Legalization of Marijuana Essay - 1606 Words

Marijuana is a shredded mix of dry flowers, stems and the seeds of a plant called cannabis and people usually smoke it in the form of cigarettes for relaxation. Ever since marijuana hit mainstream America over 30 years ago, government prohibition of it has been the subject of an ongoing debate. Should marijuana be legalized? Proponents of marijuana argue that there are numerous medical benefits and that the drug is not more harmful than tobacco or alcohol. Therefore, prohibiting it intrudes on personal freedom. On the other hand, opponents argue that marijuana is too dangerous; its legalization would increase the chances of the drug falling into the hands of kids and that marijuana use often progresses to the use of more dangerous drugs†¦show more content†¦It is unfair to treat marijuana users more harshly under the law than users of alcohol or tobacco. Prohibiting its use intrudes on personal freedom. Moreover, legal prohibition will not prevent users from consuming the dr ug. Neither does it stop traffickers from producing and selling it. The U.S Centers for Disease Control reports that every year in the United States, approximately 79,000 deaths are attributable to excessive alcohol use, making it the third leading lifestyle-related cause of death for the nation (Centers for Disease Control). For marijuana, the number of â€Å"marijuana-induced deaths† is zero. This clearly shows that alcohol is far more dangerous than marijuana. If no restrictions are placed on the consumption of alcohol, why should the sale and consumption of marijuana be prohibited? Since marijuana is not a lethal drug, not toxic to human beings and not as addictive as alcohol or tobacco and since marijuana overdoses are almost impossible, it should be legalized. Legalizing marijuana will reduce the use of alcohol and tobacco which are far more dangerous than marijuana since they have a major impact on morbidity and mortality in the US. It is a known fact that alcohol is a contributing factor not only in most traffic accidents and traffic deaths but also in murders, assaults and other crime while tobacco use causes over 400,000 deaths. In 2008, the American Medical Association (AMA) adopted a report draftedShow MoreRelatedThe Legalization Of Marijuana Legalization1061 Words   |  5 PagesThe Legalization of Cannabis in Ohio Marijuana is a controversial topic all across the United States. Recently marijuana has been voted on, legalized, and denied legalization in multiple states. There are still more states trying to fight the green fight for marijuana. The fight for legalization hasn’t been an easy one for cannabis supporters; they have been fighting tooth and nail to make it happen. 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