The Constitution of the United States of America states that every citizen is ensured the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; liberty is defined as the state of being free within society from oppressive restrictions imposed by authority on one's way of life, behavior, or political views. That being said, drug laws in America are a direct violation of the principles by which the United States of America were founded upon. I first experienced the unjust nature of such rules embedded in society for myself while I was in 11th grade when I was suspended from my high school for a semester and stripped of my permissive transfer for coming to school under the influence of marijuana or "high" and having the burnt residue of the plant found inside my car. The following Monday, another student attending the same high school as myself beat up someone else in the school gymnasium, and that bully was suspended for a few days and was back in class by week's end. It really got under my skin that I was deemed a greater danger to society for inhaling the smoke of a plant, trying to get an education, and not bothering anyone in the process, but people who posed an actual danger to the school were treated less harshly for their actions. Individuals deserve rights to their own their body and should be able to do whatever they desire so long as innocent civilians are not harmed in the process. Therefore, not only should the war on drugs be ended because it has been extremely detrimental to society, but marijuana in specific should be fully legalized, for it holds the potential to benefit society moreso than any other psychoactive substance.

First and foremost, the war on drugs has been a massive failure ever since its enactment under the administration of President Nixon in the 1970s. In fact, A former aide of Richard Nixon by the name of John Ehrlichman admitted that this policy was developed in order to target opposing political groups of the Nixon administration  --  African American and liberal "hippies" who were antiwar. Ehrlichman told Dan Bauhm, a journalist who was writing a book on drug prohibition at the time of the interview in 1994 that the Nixon administration had two enemies: black people and the antiwar left, and he was quoted as saying, "we knew we couldn't make it illegal to be either against the war or black, but by getting the public to associate the hippies with marijuana and blacks with heroin, and then criminalizing both heavily, we could disrupt those communities". As Kristen Kloc, author of the appropriately titled article "Nixon Advisor Admits the War on Drugs Targeted African Americans and Hippies", states, the drug war has been and continues to be a mechanism used by the government to control Americans through incarceration based on racially biased arrests and propaganda rather than fight against substance abuse (Kloc). Another instance of racial implications of the drug war superseding that of the actual effects of the drug explained by Ethan Nadelman in his TEDTalk which aims to answer the question "why we need to end the war on drugs" is the use of opiates in the late 19th century by middle-aged women treating aches and pains who were never thought of as criminals, yet when hundreds of thousands of Japanese immigrants moved into America and used opiates as a way to relax after a long day of work, the general public's perception of the drug completely transformed (Nadelman). In addition to the drug war being based largely around the idea of associating races and political groups with drug use in order to put an end to such groups of people or at least their influences on the public, the drug war has also led to mass incarceration with little to no actual progress in stopping drug problems in America.

America possesses only about 5% of the entire world population but 25% of the world's prison population, and this is greatly due to drug policy and the fact that it holds imprisonment over public health. Countries such as Portugal, Switzerland, and Germany treat serious drug addiction as a health issue rather than a criminal act, and because of this, such countries have less crime, better overall health, and more taxpayer benefits (Nadelman). In fact, in Carly Shwartz's article "America's War On Drugs Has Failed. This Program May Be The Soliution", she discusses the life of a man named Kevin who is homeless and constantly in and out of jail because of his addiction to crack. In this piece, Shwartz states that the state of Washington has developed a program known as Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD), and it aims to turn individuals like Kevin who are addicted to and abuse substances into productive members of society instead of merely putting them behind bars and hoping their lifestyles will change. This program has a 60% success rate meaning that a majority of the people who are diverted to LEAD instead of the penal system never repeat offend their drug crimes again (Shwartz). Therefore, America as a whole should adopt a similar policy as that of LEAD and countries who value health over incarceration so that people can be treated of their drug addiction. In doing so, such policies help drug abusers to become functioning members of society as opposed to sending them into a penal system which labels them as criminals for the rest of their life and thus, lessens their quality of life even more.

Although the actual reasons for illegality may be more racially based than one would hope, it is understood that many drugs are supposedly illegal in this country because of the potential risks to the health and well being of the user as well as the potential dangers such users may impose on public safety. Marijuana is specifically known to cause side effects such as short-term memory loss, breathing issues, and lowered IQ when use is excessive and at an adolescent age (National Institute of Drug Abuse). Yet, as for putting one's own health at risk, authorities have no right to dictate what an individual can and cannot do with their own body. Living an unhealthy lifestyle can be found in nearly all facets of American culture, and if laws were put into place that treat all lifestyle choices that could possibly harm citizens under their own will with the same rationale as drug laws in America, then U.S. citizens would start to see the prohibition of beloved sports such as football, for football is known to have a correlation with players receiving a large amount of concussions throughout their career. Many players end up contracting a brain disease known as chronic traumatic encephalopathy or CTE, which has links with ALS, and it could be potentially life threatening (Shmerling). Another treasured part of American culture that would be prohibited based on the premise of self harm would be fast food since fast food is known to contribute to a plethora of health issues as discussed in the article "13 Effects of Fast Food on the Body", and a few of these are as follows: kidney disease, diabetes, asthma, lowered cognitive ability, depression, acne, and osteoporosis (Carey & Pietrangelo). In addition to this mindset behind drug laws in America being irrational, it also makes no sense to incarcerate a person based on a hypothetical instance of malevolence if no such actions are actually committed. According to a website known as the Gun Violence Archive where over 1,500 sources are used daily to collect and validate incidents of gun violence, in 2016 alone, upwards of 14,150 gun-related incidents have been reported resulting in more than 3,580 deaths and 7,260 injuries (Gun Violence Archive). In America, people are allowed to legally own and carry around these machines known as guns that have the power kill people from a relatively far distance of space with the push of a button, but these gun owning individuals would not be arrested simply for potential crimes they may commit with their weapons but rather for actual crimes against humanity. Thus, since owning objects like guns that yield a far greater potential risk to the safety of citizens than marijuana ever will and partaking in activities that can cause health issues to the individual willfully doing so are not prohibited by the federal government, then drugs should not be either, especially marijuana because of how natural and relatively safe it is in comparison to other psychoactive substances as well as the potential benefits its legalization would bring to society.

Marijuana is referred to as the flowers produced by the plant cannabis-sativa, and these buds contain a chemical compound known as delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol or THC, which has been attributed to causing mind-altering psychoactive effects when ingested. Because of the effects caused by THC, cannabis has been under federal prohibition dating back to 1937 when the Marihuana Tax Act was put into place by congress. Yet, the origin of prohibition is a tad more complex than the federal government simply seeing a rise in the use of a drug and banning said drug. Much like the war on drugs of the 1970s, marijuana prohibition is the product of racial trepidation as well; such prohibition stemmed largely from the xenophobia associated with a large influx of Mexican migrants that took place in the early 20th century. These migrants tended to participate mostly in agrarian forms of labor for relatively low wages and would typically relax at the end of a long day in the fields with marijuana. Also in the early 1900s, marijuana became associated with the new Jazz music community that was comprised primarily of African Americans, and this new wave of music as well culture seemed to strike fear in the conservatives of America. Thus, the Federal Bureau of Narcotics, headed by Harry J. Anslinger, launched a campaign to use yellow journalism in order to exaggerate the effects of such a drug and make it seem as if one puff of "the devil's weed" would turn a man into a sex-demised, murderous individual; Anslinger even coined the term "marijuana" as a way to refer to cannabis but sound more Mexican in doing so (NORML). In addition to being prohibited for sale, use, and possession, marijuana has also been categorized as a schedule 1 drug by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which states that marijuana is a highly addictive drug and possesses no medicinal value. Current drug scheduling places cannabis in the worst possible class of drugs from a legal standpoint, and it means that under current drug laws the legal ramifications for possessing cannabis are worse than that of possessing a drugs which are widely recognized as more dangerous and more addictive like cocaine and methamphetamine, and such a scheduling needs to be changed immediately since marijuana does indeed hold medicinal value.

Medicinal marijuana, however, has been legalized in 23 of the 50 states in the U.S.A. because it can treat or at least alleviate the symptoms of such ailments as insomnia, Alzheimer's, diabetes, arthritis, depression, anxiety, migraines, PTSD, epileptic seizures, Glaucoma, and Multiple Sclerosis to name a few. As Kevin Spelman and Carly Gustafson discuss in their academic journal titled "Keeping It Together-The Other Compounds in Cannabis and the Benefits of Whole-herb Use", cannabis has been known to be a pain reliever, an anti-inflammatory, and an appetite stimulant, which means that marijuana can be effective in treating any forms of pain, certain skin disorders such as acne, and eating disorders like anorexia (Gustafson & Spelman, 18-20). In addition to stimulating appetite in those who have trouble eating, marijuana has been noted as possessing the ability to lower one's insulin levels while also raising metabolism, which is largely the reason that many marijuana smokers tend to have healthier physiques than their non-smoking counterpart. The medicinal value of marijuana, although, expands past that of simply consuming the smoke of the vaporized plant, and Holly Hutton expands on this notion in her academic journal titled "Beyond THC: Exploring the Topical Uses of Cannabis" where she explains that topical uses of medicinal marijuana exist as well and come in the forms of lotions, oils, and balms that can be absorbed into the skin to relieve inflammation, pain, and soreness. These topical substances provide therapeutic effects with no psychoactive effects, so people can benefit from the plant without ever feeling the cerebral effects that have become accompanied with marijuana use (Hutton 41). Marijuana has also been noted as being beneficial to cancer patients as they go through the rigorous process of chemotherapy while fighting the disease since patients often endure depression, nausea, pain, trouble sleeping, and trouble eating. This leads to doctors wondering why they would prescribe a patient five different prescription pills when one plant could aid the patient just as if not more effectively. At the same time prescription drugs are susceptible to abuse and can lead to brain damage, respiratory failure, seizures, malnutrition, and overdose, while marijuana is virtually impossible to overdose; it would take the consumption of approximately 20,000 joints in 20 minutes to cause an overdose, and even then, the cause of death would be oxygen deprivation (Muir Wood Adolescent and Family). Not only does marijuana provide a relatively safe way for cancer patients to recover from chemotherapy, there has been anecdotal evidence of marijuana combatting cancer itself, and initially people dismissed such accounts as urban legendry, but as the American Cancer Society states in "Marijuana and Cancer", recent studies have shown that THC and other compounds in cannabis such as cannabidiol (CBD) do indeed have the ability to slow the growth or even kill certain types of cancer cells (American Cancer Society). The federal government has continued to state that there is no medicinal value in marijuana consumption regardless of any scientific or anecdotal evidence stating otherwise, and few people are aware of this, but in 1976 a man by the name Robert Randall sued the government for his right to marijuana as a medical necessity needed to treat his glaucoma, and he won. Gooey Rabinski explains in his article titles "U.S. Government Supplies Free Medical Marijuana to Select Patients" that the result of this case was the enactment of the Compassionate Investigation New Drug Program, which was created with the intention to provide medical cannabis for life to people who face serious health issues (Rabinski). This program is a blatant case of hypocrisy by the federal government and shows that lawmakers responsible for the rescheduling of marijuana are simply not looking at the facts and evidence associated with medicinal marijuana.

The benefits of marijuana legalization expand beyond that of just medicinal marijuana as well, for recreational marijuana also holds the potential for a large market. This market would take the hands out of organized criminals such as the Mexican drug cartel, which was formed as a direct result of federal prohibition. Instead, the revenue grossed from a legal marijuana industry could be used to benefit American society. In his piece "Pot Economics: What's the future of the American marijuana market?", Dan Schneider explains that such an industry is estimated to make as much as 46 billion dollars annually. Also, the plant is noted as one of the top three cash crops in 30 states regardless of its legal status. States like Colorado, Washington, and California have implemented an excise tax of 15-25% and have begun to use the tax revenue from legal sales to fund the improvement of public education and provide shelters for homeless people (Schneider, 12-13). To further assess the societal benefits of legalization, look no further than the progress that has been made in Colorado, a state which legalized marijuana in 2014; ever since the first legal marijuana stores opened on January 1, Colorado has seen a decrease in crime rates and traffic fatalities as well as an increase in jobs and the development of the fastest growing economy in the United States. 

Although most participants in legal marijuana industry follow state laws accordingly, many business owners still feel the effects of federal prohibition, and this makes it arduous for the market to reach its full potential. For instance, Abbey Roudebush explains in her academic journal "The Grass Isn't Always Greener: Reconciling State And Federal Marijuana Laws" that there is a law put into place by the federal government which states that when marijuana is legalized in a state, because it was illegal prior to the first shops being open, initial business owners cannot legally purchase the first seed needed for production; they must either illegally obtain seeds from other states where marijuana industry is operating affluently or the black market. Additionally, the federal government holds many restrictions on banks, which discourage such institution from doing business with those involved in marijuana commerce. This means that marijuana business owners must look for alternative ways to store their money such as money laundering. Above all, marijuana is still illegal in the eyes of the federal government, and this means that even a well-run business abiding by all of the states regulations could still be susceptible to a search and seizure of all of its assets by the federal government at any time (Roudebush, 6-12). It has become apparent that the federal government does not want American society to enjoy the full potential of the legal marijuana market, and this can be seen in the role that lawmakers play in interfering with the sales of legal recreational marijuana, but it can also be viewed in the role they play in prohibiting cannabis derivatives that yield no psychoactive effects.

The potential marijuana industry encompasses more than merely the sale of combustible cannabis; hemp products offer a copious amount of economic opportunities. As Gooey Rabinski explains in another one of his pieces titled "Cannabis Facts: Busting Hemp Myths", he states that hemp is a type of cannabis that contains less than .3 percent THC but is still illegal under federal law regardless of the fact that it contributes to zero psychoactive effects if consumed. Hemp, which features strong fibers, can be manufactured into materials such as clothing, canvas, and foundation blocks for buildings. In many ways, the use of hemp as clothing is superior to that of cotton, for hemp can be farmed nearly twice as efficiently and produces a more durable, higher quality product. Also, hemp and hemp seed oil are both viewed a "superfood" since they contain a near perfect ratio of the essential fatty acids Omega 3 and Omega 6 as well as contain every important amino acid. Furthermore, Hemp has proven to be an excellent building block when formed into a material known as Hempcrete. It is superior to wood in that it is resilient to typical issues of decay; hempcrete is noted as fireproof and impervious to termites. The list of uses for hemp goes on as it can also be used as a plastic that is biodegradable and noticeably stronger than steel panels (Rabinski). That being said, it is clear that the current drug laws in America are impeding the ability of a vast amount of economic possibilities that should be attainable in a country founded on free enterprise.

According to the most recent Gallup poll, 58% of Americans agree with myself and have seen what the federal has failed to see or more likely chose to ignore, which is that the legalization of marijuana yields a great many benefits to society with relatively few drawbacks (Gallup). It is hard to imagine living in a so-called democratic society where the majority's opinion is overlooked by lawmakers, so a change will probably come soon, but it is not soon enough, for every hour that marijuana laws are not changed, nearly 80 people are arrested, most of which are nonviolent drug offenders (NORML). America needs to develop the mindset that public health is more important than incarceration, for arrests stay on people's permanent records for life and often label non-violent drug offenders as criminals. Because the laws currently in place under the federal government regarding drugs and marijuana in specific are oppressive in nature, they need to be revised immediately. It is time that policy makers in America acknowledge that denying one rights to his or her own body violates the values by which this country was founded upon and lift the oppressive prohibition of marijuana, so citizens can reap the advantages of legalization and enjoy life as they choose to.

