Essay On Should Marijuana Be Legalized

Should marijuana be legalized? I believe that it should, but with certain stipulations and conditions. Marijuana has a long history full of positive and negative effects on mankind. Before we can talk about the present issues of marijuana or “weed” for short. We need to look back where it all began and the circumstances surrounding it in the U.S. It first showed up in the united states in 1545 when the Spanish brought it with them when they came to the new world. It became a commercial crop next to tobacco in 1611 as a source of fiber known as hemp. By 1890 almost all hemp was replaced by cotton as major cash crop in the southern states. In the 1930’s marijuana was being used as an alternative to alcohol during the prohibition. In the 1960’s marijuana was used by young adult to symbolize their rebellion against authority. In the 1970’s “The Controlled Substances Act of 1970” the government classified marijuana along with heroin and LSD as having the highest abuse potential. This Act made these drugs illegal to use. When deciding whether to …show more content…
The next con is that it could make marijuana easier to get a hold of by children, nothing is safe when it is ready available (kind of like stealing the keys to your parents’ liquor cabinet). Our society is already experiencing abuse by teens who are acquiring cigarettes and alcohol while being underage. Some minors have access to these items by raiding medicine cabinets and taking prescription drugs that belong to other family members, while some may obtain a fake I.D. and purchase these things illegally if it is only sold to people over a certain age similar to tobacco and alcohol. The third con is that people who have gotten the marijuana through legal means can also abuse their prescription. Finally, the last con is that marijuana can cause brain damage, depression, and