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Persuasive Essay On Legalizing Marijuana

1872 Words8 Pages

According to NORML, marijuana is the most used illegal drug in the U.S. and it has been used by 1/3 of the entire American population which is about 100 million people (About Marijuana). In addition, marijuana is used by over 14 million people despite the harsh laws against its use (About Marijuana).According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, marijuana is a “greenish-gray mixture of the dried, shredded leaves and flowers of Cannabis sativa—the hemp plant (What is Marijuana?). Cannabis contains over 483 compounds called cannabinoids such as tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), cannabidiol (CBD), and cannabinol (CBN). The main psychoactive ingredient in cannabis is THC which is responsible for the “high” that most users seek. On the other hand, …show more content…

Often times, people are arrested for small possession offenses that cost the judicial system and U.S. taxpayers tons of money, take up necessary space in U.S. prisons, and bring up the nation’s crime rate. In 2010, cops made an arrest for marijuana possession every 37 seconds. In addition, over 7 million people were put in prison from 2001 to 2010 for small possession offenses which costed states close to $4 million dollars a year. It is counterproductive to arrest people for small amounts of marijuana because there are much more violent crimes that could be focused on by the authorities. Police and other law enforcement agencies spend too much time focusing on nonviolent marijuana possession crimes, when they could be focusing on the more violent crimes that are committed. A study was done by the Drug Policy Alliance that states that according to data from the Colorado Court System, marijuana possession arrests have dropped 84% since 2010 (Marijuana Legalization in Colorado). Not only will arrests for small possession offenders decrease, but so will the arrests of distributors and cultivators which will almost eliminate the black market for

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