Over the course of American history, there are many disputes that arise and lead to debates, controversy, and arguments nationwide. In America today, there are a plethora of issues that are argued over, leaving a divided country; one of these monumental quandaries is the legalization of marijuana. Cannabis should be legalized by the national government because there are many benefits: for the government, producing more revenue for the state; medicinally, a multitude of health benefits; and economically, decreased unemployment rates. Each of these factors play a significant role in furthering the condition of the state and nation as marijuana becomes completely legalized.
Currently, there are 8 states that have completely legalized marijuana …show more content…
The legalization of cannabis allows for many benefits for businesses, people, and the country. If Cannabis was to be legalized throughout the U.S. for recreational use, it would become taxable for the state and another source of income for states. From 2014 to May 31, 2017, in Colorado alone, the state received over $506 million in tax revenue solely from cannabis (Colorado Exceeds $500 Million). In 2016, approximately $256 million US Dollars were collected in marijuana tax revenue in Washington and in Oregon, $60 million (Colorado Exceeds $500 Million). This tax revenue can also assist funding in the necessary and underfunded places of the state. From 2016 to 2017, 51.3% of all cannabis tax revenue went into K-12 education, 14.2% went into substance abuse prevention and treatment, 11.9% went into regulation of marijuana, and 2.6% went into criminal justice and public safety including police stations (Colorado Exceeds $500 Million). The sanction of marijuana will also increase the opportunity for jobs, which will decrease the unemployment rate in an area. According to the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment, Colorado’s unemployment rate dropped to 2.6 percent in …show more content…
There are chances for crime rates to increase revolving around cannabis; from muggings for money to purchase marijuana or people breaking and entering closed shops to acquire either money or cannabis. However, according to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, CBI officials “indicated they can’t offer an analysis about why crime increased in the state” (Mitchell). “Some Colorado lawmakers, police and legal experts partly blame the marijuana industry, claiming that it has lured criminals to the state. Others point to a dramatic increase in the number of cars stolen to commit other crimes. ‘Increases in crime are often a reflection of economic conditions’” (Mitchell). This means that the true cause of the increased crime rate is still inconclusive, and the legalization of marijuana isn’t directly at fault. Alongside that, there are health risks to consuming marijuana. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), heavy users of cannabis can suffer short-term problems with attention, memory, mood, or learning; long-term: alongside the short-term risks, the heavy use can also damage brain development, especially in teenagers. Also, researchers have found a connection between frequent, chronic users of marijuana and testicular cancer; “those who used cannabis on at least a weekly basis had two and a half times greater
Currently, there are 8 states that have completely legalized marijuana …show more content…
The legalization of cannabis allows for many benefits for businesses, people, and the country. If Cannabis was to be legalized throughout the U.S. for recreational use, it would become taxable for the state and another source of income for states. From 2014 to May 31, 2017, in Colorado alone, the state received over $506 million in tax revenue solely from cannabis (Colorado Exceeds $500 Million). In 2016, approximately $256 million US Dollars were collected in marijuana tax revenue in Washington and in Oregon, $60 million (Colorado Exceeds $500 Million). This tax revenue can also assist funding in the necessary and underfunded places of the state. From 2016 to 2017, 51.3% of all cannabis tax revenue went into K-12 education, 14.2% went into substance abuse prevention and treatment, 11.9% went into regulation of marijuana, and 2.6% went into criminal justice and public safety including police stations (Colorado Exceeds $500 Million). The sanction of marijuana will also increase the opportunity for jobs, which will decrease the unemployment rate in an area. According to the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment, Colorado’s unemployment rate dropped to 2.6 percent in …show more content…
There are chances for crime rates to increase revolving around cannabis; from muggings for money to purchase marijuana or people breaking and entering closed shops to acquire either money or cannabis. However, according to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, CBI officials “indicated they can’t offer an analysis about why crime increased in the state” (Mitchell). “Some Colorado lawmakers, police and legal experts partly blame the marijuana industry, claiming that it has lured criminals to the state. Others point to a dramatic increase in the number of cars stolen to commit other crimes. ‘Increases in crime are often a reflection of economic conditions’” (Mitchell). This means that the true cause of the increased crime rate is still inconclusive, and the legalization of marijuana isn’t directly at fault. Alongside that, there are health risks to consuming marijuana. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), heavy users of cannabis can suffer short-term problems with attention, memory, mood, or learning; long-term: alongside the short-term risks, the heavy use can also damage brain development, especially in teenagers. Also, researchers have found a connection between frequent, chronic users of marijuana and testicular cancer; “those who used cannabis on at least a weekly basis had two and a half times greater