The Legalization of Marijuana Essay Example for Free

The Legalization of Marijuana Essay The legalization of marijuana is one of the many controversial debates in America today. Some people believe that marijuana is a gateway drug and is very harmful, marijuana enthusiast argue that cannabis isn’t harmful and can drastically improve the American economy. â€Å"Marijuana prohibition cost America $7.7 billion dollars a year.†(Head 2012) The legalization of marijuana would avail many people. If marijuana is legalized then the American government could tax it and help pay the U.S. debt also, another benefit of legalizing marijuana is that it can be used for several medicinal purposes, and lastly the legalization of marijuana would save the Americans tax dollars for not having to take care of prisoners who would be arrested dealing with marijuana. Approximately 440,000 people die a year from smoking tobacco products and alcohol poisoning kills 50,000 people annually, while no one dies from smoking marijuana. â€Å"Alcohol and tobacco, though are legal, are for more harmful than marijuana.†(Head 2012) Over 4000 harmful chemicals are in cigarettes that cause countless deaths each year but tobacco is still somehow legal. Many people say that marijuana is a gateway drug but over 60 million people try marijuana, if marijuana was really a gateway drug millions of crack heads and heroin addicts would be running around America right now. Since marijuana is the most popular drug in America of course people who abuse other substances have tried marijuana. America is more than 10 trillion dollars in debt. â€Å"The legalization of marijuana would create another item that could be taxed.† (Messerli 2011) The taxation of marijuana could drastically increase Americas Economy. Over 20 million people in America smoke marijuana on the regular basis. â€Å"A study found that legalizing marijuana and taxing it can produce considerable revenue for America.† (Head 2012) Marijuana is already a major cash crop in the United States and billions of dollars are made from soliciting the drug. If marijuana was taxed then the United States will not have to worry about being in a debt crisis. The government would also make money if marijuana was grown in the United States and sold to other countries around the world. Marijuana is not only used for pleasurable purposes but it also used for medicinal purpose as well. Marijuana can be used for people suffering from many different kinds of sicknesses. Marijuana can be used as a pain reliever; marijuana can also help head trauma victims, stroke victims, and  people who suffer from anxiety or depression. THC is a potent anti-oxidant which doctors rely for stroke and head trauma victims. Cannabis can be used for a cancer patient that is going through chemotherapy; marijuana would act as a nausea reducer which will help the patient be able to eat. If marijuana was legal then more studies would be done to help created more medicinal purposes for the herb. The prohibition on marijuana cost tax payers millions of dollars annually. â€Å"The marijuana prohibition cost 7.7 billion dollars a year.† (Head 2012) Marijuana illegality is helping other countries become wealthier, while the United States is losing money, by importing the substance in to America. The United States government arrest over 700,000 people a year for a charge dealing with marijuana, the money used for taking care of those offenders are coming out of the United States tax payers pocket. Tax payers are throwing away thousands of dollars to feed and shelter people who got arrested for having a plant. â€Å"Marijuana legalization would simplify the development of hemp as a valuable and diverse agricultural crop in the United States, including its development as a new bio fuel to reduce carbon emissions.† (Unknown) The legalization of marijuana could better this world, marijuana has an untapped potential to make everything better in the world. In conclusion, the legalization of marijuana could benefit everyone. If marijuana was legal the United States of America debt would drastically decrease. Also tax payers would have more money in their pockets since they will never have to pay for the marijuana fugitives in prison. If marijuana was studied more then maybe diseases would be cured that people thought would never be cured. It is no reason that marijuana should be illegal since tobacco and alcohol kills thousands a year while marijuana kills none. As Sir Paul McCartney said â€Å"I support decriminalization. People are smoking pot anyway and to make them into criminals is wrong. It’s when you’re in jail you really become a criminal.†