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Legalization of Marijuana

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Legalization of Marijuana
Legalization of Marijuana
Marijuana has a history dating back many years, and has been used in various cultures in different ways. In recent years, marijuana has become a forefront topic in the world of American politics whether or not it should be legalized. Marijuana has been adapted to fit our lifestyles and our social environment. A vast amount of the world’s population smoke marijuana for various purposes. Thus, the drug should be legalized because it has many medical beneficial uses, the ability to generate billions of dollars in tax revenue, and would lower the cost to imprison individuals arrested for crimes related to marijuana.
Groups that advocate against the legalization of marijuana center their argument on several major points; legalization may increase the number of people using it and more criminals are on the streets. Moreover, it has been implied to be a gateway drug to more illicit drugs. A quote from President Barrack Obama states:
Students who smoke marijuana have twice the odds of being a high school dropout. And have trouble finding jobs, get involved in gangs and crime, and end up on welfare. 80% of prisoners are high school dropouts; curbing the nation’s drop-out rates a pressing economic and social imperative. The stakes are too high for our children, for our economy and for our country.
The argument is that with the legalization of marijuana, kids will have ready access to the plant and will get involved in other illicit activities due to their consumption. The notion that the legalization of marijuana will increase problems for Americans as a whole is definitely controversial.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the spectrum are why marijuana should be legalized and its reasons. The ongoing battle across America is for the push to legalize marijuana. There are numerous medical benefits that marijuana produces. “The American Association for Cancer Research has found that the use of marijuana actually works to slow down tumor


Cited: Armentano, Paul. "NORML.org - Working to Reform Marijuana Laws." NORML Blog Marijuana Law Reform Incarceration Nation Marijuana Arrests For Year 2009 Near Record High Comments. NORML, 15 Sept. 2010. Web. 19 Feb. 2013. Armentano, Paul. "Pot Prisoners Cost Americans $1 Billion a Year." Alternet. Alternet, 9 Feb. 2007. Web. 19 Feb. 2013. Bradford, Harry. "14 Ways Marijuana Legalization Could Boost The Economy." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 07 Nov. 2012. Web. 19 Feb. 2013. Igorderysh. "10 Major Health Benefits of Marijuana." COED College Lifestyle Sexy Girls L Funny Photos L Beer Culture L Sports L Celebrities RSS. COED MEDIA GROUP, 10 Sept. 2010. Web. 19 Feb. 2013. Obama, Barrack. "Citizens Against Legalizing Marijuana – CALM." Citizens Against Legalizing Marijuana CALM RSS. Citizens Against Legalizing Marijuana, 7 Mar. 2010. Web. 19 Feb. 2013.
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