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Argumentative On Why Marijuana Should Be Legal Research Paper

¶ … Legalization of Marijuana The growing approval and use of marijuana for medicinal purposes has strengthened the debate as to whether marijuana should be legalized for general use. Eight states now have laws allowing the medical use of marijuana, and territories within Australia and Canada have pass laws legalizing the use of the drug. European countries, such as Switzerland have also passed laws that legalize the use, but in some cases, outlaw the possession of the drug (Joffe et al., 2004). In fact, there are a wide variety of compelling factors that support the legalization of marijuana. Legalization allows for regulation of the substance for medicinal purposes, ensuring that supplies used by the public are not tainted with harmful chemicals. By permitting the use of marijuana governments also have increased potential to reduce the amount of violent crime that often results when drugs are illegalized and trade is driven to an underground or black market. Finally, legalization allows governments the ability to tax the sale of the drug, as is commonly done with cigarettes and alcohol, allowing governments to commit these funds to education, crime diversion, and

The potential of addiction to marijuana is low, and the medical benefits of use often outweigh the risks. In fact, one study indicated that about 30% of pediatricians approved of the use of marijuana to treat conditions such as anorexia or multiple sclerosis. Researchers note that smoking tainted marijuana can expose people to harmful chemicals, but it is likely that edible forms of drug don't cause the same harmful effects. By legalizing the use, governments can make sure that the supplies used by people are properly grown and prepared similar to the way our food is regulated for health quality. Legalizing marijuana allows people to use it for medical and recreational reasons without worry about having trouble with the law. This also means that people who supply it would have to follow specific rules about how it is prepared and sold.
Our government currently spends a lot of money and resources enforcing laws against the use of marijuana. People who sell or are found in possession have to go through our jail or court systems, and all of this costs money. There is a good deal of evidence that shows that marijuana is not harmful enough to justify the amount of expenses required to enforce these laws, and changing them would allow the government to use the money and resources to educate young people about harmful drugs and prevent the sale and use of more dangerous substances or materials, such…

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Joffe et al. (2004) Legalization of Marijuana: potential impact on youth. Pediatrics. Vol. 113 No. 6. pp. e632-e638
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