Whether or not to legalize marijuana has been a prominent question in our society for the
past couple of years. Although it was once perceived to be a terrible and harmful drug, some
people perceptions are changing. Marijuana, for medical use has been proven to alleviate painful
symptoms of diseases such as AIDS and cancer. Up until a few years ago it had always been
illegal in the United States and possession was considered a felony. But, some states have begun
to legalize not only medical marijuana, but also marijuana for recreational use, calling into
question the laws that are set in place. People argue against the legalization because it was once
argued that it was only a drug that destroyed peoples' lives and the lives of those around them.
This belief has been disproven over the years by studies that were done and showed the actual
effects. So, if it has been proven not to destroy lives, why not allow marijuana use medically and
recreationally? Although alcohol is considered a drug by some people, and has many negative
side effects, it is still legal. Matt Ferner, writer for The Huffington Post, points this out when he
says, "Clearly less dangerous than alcohol; less dangerous to health than tobacco by a huge
margin" (Ferner 1). But why isn't marijuana legal then if it is "clearly" less dangerous? The
audience should question how much worse marijuana is than alcohol, since it is proven that
marijuana assists people medically. I am writing this because I want to show others how
marijuana is not all bad like people say it is.

The legalization of marijuana not only has an effect on the users of the drug, whether it is
legally or illegally, but also the people who are close to them. This is important to consider
because his is not a one sided debate, and the decision could effect people in different ways.
Illegal use of any drug can put a strain on families and relationships, even if the drug is helping
the user. Alcohol, which is also considered a drug, though legal, affects not on the user but also
their families too. Although I am not arguing that people should just sit around and smoke
everyday, I think there are some beneficial aspects to legalizing marijuana for both medical and
recreational use. Also, I am not negating the fact that in most states the drug is illegal, but it has
proved effective in some states already. But many argue that marijuana for medical use is not
and cannot be properly regulated. For example, Rebecca dresser states,

California's expansive medical marijuana law permits physicians to recommend
marijuana for 'any...illness for which marijuana provides relief.' The law also allows
individuals to designate as a legally protected "primary caregiver" anyone "who has
constantly assumed responsibility for the housing, health, or safety" of the individual.
(Dresser 8)

Many people believe the main problem, other than the fact that marijuana is a drug, is controlling
who can gain access to it medically. This is something that cannot be thought of immediately
but requires work to establish specific rules. This may seem like a lot of effort once the drug is
legalized, but for the benefit it medically provides, it is worth it. By figuring out a medical
marijuana system that prevented it from getting into the wrong hands, the entire process could
become more effective and it might appeal to the strong opponents a little more.

The argument of marijuana's effect on youth is one that presents itself often. Surveys
among youth show two different conclusions. People question whether it is worth the possible
addiction the adolescents could develop and what the actual affects are one the developing brain.
One saying that decriminalizing the drug increases use among adolescents and the other saying it
has no effect. Even if marijuana, either for medical or recreation use, is legalized, for adults and
not adolescences, it could have the same outcome as alcohol. When studying the effects of
marijuana use in adolescents, Alain Joffe believes,

Early adolescents have a concrete approach to morality: laws are obeyed to avoid
punishment. As such, young adolescents would be most susceptible to the deterrent
effects of drug laws. This deterrent effect could dis- appear or lessen with legalization of
marijuana. Once adolescents gain the ability to think abstractly, challenges to the
apparent hypocrisy of "do as I say, not as I do" can be anticipated. (Joffe e635)

On the other end of the spectrum, people argue that the use of alcohol and tobacco are much
more harmful than the use of marijuana. Although there are side effects and precautions to be
taken when dealing with such a controversial topic, it has been proven that marijuana is not as
harmful as most people think. It is very similar to alcohol in the way people view it and the
effects it has on them. People need to consider what is legal in today's society and how the
effects are very similar to those of marijuana.

While the use of heroin and cocaine has decreased, the use of marijuana continues to
increase. Marijuana has been used since around the 1850s for medical reasons but began to be
abused in the 1920s by upper-class people. Even though doctors and professionals in Europe
were aware of the addictive effects, they began to use it in the 1980s to alleviate symptoms of
serious diseases, such as HIV and AIDS. Advocates today also say that medical marijuana may
help alleviate some symptoms of cancer, which could make it appeal to these people also.
Marijuana has more of an appeal in Europe and other countries outside of the United States.
These countries are known to have much more relaxed laws then those that we currently have
here. Alain Joffe wrote that,

Australia has decriminalized the use of marijuana in some territories, and Canada as well
as Switzerland and other European countries are reconsidering their approach to
marijuana. However, the most widely publicized approach to regulation of marijuana is
that of The Netherlands. Under a complex system of "law-on-the-books" and "law-inaction,"
Dutch law permits personal use of marijuana but outlaws possession. (Joffe
e632)

Over the past few decades, laws and punishments regarding the possession and use of marijuana
have varied greatly, even from state to state. Starting in 1915, California and Utah were the first
states to outlaw marijuana use, and the others soon followed. Up until the 1960s, penalties were
harsh and still increasing for marijuana possession. But, then California, Vermont and Alaska
began decreasing the penalties. Medical marijuana is now legal in states such as California and
Arizona. And, after the most recent election, recreational marijuana was approved in Colorado
and the state of Washington. This is changing what we knew to once be true and pushing the
limits of what people believe to be acceptable.

Also contributing to the consideration was the AIDS epidemic in the 1990s. In today's
time, medical marijuana is legal in some states and very few even allow marijuana for
recreational use. Although programs, such as D.A.R.E, have been developed to treat addicted
people, they are not very effective. A strong influence that contributes to the discussion of
legalizing marijuana is social media, which is readily available to many people. An article in
The Hastings Report describes the idea of marijuana for medical use developing over time by
saying, "The major increase in support for the legalization is said to have occurred from 1977 to
2003, when marijuana was found to possibly alleviate the some symptoms of AIDS" (Cohen 19).
One of the main arguments against the legalization is the doubt that peoples' access can be
regulated and controlled. But, a journal in the Hastings Report points out a specific aspect to the
law in California saying, "The 2003 law requires counties to participate in a system that enables
patients and caregivers to register and obtain identification cards protecting them from arrest for
violating state marijuana prohibitions" (Dresser 7). This problem has been thought out and
debated, coming to a law that is able to somewhat control the access to and use of marijuana. By
following these guidelines for regulation, the idea of legalization seems even more possible.

Even with proven benefits of the drug, there are still many people who are completely
against its legalization. They believe the positive effects it has on the patient are still not enough
to make the drug legal and question the addictive properties of it. But, morphine, which is also
used to treat pain, is highly addictive. And it is chemically made, where marijuana is a natural
substance that is grown in nature. Cancer patients are prescribed morphine to numb some of the
pain, and in states such as California, they are given marijuana to increase their appetite and
decrease nausea. Research is one of the main factors that influences peoples' opinions on the
legalization of marijuana. The New Mobility journal explains how the lack of research is hurting
the chances for marijuana to be legalized for medical use. It said, "Medical marijuana may
provide valuable relief for some, but those benefits will be restrained until the federal
government encourages marijuana research" (Boatman 9). The main struggle in the battle for the
legalization of medical marijuana is the doctors verses the lawmakers. I am not saying that all
doctors support this method of treatment. But for those who do believe in this for treatment, they
are having to deal with both state and federal laws. The disconnect being the true effectiveness
because of all the risks the lawmakers believe the drug has. For legalization to even become a
possibility, doctors and lawmakers must understand the other's viewpoint on the issue and come
to a common agreement.

Researchers also analyzed the effectiveness of increasing penalties and discovered that it
does little to deter the user. Also show towards the end of the article is a study that was done to
help determine North American's attitudes toward the use of the drug. Drug trouble and usage in
families is also an important factor to consider. Although there has been a slight increase in
trouble, it is not significant at all. Also, much of this trouble stems from factors that are
transmitted to the youth from their parents. There are tables of research that show the difference
of support over the years and in the United States compared to in Canada. Eric Sigel, who wrote
for the CRS- Pediatric Advisor said, "Even though the number of teenagers who have tested
positive for marijuana is growing, these teens are less likely to move onto using hard drugs"
(Sigel 1). If they are less likely to use hard drugs, and the side effects of marijuana use are
similar to those of alcohol and tobacco, then why should marijuana not be legalized? Promoting
the use of drugs is not something I support if they are extremely harmful to the body and lead to
worse drugs. This argues the fact that marijuana is considered a "gateway" drug, like many
people believe. People need to examine whether this is truly and extreme gateway drug or if it
has less of an effect than they think.

The possible influx of money into the economy is another aspect that draws people
towards the idea of legalization. Time Magazine shows the true monetary benefits that could be
possible if the drug were to be legalized by saying, "It is estimated that pot is the largest cash
crop in California, with annual revenues approaching $14 billion" (Klein 1). These numbers are
very hard to ignore when you consider the current economic situation in the United States.
Another fact to consider it the cost of production verses the price it is sold for, and how these
increase based on a change in demand. It is no secret that marijuana is widely produced in Latin
American countries, and that the cost of production is almost non-existent compared to the profit
they make. This makes a person question whether the price would rise if the demand was higher,
which would occur if marijuana became legalized. But, one study done disproves the theory that
as demand increases, so does price. Misty Millhorn wrote that, in regards to American's
attitudes towards drugs,

One interesting thing to note from such a scheme is that the street price of marijuana
stays exactly the same, so the quantity demanded should remain the same as the price is
unchanged. However, it's quite likely that the demand for marijuana would change from
legalization. We saw that there was a risk in selling marijuana, but since drug laws often
target both the buyer and the seller, there is also a risk (albeit smaller) to the consumer
interested in buying marijuana. Legalization would eliminate this risk, causing the
demand to rise. (Millhorn 126)

But, if the government decided to take marijuana upon legalizing it, the price would definitely
increase. This is an important factor that needs to be realized and properly looked into because
of the massive effects it could have on out economy and nation as a whole. Bur, the Obama
administration has reiterated numerous times that they "will make no effort towards the
legalization of marijuana, saying that it would further burden the criminal justice system and
argues that the tax revenue from the drug would be offset by higher social costs"
(whitehouse.org). They need to seriously consider all the benefits of legalizing marijuana and
the true impact it would have on the government before disregarding it completely.

This is a very controversial issue that will take many years to have a definite solution.
Although there are positives towards the legalization, there are also strong opponents to it too.
People should question why marijuana is not illegal if other harmful substances, such as alcohol,
are. Medically, marijuana has already been proven effective in treating many symptoms of
serious diseases and its legalization in many states seems to be working. If it has been proven to
treat illnesses and alleviate pain, why has marijuana not been legalized yet? But, people still
question what will happen to people, especially the youth. They need to look at the bigger
picture and see if it is truly worth it and what the effects will be in the long term. We need to
truly consider the advantage and disadvantages, and question what effects they could have on us
as a person and on our society as a whole?
