I am interested in this research question because it is a huge issue in the United States currently and both sides are so set in what they believe. This one plant could change everything. Economically speaking the upside is favorable. In 2014, Colorado generated roughly $76 million in tax revenue, and that's just one state. If all the states had legal marijuana, tax revenue could be as high as $3 billion. Not only is this an outstanding projection; it is a possibility. This kind of tax revenue could do wonders for the United States starting with things like better schooling and city infrastructure. Based on these numbers alone legalization seems logical. This interests me as a business major because it is untold potential for the market. It's like an untapped oil reserve. Marijuana is green gold. This topic also interests me because it would have an effect on the entire world. What ripple effect would legalization have on the rest of the world? Would other countries follow in America's footsteps? Would U.S. tourism increase? These questions peak my interest and that is why this subject interests me. 

This topic has no affect on my values. I don't see marijuana as any different than alcohol. At the very worst it is just as bad as alcohol, however, that just simply isn't the case. My personal experience is that I have done extensive research on marijuana and how it compares to alcohol. Alcohol is also much more dangerous than marijuana and poses many more health risks. For example alcohol can cause a person to blackout. This is not possible with marijuana. In addition alcohol overdoses are common especially among young people, and severe cases may result in death. On the other hand there have been zero deaths caused by an overdose of marijuana because there is no lethal dose of marijuana. It is currently believed that in order to overdose on marijuana a person would have to consume 10,000 times a normal dose. That would be like smoking 10,000 joints at once, which is impossible. I feel that I am qualified to write about this because I have done research on this topic. I have read both sides of the argument and analyzed the research provided to come to sound conclusions. I will attempt to prove that marijuana should be federally legalized in the United States.

My first article is a staunch anti-marijuana source that attempts to prove that marijuana should not be legalized. The article is from 2012 which could pose a problem. However, it helps to prove why marijuana should be legal because it makes false claims about what would happen if marijuana were legalized. In addition, the author Charles Stimson cites himself from a 2010 article. These claims however are not true. The article he cites from (his own article from 2010) has a key points side bar in which some bold claims are made. For example it states "Marijuana is not at all like alcohol. Consumption of alcohol carries few health risks and even offers some significant benefits." (Stimson) This quote is actually laughable because it claims that alcohol carries few health risks and offers significant benefits. This is disproven by the CDC, which reports that "Excessive alcohol use led to approximately 88,000 deaths and 2.5 million years of potential life lost (YPLL) each year in the United States from 2006  --  2010, shortening the lives of those who died by an average of 30 years." (CDC) The problem is that marijuana opponents do not update their argument for why it shouldn't be legal in lieu of new research and facts. The opponents of legalization even claim that taxes collected on marijuana sales would be meager. Stimson an anti-legalization advocate believes that "Despite claims to the contrary, the social costs of legalizing marijuana will dwarf the meager taxes raised." (Stimson) He has been disproven by the events following legalization in Colorado, which show the effects of legal marijuana on the economy "In 2014, Colorado retailers sold $386 million of medical marijuana and $313 million for purely recreational purposes. The two segments of the market generated $63 million in tax revenue, with an additional $13 million collected in licenses and fees." (Ingraham) From one market in one state $76 million is a huge chunk of cash for the government. Needless to say "meager taxes"(Stimson) is factually wrong. This author is extremely biased and attempts to mislead the reader into believing him by citing himself. Therefore he is not a credible source. This article will cause me to do no revisions on my research question but it will help me prove the question.

The second source I have chosen is from the Washington post. The article was published in February of 2015 and summarizes the results from a year of legalized marijuana in Colorado. Major points include tax revenue, retail value, projections for the future, and results from the social issues that were stated. The article is credible because it's fairly recent and cites the government of Colorado. The article is not outright for or against legalization merely a recap of what happened in 2014 in Colorado. However, the author seems to lean slightly towards legalization for other states by inadvertently contradicting what legalization opponents say.

The last source that I have chosen is from Business Insider. The article is about marijuana's medical applications. The authors speak about many different uses for marijuana, and how they are beneficial to one's health. The authors are definitely advocating medical marijuana legalization in this piece even though it is not explicitly stated. This in turn can assist  the argument for legalization of recreational marijuana. The article is credible because for all the different medical reasons it proposes there are sources and studies to back up the claims.

My research question is arguable because marijuana legalization is at the forefront of the media with the country divided on the idea of legalization. This makes it very easy to find articles that are both for and against legalization of marijuana. I have found that the anti-marijuana sources always agree that marijuana cannot be compared to alcohol, and that it is extremely dangerous. The different perspectives don't affect my own perspective in that I am still trying to prove why marijuana should be legal. However, I am aware that there are many unknowns involved with marijuana and more studies need to be done in order to better understand its effects. And lastly, as of right now it seems as though no revisions are required for my research question.

