Not once. Not twice. No less than 10 times have I heard of a friend or someone a friend knows who has gotten in trouble with the law for possession of marijuana or possession of paraphernalia. 

There is more public support for reform that marijuana should be removed from the criminal justice system and regulated like alcohol and tobacco. The Drug Policy Alliance is the nation's leading organization promoting policies that are grounded in science, compassion, and health and human rights. With more than half of the country in favor of legalizing marijuana, many believe that legalization of marijuana will help to create jobs, save money, and reduce harm. The Drug Policy Alliance supports the legalization of marijuana and sees it as an opening that will "create jobs and economic opportunities in the formal economy instead of the illicit market" ("Marijuana Legalization and Regulation"). It is also argued that the law enforcement could be better used to "ensure public safety" rather than fighting a useless, said 'drug war', against Cannabis ("Marijuana Legalization and Regulation"). If marijuana were to become legal, many of these issues would vanish. The potential benefits of legalization will outweigh any negative outcomes it may bring through its likelihood of creating jobs and economic opportunities. The legalization of recreational marijuana use has heavily flooded the United States' legislation and press within the last few years. Recreational marijuana should be legalized considering the potential benefits it harnesses through boosting the economy, possible health benefits, and comparing its less severe effects to that of alcohol and tobacco, which may ultimately lead the United States out of its hefty debt and help Americans maintain a higher standard of living. 

Within the United States a substantial amount of money is wasted in relation to the illegal drug, marijuana. The government unfortunately has not attempted to realize how beneficial legalizing marijuana may be as it will most likely positively impact the economy of our nation. Throughout the country, more than $35 billion is spent on illegal Cannabis by Americans every year ("How Not to Make a Hash Out of Cannabis Legalization"). This ridiculous amount of money would be circulating within the economy if marijuana were legal. With marijuana still illegal, the money in the illegal drug trade goes untaxed, in no way aiding our country's economy. If recreational marijuana use were to be legalized, the money would in turn be taxed by the state and federal governments allowing for a possible boost in the nation's economy. Since Rhode Island, a state which has "the nation's highest unemployment rate", decided to plan and allow three dispensaries to operate within their state, the state is now expected to "collect about $1 million in tax revenues ... this year" (Malinowski). Looking at Rhode Island and their economical progress through marijuana sales, the government should come to the realization that by legalizing recreational marijuana the hull of society would greatly benefit through a boost in the economy. Through the enormous amount in tax revenue the states would receive from marijuana sales, we could, as a united nation, begin to climb out of our national debt of trillions and trillions of dollars. Through the Compassionate Use Act in 1996, which "removed criminal penalties for using, possessing, and cultivating medical marijuana" (Anderson), the state of California has been dealing with its medical marijuana programs for nearly two decades now and "officials there and elsewhere have found new ways to squeeze more money in taxes and regulatory fees from the programs" (Malinowski). With examples like such, more state legislatures would have an easier time legalizing and enforcing set rules for recreational marijuana use due to the 'guinea pig' states; Colorado, California, and Washington, that have all noted their experiences after legalizing marijuana, including the issues, as well as benefits, related to its use. Another issue with marijuana being illegal is that the dealers are not gaining valid job experience, nor are they receiving Social Security benefits (Kleiman). It is a domino effect; since marijuana is still illegal, the law perceives dealers as criminals and spends more money through the justice system by incarcerating these persons, however, if marijuana were to be legalized, these same persons would be free. There has been too much federal spending in relation to crimes linked to marijuana, approximately "650,000 users a year get arrested for possession", while the government spends about "$1 million annually in public money keeping roughly 40,000 growers and dealers behind bars at any one time" (Kleiman). This is an absurd amount of money to be spending on such a controversial issue, while the United States has far more urgent and important issues to be dealt with such as poverty. One prime example of how ludicrous the enforcement on marijuana is, is displayed through when a "SWAT team entered the Philadelphia home of Leon and Mary Adams and carried away the couple's adult son Leon Jr., who had sold $20 worth of marijuana to a police informant" (Dueholm). The fact that Leon Jr. had only sold a mere twenty dollars worth of marijuana proves how over the top the enforcement on this drug really is. In regards to marijuana still being an illegal substance, the United States is wasting an enormous amount of money while continuing to fight the drug war and keeping the enforcement of crimes related to marijuana so high and vicious. Ultimately, there would be a boost in the economy due to the tax revenue dispensaries would provide for the states and nation as a whole, as well as more money available for government spending as it would not be on the drug enforcement of marijuana and imprisoning dealers and growers. 

While marijuana is illegal in the United States there have been previous acts allowing medicinal marijuana use, such as the Compassionate Use Act in 1996, as well as some state legislatures enacting medical marijuana laws due to its valuable aid in the treatment of a wide range of clinical applications. The United States has been restricting and prohibiting society from using this harmless, yet extremely helpful plant. Due to its popular belief of being so beneficial, many scientists have requested funds in order to study the "herb's therapeutic potential" to in turn help people across the country, as well as the continent and world (Henry, Sarah, and Sally Lehrman). There is obviously a positive aid it provides to some people of medicinal needs, as proved by the Compassionate Use Act and state legislatures previously enacting medical marijuana laws. There is some question as to why marijuana is still illegal under the federal government, but individual states have been allowed to legalize the drug; in fact, "23 states have legalized pot as medicine" (Barcott, Scherer). Marijuana is believed to have the ability to help problems such as anxiety, cancer, chronic pain, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, and many other medical issues. Some who are concerned with finding the cure to cancer have been turning to marijuana, as the "NIDA acknowledges that 'recent animal studies have shown that marijuana can kill certain cancer cells and reduce the size of others" (Barcott, Scherer). For people suffering from chronic pain it has been discovered that the Cannabinoids found in marijuana interact with receptors on brain cells and may allow them to reduce the pain or inflammation (Barcott, Scherer). For those who have multiple sclerosis it has been determined that CBD and THC, "two marijuana compounds ... can be an effective treatment of neuropathic pain, disturbed sleep and spasticity" (Barcott, Scherer). It has also been established through experiments that "CBD may work as an antiepileptic agent" (Barcott, Scherer). While it is claimed that marijuana is a gateway drug to more serious and dangerous narcotics, there has been an advisory panel containing neurologists, oncologists, and pharmacologists that found that "marijuana may indeed counteract weight loss in people with AIDS, nausea among patients who are undergoing chemotherapy, spasticity in those with multiple sclerosis and spinal cord injuries, and pain among sufferers of nervous system disorders" (Henry, Sarah, and Sally Lehrman). Due to its potential use as medicine, Avram Goldstein, a pharmacologist from Stanford University, believes marijuana should be treated the same way as other pharmaceutical drugs while moving this debate past politics (Henry, Sarah, and Sally Lehrman). If these findings of how useful marijuana can be within medicinal studies prove to be true, it is almost inhumane of the federal government to be restricting persons whom may be extremely sick or even close to dying from something so helpful that could be detrimental to saving their life. 

Despite popular belief, the effects of marijuana are generally less severe than those of alcohol or tobacco. Although everyone knows of certain side effects and incidents pertaining to alcohol and tobacco, these substances are still legal, taxed, and controlled by the federal government and their different branches. It has been found that more than "560,000 American deaths" occur annually in relation to alcohol and tobacco (Barcott and Scherer). So why is marijuana still illegal when products like alcohol and tobacco, whose side effects are considered worse than that of marijuana, are and have been legal for several years? Discoveries have been made that prove the effects that the chemicals CBD and THC have on recreational users are not as potent or lethal as many across our nation believe. While this is an eye-opening fact, marijuana also differs from alcohol as it is not a "neurotoxin"; poisoning or destroying nerve tissue, tobacco as it "has an uncertain connection to lung cancer", and heroin as it "brings almost no risk of sudden death without a secondary factor like a car crash" (Barcott, Scherer). Public safety is a widespread concern of most people pertaining to possible traffic injuries and fatalities that may occur if marijuana were to be legalized by the federal government of the United States. While drivers who are under the influence of alcohol are associated with a "4-to-27-fold increase" in the same risk of being involved in a collision, it is noted that "drivers under the influence of THC compensate for these impairments" by driving slower and taking fewer risks when behind the wheel (Anderson). On another hand, the long-term effects of tobacco are much more consequential than those of marijuana. While people who smoke cannabis are "known to inhale deeper and hold smoke in their lungs for longer than cigarette smokers do", there have been certain compounds in marijuana that have been shown "to have anti-cancer effects" ("Marijuana and Lung Cancer - Leaf Science"). The main concern is that alcohol and tobacco, have proven themselves time and time again through the outrageous number of deaths recorded due to DUI's and alcohol poisoning, as well as lung cancer. On the other hand, marijuana has not been given the chance to provide positive outcomes for a heavily populated nation like the United States. Within our country it has been difficult to study and fully understand the effects marijuana, as well as its CBD and THC compounds, has on people due to the prohibition like nature of the federal government's regulation on marijuana and its illegality. If these boundaries were broken, the amount of research and discoveries connected to the marijuana plant would flourish and more than likely benefit and help the hull of society. 

Throughout the United States, there has been a plentiful amount of public support for social reforms in the instance that marijuana should be removed from the criminal justice system due to the many issues related to it that have risen within the past two decades. In the United States more money is wasted in relation to marijuana being illegal than is put in to attempt to end poverty. This, in some people's minds is absolutely absurd and a rather ridiculous use of resources by the federal government. The criminalization of marijuana tends to target certain crowds of people throughout our societies; young people and people of color, while condoning high levels of violence within the illicit drug market. More than $35 billion is spent on illegal Cannabis a year by Americans; this is an inexplicable amount of money, that if marijuana were legal, would be circulating within the economy ("How Not to Make a Hash Out of Cannabis Legalization"). Ultimately, the legalization of recreational marijuana would create an uplifting boost in the economy due to the absence of government spending on drug enforcement and tax revenue that dispensaries would provide. The Compassionate Use Act, passed in 1996, as well as some state legislatures enacting medical marijuana laws provide much controversy between the state and federal governments. There is obviously a positive aid it provides to some people of medicinal needs, as proved by the Compassionate Use Act and state legislatures previously enacting such medical marijuana laws. Marijuana is believed to be able to help things such as anxiety, cancer, chronic pain, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, and many other medical issues. There have even been certain compounds in marijuana that have been shown "to have anti-cancer effects" ("Marijuana and Lung Cancer - Leaf Science"). Because of the country's laws, it has been challenging to study and effusively apprehend the 'special effects' marijuana, including its CBD and THC compounds, have on individuals due to the prohibition like nature of the federal government's regulation of the drug. If the findings on how useful marijuana can be within medicinal studies are true, it is cruel, immoral, and unjust of the United States' federal government to be restricting people whom the plant may heal or save from this, now, illegal drug. The United States has been restricting and prohibiting society from using this enormously helpful plant. If boundaries were to be broken, the amount of research and discoveries connected to the marijuana plant would flourish and more than likely benefit and help the hull of society. Contrary to common beliefs, the effects of alcohol and tobacco are more stark than those of marijuana; the long-term effects of tobacco are much more consequential than those of marijuana. The federal government does not realize how much legalizing marijuana will positively impact the economy of our nation.  The potential benefits that the legalization of marijuana may bring will heavily outweigh any negative outcomes it may bring through its likelihood of creating jobs and economic opportunities. If individual states can legalize marijuana and overrule the illegality of the drug, how can anyone accept or understand the federal government's logic behind their decision? Recreational marijuana ought to be legal cogitating the prospective 'profits' it harnesses through boosting the economy, possible health benefits, and comparing its less severe effects to that of alcohol and tobacco, which could finally lead the United States out of its robust debt and help Americans sustain a higher standard of living.

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Welsh, Jennifer, and Kevin Loria. "23 Health Benefits Of Marijuana." Business Insider. Business Insider, Inc, 20 Apr. 2014. Web. 03 Apr. 2016.
