What Are The Pros And Cons Of Legalizing Marijuana

875 Words4 Pages

The legalization of marijuana has been an ongoing issue since the 1937 Marijuana Tax Act that banned recreational use of marijuana. Many people believe that marijuana should be illegal, but the pros outweigh the cons if we were to legalize marijuana. Since the legalization of marijuana in places like Washington and Colorado, marijuana arrest are down and are saving the economy millions of dollars. Marijuana or “weed” also have many medical uses like stopping cancer cells from spreading, slows Alzheimer’s, eases multiple sclerosis, along with many other benefits. We are also running out of fossil fuels, so marijuana can be used in place of things like oil and be made into fuel. Some of the cons is that it impairs short term memory, impairs bodily and mental functions, and it is consumed to the point of intoxication. So, while there are some pros to marijuana, there are also cons to it. …show more content…

He believes that weed is an “addictive gateway drug.” While marijuana can be addictive, any drug can be considered a gateway drug, Xanax, alcohol, crack, and cocaine can all be considered gateway drugs also. I believe that people are more likely to be violent or commit a crime while being drunk than high. Charles Stimson also believes that it impairs short term memory and slows your reaction time. “One study found that more than 30 percent of adults who used marijuana in the course of a year became dependent on it, exhibiting compulsive behavior and signs of withdrawal (Stimson).” While that may be true, they may become dependent on marijuana because of medical reasoning, not just because they enjoy