Legalization Of Marijuana Argumentative

Many Americans look at the legalization of marijuana as a gate way drug instead of the benefits our country can gain from it. Not legalizing pot is costing America money with the laws against recreational use. Marijuana is often compared to alcohol and the effects of resulted in the use of them. Since 1937 there has been a marijuana tax act. Legalizing cannabis would have the similar laws to abide by as alcohol. Yet certain societies see that the effects of marijuana and alcohol are nothing like each other and should not be considered this way.

There are several facts on the issue of legalizing marijuana. There is numerous road blocks while on the path to legalizing cannabis. Various studies have been made on how safe and addictive weed is. The question that remains and often asked is why is marijuana illegal? With legalization the crime rate would decrease because of recreational use being legal to use and grow. This will include less money being spent on law enforcement and making more money on taxes from selling marijuana. The regulation of marijuana would have the same guide lines as alcohol use, only permitting anyone 21 years old to own, grow and carry an ounce of weed in your possession. The real question is will legalization cause more problems in America with crimes and everyday living? Many see that marijuana causes health problems when smoked, but weed doesn’t measure up to cigarette smoking. The articles Legalizing Marijuana: Why Citizens Should Just Say No, Marijuana Legalization: What Everyone Needs To Know’ Authors Discuss Risk And Rewards Of Legal Weed debates why marijuana should or shouldn’t be legal. Authors Purpose, Authors Main Ideas, and Authors Audience

Within the two articles that have been read, Legalizing Marijuana: Why Citizens Should Just Say No and Marijuana Legalization: and What Everyone Needs To Know’ Authors Discuss Risk And Rewards Of Legal Weed, the authors propose, authors main idea, and authors intended audience differ. This is because in the article Legalizing Marijuana: Why Citizens Should Just Say No the author’s purpose and main idea is to uncover the reasons why weed should not become legal. The reasons being Americans continuous use of weed causes addiction. The health risk caused by using marijuana “smoking three or four joints is like smoking a pack of cigarettes” (Stimson, 2010, P 21). The author of this article also discusses how weed is the cause for crime related actions. However in the article, Marijuana Legalization: What Everyone Needs To Know’ Authors Discuss Risk And Rewards Of Legal Weed the authors purpose and main idea is to inform the audience of what it would be like if marijuana became legal. The author argues that with the passing of amendment 64 weed will be legal for anyone 21 years of age with the laws just as alcohol warrants. With amendment 64 passing the author of this article reports the facts about the crime going down because weed laws will have changed. Really it is easy to distinguish these two articles one article is for legalization and the other against legalization

What Would Happen If Marijuana Became Legalized?
In the article Marijuana Legalization: What Everyone Needs To Know’ Authors Discuss Risk And Rewards Of Legal Weed, answers questions of the beliefs that if weed becomes legalized it will lead to harder drug use. The author explains that when using marijuana as a teen it may become more likely to get into harder drug use. Every person is different and if someone takes the path way to harder drugs than there usually a motive behind it. Another topic discussed is with the rising of illegal marijuana alcohol stats will have lowered. While in the article Legalizing Marijuana: Why Citizens Should Just Say No, the author explains that if weed is legalized the chances of the youth trying it would go up. Also they write about the health effects that are caused by marijuana use cause horrid side effects. “The Controlled Substances Act of 1970 prohibits the manufacture, distribution, and possession of all substances deemed to be Schedule I drugs—drugs like heroin, PCP, and cocaine. Because marijuana has no “currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States,” it is a Schedule I drug that cannot be bought, sold, possessed, or used without violating federal law” (Ferner, 2012, P 15).

The information listed in the two articles read the one subject discussed where there were some similarities is about amendment 64. They discuss that the way society perceives weed has a big effect on what will happen with the voting of amendment 64. With the federal government there are chances that nothing will change and quite possible they may arrest anyone who gets a license under amendment 64. The federal government has control so even if marijuana becomes legal one may still find trouble with using and growing weed. A topic discussed was the idea of how the legalization of weed would work for the federal government. Some see as legalization as no big deal there shouldn’t be any worries the only problem is not all are responsible enough to handle becoming intoxicated. The government indeed has the power to legalize marijuana but yet they may still reside in keeping it untouchable. “The lack of FDA approval means that marijuana may come from unknown sources, may be adulterated with foreign substances, or may not even be marijuana at all” (Stimson, 2010,P 41). The Difference Of Marijuana And Alcohol

Both articles express the truths on the differences of marijuana and alcohol. When stated in the article Marijuana Legalization: What Everyone Needs To Know’ Authors Discuss Risk And Rewards Of Legal Weed, They talk about how marijuana is less effective to your health than alcohol and cigarettes. Of course smoking cigarettes does not result in becoming intoxicated but still very addictive. As for the article Legalizing Marijuana: Why Citizens Should Just Say No, has more of an proof on the subject and they discuss how marijuana is considered a soft drug just as alcohol is, but they say that marijuana is a starting drug to harder drugs. It is also said that it is more common to become addicted to marijuana and cigarettes than to alcohol. The author points out that the long term effects of having a weed habit consist of short term memory loss which makes it difficult to remember new information. This would affect doing simple daily tasks. Alcohol also differs from weed because of the way your body stores after usage. Alcohol is out of your system quickly and with marijuana it is stored in your fat tissues, depending on how often used can last for up 30 days. “Only in the most superficial ways are the two substances alike and they differ in every way that counts: addictiveness, toxicity, health effects, and risk of intoxication” (Stimson, 2010, P 24). Analysis

Taking into consideration both sides of evidence on the subject of marijuana becoming legalized one must realize that if prohibition is removed it may cause a noticeable change or all will seem the same. Once and if weed becomes legal it comes down to being a personal choice were regulations will be similar to alcohol guidelines. The marijuana prohibition may have started in 1937 but times are changing. Those who believe that marijuana leads to harder drug use must understand like written before using weed is a personal choice any other harder drugs is also an individual choice. As an adult it is up to each person to make the best decision to keep everyone around them safe including one’s self. There are several reasons to believe in prohibition. What many do not see is that with alcohol it can do much more damage to an individual’s social environment as well as their health.

As Americans we are known for the illegal drug situation that our nation has created for ourselves. With making marijuana legal this will lessen the drug war the U.S. is having with marijuana. Even with amendment 64 passing with the federal government they still have the power to seek the individuals will have the license and create problems. The after effects of long term use marijuana causes short term memory loss. This is a problem because of the addiction you may get from continuous weed use. Just as cigarettes cause addiction marijuana does as well. This is one of the reasons why legalizing marijuana would work for the federal government. Addiction would cause for Americans to spend more money which in end result create money for the government. Which most individuals have to get medication or other go through other methods to quit. Conclusion

After reading both articles understanding the differences between marijuana and alcohol are misunderstood. Both weed and alcohol are being used to get intoxicated. In the article against weed it is understated on how bad alcohol can actually be to an individual’s health. Yes marijuana is bad for your health if used every day all day. With using weed you still have your judgment yes it is altered whereas with alcohol your decisions most of the time cause you to make bad choices that would be different if one was to use cannabis. Another factor would be the effects of using marijuana on each person are not the same meaning everyone reacts different. Yes it was said that some may not even know what is in the weed they get this would change once legalized when one is able to grow their own supply. There is a time and a place for weed for a responsible adult just as there is for alcohol.

References

Stimson, C. C. (2010, September 13). Legalizing Marijuana: Why Citizens Should Just Say No. XIn The Heritage foundation. Retrieved February 2, 2013, from https://mserve1.baker.edu/wm/mail/fetch.html?urlid=444a769790d141e8f2a289110ef20717f&url=http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2010/09/legalizing-marijuana-why-citizens-should-just-say-no

Femer, M. (2012, September 4). Marijuana Legalization: What Everyone Needs To Know’ Authors Discuss Risks And Rewards Of Legal Weed. Retrieved February 2, 2013, from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/04/marijuana-legalization-research_n_1850470.html