Though marijuana was highly respected in ancient cultures, it eventually gained a bad reputation, mostly due to misleading and exaggerated information in the media and lack of funding for research. In fact, laws banning marijuana in 1937 wrongly accused marijuana of being among the most dangerous and addictive drugs (Burnett). Even after it was disproved and deemed relatively safe, government representatives kept marijuana banned, leading the public to believe that marijuana is worse than it really is. Unfortunately, this is just one example of the misleading information surrounding marijuana. Recreational marijuana should be legalized because it would be good for the economy, allow the government to regulate marijuana use, and protect personal
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Teenagers in the United States claim that it would be easier to obtain marijuana than cigarettes and prescription drugs, both of which are already legal, and 5.7 million teens admit that marijuana could be available to them within an hour (Conley). According to a study conducted in the Netherlands, despite having legalized marijuana completely for over thirty years, adolescents in the Netherlands use marijuana at a lower rate than American adolescents (Bedard). With the prohibition of marijuana, the black market becomes stronger and in ways it is easier for teens to obtain marijuana. Despite contrary beliefs, legalization does not promote marijuana use among the youth. Fungi and other toxins found in unregulated marijuana can cause lung problems when smoked (Fifer). Also, unregulated marijuana often carries an uneven concentration of THC that can be dangerous if a person were to ingest the more concentrated pieces of marijuana (Rutch). However, if marijuana were legalized, the government would ensure that marijuana gets tested for impurities. Black market marijuana is unreliable, and if the government had control over marijuana, many of the unsafe side effects would be reduced through safety regulations and …show more content…
Marijuana is being used more than other more dangerous drugs such as heroin and cocaine. In a recent survey, it showed that 50 percent of adults in the study tried marijuana, 15 percent tried cocaine, and only 2 percent tried heroin (Szalavitz). This proves that the use between marijuana and other drugs does not correlate. Marijuana is used more than other drugs, so experts say that it is used as an escape from other drugs, or acts like a filter to more dangerous drugs. This is a slightly more desirable result because, as a physician stated, he would rather have his daughter take marijuana than other drugs because it yields less side effects than other drugs (Bedard). To combat these misconceptions, the government needs to take action to legalize marijuana and make clear the true effects of
Teenagers in the United States claim that it would be easier to obtain marijuana than cigarettes and prescription drugs, both of which are already legal, and 5.7 million teens admit that marijuana could be available to them within an hour (Conley). According to a study conducted in the Netherlands, despite having legalized marijuana completely for over thirty years, adolescents in the Netherlands use marijuana at a lower rate than American adolescents (Bedard). With the prohibition of marijuana, the black market becomes stronger and in ways it is easier for teens to obtain marijuana. Despite contrary beliefs, legalization does not promote marijuana use among the youth. Fungi and other toxins found in unregulated marijuana can cause lung problems when smoked (Fifer). Also, unregulated marijuana often carries an uneven concentration of THC that can be dangerous if a person were to ingest the more concentrated pieces of marijuana (Rutch). However, if marijuana were legalized, the government would ensure that marijuana gets tested for impurities. Black market marijuana is unreliable, and if the government had control over marijuana, many of the unsafe side effects would be reduced through safety regulations and …show more content…
Marijuana is being used more than other more dangerous drugs such as heroin and cocaine. In a recent survey, it showed that 50 percent of adults in the study tried marijuana, 15 percent tried cocaine, and only 2 percent tried heroin (Szalavitz). This proves that the use between marijuana and other drugs does not correlate. Marijuana is used more than other drugs, so experts say that it is used as an escape from other drugs, or acts like a filter to more dangerous drugs. This is a slightly more desirable result because, as a physician stated, he would rather have his daughter take marijuana than other drugs because it yields less side effects than other drugs (Bedard). To combat these misconceptions, the government needs to take action to legalize marijuana and make clear the true effects of