Legalization Of Marijuan Breaking Down The Buzz

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The mind of man has an incredible capacity to find justifications for anything, no matter how bad it is. According to the article from the New York Times, “Marijuana: Breaking Down the Buzz” it was discovered in the 1920’s that tobacco cigarettes cause cancer. However, it wasn’t until the 1960’s that smoking levels began to drop. Despite overwhelming evidence, it took 40 years for people to accept the dangers of inhaling cigarette smoke, but millions still smoke today! Now history is repeating itself with marijuana. New scientific evidence shows the health risks of smoking marijuana, including brain and lung damage, yet people continue to use this illicit drug that is not even legal for recreational use in 47 out of 50 states. Marijuana is …show more content…
According to the article by Ken MacQueen, “Strict Control of Cigarette Sales,” it was predicted that Colorado would make about $20 million in revenue from the sale of marijuana. In British Columbia, a province in Canada, researchers estimate that marijuana sold for recreational use will make “$500 million a year in taxation and licensing revenues” (MacQueen). Those for legalization of marijuana also believe it will provide more income for those who grow and sell it. According to Dan Schneider, who wrote the article “Pot Economics,” it would be ideal for marijuana production to remain homegrown, in the power of independent pot growers. This argument makes it seem logical that these growers will make quite a bit of money and would therefore be better for the economy, especially if small businesses remained in control of production. Many opposers also argue that government regulation will produce safer marijuana than street dealers and will keep it out of reach of …show more content…
Their justification is that, because marijuana is natural, made from the leaves or resin of the female cannabis plant (Tebbett), it must be safe, even beneficial, for a person to smoke. Another argument is that marijuana is not nearly as harmful as other drugs. Cocaine, opiates, hallucinogens such as LSD, and even the nicotine in cigarettes are much more addictive than marijuana (Tebbett). As psychologist Mitch Earleywine so eloquently stated, “If you tell an opiate addict you’re ‘addicted’ to marijuana, you’re probably going to get kicked in the crotch,” (Sanders,

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