Marijuana should be legalized for not only medical reasons, but also for cultural and
economical reasons. In most states, marijuana possession is illegal and can lead to imprisonment
and fines. And, although it is illegal, people still have access to and use the drug. There is a
huge illegal market for the selling and distribution of marijuana, causing danger to those
involved in the process. The United States as a whole should come up with a unified stance on
the issue and truly consider its legalization in all states. Although it was once perceived to be a
xharmful 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.

Medically, marijuana has been shown to be very effective in treating symptoms from
diseases such as cancer and AIDS. A major increase in the support for the legalization occurred
from 1977 to 2003, when marijuana was found to possibly alleviate the some symptoms of
AIDS. Misty Millhorn, whose journal was published in the Journal of Human Behavior in the
Social Enviroment, describes it by saying, "public opinion regarding the legalization of illegal
drugs appears to be influenced by the times" (Millhorn 125). By people seeing how effective the
drug is these days, the support for legalization, especially medically, is increasing. This is
especially due to the numerous benefits that have been shown. When taken, pain is alleviated,
the patients' appetite was shown to increase, and bouts of spasticity were decreased or
eliminated. These may seem like small advantages, but for a person with cancer, these benefits
are necessary and huge. Marijuana proves effective for people who were not able to be
effectively treated by other drugs that they tried. Although some people believe that marijuana is
addictive, it is not even close to the addictiveness and harmfulness of morphine. Morphine,
which is a drug used to alleviate pain, is also commonly given to cancer patients and other sick
people who are dealing with extreme amounts of pain. But, the negative affects of morphine are
so much greater than those of marijuana. Although morphine is effective, it is extremely
addictive, which is a problem. While it may treat the pain and make the patient feel more
comfortable, a person must question whether the addiction is truly worth it. 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"
(Unknown 9). If people are unwilling to put in the time and resources for research, the true
potential of the drug will go unseen. It has been proven over and over again to be effective,
therefor the government should put forth the funds necessary and legalize it.

States such as California, Arizona, and Washington have already legalized marijuana for
medical use, and the benefits have already proven themselves. Many people believe the main
problem, other than the fact that marijuana is a drug, is controlling who can gain access to it
medically. 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 addresses the problem and is a start to regulating
the use of marijuana medically. Although it may at first be difficult to reinforce and regulate, it
shows that the government has thought about, and put in place, was to regulate it. This may
seem like a lot of effort once the drug is legalized, but for the benefit it medically provides, the
difficulty 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. Also, other states should consider the positive effects it has had
on the states in which it is legalized. If it had not already been proven to be effective, there
would not be as big of a push nor would more and more states consider the legalization of
marijuana.

Marijuana use is not as harmful as many people believe, having been shown to be not as
addictive as people previously thought and that it does not lead to harder drugs. Laws allowing it
in other states such as Colorado, Massachusetts, and most recently Maryland, have been proven
to be effective. The national government should consider the success of legalized marijuana in
other states. 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.

When Amendment 64 was presented to Colorado in the most recent election, it showed
the positive effects that legalization could have on the state. These aspects obviously appealed to
the voters since they voted for legalization of marijuana for recreational use. The proposed idea
was that it would be regulated as alcohol and tobacco products are, and only legal to adults over
the age of 21. One of the main aspects to the Amendment was the idea that it would provide a
boom to the economy. It was said that it would not only produce hundreds of new jobs, but also
raise millions of dollars for the state of Colorado. Some of this money would go to the funding
of public schools and it was said that around 60 million dollars annually would occur in
combined savings and revenue for Colorado's budget. The proposal would also eliminate
underground markets, and fully regulate the cultivation and sale of marijuana.

Also, the laws and regulations in European countries have been proven to be very
efficient in dealing with marijuana. Similar to some states, some countries or regions in Europe
tolerate some form of marijuana possession or consumption. Some countries apply less severe
penalties when marijuana is involved in the offense. But, even in countries where the formal
legislation is severe, concerning penalization for marijuana offenses, there are increasingly
pragmatic approaches to the implementation of drug legislation. Most legislations adopt either a
punitive or clinical perspective for dealing with drug use offenses. It has even been seen in
Europe that a person who is found with marijuana can choose clinical treatment to lessen their
other penalty. In other countries, such as Australia, marijuana in some territories has been
decriminalized. Also, 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. An article in the American Academy of
Pediatrics Technical Report shows the current laws regarding marijuana in the Netherlands,
"Under their complex system of "law-in-action," Dutch law permits personal use of marijuana
but outlaws possession" (Joffe e632). This has been proven effective in other countries, so why
not in the United States? Instead of full legalization, the United States could also approach
marijuana in this way, seeing its benefits already in Europe and Australia.

On the cultural side, there are many aspects that support the legalization of marijuana.
Although it may seem unimportant, this is a huge piece of the puzzle when it comes to the push
for legalization. The NAACP supports the legalization of marijuana because of the number of
black people who are arrested for possession and use. They argue that it is racial profiling and
that the cops target black people. Along with this problem, the use of marijuana in religious
ceremonies also presents itself. Religious groups such as Hindus, Buddhists, and Rastafarians
use marijuana as part of their spiritual and religious ceremonies. They should be able to do this
just as Judaism and Christianity are free to drink wine during their celebrations. Discrimination
against religious practices should not be allowed, especially in this day and age. People are
taught they are allowed to freely express their opinions and beliefs, of which religion is an
important aspect. By denying this ability to certain religions, the freedom to believe what you
want does not exist, limiting people.

Legalization would reduce the flow of money from the American economy to international criminal gangs. A good amount of the marijuana consumed in the United States is grown in South American countries such as Mexico and Columbia. Also, the attempted "prohibition" has failed to control the use and domestic production of the drug. It could even be said that the thrill of doing something illegal has a certain appeal to the people doing it, commonly teenagers. Like the attempted prohibition with alcohol failed many years ago, the one with marijuana has also been ineffective. People seem not to care about the legality of marijuana, so the laws do not work. Instead, the government should take control of the
marijuana industry. By eliminating the importation of the drugs, not only would safety increase
drastically, but also American money would remain in our economy which is necessary. Also,
marijuana is too expensive for our justice system to patrol and should instead be taxed to support
beneficial government programs. By doing so, the government would be gaining money, while
still being able to slightly regulate the marijuana production and industry because of the tax.
They could regulate the sale and distribution of the drug, pumping money into the economy.
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. A 10% pot tax would yield $1.4 billion in California alone. And
that's probably a fraction of the revenues that would be available  --  and of the economic
impact, with thousands of new jobs in agriculture, packaging, marketing and advertising.
(Klein 1)

Once you look at the enormous amounts of money our economy could gain by legalizing and
regulating the production and sale, the facts are undeniable. With our economy struggling as it is
today, it seems foolish not to take advantage of this. Also, if they gained control, the cost of
officers to patrol and make arrests for the drug would drastically increase. I am not arguing to a
marijuana legalization law that contains no form of regulation, but rather it should be regulated
by the government.

When questioning the idea of legalization, one should also compare it to other "drugs"
that are legal. Alcohol, which is legal to people ages 21 and older, and tobacco products, which
are available to people ages 18 and older, have much harsher side effects than those related to
marijuana. 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).
First off, both are highly addictive and once hooked, withdraw symptoms are extreme. Another
important aspect to consider is the possibility of death that is associated with the use of both
alcohol and tobacco. Smoking and dipping can cause cancer and alcohol can damage a persons'
internal organs, both sometimes causing death. Alcoholism is also another important factor to
consider when comparing alcohol and marijuana. Alcoholism can destroy families and damages
internal organs, possibly causing death. On the other hand, marijuana has never been shown to
lead to cancer or the death of anyone. Quitting tobacco products can take years and the person
trying to quit is often unsuccessful because they are so hooked on the ingredients. Also, many of
the medication and methods that aid in quitting can make the user sick, resulting in them
returning to their old habits. Alcohol, on the other hand, has withdraw effects that can be
deadly. Because the body is so used to it, it does not know what to do once the drug is removed.
If the people who are completely against the legalization compared it to other legal and widely
used things, they would see how marijuana is not as harmful and the side effects are less harsh.

All in all, marijuana is not the evil drug that many people are trying to make it out to be.
If it were legalized, it could bring in a large amount of revenue, which could go towards our
struggling economy. Also, it could be regulated, which would ultimately decrease criminal
activity. The final, and one of the most ethical reasons it should be legalized, is for religious
practices. Everyone should be free to worship in any way they want, but under the current law
they are restricted. As compared to other drugs, legal and illegal, marijuana is a much safer, and
less harmful substance. The next time a proposition for the legalization of marijuana, medical or
recreational, is taken to a public vote, hopefully the people will be able to see through the
propaganda and vote correctly. Marijuana is not the detrimental gateway drug that so many have
tried to make it out to be. Rather, it is a relief to those suffering from debilitating illness, and a
source of spiritual realization for some religions.

