Pros And Cons Of Legalizing Marijuana

Legalizing marijuana helps lead to strong addiction, teenagers using it more, and an increase in crime.
Legalizing marijuana will lead to an increase of addiction. People would argue against this, saying that people would be able to limit themselves. Facts prove against their point, as almost every drug can be addictive. People against this topic would say that the tax revenue will help schools, roads, and medical care for all people. In 2012 the Superintendent of Cherry Creeks Schools, Dr. Harry Bull, who runs one of the largest schools in the districts of Colorado said, “So far, the only thing that the legalization of marijuana has brought to our schools has been marijuana." (Jeff Hunt) Students in school will start to slowly ignore school

Some individuals believe that marijuana is good for teens because it helps them cope with stress. However it is actually leading teens to have easier access to marijuana, along with other recreational drugs. Dianne Feinstein, Senator of California, states that “Marijuana use among 12 to 17 year olds has escalated dramatically in the states that have legalized marijuana”(Daily News). Bonnie Dumanis, the District Attorney General of San Diego, also states that “If marijuana is legal for those 21 and older, it becomes ‘normalized’ and sends the wrong message to our teens,” a position paper put out by her office stated. “If the adults around them are using and growing marijuana, and eating marijuana products like gummy bears and lollipops, they may conclude that marijuana must be OK and safe”(Daily News). Teens and kids would be at an even higher risk to consume marijuana voluntarily, or involuntarily. Alcohol is legalized for adults and teens still consume it. If marijuana was legalized then teens would have easier access to it and be able to consume it

The Colorado Department of Public Safety released a statement saying that “arrests in Colorado of black and Latino youth for marijuana possession have increased 58% and 29% respectively after legalization”(Hunt). “More Teens Are Showing up in a Denver ER After Using Marijuana” talks about how much higher the rate of teenagers entering the hospital has gone up since the legalization of marijuana. Between 2005 and 2015 research shows that there were 3,443 patients, between the ages of 13-21 emitted to six different hospitals. Since Colorado has legalized marijuana there has been 639 teens emitted into the ER in 2015. That is up from 146 in 2005 when marijuana was illegal. The stats of poison control centers went up from 9 in 2009 to 47 in 2015 due to