Persuasive Essay On Legalizing Marijuana

The legalization of marijuana (cannabis) has been the topic of much debate over the past couple of years. Although these debates have been present for decades, the relevancy of the arguments have skyrocketed with recent changes to marijuana’s legalization status. For example, California passed a proposition to legalize medical marijuana in 1996. 22 states have done the same, with others seemingly close behind. More recently, pot pushers have legalized recreational marijuana in select states (Martin, Time).

Marijuana, also known as weed, originated in Asia 500 B.C as an herbal medicine; however, in the early 1900s, it began to be used for recreational purposes. In 1937, a federal law called Marijuana Tax Act was passed, which effectively criminalized sale, possession, and transfer of the plant excluding industrial uses. It wasn’t until 1970 that Marijuana was considered a “Schedule 1 Drug,” where it was grouped in the same category as LSD, heroin, and ecstasy. In 1996, several states passed a law that allowed marijuana to be used for limited medical purposes in order to treat patients with certain health issues. In 2014, Colorado became the first state to legalize the recreational use of weed.

Debate for the legalization of Marijuana is an ongoing battle. “Marijuana has been around for centuries traced back to the first use of the plant being around 2737 B.C” (Narconon 2). Around 1970 the Controlled Substances Act classified marijuana along with heroin and LSD as a Schedule I drug, i.e., having the relatively highest abuse potential and no accepted medical use. Since they classified Marijuana as a drug people have always fought to have it legalized. Through the years the percent of people who agree about the legalization of the drug has gone up.

In order to understand the legalization of marijuana, a person must have some background on the subject. Fifty-three percent of Americans support legalization, many people wonder “Might pot be better for you than alcohol?” , now it is acceptable medicinal weed in 23 states including Washington D.C., some people say that “They sank into a state of relaxation they have rarely felt before”. (Peley). People feel as if they can escape their daily stressful lives with a single hit, therefore a lot of business people smoke weed.

Cannabis, otherwise referred to as marijuana, is a herb that exists naturally on earth. Although historically it has a number of different uses, today it is most commonly seen as either a medicinal or recreational drug. It is the most commonly used controlled substance in the United States with an estimated 107 million Americans having ever tried it (Loflin, Earleywine 1430). Currently a major debate exists regarding the legal status of cannabis. The United States’s marijuana policies will influence every American’s life.

Starting from the beginning, I will tell you what marijuana - also called grass, ganja, pot, and various other slang terms - is. Marijuana comes from the Indian hemp plant and is the greenish-brown mixture of the dried flowers of cannabis sativa. When I was younger I used to believe that speaking positively about Marijuana, makes you look like a bad personage or either worse, a criminal. This opinion was based on the false information media produced and on the government laws of my country. However, by enhancing my knowledge, I have decided that cannabis offers so much to humanity, that not only it has many benefits, it has to be legalized.

Legalizing Marijuana Seventy six million dollars, this number represents the amount of tax revenue Colorado has generated alone in just the last year due to legalization of Marijuana for medicinal and recreational uses. Today the ongoing debate about Marijuana addresses the simple question, should marijuana become legal or should it stay illegal throughout the United States. This topic is one that many people find profoundly controversial due to the bad reputation that marijuana has always been given, those people of the older generation are seemingly the ones who generally tend to not be in favor of its legalization. However, the younger generation is on the opposite side of the spectrum of this debate and the vast majority of them stand to support it as new studies and information about marijuana's affects to the body surfaces to the public's knowledge. With all that

Legalize Marijuana There is a great misconception of Marijuana today, which is that it is a dangerous drug that kills people by destroying brain cells and causing people to overdose. Both of those horrific accusations are not only stretched to great lengths, but are completely wrong. In fact, according to The National Cancer society, many of the studies done to tarnish the image of cannabis were flawed in numerous ways; either they did not obtain a large enough group of people, were mentally impaired, and/or had outside incidents which created the problems, etc. Many feel that marijuana, medical and recreational alike, should be legalized, for it aids in medical illnesses, help those suffering from chronic depression, anxiety, and stress,

The FDA has not run the test required to approve marijuana to be used

“Marijuana has become quite a popular topic, in term of politics. There are some who want it legalized, and some who think it should stay illegal. As of June 19, 2015, marijuana is legal in 23 states for medical purposes, and four states for recreational use. Marijuana should be legal in all 50 states, because it can boost the economy, free up police resources, and put less money into organized crime’s pockets. It would be a win-win for citizens and the government.

The legalization of Marijuana has been a topic of great debate for many years now, yet most people are not educated enough about marijuana for them to be able to debate. Ignorance plays a huge role in the discussion of it because though most people don’t know much about it they remember and argue all of the negative and false things that the government has poured into society, which has led to widespread misconception on the matter. There is absolutely no reason why it should be illegal. Marijuana, also known as hemp, used to be legal.

Marijuana is part of the “drug war”, it is a narcotic that is illegal in most of the american states. Its legalization could help to control its production and quality, the companies that are producing marijuana could be under health norms, Legalization of Marijuana would work to increase liability on producers forcing health standards. Legalization of that type of drugs, judged “soft” in comparaison with other drugs such as heroine, LSD, ecstasy, etc… The prohibition of cannabis is not specify in the U.S constitution, so by the 10th amendment of that constitution, the power to allow its consumption or not belong to the states, So the general prohibition as recreative usage is not justified. Some states are on the way to legalize

Legalization of marijuana has been a soft-spoken social topic ever since the 20th century, more recently it seems that you find this conversation being discussed everywhere including outlets like radio, television and even across the dining room table. It appears that this conversation has frequently brought up especially in the 21st century. In the year 2000 during the Bush/Gore presidential campaign, there were reports that demonstrated 31% of people in the U.S thought marijuana should be legal, while 63% thought it should stay illegal, leaving the last 6% at undecided or unconcerned with the topic (Fusion). Of late it seems that people are changing their views and belief on the idea of legalizing marijuana and questioning if it should be

The legalization of marijuana is a topic of discussion not only of years or decades, but of centuries. In fact, regulations on the sale of marijuana began back in the sixteenth century and it is still undecidable today. For years, marijuana has been used by doctors with the purpose of helping people with serious health problems, especially for cancer patients. Therefore, marijuana should be legalized all around United States.

For many years’ marijuana was used to make fabric for clothes and also oil for machinery Somehow people find it was a demand for other uses and the Government started to put taxes on its production until it became illegal to grow or sell. Once this happens it was no more a demand on the open market so people begin to grow it illegal and sell without owning a permit, which influenced the Federal Government to get involved, this is what made it become illegal to have possession of marijuana, because it was declared a dangerous substance.