Of the three "gateway drugs" marijuana is the only one that is not legal. Why is that? Is reefer worse than tobacco or alcohol, or both? The answer is a resounding no! This is a very controversial issue that is finally being brought up all over the country. It is about time. .
Isn't this the land of the free? I am not asking this question to imply that anyone should be able to do anything that they want, but, if they aren't harming anyone else they should be able to live life to its' fullest. Sure, the government is also supposed to protect us from ourselves, but if tobacco and alcohol are legal, why isn't marijuana? Many of the most harmful ingredients of marijuana could be eliminated if refer was legalized. Since "marijuana is not regulated, there are no safeguards against contamination by pesticides, herbicides, and other toxic chemicals. In this sense, it is actually the fact that marijuana is illegal that causes the health danger."(http://lightning.prohosting.com/~mlo/htm) If an individual wants to smoke cigarettes they can. Is, or rather, should marijuana be any different? Like cigarettes, if refer was legalized, the government could make a great deal of money.
They could also save a lot of money. The United States spends around forty billion dollars each year trying to intercept drug shipments, arrest dealers, and arrest drug users. If our government were to legalize marijuana we would spend less money for the war on drugs, and make a ton of profit from sales. Hemp, made from the marijuana plant, can be used to make many things. Paper, clothes, and rope are just a few. Using hemp to make paper would also help stop deforestation and conceivably save some natural habitats. The revenue made from legalization could really help our economy by creating lots of jobs and bringing much more money into circulation.
Legalization of marijuana for medical purposes has already taken place in seven states and Washington D.
