Legalization of Marijuana Essay Example

used illegal substance in the US, states' decisions to legalize it have yielded positive outcomes. Currently, 17 states collect pot taxes despite violating federal law. Legal expert John McKay confirms that criminal justice expenses related to marijuana include border patrol costs that are often ineffective at suppressing gang activities originating from cross-border trafficking. Law enforcement efforts against marijuana have been unrelenting but users can still access it illegally with some teenagers even claiming it's easier than getting alcohol. The underground market for marijuana cannot be significantly impacted by law enforcement and every bust presents opportunities for new players to enter the game. According to George Alabamian of the Baltimore Sun, society gains nothing from one million annual arrests related to marijuana in the US; therefore decentralization has the potential to reduce law enforcement and prison burdens while using tax dollars more efficiently as 40% of US arrests are related to pot crimes.Legalizing recreational marijuana in Oregon could potentially save $2.4 million in incarceration costs and reduce the violent activity associated with illegal drug markets, which are often controlled by dangerous cartels. Purchasing marijuana illegally only adds to this cycle of crime. Legalization would decrease the dominance of these cartels as it did with moonshiners during alcohol prohibition and remove the social stigma surrounding the drug. Criminalization has been proven to be a failed approach that generates millions for violent drug cartels. Statistics show that legalization leads to a 5% drop in alcohol sales because people prefer its calming effects over aggression provoked by drinking. Additionally, it is less likely to cause weight problems than alcohol consumption. Supporters argue that legalizing medical cannabis can make society

safer since states that have done so experience up to a 9% reduction in fatal car accidents caused by young adults choosing pot instead of alcohol as their recreational drug. This information comes from Kirk Johnson at the New York Times, and nationwide legalization would also result in safer roads while offering an alternative to drinking.Many military veterans who suffer from PTSD symptoms turn to marijuana when traditional medicine fails them. The American Medical Association recognizes that prescription PET medications may be no more effective than placebos, whereas marijuana has been proven beneficial for easing anxiety, migraines, and depression symptoms. However, federal government research remains prohibited due to its class 1 classification. Despite this classification, experts view tobacco and alcohol as more hazardous than marijuana as its addictive potential and health risks are lower in comparison with other banned drugs like heroin or cocaine.

It is worth noting that while one study indicates smoking marijuana produces four times more tar than cigarettes, it can also be consumed orally. Surprisingly, smoking marijuana was not found to have a significant impact on brain tissue health in comparison to drinking alcohol which reduces brain tissue health in teenagers over an 18-month period. Although there are concerns about illicit markets mixing harmful substances into marijuana, legalizing the drug would allow for quality control and help resolve associated issues.

Overall, there seems to be no valid reason for maintaining the current illegal status of marijuana despite its class 1 classification by the federal government.