Economic Pros And Cons Of Legalizing Marijuana

There are a range of opinions on the legalization of marijuana. There are many economic pros to legalizing marijuana, as well as multiple health benefits. Sense Colorado has made marijuana legal they have seen many improvements. Legalizing marijuana could potentially benefit everybody.

Some may say that smoking marijuana is not a “victimless crime” and that “high driving” is equally as dangerous as drunk driving, as well as harder to prevent when it is “more difficult to detect, unless the user has been smoking in the car ¨(19 primary). Although this information does not seem to be precise, according to data released by the Colorado Department of Transportation, one of the few states where recreational marijuana is legalized, traffic fatalities

“Legalizing and regulating marijuana will bring the nation's largest cash crop under the rule of law (Marijuana legalization).” In turn this creates jobs and economic opportunities in the formal economy rather than the illicit market. “It is believed that legalizing recreational weed will cut off a revenue stream for illegal drug traders¨ (19 Primary).In turn, making the substance less profitable for criminals will result to a decrease in violence associated with the trade. In Addition, Colorado’s unemployment rate is at a six-year low, as of December 31, 2014 “16,000 people were licensed to work in the marijuana industry¨ (Decriminalization). Colorado currently has the fastest flourishing economy in the United

¨People inside and outside the medical field argue that marijuana is effective in treating a range of health conditions¨(19 Primary). Robert J. DeLorenzo, of Virginia Commonwealth University, gave marijuana extract and synthetic marijuana to epileptic rats.”The drugs rid the rats of the seizures for about 10 hours (Loria, Jeniffer Welsh).” In Charlottes case, a 5 year old girl with Dravet syndrome, the medical marijuana decreased her seizures from “nearly 300 a week to just one every 7 days¨(Loria, Jeniffer Welsh). Cannabinoids like the active ingredients in marijuana, THC, control seizures by binding to the brain cells responsible for controlling excitability and regulating relaxation. Contrary to what some people believe, smoking marijuana is actually less dangerous than smoking cigarettes. Researchers tested the lung function of 5,115 young adults over the course of 20 years. “Tobacco smokers lost lung function over time, but pot users actually showed an increase in lung capacity(Loria, Jeniffer Welsh).” Some chemicals in marijuana seem to have a calming effect on the immune system, this is the primary reason “it’s being used to treat the autoimmune disease Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, which is when the body starts attacking itself for an unknown reason¨ (Loria, Jeniffer Welsh). Marijuana alleviates pain, reduces inflammation, and promotes sleep, which may help relieve pain and discomfort for