Argumentative Essay Marijuana Legalization

According to the CDC, in 2019 roughly 18% of Americans (48.2 million people) have used marijuana at least once in their life. Marijuana has completely changed the world, whether it’s through politics, ethics, or medicine. Especially in light of recent legalization laws, it has been quite a big controversy among different states. Should marijuana be legal, or should it not? To many people, marijuana is viewed negatively. Marijuana should not be legalized because it is unhealthy and legalization would only increase usage, while some argue that it is actually healthy.

Marijuana has negative health effects. For example, marijuana can cause damage to the reproductive system. A 2002 article states how sterility can be caused by marijuana as it destroys

First, it sends a message to society that it’s okay. A 2023 article talks how if marijuana becomes legal it will send the wrong image to potential users (Marijuana, Should The…). This is important because it might make it more appealing to younger members of the population and get them to start using. Solely because they’d see other people being able to do it legally. The phrase “if all your friends jumped off a bridge, would you?” Can be applied to this situation because seeing other people do it may make someone else want to do it. Therefore, legalization increases sales and usage of minors. The American Society of Addiction Medicine compared that the higher the amount of tobacco advertising, the higher levels of adolescent smoking that came of it (ASAN 4). This evidence can also be applied to marijuana. When marijuana is advertised with legalization, it will increase sales and usage. To build off of the last point, it would also create easier access of marijuana for the public. The same article talks about the high amounts of stores and shops that are opening up (Marijuana, Should The…). This can be applied to previous evidence, seeing other people do it makes others want to. Having stores in every state will invite people to buy marijuana or edibles, even with regulations. This is important because it will always influence others to buy it when it is so easily available. Usage of marijuana will highly increase if it becomes

For example, marijuana works in the central nervous system to help relieve pain. The National Health Society states how marijuana can cause a direct benefit effect on pain signals in the central nervous system (Gerber 7). For many people they will do anything just to get rid of pain. But marijuana can be seen as a quick and easy pain reliever. This is important because it can be life changing for people suffering with things like arthritis or chronic pain, all while being a non-addictive substance. Furthermore, it can model serotonin or dopamine on brain receptors to relieve anxiety. A St. Louis medical researcher finds, “A specific receptor for THC in the brain has shown that cannabis models the work of natural neurotransmitters such as serotonin, dopamine, and the endorphins for anxiety relief,” (Gerber 15). Similar to the point of pain relief, it is life changing for people to get rid of anxiety with something non-addictive. Anxiety is toxic to the body, so it is highly important to get rid of it for the sake of bodily health. The chemical and physical damage that anxiety causes is way worse than any damage from marijuana. Last, marijuana can help reduce treatment-induced nausea, appetite loss, and wasting syndrome. A drug sociologist talked about how marijuana provided a motivation to eat to those suffering from wasting syndrome, appetite less, and nausea from treatment