Marijuana, Cannabis, Reefer, there are many names for the green leaf that hundreds of thousands of people across the globe use in various forms and for many different reasons. Here in the United States the smoking of marijuana is seemingly growing at a faster rate each and every week. The main demographic of marijuana users is typically teenagers and young adults. These users utilize the drug for medical purposes and recreational use and sometimes both of those reasons. There are several pros and cons to legalizing this drug and several differentiating opinions of the topic that will all be explored throughout this paper. 

On a personal level I have had no firsthand experience involving the usage of marijuana other than having witnessed close friends that use it frequently. This topic is particularly interesting to me because of the growing popularity and media exposure that legalization is gaining. I have had people here on campus approach me with a clipboard asking for my signature on a petition to legalize, I see it almost daily in the media, and I have seen it used in person. Morally, I see nothing wrong with smoking pot I just have never had the urge to try it. There is no reason that the government should be able to regulate what people do or don't do in the privacy of their own homes as long as they aren't bringing harm to other citizens. I am qualified to write about this topic because I have followed the headline closely through the media, particularly through the events leading up to this next presidential election. It has become legalized in Colorado and Washington and it is a matter of time before other states follow suit. The bottom line is that legal or not people will find a way to get their hands on marijuana if that is what they desire. The government might as well take in some additional revenue by taxing the sale and distribution of marijuana. I believe that this is simple common sense and it amazes me that the government has not legalized it already especially due to the economic debt that our nation has incurred. 

The student newspaper at Liberty University in Virginia did an investigative article on the pros of cons of marijuana legalization in October of 2013. The article's central claim is to explore both the positives and negatives of legalizing marijuana. The article certainly leans towards the side of legalizing cannabis nationally, but it represents both sides of the argument in a mannerly way. It credits its claims and major evidence from websites and organizations such as the Denver Post, the Food and Drug Administration, and medicalmarijuana.org. When thinking about the audience that this article was geared towards, (college students) it is understandable that it took a pro-legalization stance. The article's interest is to not persuade people one way or another, but to inform its audience on the potential benefits and the potential downfalls of a nation where this drug is legal. The most reasonable answer as to why this article was written besides its purpose of informing is that it is a hot topic, especially on a college campus. 

In an article titled "Top 10 Reasons to Legalize Marijuana Now", written by Carmen Yarrusso of "Truth-Out.org", ten individualized statements of why to legalize cannabis are 
presented by the author. According to their website Truthout," works to spark action by revealing systemic injustice and providing a platform for transformative ideas, through in-depth investigative reporting and critical analysis." Based on the title alone, it is obvious to tell that the main claim of the article is that the time to legalize marijuana nationwide is now. The article puts a strong emphasis on the possibility that there would be less drug violence in the United States if we put the drug dealers out of business by legalizing weed. Another key argument worth noting that the article states is that by continuing to allow the prohibition of marijuana we as human beings are being denied the right to control what we put in our own individual bodies. The article is essentially saying that a degree of our freedom that is guaranteed to us by the constitution is taken away. This source is incredibly biased; however, the author uses credible sources to back up what she is stating. 

An article written by psychotherapist, Dr. Howard Samuels titled," Legally Blind: Why I'm Against Legalizing Marijuana," published on the Huffington Post's website discusses the potential health issues that could develop in many marijuana users. The main reason advocates for legalization are pushing for the legislation is because they want to use it for recreational purposes. According to Dr. Samuels, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the substance within marijuana that gives a user a high. He also states that studies have shown that marijuana that lacks THC is what works best for medical purposes. His end solution is to have medical marijuana legalized, but recreational marijuana continues to be illegal. However, he does state that he wants marijuana to be decriminalized because in his eyes it is just like alcohol or tobacco. Dr. Samuels wrote this article with the purpose of informing a broad audience of the negative effects of the drug as well as some of the potential side effects that could cause some tribulation for our society as a whole should we legalize. This author is biased, however he is in the field of psychotherapy, which qualifies him to speak and write about the topic in a professional manner.

This research topic is extremely arguable due to both the widespread popularity of the topic as well as the staunch differentiating views of both sides of the debate. My first source that I wrote about took a more middle of the road stance on the topic, while my second source was pro legalization and the third was anti legalization. There were several connections made in both the second and the third sources respectively that tied in with the Liberty University article. The different perspectives of these sources have allowed me to diversify my opinion regarding the topic and thanks to the Huffington Post article I am now more aware of the medical benefits and downfalls related to marijuana usage. I might need to revise my research question to, "Why the Time to Legalize Medical Marijuana Is Now", only because this might provide a lengthier debate on the subject with more credible sources that aren't as opinionated, but rather medically justified. 

