The debate over marijuana has always been fascinating to me because of the hidden implications it has on our society.  I feel as if the average person looks at this debate and sees the stereotypical futile battle between young liberal activists trying to legalize the drug, and a conservative older generation trying to make sure that never happens.  The normal citizen probably has an opinion, but they aren't as concerned with this issue on a level comparative to any of the other issues in America.  They are not invested in the debate because whether its legal or not, these are the people that wont use it, so it, "does not affect them."  However, these citizens care about our taxes, the health of our people, current racial issues, and the big problems with our costly criminal justice system.  What they do not realize is that this issue over marijuana has huge implications over all those political problems.  It is important to be invested in the conversation because it does not simply affect marijuana users, but instead this whole nation and the most important problems that are weighing on our people.  

As a millennial baby, I feel the eyes reading this paper judging me as a bias subject.  They automatically see me as, "one of those young liberal activists."  They would be right to say that I am part of a generation that is more open to the idea of legalization than any other.  However, I can provide a viewpoint that not very many people can.  As a person who has formerly been a part of the marijuana culture, I have seen the inside and out of how the drug interacts with society.  I understand much of the energy that surrounds the movement today and I at least embrace the concept of legalization possibly being a beneficial asset to our nation.  Although, (and this is very important) I am not naive.  I know marijuana is a drug, and I understand the possible repercussions of throwing an available substance like this into society.  While I've seen the good things surrounding the movement, I have also seen the ugly side, and it is pretty ugly (that I will go into in the paper).  With all these things considered, I can now offer an outsiders opinion after seeing both sides of the fence.  I know the up and downs of marijuana on small scale and that will offer a good base of perception as a dive more into this important conversation.

One of the best ways to enter a conversation is by first learning the facts.  The, "Crime, Arrests, and US Law Enforcement," tab of the DrugWarFacts website is great place to get data on Americas criminal justice system and the drugs that are involved with that. This site does not have any opinion but instead has straight statistics on crime, arrests, and the drugs associated with those incidents.  The statistics are provided in a way that obviously promote and pro-legalization agenda however the statistics are sourced from FBI and government websites so they stand adjacent with government recorded information.  The facts progress in a way that shows the enormous amount of people that are incarcerated in the criminal justice system, and how a lot of those people are involved with marijuana.  It goes on to use facts that show how much those arrests cost and how much police and man hours they consume.  Overall, the site provides good creditability and excellent source of solid facts that can be used to backup the harm of the current ban against marijuana.

Another great place to start in a conversation is with one of the basic opinions on each side.  A great pro-legalization opinion is provided by Christopher Ingraham of the Washington Post.  He pairs together two factors that stand as a base for why his argument is valid.  One, is that marijuana arrests cost a lot of money.  These arrests account up to around half a billion dollars a year. Two, is the fact that over 50% of Americans now think that marijuana should be legal.  He argues that if that is the case Americans should have a way to change this so they are not paying tax dollars to support something they don't believe in.  Ingraham certainly values the marijuana movement and has the purpose of advancing that agenda in his article.  Most of this article is opinion but for what he says Christopher Ingraham sounds reasonably credible, and he must stand up to the reporting standards of his employing company as well. 

A great contradictory account to the pro-legalization movement can be found from the many anti-legalization groups around the world.  CALM U.S.A. is one the most involved anti-legalization groups in the United States.  They serve as a great place to start for a negative opinion on marijuana. They are a coalition of people that includes politicians, doctors, citizens, and parents who do not think marijuana should be legal in our country.  One of the big things they stress is safety of our kids.  On their front page they have a document titled, "DO YOU KNOW MARIJUANA," which outlines CALM's reasons for their views on legalization.  It consists of facts that portray marijuana as a harmful substance, and discount it as a medicine.  These facts include how marijuana is unhealthy and causes health problems like brain damage, cancer, stunted growth of our children, as well as increased number of still births.  They also stress the effects that legalizing marijuana will have on society, such as an increased number of car wrecks and an increased number of crimes committed.  The only thing about this source is that its creditability is in shambles.  While the pamphlet was made recently, the information is taken from sources that are up to 40-years-old.  Other sources do not even have a creation date!  They seem like a very biased source that does not value maintaining their ethos well. 

The research question proposed in this paper will provide a good basis for discussion because it is a topic that is not easily answered.  There's many factors and ideas that need to be considered to get a full understanding of whether or not legalization would be best for our people. Also, it is a very important topic that is not talked about nearly enough.  This proposed research question is important because it draws on a topic that is too commonly being overlooked as a lesser issue.  The outcome of the debate on marijuana has implications that far exceed what anybody thinks of it.  On the topic of viewpoints, there seems to be three distinct options.  Those who think marijuana should be illegal, those who think it should be available medically, and those who think it should be recreationally legal.  However, the reasons for these three different views vary heavily from person to person.  In the end I feel I will be arguing for the view that marijuana should be legal recreationally, but I will be sure to identify all the negative aspects that I know about the movement and how I think those will play out if legalization is made into law.  It is a heavy burden to deflect the scrutiny that surrounds this topic but I do believe it is possible to communicate a clear superior option that benefits our people the most. 

