The legalization of marijuana is a controversial subject that has received a lot of attention in the last few decades. Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug in the United States and is a psychoactive drug that is derived from a Cannabis plant. Marijuana comes from one of two plants, either Cannabis Indica or Cannabis Sativa. The major psychoactive ingredient in marijuana is Tetrahydrocannabinol, commonly known as THC. THC is responsible for the euphoric high that recreational users are usually searching for. Cannabidiol, also known as CBD is the other main compound that is found in cannabis. CBD is not what gives people the feeling of being “high”, rather it is the part of marijuana that is known for its medical capabilities. Different strains have different amounts of THC and CBD that affect people differently, both from a medical standpoint and a recreational standpoint. Today, there is a debate about whether marijuana should be legalized or remain illegal across the United States. Due to the many medical, economic, and criminal justice benefits of marijuana, it should be legalized nationwide.

Dating back to the 1830’s, Anglo-Americans and Europeans knew of marijuana’s medical abilities. “By the late 19th century, Americans and Europeans could buy cannabis extracts in pharmacies and doctors’ offices to help with stomach aches, migraines, inflammation, insomnia, and other ailments.” (Little) At the beginning of the 20th century, many American’s attitudes changed about marijuana, which was largely due to the influx of Mexican immigration due to the Mexican Revolution. Between the years of 1916 and 1931, twenty-nine states outlawed marijuana after a film called Reefer Madness came out. The punishments regarding marijuana continued to rise until the 1960’s when white, upper-middle-class college students began to get caught smoking marijuana. This was when the laws began to soften and has slowly continued softening, even today. Now, twenty-nine states have legalized medical marijuana and eight of those have legalized it recreationally as well.

Different compounds found in marijuana are proven to have a multitude of medical benefits. These benefits include both physical and mental health benefits. Both CBD and THC have medicinal properties in them. As stated in Business Insider, “Those are cannabidiol (CBD) — which seems to impact the brain without a high— and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) — which has pain relieving (and other) properties.” (Welsh) For medicinal purposes, there are many ways to consume marijuana such as by taking a THC pill, using Transdermal Patches, or cannabis oil. There are many different diseases and other forms of health problems that marijuana can benefit. Some of the most common treatments are for Glaucoma, different types of seizures, cancer, Alzheimer’s, arthritis, Crohn’s disease, and Parkinson’s disease.

Behind each of these claims, studies were done to prove these theories. The National Eye Institute did a study on the correlation between marijuana and Glaucoma and stated that "Studies in the early 1970s showed that marijuana, when smoked, lowered intraocular pressure (IOP) in people with normal pressure and those with glaucoma." (Welsh) This means that marijuana slows down the development of the disease. Regarding seizures, there are a few different types of seizures that marijuana helps control, epileptic seizures and Dravet’s syndrome being two examples. A professor at Virginia Commonwealth University by the name of Robert J. DeLorenzo conducted a study with epileptic rats to see how synthetic marijuana and marijuana extract affected the rats. The study showed that THC controlled seizures because it regulated their excitability and their relaxation. Dravet’s Syndrome is a severe seizure disorder. Using marijuana, the symptoms of this disorder drastically improved. While working on his documentary called “Weed.”, Dr. Sanjay Gupta traveled and interviewed everyone associated with marijuana such as growers, users, experts, and many more people involved in the marijuana industry. On his journey, he met a girl named Charlotte Figi who has Dravet’s Syndrome. She had seizures since birth that would occur around three hundred times a week, even though she was taking many over-the-counter medications. With medical marijuana however, her seizures have decreased to around two or three seizures a month.  

One of the most shocking discoveries is that a chemical discovered in marijuana is found to stop cancer from spreading, and a few studies mentioned that compounds in cannabis can potentially kill cancer cells. According to researchers at the California Pacific Medical Center, the gene called Id-1, which is the gene that spreads cancer throughout the body, gets “turned off” with cannabidiol. Alzheimer’s disease is another disease that is unfortunately common. As posted in Molecular Pharmaceutics, it was discovered that THC slows down the formation of amyloid plaques, which is what kills the brain cells and causes Alzheimer’s. This means that THC in marijuana actually slows down the development of Alzheimer’s. Arthritis is another common disease and creates pain that many people deal with. Marijuana helps with many symptoms that are common with those who have rheumatoid arthritis such as helping with pain and discomfort, reducing inflammation and promoting sleep. Marijuana is known to help with inflammatory bowel disorders as well. One disease in particular is Crohn’s disease. This disease causes diarrhea, vomiting, pain, weight loss, and many other awful symptoms. A study on using medical marijuana showed that not only do the symptoms of Crohn’s disease reduce greatly, but almost half of the patients went into complete remission. There are many stories regarding medical marijuana drastically changing people’s lives, especially those who have Crohn’s disease. One story involves a woman by the name of Kristen Courtney. As summarized on AlterNet, “Juicing raw cannabis is the Crohn’s Disease health cure that Kristen claims saved her life. Diagnosed at 16 with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, the illness quickly turned into an auto immune disorder that left her bedridden for four years. Finally, the teen and her mother began to look for alternative treatments. Kristen began juicing raw cannabis, and after a month she claims her pain stopped and her recovery began. She is now an advocate for medical marijuana treatment for fellow sufferers.” (Gummow) All of these different diseases can be positively affected by marijuana. Looking through the list of diseases, they are so common that most people either have one of these diseases, or know someone who has it. With how common some of these diseases are, medical marijuana would be an extremely beneficial tool to help with the symptoms and even cures for these diseases. 

Not only does marijuana have physical health benefits, but it also has mental health benefits. Millions of people deal with anxiety, depression, PTSD, and addiction, all of which are mental health problems marijuana has the potential to have positive effects on. Although anxiety differs from person to person, CBD can lower, and possibly eliminate, anxiety all together. Concerning THC however, with too high of a dosage, many people can experience anxiety and panic attacks. This is because THC activates the amygdala which is responsible for fear. With this being said, many people have the misconception that marijuana causes anxiety, when in reality, it is all about the strain and levels of THC compared to CBD. Depression has many factors that affect the intensity of depression. Cannabis is known to affect symptoms of depression such as the persons mood and energy, insomnia, lack of hunger, etc. A recent study on the effects of CBD on depression and anxiety found that, “Studies involving animal models, performing a variety of experiments on the above-mentioned disorders, such as the forced swimming test (FST), elevated plus maze (EPM) and Vogel conflict test (VCT), suggest that CBD exhibited an anti-anxiety and antidepressant effects in animal models discussed. Experiments with CBD demonstrated non-activation of neuroreceptors CB1 and CB2. Most of the studies demonstrated a good interaction between CBD and the 5-HT1A neuro-receptor.” (Institute of Psychiatry) This means that CBD positively affects the neuroreceptors that anxiety and depression inhibit. Concerning PTSD, studies have shown that “one pillar of PTSD is an endocannabinoid deficiency: the body stops producing enough endocannabinoids to fill receptor sites, and this is where the cannabinoids found in marijuana play a therapeutic role. By replenishing these missing endocannabinoids with those found in cannabis, researchers think marijuana pharmaceuticals might bring PTSD patients relief from their memories.” (Rahn) Lastly, marijuana can help with addictions. This idea seems contradictory to some because of the common misconception that marijuana is a gateway drug. “Most people who try marijuana never go on to use any other illegal drug.” (Drug Policy Alliance) Most people who have used less accessible drugs such as cocaine and heroin, had previously used more accessible drugs such as marijuana and alcohol however. Although there is a correlation, it is not causal. On the other hand, marijuana can be used as a substitute for other drugs such as opiates and alcohol. A study was done looking at those who are addicted to alcohol, tobacco, cocaine, opioids, and many other drugs. This study found that patients had “less adverse side effects (65%), better symptom management (57%), and less withdrawal potential (34%) with cannabis.” (Reiman)

Marijuana is a safer alternative than many other medications. The top five examples of prescription drugs that marijuana could be a substitute for is Vicodin, Xanax, Adderall, Ambien, and Zoloft. Marijuana can be an alternative for pain medications. Opioid abuse is now considered an epidemic because it is the leading cause of injury death in the United States. Marijuana could be substituted for a large number of opiods and this would virtually eliminate the opioid epidemic. Anti-depressants, such as Zoloft, could also be used less if substituted for marijuana. Although marijuana is not the treatment for everyone battling depression, it is an option that psychiatrists could prescribe because of the lack of side effects unlike the anti-depressants. Sleep medication is another common prescription drug, such as Ambien. Marijuana could treat insomnia, especially a strain of Indica, which is known for being a sleeping aid. Anti-anxiety medications are an additional prescription drug that marijuana could substitute. An example of this drug would be Xanax. Xanax is an extremely addicting drug that has many side effects such as drowsiness, dizziness, blurred vision, insomnia, etc. Xanax is also a widely abused drug, especially among teens. Marijuana, if the right strand and the right balance of THC and CBD, can help reduce anxiety when used. Lastly, marijuana can help treat ADHD. Prescription drugs used for ADHD, such as Ritalin and Adderall, are dangerous drugs that are also frequently abused. With the right balance between Indica and Sativa strands, marijuana can help with ADHD symptoms such as focusing and staying calm.

Legalizing marijuana has drastic economic impacts and benefits. With marijuana becoming taxed once legalized, there are billions of dollars of profit that the government will make. In 2015 alone, government-licensed stores in Colorado that sold marijuana made nearly a billion dollars. Every year these numbers continue to rise. With the government making more money, this allows for more money to be placed in important aspects of society such as education and safer roads. The gain in taxes that the government would make would then lower our national debt. 

The marijuana industry would create new jobs, which in itself has a large impact on the economy. With more people having jobs and having an income, more people go and consume things from other places by going shopping, buying food, and many other ventures. This helps with the cycle of money going through different business and families to boost the economy. “In 2015, the legal marijuana industry in Colorado created more than 18,000 new full-time jobs and generated $2.4 billion in economic activity”. (Ingraham) Not only are jobs being created, but there is also an increased demand for businesses such as contractors, lawyers, book-keepers, those who rent warehouses, etc. This shows how many different jobs, families, and businesses are positively affected by the legalization of marijuana.  

The government would be not only be gaining money from taxes, but would also save billions of dollars from not having to enforce laws regarding marijuana. “Crime statistics indicate that marijuana offenses account for almost half of the 1,531,251 drug arrests nationwide, and that nearly 9 out of every 10 marijuana arrests are for possession, not distribution (25).” (Evans) With the legalization of marijuana, jails would become less crowded. Overcrowding is a big issue in the United States right now that affects many aspects of the criminal justice system. Not only is it inhumane and unsanitary, but it also leads to an increase in prison misconduct and violence and more psychological problems for the inmates. Also, in incarceration alone, around eighty billion dollars is spent a year. A study done showed that “Legalization will reduce the need for prosecutorial, judicial, correctional, and police resource spending by approximately $7.7 billion – $13.7 billion per year”. (Evans) This is the amount that the government itself will save on solely the criminal justice system. 

It is obvious that legalizing marijuana can benefit a substantial amount of people. Whether it is a disease such as Crohn’s and Alzheimer’s, or a mental illness such as anxiety depression, marijuana has the potential to help millions of people. Marijuana helps ease the symptoms in hundreds of diseases and illnesses, and in some cases, assists in remission and even the cure. Economically, marijuana legalization will create thousands of jobs and generate billions actively into the economy. Since marijuana is taxed by the government, the national debt will decrease, and more money will be given towards causes that help us all such as education and making roads safer. The criminal justice system will drastically change. Regarding incarceration, overcrowding will become less of an issue which in turn affects thing such as the inmate’s health and the guards’ safety. The criminal justice system all together will save billions of dollars because the cost of enforcing marijuana laws will be obliterated. It is important to help with the cause of legalizing marijuana by informing those around you the truth and making sure to vote if the chance arises. Millions of people could be positively affected by marijuana if the stigma behind it due to the past is eradicated. Marijuana should be legal nationwide because of the many benefits it would ensue.
