Whether or not the United States should legalize the use of marijuana has been a growing, national controversy. Legalizing marijuana would only make the U.S. unsafe and cause individuals and the public to be in danger. In total, twenty-three states have legalized marijuana whether it is for recreational or medical use. It is important that this number does not increase because it could undeniably cause many major problems amongst the U.S. The United States should ban the use of marijuana because consumption and crime rate would increase if it were legal, it is a gateway drug, it leads to addiction, and it increases illness and diseases.
Marijuana is simply flowers of Cannabis sativa and dried leaves. Some slang terms for marijuana include dope, weed, Mary Jane, pot, reefer, and grass. A common way to smoke marijuana is to roll it up in a compact blunt or through bongs. A bong is a method of smoking marijuana that bubbles in a container that holds water. Not only can it be smoked, it can also be brewed in tea and added to edibles. The chemical that is the most mind-altering in marijuana is THC in recreational marijuana. This active chemical causes the most side effects when consumed. According to the 2014 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, marijuana is the most
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Over time, the proportion of high time to clean time became steadily more heavy on the high side. I went through several periods of suicidally [suicidal thoughts]. During my last six months of use the possible necessity to kill myself always seemed just a week or two away. My plan while I was at school was to jump off of a nearby parking garage. At home I would use my dad's shotgun to shoot myself in the head. I didn't want to feel what I felt when I wasn't high. Luckily, I always got high before I was ready to actually kill myself.” (Letter