An Introduction to the Advantages and Disadvantages of Marijuana Legalization

There has been much debate on the legalization of marijuana. One side feels that t is clearly one of the biggest enemies in America’s war on drugs. And the other side of the debate asks the question “if alcohol and tobacco are legal why shouldn’t marijuana be legal?” Many tax paying Americans think they have the answer when they hear rumors of government tax regulation and international trade agreements with our sister countries. It’s clear that the reason marijuana has not been legalized is simply because the American Government has spent too much money trying to prevent marijuana usage.

They simply can’t change their minds now. To prove this theory, we need to show that alcohol (a legal substance) and marijuana are not that different. Alcohol was illegal in the United States during the 1920s and early 1930s. Although, the consumption of alcohol was not illegal, only the transportation, import, exports and sale of alcoholic beverages was restricted due to prohibition laws.

The reason that it was illegal was because the ill effects it had on the body. Alcohol can alter the behavior and motor skills of the person drinking it. This can cause them to do things that they normally wouldn’t do or normally shouldn’t do. In many cases the immediate effect of alcohol consumption is depression or sadness. The long term effects of alcohol can be chemical dependency, alcoholism, liver failure or worse. Just getting drunk occasionally can have its harmful effects as well.

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Brain damage from accidental trauma is always a possibility when intoxicated. With marijuana there are some ill side effects as well. Although they are no worse than the fore mentioned alcohol side effects. In fact, there are serious debates regarding marijuana’s medicinal value and how it can be used to treat chronic depression in people as well as pain management. I’m quite certain no health care facility in this nation prescribes a double shot of Jose Cuervo tequila when you’re feeling down on your luck. Even though, some of your close friends might suggest it or have at least tried it.

So I have to ask the question, why is marijuana illegal if it’s not a more dangerous substance than those that are legal? I believe the answer is money. The American government’s investment in the war on drugs entails many different governmental departments. Per High Times magazine, The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) is the largest recipient of funds from the Anti-Drug budget. The last quoted dollar amount I saw was right around $20 billion dollars (Wikipedia). There are statistics that show that every 38 seconds someone in the United States is arrested for a marijuana incident. That calculates to almost 900,000 people per year. Housing each of those arrestees in government prisons has been quoted at $281 million. If marijuana was to be legalized these amounts would be reduced and taxpayers would gain but the government would lose that very same money. Perhaps even government jobs would be lost. The budget allocated $753 million to salaries and expenses for the DEA alone (Wikipedia). This is more than half of what the DEA receives from the government, meaning that jobs and the funds needed for those jobs would take a serious hit from marijuana legalization.

In light of all this information, the legalization of marijuana would be considered a significant loss in the government’s war on drugs. It is not only the amount of money invested in the enforcement of anti-marijuana laws, it’s also the jobs that count on marijuana being legal. The pride with which the American government takes in fighting the supposed evils of marijuana is a large factor too. If marijuana were to be legalized then the whole loss of all these factors would be the real heartbreaker. In addition to this, the government, as an investor, is in a rather unique position. ey have virtually total control over the decision of legalization. Would it then be prudent for them to suddenly throw away their money, jobs, and pride without extreme pressure from an outside source? No, it would not; the government would never alienate so many people and so much money, unless they had to politically. There must be strong pressure from the American people for the government to let go of the investment. However, herein lays the problem; for the cause of legalizing marijuana is not perceived as a noble cause, and the vast majority (especially middle and upper class) of Americans would not lift their pinky finger for legalization. So until this change, the government will most likely get to keep the huge investment that they have in fighting marijuana.

It’s up to us to make this change. It’s up to us to increase the pressures on the U.S.

Government to legalize marijuana. As this document clearly states, marijuana is no more dangerous than alcohol. We need to convince the lawmakers of this country that this product’s legalization will not only help financially but will also free up many of our law enforcement agencies to concentrate on the more serious drug violations. The Government had to swallow their pride in the 1930’s when they announced that prohibition was over. Why not swallow that pride again now and legalize marijuana? I as a taxpaying citizen will thank the Government for making this decision. I hope the readers of this document feel the same way.