illegal in the United States, and states that have passed laws to make it legal should reverse those laws. Marijuana is addictive and a gateway drug. Legalizing marijuana will make it generally more available to the public, which will also make it more likely to be used by young adults and children that are not old enough to make smart decisions regarding drug