Legalize It

Legalize It
J. Jason Cabrera
Comm 215 – Essentials of College Writing
William Glenn Hackett
University of Phoenix
July 12, 2007

Legalize It

I am a manic depressive that has also been diagnosed with disassociate personality disorder, bi-polar disorder 2, psychosis, and paranoid schizophrenia and marijuana is the means by which I self medicate. I suffer daily with bouts of depression and manic episodes and marijuana helps me maintain a balance in my life. Many people in the USA suffer from psychological disorders, physical pain, and disabilities that put a limit on their quality of life. Many of those people turn to marijuana as a sedative, a mood stabilizer, and a sleep aid so that they may have fully functioning lives. In this essay we will discuss legalizing marijuana in the United States. We will examine the potential economic boost through tax revenue and other fees. Next, we will discuss how the government can regulate the flow, growth and distribution of marijuana, more effectively. Then we will see how studies show that marijuana is less harmful than other legalized drugs, such as alcohol and cigarettes. Finally we will review our main points and conclude this essay.
Whenever roads need to be repaired, schools need to be closed, or something needs to be built to improve a community the issue of where the funds will come from, rears its ugly head. If marijuana were legalized and properly regulated there lies a tremendous potential boost to the economy. If marijuana were legalized, it could be taxed. All of the marijuana paraphernalia – papers for rolling, bongs, pipes, books on how to grow, roll, and properly smoke – all of these items could be sold, as some are already, and be highly taxed. Marijuana is California's largest cash crop (n.a., 2007). At this current time, marijuana sales and distribution in the United States is said to be a billion dollar industry, therefore the country is missing out on tens or even hundreds of millions of dollars... [continues]

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