Persuasive Essay On Legalizing Marijuana

530 Words3 Pages

Marijuana Marijuana is cannabis that, when dried up and shredded, can be smoked. This drug alters the way a person’s mind works by intensifying the mood the consumer is in. Today marijuana is considered an illegal drug in the United States. America waging a “War on Drugs”, on marijuana that comes out of Mexico to stop the sensation spreading like a weed across the country of getting “high.” With growing debate splitting the country in two, many think it is time to make a federal decision. Marijuana should be legalized because it will lower the rate of crime, may also be a huge tax revenue for the United States, and it could be used for more widespread health use. According to Usnews.com, the marijuana arrest rate in 2012 was one arrest every 42 seconds in the United States. Usnews.com states “Marijuana offenses accounted for 48.3 percent of all drug arrests in 2011.” Most of these arrests were only for the possession of marijuana. Though marijuana is not the only drug to bring in high crime rates, legalizing it would release much needed tension on our overcrowded prison systems in the United States. Moreover, legalizing marijuana would lower the use of organized crime to smuggle the drug across borders and …show more content…

It is not some well-kept secret either. Marijuana users, from newbies to connoisseurs, have flocked in droves to the "safe-haven" of weed. According to businessinsider.com, Colorado's governor estimated that marijuana sales in the state would exceed $610 million in the first fiscal year. Out of all that cash, the state expects to make near $98 million in sales and excise taxes. This added cash flow is a welcome addition to the state's coffers, and much of the money has already been allocated to drug abuse and awareness programs that rehabilitate those addicted to more harmful