Sarah Beaty
Criminal Law Spring 2014
April 15, 2014
Mr. Burke
Legalization of Marijuana
Marijuana is a very controversial subject in the United States. While two states have recently legalized marijuana, the rest of the country is still on the fence about it. This paper will explore the pros and cons of the legalization of marijuana, and why the other forty-eight states along with the federal government should legalize marijuana.
Marijuana is the most common illegal drug used in the United States. Nearly forty-six percent Americans over the age of twelve have tried marijuana at some point in their lives. Webster’s dictionary defines marijuana as the dried leaves from the hemp plant that are smoked in the form of a cigarette for its intoxicating
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Drug dealers and drug cartels will likely still exist and marijuana will still be sold on the streets because it will be cheaper and have no tax. Another thing that supporters bring up is the fact that drug dealers will sell to any and every one. “Marijuana legalization would be joined to tough enforcement to keep marijuana away from minors.” (Frum) The FDA would regulate the sale and people who sell to minors would receive the same punishment as if they were to sell alcohol or tobacco to a minor. While the FDA says they would regulate marijuana sales and distribution, they also say that it is harmful to the body. “Studies of marijuana suggest that the health risks associated with smoked marijuana outweigh any of its potential benefits.” (Hutchinson) While medicinal marijuana is often used to relieve pain the actual health risks associated with it may actually worsen the medical condition.
Opponents of the legalization of marijuana often say that it is a gateway drug and would likely cause people to use harder drugs such as heroin and cocaine. A study in Australia compared a set of twins, one who smoked marijuana and one who did not. It showed “the twin that smoked marijuana was two to five times more likely to abuse harder drugs or alcohol in adulthood.” (Coleman and Coleman) The opponents may be correct in the fact that it could possibly lead to harder drug use or even alcohol abuse, but that isn’t always the