Twenty states have decriminalized marijuana, and of those twenty states, three of them, and the District of Columbia, have completely legalized the use of marijuana. Alaska, Colorado, and Washington, the three states that have legalized marijuana, also legalized the recreational sale of marijuana as well. Those states have seen major and beneficial changes to their communities. Crime rate has dropped a tremendous amount and millions of dollars are being made from the revenue of the selling of marijuana. If South Carolina was to look at the data from other states and countries who have legalized marijuana, then they would realize that they too, should legalize marijuana because it will raise money for the state, make the jail system more efficient and less corrupt, and because it is far less harmful than other legal recreational goods. 

After 1 year of legalization, Washington earned close to eighty-three million extra dollars in tax revenue (Newman 2). After Colorado's first year of legalization, tax revenue spiked as well, generating about an extra seventy-million dollars (Basu 1). In Alaska, where the legalization of marijuana was passed just last year, is projected to raise close to seven million dollars, however, some estimates are as high as twenty million dollars and as low as five million dollars (Ferner 1). Any increase would be a substantial increase for a state like Alaska because it does not have the population nor the attraction that Washington or Colorado has to offer, so the new money could really have a serious impact on the communities all around the state. Last fiscal year, South Carolina raised 162 million dollars in alcohol tax revenue and twenty-five million dollars in revenue for tobacco. This sin tax was only two percent of the total tax revenue of the year. If South Carolina was to legalize marijuana it could see an increase of tax revenue similar to Colorado and Washington, if not more. This is because of the tourism it attracts. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, was ranked number one summer destination by Trip Advisor, based on their consumer search data, and most popular and affordable vacation destination by Go Banking Rates (Bryant 1). Colorado saw a spike in tourism after the legalization of marijuana. South Carolina will see an increase as well because it is already a popular tourist vacation destination without marijuana, and when South Carolina becomes the first southern beach state on the east coast to legalize marijuana sales, the tourism numbers will only soar. With the potential marijuana has to increase tax revenue, it will be very possible for the state of South Carolina to decrease taxes or to invest in new programs, like the state of Washington has done. With the eighty-three million dollars generated from the sale of marijuana, Washington has been able to give back to the community and invest in programs such as, " ... substance abuse prevention and treatment programs, youth and adult drug education, community health care services, and academic research and evaluation on the effects of marijuana legalization in the state." (Newman 1). These newly created programs will have a positive affect on people's lives and its communities and Washington will be able to do it without having to raise taxes. South Carolina can benefit from the legalization of marijuana through the increase of tax revenue they will gain and the opportunities it will create.  

Over eight million arrests were made from 2001 to 2010 in the United States and eighty-eight percent of them consisted of simple possessions (ACLU), a simple possession is when a person has less than an ounce of marijuana. It is estimated that taxpayers have to pay somewhere between seven to ten billion dollars arresting and prosecuting for people with marijuana violations (NORML 1). In South Carolina eighty-eight percent of all drug arrests were simple possession charges of marijuana. If marijuana was to be legalized in South Carolina taxes would be lowered just like in the state of California. When California just decriminalized marijuana, taxpayers saved about a billion dollars because they no longer had to pay for the unnecessary judicial processes of simple possession. Legalizing the recreational use and sale of marijuana also frees up police resources and time as well. Simple possession charges, which is the most common charge, make up more arrests than all violent crimes combined, this includes murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault (Marijuana Arrests and Incarceration in the United States. 1999). Freeing up police time gives them the opportunity to pursue bigger crimes. Instead of arresting someone with a gram of marijuana they will be able to try and find the supplier, find drug rings, focus on drug trafficking, domestic and internationally, and also shutdown other illegal black market activity the prohibition of marijuana causes. The prohibition of marijuana has also caused systematic racism. The war on drugs was a policy created by Richard Nixon in 1972 to fight the spread of illicit drugs, such as marijuana. However, as time went by minorities were targeted the most and started the mass incarceration of African Americans. Blacks are nearly four times more likely to be arrested for a simple marijuana possession compared to whites, in spite of the fact that usage rates are equal among both races (ACLU). South Carolina incarceration rate of minorities is below the national average, but a minority is still 2.8 times more likely to go to a jail than a white person (Wegman 1). Although this a little below the national average it is still unacceptable. South Carolina could end this systematic racism and help the cops get more time and resources if they were to legalize marijuana. That could end the corruption and make the jail system more efficient.    

Marijuana has been tested and scientifically proven to show that there is little to no lethal side affects from the acts of smoking marijuana. If legalized, it would be the safest substance under the sin tax. Two of the most popular substances under this sin tax are alcohol and tobacco. Both of these substances have been linked to lethal side effects and are the factors to some of the most lethal diseases in America today. Alcohol is a depressant drug that is regulated by the government. No one under the age of twenty-one can neither purchase nor consume alcohol. Alcohol can impair the brain to make bad decisions and lead to many health conditions, such as: gastritis, pancreatitis, fatty liver hepatitis, cirrhosis, cancer, heart disease, anemia, and a lowered resistance to infection (ATOD 1). Alcohol also can lead to violent behavior. In two-thirds of all sexual assault cases and in fifty percent of all domestic violence cases, alcohol was present (ATOD 2). Alcohol also influences poor decision making and can affect personal lives in a negative manner. The leading cause of death of sixteen to twenty-four year olds is drunk driving and 290,000 are injured in drunk driving incidents. Drinking can also effect people's lives in a non lethal way as well. Drinking as a student has been proven to lower attendance and grades. Drinking can also cause reckless behavior that can put someone in jail. Those activities can include vandalism, public urination, and many more. Marijuana is neither linked to violent nor reckless behavior in its' users. Tobacco is a legal addictive substance that is the leading cause of preventable deaths, tallying over 400,000 deaths a year. Smoking tobacco causes high blood pressure, decreased exercising, high cholesterol and can be linked with obesity. These side effects ca lead to several forms of cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. Along with having no serious health affects, marijuana can also have positive affect while being used medicinally. Marijuana can help and aid in, " ... excessive nausea and vomiting, it increases appetite for chemotherapy and AIDS patients, reduction in eye pressure in glaucoma, and easing chronic pain ... " (Barnes 1). It also has been helpful with cancer because it slows the rate at which the cells multiply, therefore giving the person more time to live and the doctor more time to perform long term treatments. South Carolina allows and profits off the sale of these substances, making 162 million dollars for tax revenue off alcohol and another twenty-five million dollars from tobacco sales. If South Carolina can be morally alright with doing this, even with the side affects alcohol and tobacco cause, there is no reason why they should not start doing the same with marijuana. Just like other states do, South Carolina would regulate marijuana sales, making money from taxes, and it would be treated just like alcohol and cigarettes, needing to be a certain age to buy it. That age would be twenty-one and a customer would have to provide proper identification if he or she wanted to make a purchase. 

Marijuana is a strongly debated issue where many people have their own, opposing views and arguments. A common argument to stop the legalization of marijuana is that the availability would draw in new customers and would make it assessable to minors. This is a good argument and seems like it could be a real possibility. However, studies have been done in states and countries where the sale of marijuana and the results prove this argument wrong. In states where marijuana was decriminalized there was no staggering increase in use and in the Netherlands, where it has been legal for thirty-eight yaers, there was no significant change in the usage of marijuana (Duke 5). If legalized in South Carolina, marijuana, just like the other states it is legalized in, would be heavily regulated. In Colorado, in order to buy marijuana, one must be twenty-one. One would be able to buy cigarettes before marijuana and the same age for when one can purchase alcohol. Dispensaries would strictly enforce these regulations just like gas stations or liquor stores or else they would be liable to get sued or shut down. Also, states like Washington are putting their newly found revenue profits to good use. They are creating and investing in programs that raise awareness and educate people on marijuana and other drugs to prevent negative things happening in the communities. 

The gateway theory is another popular argument to stop the legalization for marijuana. The gateway theory is the theory that, people who start off with soft drugs, such as marijuana, will eventually turn to hard drugs because it is more assessable or because the high off a drug like marijuana is not enough for the user anymore. Hard drugs consist of a wide variety of different drugs but are defined as ones that cause a physical addiction. While this theory does sound correct it is not as likely as one would presume. Two out of three users of marijuana have never used hard drugs and for every one hard drug user, there are about eight marijuana users (Duke 2). Also the gateway theory would not occur if the recreational sale of marijuana was to ne legalized in South Carolina because the consumer would buy their goods from a reputable and heavily regulated business. They would not have to buy their goods from some criminal who is just trying to make money by any means necessary. A drug dealer would be more likely to offer you a hard drug so he can make more money but a dispensary would never be able to get away with actions like that. 

An argument people make to maintain the prohibition of alcohol is that a state should not be associated with unhealthy or immoral goods because it is their job to protect them. This is true and a solid argument, just not for marijuana. Marijuana has not only been linked to no health problems but it has been proven that it can be beneficial when used medicinally. Marijuana is neither unhealthy nor immoral. Tobacco and Alcohol are unhealthy, however. Combined they kill hundreds of thousands Americans each year, yet are still legal in South Carolina. People are content with their states and governments making millions off these substances yet are not willing to legalize a drug that is safer and has been used for as long if not longer than alcohol and tobacco. 

The legalization of Marijuana in South Carolina is a significant and important idea that must be turned into a reality. Too many things can benefit from the legalization. South Carolina would make millions, giving them the opportunity to set up new programs and to invest in the youth. People who are sick and their medications have negative effects on them could benefit with the use of medicinal marijuana. They could live an easier life and maybe one day be able to live with their disease without even having to suffer. Also people's lives are being ruined because they are using this substance, and it is not because of physical or mental effects of the drug. People who were just smoking or have had a minor possession now have a record that will follow them for the rest of their life. This can make getting jobs an unfeasible task or getting into graduate school impossible.  The citizens of South Carolina need to come together and inform their government leaders that this is a big issue that not only needs to be addressed but needs a plan of action. With enough public support and through political efficacy, marijuana could become legalized in just a few short years. 

In recent years, marijuana reforms have been passed and are being discussed everyday, in congress or on the news. It is not only happening in America, but internationally as well. All over the globe marijuana reform is happening. It has been openly used for decades even though the government started a "war" on it. People will continue to recreationally use the drug whether it is legalized or not. While that is no reason for the government to legalize it, scientific evidence and beneficial outcomes from other states who have legalized it are. Marijuana has been tested and proven to be unlinked to serious health affects and is still illegal in the state of South Carolina. Yet, substances like alcohol and tobacco are openly sold for the state to profit off of. If South Carolina was to follow the model laid down by the states and countries who have already legalized marijuana, they would be able to do it swiftly and in an efficient way. South Carolina should legalize marijuana because it will raise money for the state, make the jail system more efficient and less corrupt, and because it is far less harmful than other legal recreational goods. 


