Cannabis, otherwise referred to as marijuana, is a herb that exists naturally on earth. Although historically it has a number of different uses, today it is most commonly seen as either a medicinal or recreational drug. It is the most commonly used controlled substance in the United States with an estimated 107 million Americans having ever tried it (Loflin, Earleywine 1430). Currently a major debate exists regarding the legal status of cannabis. The United States’s marijuana policies will influence every American’s life. Because Cannabis is illegal in most of the world’s countries, researching its effects on people can be difficult. However in recent years there has been legalization of both medical and recreational usage in states such as Colorado and Washington. While this has led to an increase in research and research opportunities available, the effects of Cannabis …show more content…
Should cannabis remain completely illegal to grow and sell, then the industry will be controlled by drug dealers on the black market (Bretteville-Jensen, Line 559). This would be very bad for our economy, since criminals would be the only ones profiting. Additionally our government spends billions on police, courts, and prisons to enforce anti-drug laws, and a majority of drug related arrests and incarcerations are for marijuana possession or distribution (Bretteville-Jensen, Line 557; Bureau of Justice Statistics). Another cost of cannabis being illegal is felt by those people who have been arrested for it. Having drug possession on your criminal record can make it harder to get a job. Starting from 2003, every year more than 750,000 people have been arrested for marijuana possession in the U.S. (Bureau of Justice Statistics). Marijuana’s status as illegal is a parasite on our economy as a whole as well as on individuals involved with it, but if it were made legal, we wouldn’t only stop losing money but instead actually start to gain