Whether or not the United States should legalize marijuana is a very hot topic these days. This issue is very important because it affects the physical and psychological health of Americans along with the government's monetary spending. The two sides in this matter are the side who favor the legalization of marijuana and the side who does not. This essay will present a number of arguments as to why the United States of America should not legalize the usage of marijuana. From both view points, the following sub-topics will be analyzed regarding marijuana: the affect on non-users, the physical affects on the body, the emotional effects, and its relation to other drugs.
Those who support the legalization of marijuana assert that banning its usage will not affect one's incentive to engage in marijuana. However, this is not the case. By the mere legalization of marijuana, non-users who previously had shied away from it when it was illegal, all of a sudden feel justified in using it. Many people respect the law and view it as a duty to follow it. This is why they do not use marijuana. But if marijuana is legalized, then a countless amount of civilians will experiment with it and could become addicted to it. In addition, children will grow up with the notion that marijuana is ok without any knowledge of its harmful effects. .
Another argument provided by the opposition is that marijuana's medical benefits outweigh its potentially harmful side effects which justify its legalization. This is an absolutely false claim. In the mid-nineteenth century it was revealed that marijuana could sedate pains such as headaches and cramps. However this was a very long time ago and there have been great medical strides in the U.S. since this time period. In fact in the last twenty years alone, there has been such effectiveness and administration of painkillers, that there is not a single remedy which marijuana can provide that does not already exist.
