Introduction
The legalization of marijuana in the United States has caused a decidedly heated and divisive matter currently. Most Studies reported that around 60% of all Americans consider that marijuana should be legalized, and the remaining 40% considers that marijuana should be prohibited (Pierre 598). Marijuana contains minimum effects on Americans since it is less dangerous than alcohol or cigarettes, causes minimum deaths, does not cause cancer, less addictive, improves economy through taxes, and has medical benefits. This paper discusses the benefits of legalization of marijuana to Americans and the economy.
Discussion
Research has reported that marijuana is far safer than other substances or drugs, such as cigarettes and alcohol, for the users and the immediate community. Tobacco and alcohol are more toxic, unsafe, and addictive to the consumers’ health more than consumption of marijuana. Alcohol is more probably to cause physical injuries, aggression, and violence matched up to marijuana use. According to the latest studies, health-related expenses for alcohol users are nine times above the users of marijuana, and users of tobacco are around 35 times higher than marijuana consumers (Swartz 5). Law enforcement officers arrest around 750,000 people annually for marijuana related crimes. These new wrongdoers are taken away from employment and families, and taken into a prison structure that drives new wrongdoers into toughened criminals. Given that all the issues associated with disallowing marijuana, it appears irrational to use billions against drug use when the government could have decreased crimes and generated more money through trading marijuana in a controlled structure. They could use income on treating individuals undergoing any severe effects.
Deaths caused by marijuana consumption have hardly been reported in history, as well as overdose of marijuana. Therefore, it may not be surprising that the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, research organization recording all sources of death in America, has not put in place a record for marijuana consumption. However, alcohol consumption causes more than 50,000 deaths annually and more than 20,000 acute alcohol overdoses (Swartz 5). Since alcohol proscription generated the American Mafia, cannabis proscription has generated a secretive economy where misdeeds unrelated to cannabis, but linked to individuals who trade and consume it, go unnoticed. Eventually, the real offenses become difficult to unravel.
Studies have not reported any link between cancer and marijuana use. There are no decisive facts connecting marijuana consumption to cancer. The biggest case-controlled research that did research about the subject reported that marijuana usage is not cooperated with a higher likelihood of acquiring lung cancer. Interesting issue about the study is that marijuana users have a lower likelihood of developing lung cancer than nonusers, or tobacco users. Currently, alcohol has been reported to contribute to the growth of several kinds of cancer, but tobacco usage is more likely to cause various kinds of cancer than alcohol or marijuana consumption. Currently, all studies have not reported any cancer that is attributed to marijuana usage annually, but there are more people that acquire cancer attributed to alcohol and tobacco in the United States and other countries in the world (Bello 31). Since alcohol and tobacco are more probably to cause harm to consumers and the community, it appears ridiculous that they are legalized, and marijuana is not legal. The validation of marijuana would eliminate an irregularity from the law.
Most studies have reported that marijuana usage is less addictive than alcohol or tobacco usage. It contains minimum side-effects matched up to alcohol and tobacco consumption. They also reported that reliance on marijuana by the consumers is comparatively uncommon and far less brutal than reliance on other substance, such as alcohol and tobacco. Studies managed by the National Institute on Drug Abuse came to similar findings about the addiction of marijuana usage (Burnham 4). Extreme use of marijuana can develop into problematic behavior, just like extreme use of any other drugs or activities, such as sex, food, money, and other common behaviors. However, there are minimal physical withdrawal symptoms linked to marijuana usage, while tobacco and alcohol addiction can generate harsh and possibly fatal physical withdrawal symptoms.
Legalizing and taxing marijuana commodities might generate substantial income to the economy. Immediately after the legalization of marijuana in the country, law enforcement savings are expected to increase to around $10 million yearly, which enables criminal justice system to allocate these savings to more severe crimes. By 2016, the cost savings and tax returns that are brought about by legalization of marijuana could increase to around $90 million per year, and may serve as an important element to the economy through generating more jobs, construction, and increase in small entrepreneurs that carry out marijuana activities (Burnham 4). Through legalization of marijuana in better managed settings and eliminating it from the underground market, the country will never empower criminal groups and lobbies, but relatively improving the economy. In the United States, all states get involved in the war on drugs and related activities. Therefore, if marijuana is legalized, these levels of government would acquire taxes on marijuana usage and trade. Additionally, they would have an adequate sum of funds to support effective drug education, promotion projects and other significant causes of health problems.
Marijuana serves as medicine since it helps stimulate the desire for food and reduce pain in people with AIDS and cancer. Marijuana consumption has the constructive characteristics, such as medication use and leisure substance use with comparatively moderate side-effects. Most people consume marijuana since they have decided that it has the greater benefits, particularly people in the countries that are undergoing a range of severe disorders and diseases. Marijuana helps ease spasticity, pain, vomiting, and other significant symptoms for most people who have been under effective treatment with convection prescribed medicine. Most adults favor marijuana more than alcohol or tobacco use since it is moderate and sensible means to relax. Regardless of around 70 years of federal proscription, marijuana will remain to be used. Therefore, the government should admit this reality and remove the control of marijuana from untaxed entrepreneurs, and set it in the control of legal entrepreneurs.
Conclusion
Marijuana is among the most used substance in the United States, but it has brought about controversial debates regarding its effects and benefits to the users. From the above discussion, we can conclude that marijuana use should be legalized since the benefits are more than the risks. Marijuana is considered not addictive, medicine, improves economy, causes fewer deaths, and does not cause cancer among the users. A realistic regulatory structure that enables for the restricted legal consumption of marijuana by adults would effectively moderate any threats associated with its consumption and misuse. This change would effectively limit marijuana’s accessibility among teenagers.
Works Cited
Bello, Joan. The Benefits of Marijuana: Physical, Psychological and Spiritual, Lifeservices Press, New York, 2007. Print.
Burnham, Alex. Benefits of Legalizing Marijuana, GRIN Verlag, Boston, 2011. Print.
Pierre, Joseph. “Psychosis Associated With Medical Marijuana: Risk vs. Benefits of Medicinal Cannabis Use.” The American Journal of Psychiatry 167.5 (2010): 598-599. Print.
Swartz, Ronald. “Medical marijuana users in substance abuse.” Harm Reduction Journal 7.3 (2010): 2-9. Print.