Legalizing recreational marijuana in the United States has become a controversial topic in the government and within the individual states. Marijuana should be legalized for recreational purposes in the United States because there are numerous positives which outweigh its negatives. Legalization of recreational marijuana has proven to be beneficial in those states that have legalized it. Some state and government officials think marijuana is dangerous to your health but that is wrong. Marijuana is much safer than legalized drugs and it is used to alleviate a lot of medical ailments. The legalization of marijuana needs to start with those closely affected by it – people who use it for medicinal purposes. With the proper state and governmental controls on the distribution and sales of marijuana, legalization of marijuana will provide benefits for the government, state, and individuals who consume marijuana.
One of the main reasons why state and government officials are hesitant about legalizing marijuana is they think marijuana is dangerous to your health. People think that the THC in the marijuana plant will kill you, but that is wrong. Statistics show that not one single account documented where anyone has ever overdosed from marijuana use. There have been documented cases where people died from prescription drug overdoses, died from cancer related to tobacco consumption, and died from alcohol-related causes than anything else. Also, marijuana is less addictive then coffee. Caffeine in coffee, as in anything else with caffeine, has an addictive characteristic. Some people do not realize the negative effects caffeine is having such as disrupted sleep, irritability, and anxiety. “There is a wide generational and partisan differences in views of marijuana legalization. Majorities of Millennials (74%), Gen Xers (63%) and Baby Boomers (54%) say the use of marijuana should be legal. Members of the Silent Generation continue to be the least supportive of legalization (39%), but they have become more supportive in the past year. Nearly seven-in-ten Democrats (69%) say marijuana use should be legal, as do 75% of independents who lean toward the Democratic Party.” (Pew)
Marijuana is much safer than legalized drugs. If people are okay with alcohol and cigarettes, there is no reason why people can’t accept marijuana. “In a 2010 study, a team of drug experts in the U.K. assessed the combined harm caused by drugs to others and the harm caused by drugs to users and marijuana has less harms posed than the alcohol or tobacco use. Also, marijuana is not addicting as people may think. Reports show that cocaine hooks 20% of its users, heroine gets 25 of its users, and the worst is tobacco which get 30% of its user addicted”. (HuffPost) The United Kingdom (U.K.) has legalized marijuana use. It has been public knowledge that the U.K. has very low crime rate in its country than any other country due to the legalization of certain drugs, one being marijuana. In certain parts of the U.K, police officers don’t carry firearms – they carry defense items like pepper spray and Tasers. Law enforcement officials do not feel threatened to justify carrying a gun like here in the United States. There is less violence in the U.K. than any other country. On the other hand, take for instance, alcohol is legal and is one of the leading causes of death – either by drunk driving or the abuse of alcohol consumption (liver damage). Cigarettes are legal as well. The abuse of tobacco consumption causes cancer and death. Where has it been documented that marijuana use has caused death?
Marijuana is used to alleviate a lot of medical ailments. “It has been extremely successful in relieving nausea, which is extremely good news for cancer patients suffering from nausea as a side effect of chemotherapy. The drug also helps with people who have loss of appetite due to diseases such as HIV/AIDS. Furthermore, it helps relax muscle tension and spasms and chronic pain.” (HuffPost) Sure, there are people who want to light a joint or get ripped on a bong hit – there always will be. Marijuana is about enhancing your lifestyle and wellness. When rubbing on creams contained with marijuana oils can ease the pain of arthritis. Smoking marijuana will alleviate the nausea of a cancer patient going through chemotherapy. They now have the appetite to eat and hold down a meal. The consumption of marijuana also relieves anxiety. Whether smoking it or consuming oils, marijuana is a calming agent that relaxes anxiety. Massachusetts is one state that recently legalized the sale of recreational marijuana. “State law requires that stores reserve 35 percent of their stock for medical patients, who have priority in these initial days of limited supply.” (High Times) Based on this, there will never be an abuse of recreational distribution. Individuals who consume marijuana for medicinal purposes with always get first priority over individuals who consume marijuana for recreational purposes.
There are so many state benefits when legalizing marijuana. It will create jobs and revenue. “Legalizing and regulating marijuana will bring one of the nation’s largest cash cops under the rule of law.” (Drug Alliance Policy). With the increasing amount of cultivating shops will come the increasing amount of people who will need to run the shops. This could lead to thousands of jobs per state, from licensed cultivators, to cashiers, to security guards, and warehouse/packers. It will also bring in State revenue which, in turn, can be utilized to support state and community programs, maintain roads and highways, to economic development. Another benefit is it will reduce harm associated with drug-related crime rate and violence. People will no longer have to go to drug dealers which could relate to crime and violence due to the illicit activity that transpires. Lastly, legalizing marijuana can promote consumer safety. Product testing is becoming a standard requirement. This will allow consumers to be better informed about the product they are using. As it relates to revenue, Massachusetts has far exceeded expectations than one would have thought. “In just the first five days of legalized recreational cannabis, the two licensed dispensaries in Massachusetts have racked up over $2 million in retail pot sales.” (High Times) The numbers in itself are proof that legalization of marijuana will increase revenue in the state. The sales are taxed and the taxes will subsidize state programs.
There are seven states who have legalized marijuana for recreational purposes. Those seven states are Alaska, California, Colorado, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, and just recently Massachusetts. In order for marijuana to be legalized in the United States, we need to have a well-defined standard of control and regulations. If the other 43 states can follow how these seven states legalized marijuana, the distribution and sales of recreational marijuana in the United States would be extremely beneficial for the consumers, the manufacturer, and the states. Crime rate has gone down in these seven states and the growth of jobs has risen. These states have proven that legalization is more beneficial than it is detrimental. The remaining 43 states should follow their lead and promote the legalization of marijuana!
In conclusion, the United States should legalize recreational marijuana for the numerous benefits. Marijuana is not dangerous to your health as the state and government lead you to believe. There is no supporting documentation where the marijuana plant has been detrimental to your health. Marijuana is much safer than legalized drugs since there is no proven fact that anyone has overdosed or died from excessive use of marijuana. There are facts supporting the overdose and deaths associated with the excessive use of legalized drugs but not marijuana. Along with it being safe to consume, it is used to alleviate medical ailments. Whether smoking it, consuming oils, or rubbing ointments, it will alleviate pain associated with ailments as cancer, anxiety, or arthritis. So, by implementing the proper state and governmental controls, legalization of recreational marijuana will provide benefits for the government and state (with the enhancement of revenue and providing more jobs) as well as for those individuals who consume it (for health reasons).