Max Vonderhaar
Persuasive Essay
Legalization of Weed
January 10, 2018
Free the Green
One of the most controversial topics in America is whether or not the legalization of marijuana will be beneficial to society. While there are many concerns surrounding the national legalization of the drug, namely addiction, decision-making, health risks and the like, extensive study and research has disproved these concerns and replaced them with beneficial links to marijuana. Furthermore, the legalization of said drug would not only create a new branch of industry, but also grow an already existing industry that has the ultimate potential to become a largely valuable and lucrative industry that would aid the economy greatly. The legalization of marijuana would be beneficial to all aspects of society.
One very common concern that is associated with marijuana is the aspect of addiction, eventually leading to the use of other, more detrimental drugs. This belief may be true in very few cases; however, the use of marijuana does not affect one’s decision making, nor does it contain chemical compounds that cause the mind and body to become dependent on it. The New York Times notes “[c]asual use by adults poses little or no risk for healthy people. Its effects are mostly euphoric and mild, whereas alcohol turns some drinkers into barroom brawlers, domestic abusers or maniacs behind the wheel” (New York Times). Therefore, marijuana does not cause the healthy, average adult to make irrational decisions that can lead to the path of addiction or use of marijuana or other drugs.
The legalization of cannabis would especially be beneficial to the economic and financial aspects of the drug. For example, the legalization would certainly create far more regulation and safety standards that are not practiced within the illegal growth and sale of cannabis. An article referencing the improvement in quality and safety control of marijuana states “[l]egalizing marijuana, on the other hand, immediately creates a set of standards for quality and safety control. We’ve seen how this can work in the alcohol and tobacco industries, and it will certainly translate into the marijuana industry. Now, users will exactly know what they’re getting for what they’re paying for” (Franciosi). The danger of purchasing marijuana that is unsafe or unregulated is very real, and this issue can lead to terrible health deficiencies and problems down the line. Legalizing the product would get rid of these problems, rendering a cleaner, safer, more dependable drug.
The economic aspect of the drug relates greatly to the number of arrests and court cases marijuana possession causes. An article in the New York Times states “[t]here were six hundred and fifty-eight thousand arrests for marijuana possession in 2012, according to the FBI figures” (New York Times). Police officers direct far too much attention on minor d...
