Why I support the legalization of marijuana by USA Congress

In recent years, the number of Americans supporting marijuana legalization has increased significantly. In 2006, 54% of the population supported the legalization of cannabis, while 44% opposed it. However, in 2015 the supporting percentage went up to 60% against 32% of people who opposed the legalization of marijuana (“In Debate Over Legalizing Marijuana, Disagreement Over Drug’s Dangers”, 2015).

Pros of Legalizing Marijuana

According to the participants of the survey, marijuana has numerous advantages as compared to disadvantages. They believed that by legalizing marijuana, foremost, it would bring them medicine benefit. They argued that the medicinal values of marijuana are scientifically proven hence; no need to keep such an important substance illegal for use. Additionally, marijuana is not as harmful as legal alcohol. Marijuana is a more natural medicinal substance as compared to other pharmaceuticals prepared in laboratories.

As stated by Hendricks, L., Abassi, A., & Aslinia, D. (2013), Legalizing marijuana would come with both social and economic benefits. Socially, legalizing marijuana would see a decline in criminal activities since it would put drug dealers out of the market. By legalizing marijuana, there is a chance that the country would collect more revenue hence improving the economic status of the country. Enforcing the rule against the selling of marijuana is both expensive and problematic. The government is spending large amounts of money to crack down on drug dealers instead of channeling the money towards improving the economy.

People feel that the government is intervening in how they use their bodies. By the government legalizing marijuana, the consumers will no longer hide while smoking it.

Cons of Legalizing Marijuana

As per the survey, the main reason why participants opposed the legalization of marijuana was that it would bring psychological harm to the people using it and the community at large. They believed that by legalizing this drug, people become consumers using it just for fun and not for marijuana’s medicinal advantages.

Like any other hard drug, marijuana is addictive and dangerous. Frequent consumption of marijuana may lead to people getting addicted to the use of the drug.

Conclusion

From the provided evidence, the benefit that will come with legalizing marijuana outweighs the disadvantages. The legalization of marijuana has been scientifically supported and has been approved to have medicinal value. It would come in handy to treat some of the chronic diseases that lab-developed drugs can not cure. Also, the government will redirect the resources meant for cracking down on marijuana distributors into the development.

Reference

Hendricks, L., Abassi, A., & Aslinia, D. (2013). The pros and cons of Marijuana. In National Forum of Counselling and Addiction (Vol. 2, №1).

“In Debate Over Legalizing Marijuana, Disagreement Over Drug’s Dangers.” (2015, April 2015). Pew Research Center — U.S. Politics & Policy. Retrieved from https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2015/04/14/in-debate-over-legalizing-marijuana-disagreement-over-drugs-dangers/ [Accessed 14 April2021]