Persuasive Essay On Legalizing Marijuana

438 Words2 Pages

There is a rise in popularity of recreational marijuana throughout the United States and this remains a controversial issue because of the conflicting laws between states and the federal government. For example, federally recreational marijuana is strictly illegal, but in Washington it perfectly legal if you are 21 or older. Historically, marijuana has been characterized to of the same “evil” as cocaine, heroin, crystal meth, and other hard drugs. This over time has become a view that very few still agree with. I believe marijuana should not be legalized for recreational use, both statewide and federally because this could lead to a health and social crisis, due to lack of accurate knowledge surrounding marijuana. I believe this for three reasons. One, marijuana in general leads to a lack of discipline or a motivation to not take care of their responsibilities. Two, there are serious health issues associated with marijuana usage. Three, marijuana is an addictive substance, which aggravate …show more content…

In the article “The impact of alcohol and marijuana use on academic achievement among college students” by Boline, Riane, et al., we learn that marijuana use reduces attendance rates in students. They also correlate marijuana use with alcohol use, which is also an indicator of a worse GPA. The idea that marijuana makes people lazier is supported by this study. Although marijuana use does not support the idea that it makes someone inept to learn or slower to learn, it does support the idea that it can “zap” someone’s motivation. This is a major indicator of a lack of discipline and a more likely environment to care less about their responsibilities. If one has can use marijuana recreationally and still has comparable brain function short term to someone who doesn't do marijuana, the conversation quickly turns into a matter motivation. In the long term, there can be impairment to one’s mind and