legalizing of Marijuana

Legalization of Marijuana:

One of the most controversial issues and topics that have occurred in the recent past is the debate over the possibility of legalization of Cannabis Sativa, which is also known as Marijuana. The debate regarding the legalization of marijuana has mainly been fueled by the emergence of many movements and groups in support of the move. The support for legalization of the drug has resulted in the adoption of such actions in several places like California where marijuana is already lawful for medical purposes. While some people in the American public are concerned with the adverse health effects and damages related to marijuana, others totally support the legalization of the drug.

Proponents of the legalization of marijuana use the advantages of such an initiative to support their claims. Some of the advantages of making the drug lawful include the fact that it has lesser health effects than tobacco and alcohol if used moderately, restricted use is a violation of personal freedom, medical benefits to patients like cancer patients, and its probability to act as a source of revenue. On the other hand, the legalization of the drug has been refuted by several people and groups on the basis of the disadvantages of such an action. These disadvantages include its use being considered as morally wrong, potential increase of dangers like stoned driving, and physical damages to people who could abuse the drug (Messerli, 2011).

While both sides of the argument are crucial parts in determining whether the drug can be made lawful under any prevailing circumstances, a closer observation reveals that marijuana should be legalized. This is largely because the advantages of making it lawful outweigh the disadvantages of criminalizing the use of the drug. Actually, most of the arguments and disadvantages raised by the opponents of legalization are aspects that could be effectively tackled by proper legislations to govern the decriminalization of the use of the drug.

Throughout history, marijuana has increasingly been used for medical purposes in several countries across the globe and is recorded as early as 2700 BC in the ancient Chinese writings. Despite of numerous efforts by several groups that support the criminalization of the drug, marijuana should be legalized. This is largely because there are two major reasons for the legalization of marijuana i.e. medical grounds and the potential revenues it could bring to the government. The decriminalization of the use of the drug can be a major point of governmental revenue through taxation of the sale of the drug. Secondly, as evident through history, the value of the drug to the medical field outweighs the disadvantages of its potential abuse in addition to its significance to both the paper and clothing industries ("Legalizing Marijuana," n.d.).

The decriminalization of the use of the drug will be of huge profit to the government because of the huge amounts related to the average price of the drug. Through this initiative, entrepreneurs are likely to begin their own operations because of the noticeable huge profits made in the marijuana market. Consequently, the supply of the drug on the streets will increase significantly resulting in an increase in government earnings through the taxation of the growing operations of marijuana sales. The extra profits generated by the risk-premium from the increase in operations of marijuana through legalization of the drug can be transferred to the government. Moreover, marijuana is less harmful and dangerous than some of the other drugs that are legalized such as alcohol and cigarettes. The medical benefits of the drug even outweigh those of many over-the-counter and prescription drugs. With the increase in health-related problems, the legalization and increase in use of marijuana could help in lessening health problems.