When the average American is asked about the history of cannabis, aka marijuana, many can recall all the way back to the 1950's during the jazz era. Most remember back the cultural movement of the sixties and seventies when cannabis was made a Schedule 1 drug under the "War on drugs" thanks to Mr. Richard Nixon. Few recall that cannabis has revolved around human culture for the past ten thousand years originating around central Asia (Ghose.) Through the development of mankind, the cannabis plant has been an essential asset; providing strong fibers which were used to create the first scrolls, ropes, sails, and clothing. Cannabis is what some people call the first cultivated plant (Walsh, 2014.) Even Queen Victoria was known to have used cannabis extract for therapeutic reasons. 

Cannabis was brought to America by the first colonists and thus began cannabis's new life as an American. Its known that great presidents such as Gorge Washington even grew it in their gardens. What many patriotic Americans do not know, is that our very own Declaration of Independence was drafted and shaped on hemp paper. It wasn't until the 1930's that the word "marijuana" was used to describe the cannabis plant. The Mexican Revolution had just ended, and the Great Depression had begun. Many Americans, fueled by fear from the Great Depression were naturally intimidated by new Mexican immigrants. These immigrants recreationally used cannabis, and so began the smear campaigns to create the illusion that anyone who recreationally used cannabis where racially inferior and belonged in the underclass (Frontline.) Fast forward to the 1970's, the DEA (Drug Enforcement Agency) was created by Nixon with his "War on Drugs" policy. Little scientific research was conducted during the creation of the "War on Drugs" policy; even today it remains the same after astounding technological advancement. If anything has changed, it has been stronger and stronger laws set on cannabis; a plant that has been beneficial to mankind for the past five thousand years. 

Today cannabis still resides in its wrongful class of a Schedule 1 drug; having no medical use and extreme addictiveness. It currently sits next to extremely harmful drugs including heroin and methamphetamine. Unlike its partners in the Schedule 1 class, cannabis is a naturally cultivated plant. The cannabis referred to as weed, pot, marijuana, to describe the psychoactive capabilities of the plant. It contains the naturally occurring chemical THC. This is what stimulates the brain of marijuana users allowing them to feel the psychoactive effects of cannabis. Many say it is beneficial medically because it helps with loss of appetite, nausea, and pain. Because of this, cancer patients around the world have found sanctuary in cannabis, as it relieves the roughest of symptoms from chemotherapy. This claim alone disproves cannabis' stance as a schedule 1 drug with no medical benefit. Other short term impacts include feelings of euphoria and varied coordination impairment. However, cannabis is not just a drug. It is a plant with a lot of industrial potential. Cannabis with lower THC concentrations is called hemp. Cannabis is a tough and durable plant; because of this hemp can create extremely strong fibers great for rope, paper, clothing etc.; as it has been utilized since the early beginning of mankind. 

Some people argue that making the cannabis plant recreationally legal is dangerous. A few of the main arguments surrounding recreational cannabis can be summed up in John Hawkins article "5 Reasons Marijuana Should Remain Illegal." He states that cannabis is terrible for both mental and physical health; however, in a recent scientific study, cannabis was found to be "114 times less deadly than alcohol" (IFLScience.) Mental effects including damage to brain cells can be expected in chronic users, but a mass majority of users would not partake to this extent. There is not a lot of available research on the long term effects of cannabis use due to its legal stance. However, severe side effects including the development of schizophrenia (Hawkins), has never been proven. Hawkins elaborates on how the drug decimates peoples lives; however, it completely the choice of the individual, not the drug. If someone lost their job from a failed drug test, it was the consenting individual's choice, cannabis did not posses the individual to ingest it. He alludes to "a study of 129 college students found that, among those who smoked the drug at least twenty-seven of the thirty days before being surveyed, critical skills related to attention, memory and learning were seriously diminished;(Hawkins)" yet he fails to mention that the students facing these problems are chronic users (smoked at least twenty-seven of the thirty days.) Another issue he faces is cannabis and its addictiveness. Just like any other drug including alcohol and nicotine, the intake releases a hormone called dopamine that creates a sense of happiness. Dopamine is even released when you eat food. He states that it is extremely addictive, yet just a sentence later states that "[Cannabis is] not very addictive for many people" and continues to say it is a smaller subset of people with addictive personalities who find themselves addicted to things easily. If anyone is aware of an addictive personality either in themselves or a friend, they should seek help, and not use recreational drugs like alcohol, tobacco, or cannabis. The last argument that he provides is that Amsterdam, Netherlands, has not seen the best results. However, negative effects including children being exposed to the drug in public places is not legal in Amsterdam. The only legal locations to buy and smoke cannabis is within privately owned coffee houses. Many of the problems Amsterdam is facing have little to nothing to do with American legalization since we have the power to reform and create new and more regulatory laws than the "blind eye" approach of Amsterdam. A Harvard Study on medical cannabis found that the effects of cannabis had a negative effect on those who suffer with psychosis like bipolarize (Harvard Health); however, if one has a serious form of psychosis, indulging in certain drugs should not be done in the first place. Their findings showed that cannabis helped with other medical issues like relieving pain and pain from nerve damage (Harvard Health.) The article also articulates its estimate that cannabis could be linked to schizophrenia but admits that it does not have the available testing to prove this theory. 

Other more average citizen concerns include: with the prevalence of availability, more people will start smoking cannabis, available cannabis will lead to an increase in youth use, and with an increase of available cannabis, there will be an increase of traffic fatalities. With regard to prevalence of consumption, "Miles Light and three other analysts at the Marijuana Policy Group" (Sullum,) note that consumption fell right as the medical cannabis industry took off. After analyzing data from the NSDUH (National Survey on Drug Use and Health) it appears that broader legalization has not resulted in an increase of cannabis users (Sullum.) When the youth is brought to question, Colorado saw a decrease in youth use when the nation saw a bump in minor use. With legal recreational cannabis, an ID of 21 or older is required to purchase cannabis; when purchasing illegally from a drug dealer, anyone who has money is of age. Colorado has seen a decrease in traffic fatalities. This decrease can be explained as "there is some evidence that [cannabis] has on balance reduced traffic fatalities by encouraging the substitution of marijuana for alcohol, which has a more dramatic effect on driving ability" (Sullum.) 

There are many fear based articles circulating the internet about the dangers of cannabis, but there are many scientific studies conducted by reliable sources that say that cannabis is less harmful than a majority of already legal substances. 

IFL Science's article "New Study Finds Marijuana Safer than Alcohol or Tobacco" suggests that instead of spending all our energy fighting the war on illegal drugs, we should focus some toward the management of alcohol and tobacco. In addition, they articulate that for such low risk drugs, like cannabis, regulation contrary to prohibition is the recommended approach (IFL Science). Although it may be alarming to think of an illegal substance as less risky than alcohol, a drug that's available at any restaurant, bar, and gas station, scientists accessed the risks involved and have found it to be true. These scientists conducted a new technique for assessment called "Margin of Exposure" (MOE) (IFL Science). This creates a ratio between the usual dose people take and the dosage that causes harmful effects; marijuana proved to be the only low risk drug out of the five tested, including alcohol and tobacco. This unbiased system of assessment eliminates any prejudice or judgments regarding any of the drugs tested. This same study has "in agreement with previous research [has] consistently ranked [cannabis] as the safest recreational drug." Another interesting study conducted by the Departments of Economics at the University of Colorado studied the effects of the minimum drinking age of twenty-one on the consumption of cannabis. Their hypothesis (pre-experimental educated guess) was that alcohol and cannabis would be substitutes for each other (Crost.) With use of mathematical calculations, they were able to create a number of tables and graphs demonstrating their observations. Their findings indeed supported their hypothesis when they discovered that once alcohol became easily obtainable at age twenty-one, cannabis consumption went down(Crost). The researchers were in favor of regulation over prohibition as well. They concluded that with legal obtainable cannabis, it may substitute alcohol consumption and create a safer environment. However, just because this study found cannabis to be safer, I have to put an emphasis on the dangers of any drug, be it alcohol or cannabis. I must stress the importance of moderation. 

Not only does cannabis provide a safer substitute for currently abused drugs in the nation, but it provides many people with needed medication and few states with enormous cash influxes to their economies. Currently twenty-three states within the United States have passed medical cannabis at a state level. Medical cannabis treats symptoms from seizures, menstrual pain, nausea, and chronic pain. Many families with young children diagnosed with epilepsy have had to uproot their entire families and move to states with legal medical cannabis to receive treatment. A popular strain "Charlotte's Web" was named after a seven-year-old girl who saw a drastic decrease in the amount of seizures she experienced as a result of taking the drug (Bernard-Kuhn.) These epileptic seizures leave small children sustaining multiple bite marks, bruising, and black eyes.  Many families feel more comfortable giving their young children cannabis, a naturally occurring plant, over the prescribed medications that don't work near as well as cannabis. Doctors have informed patients' parents about the uncertainty of long term effects of cannabis; however, they feel that for better results, it is worth the risk compared to the side effects of the prescription medications such as liver failure (Bernard-Kuhn.) 

Not only is medical cannabis proving to be beneficial to millions, it is also in four states and the District of Columbia benefiting the economy through recreational legalization. Probably one of the best examples of the economic and communal benefits of legalizing cannabis on a recreational level is the One-Year Status Report from Colorado; a published telegraph from Colorado officials. This report provides the stats the state has witnessed over the year due to cannabis sales including: tax revenues, justice system savings, lower motor fatalities, increase in jobs, and decreased crime rate. From January to October, Colorado saw 40.9 million dollars in recreational cannabis tax revenues alone; not including medical cannabis fees and licensing, or the millions saved in the Colorado Justice System (DrugPolicy 1.) This influx of revenue is now available to serve the communities of the state, not benefit the criminals. 

Two and a half million of that money was spent toward increasing "the number of health professionals in Colorado public schools" (DrugPolicy,1.) These newly hired nurses and social workers filled the gap created by the 2011 budget cuts; they now focus on mental health and educate students on drug abuse (DrugPolicy, 1.) The state has also seen a decrease in fatal traffic accidents even after the legalization of recreational cannabis. This calls into attention the claims that increased use of cannabis would lead to more fatal traffic accidents. This could be a result of the study mentioned above that cannabis and alcohol are substitutes for each other; when consenting adults choose cannabis rather than alcohol which has a more dramatic impact on driving, less drunk drivers on the road is a result. Because of recreational legalization, Colorado has experienced "the fastest growing economy in the United States [with] unemployment rate [at] a six-year low" (DrugPolicy, 2.) This kick in the economy, at a federal level, could be exactly what the United States needs to get out of debt. An economist at the University of Denver, Jack Strauss, concluded that two dispensaries alone created $30 million in economic output in six months. These dispensaries all the while are contributing "10 times the tax revenue of either a typical restaurant or retail store" (DrugPolicy, 2.) With such an influx of revenue, the state has decided to spend eight million of its revenue on youth prevention and education measures. This is done through "mental health and community based developmental programs" (DrugPolicy, 2.) Mentoring and drug prevention at a young age is key in a society that has legalized cannabis; being well informed at a young age prevents the changes of drug abuse. Colorado is setting an example for the United States by taking a big step toward a future of understanding cannabis. 

Legalizing the cannabis plant is also extremely beneficial to the environment too. Hemp, the fibrous part of the plant, can be used to make goods from rope, textiles, paper, and more. This plant has "agronomic benefits (deep roots, bioremediation, nitrogen fixation, etc.)" (Tourangeau) this means that the cannabis plant is easier on the soil, maintaining and fixing the amount of nutrients while aerating the soil with deep roots. Hemp can serve as a cheaper, more reliable resource than cotton or wood. Hemp also requires a substantially smaller amount chemical inputs as wood pulp to create paper and cotton to be grown (Tourangeau.) Unlike cotton, hemp has "the ability to grow without herbicides or pesticides and [the] ability to suppress weeds" (Tourangeau) meaning less fertilizers and pesticides run off into our water and find their way back to us. As an environmentally friendly industrial crop, "it is an important plant in need of further research and public attention" (Tourangeau.)

After considering possible consequences and the social, medical, economical, and environmental benefits, one might ask themselves where America stands on the issue of legalization. As of 2014, 54% of the public supported the legalization of recreational cannabis (Pew Research.) Public support for the issue has only risen since 2014. If over half of the population is for the legalization of recreational cannabis, why have we seen no federal change since the policies were first placed in the twentieth century? If we take a look at who is leading the crusade against the legalization of cannabis we may find our answer. "The Nation" published an inside look on the major contributors and lobbyists for the war on cannabis and found two of the major players were "Pharmaceutical companies that make billions off painkillers and police unions" (Engel.) These corporations can be seen endorsing groups that are against cannabis even for medical purposes. The motive for both of these investors is simple, "Legalizing marijuana could hurt the bottom line of drug companies that make money off drugs like Oxycontin and Vicodin." (Engel) cannabis would serve as a substitute for these prescription drugs in mild cases. Although cannabis provides a less addictive and safer alternative these pharmaceutical companies are making sure cannabis never sees a federally legal status for their personal financial gain. A bit fishy isn't it? That a pharmaceutical company is nice enough to warn the public about the extreme dangers of a plant, yet they push extremely addictive and deadly opiates and amphetamines on younger and younger children like its candy. On the other hand, police unions motives may be the fact that "local police departments have become dependent on federal funding from the war on drugs, which includes marijuana" (Engel.) It is said that police unions would lose money if it weren't for penalties regarding cannabis and have "lobbied for harsher penalties for marijuana-related crimes" in order to obtain more money (Engel.) 

In order to further our understanding and research regarding cannabis and its effects, improve our communities, receive economical and environmental benefits, and provide medical benefits to those who are in need, we as a country must strip cannabis of its schedule 1 class name and make it recreationally legal. The means of doing this calls for reform on a federal level. Many states have taken it upon themselves to legalize recreational cannabis, and further state reform looks promising. The time for reform is now according to the Huffington Post and their article "2016 Will Be the Biggest Year yet for Marijuana Reform Policy." This article articulates that many states including Vermont and Rhode Island are most likely to legalize recreational cannabis in 2016 alone (Kampia.) Currently many more states are questioning decriminalization and medical cannabis like Illinois, New Hampshire, and Pennsylvania (Kampia.) Hawaii has expanded their medical cannabis laws to allow retail dispensaries to sell to patients for convenience and Michigan is projected to follow suit as well. 

Although state level legal recreational cannabis is working for the individual states, there are many conflicting issues with federal law making these dispensaries jump through hoops. Because cannabis federally illegal, banks are penalized for doing business with these dispensaries. This causes these businesses to be cash based, and vulnerable to robberies. To fix the conflicts regarding state recreational and medical cannabis law with federal law, new bills must be created and enforced to make things run more smoothly. For the sake of coexisting until the ultimate transition of federal legality, amendments like [prohibiting the] DOJ [Department of Justice] from interfering with all state-level marijuana laws ... and an amendment [prohibiting] the U.S. Treasury Department from penalizing banks that do business with canna-businesses" (Kampia) would be needed to let states run more efficiently. 

According to an interview with Jacob Sullum on ReasonTV, Sullum explains how many potential presidential candidates this year are for the state decision to legalize recreational cannabis. "When they repealed alcohol prohibition, it was left up to the states" (Reason TV) says Sullum, confident that if the choice of legalization is left up to the states, federal legal recreational cannabis is inevitable. Perhaps history will repeat itself, as more and more states notice as their neighbors are reaping the benefits of recreational cannabis. It looks as if it is up to the states and all those who reside within them, to vote yes for recreational cannabis and encourage state officials to pass progressive legislature. 

