Legalization of marijuana has been a controversial topic in the media as of lately. Completely legalizing marijuana would mean allowing just about anyone to have access to it -- of course with some government regulation. However, opponents of this process argue that the health detriments are enough to merit harsher punishments and the complete ban of this substance. Despite opposition to marijuana's legalization, there are many more benefits that need to be taken into consideration before rushing to any particular judgment. Marijuana should be legalized because it will bring a much needed boost to the economy, it has documented health benefits, and it is a safer drug than alcohol and cigarettes, which are already considered to be legal substances (ABC 20/20). In order for the welfare of all of the aforementioned entities to be established, marijuana needs to be legalized. As of 2012, the states of Colorado and Washington have agreed to legalize the recreational use of marijuana. This means that anyone over the age of 21 can legally purchase a certain amount of pot without any criminal repercussions (Robesonian.com). Some states have already allowed the use of marijuana in cases where it is medically necessary. However, the complete legalization of pot will increase the economic revenue that the country is missing out on because of marijuana's illegality. The United States is in an economic crisis. There is no money to get the necessities done, nor is there any money to fight unnecessary wars on drugs. Instead of spending money on getting rid of marijuana, by making it legal, not only will all of those millions of dollars be saved, there will be millions more in revenue from taxing pot (robesonian.com). Marijuana earns about 1.3 billion dollars a year in the United States. This is from the legal drug sales alone (Robesonian.com). If one were to consider the illegal sales that are currently...

The efforts made by the government to raise money for education, safer neighborhoods, and cleaner streets, can all be attained by the legal sale of marijuana. In Colorado, the potential money that will be made from the legal sale of pot has already been distributed. $40 million will go to school improvement (Robesonian.com). This alone states a lot about the potential economic boost that will be given to the country if the sale of marijuana would be legalized.
Despite the detriments cited by opponents of marijuana's legalization, the health benefits associated with this substance are undeniable. Since the 1960s, researchers have been pointing out the psychiatric benefits of marijuana usage, reporting that the calming, uplifting effects of this substance can aid in depression and anxiety disorders (Astaiza). It can also slow down the progression of dementia and Alzheimer's disease (Astaiza). Aside from psychological afflictions, marijuana has been proven to prevent the blindness that many times comes as a result of glaucoma and it can also be used to control chronic epileptic seizures (Astaiza). Although in its early stages, marijuana has been proven to be effective in preventing the spread of cancer (Ferner; Astaiza). The pain and discomfort associated with arthritis and multiple sclerosis can also be eased by the use of marijuana, by allowing for the muscles to relax and for inflammation to be decreased (Astaiza). Inflammation that also causes skin diseases and chronic pain can also be treated by the…