“In 2013, around 4.2 million people 12 and older had a marijuana abuse or addiction problem,” (Volkow par. 2). In Governing Magazine, State Marijuana Laws Map reveals that both Colorado and Washington legalized the use of marijuana in 2012. In the United States, twenty-three states have legalized Marijuana. Nineteen states have legalized marijuana for medical use only. Four states (Washington, Oregon, Colorado, and Alaska) have legalized the use of recreational marijuana. The use of recreational marijuana should not be legalized in the United States. Not only is marijuana detrimental to a person’s health, it is also a potential addictive drug. Using marijuana can harm a person’s body in more ways than thought possible. According to the National
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Specifically, legalizing marijuana would reduce the amount of law enforcement resources needed. Less people would be found as criminals due to the possession of marijuana. Therefore, there is less need for police officers to arrest, process, or incarcerate for marijuana possession. According to At Issue: Marijuana Legalization, “Advocates for the legalization of marijuana say the criminalization of marijuana possession wastes law enforcement resources.” (ProQuest Staff par. 1). On the contrary, Ashley Halsey, author of Drugs Rival Alcohol As Factor in Highway Deaths, Report Finds states, “A quadrupling in the use of prescription drugs since 1999, and legalization of marijuana use in some states are cited among the reasons drug use has become an increasing threat to roadway safety, according to a report released today by the Governors Highway Safety Association, an organization of state highway safety officers,” (Halsey, par. 4). Halsey exemplifies that more law enforcement officers are needed if recreational marijuana were to be legalized. Law enforcement officers would be needed to regulate people who are driving under the influence of …show more content…
However, if legalized recreational marijuana is expensive then people would be buying from black markets more often because it would be cheaper. In “The Lingering Black Market”, author Jacob Sullum mentions Michael Elliott, an executive director of Colorado’s Marijuana Industry Group, who states, “The black-market prices are definitely lower than recreational prices” (Sullum, par. 6). Therefore the government would not be collecting tax revenues, because no one would be buying it legally. In conclusion, marijuana is a drug that causes major health problems and potential addiction. Recreational use of marijuana should not be legalized within the United States because it is a principle in which health issues occur, such as: memory, brain development, and thinking processes, as well as an increased rate of heart attacks. Furthermore, marijuana can possibly lead to other drug addictions. To conclude, it is in the public’s best interest of health to not support in the legalization of using recreational marijuana within the United
Specifically, legalizing marijuana would reduce the amount of law enforcement resources needed. Less people would be found as criminals due to the possession of marijuana. Therefore, there is less need for police officers to arrest, process, or incarcerate for marijuana possession. According to At Issue: Marijuana Legalization, “Advocates for the legalization of marijuana say the criminalization of marijuana possession wastes law enforcement resources.” (ProQuest Staff par. 1). On the contrary, Ashley Halsey, author of Drugs Rival Alcohol As Factor in Highway Deaths, Report Finds states, “A quadrupling in the use of prescription drugs since 1999, and legalization of marijuana use in some states are cited among the reasons drug use has become an increasing threat to roadway safety, according to a report released today by the Governors Highway Safety Association, an organization of state highway safety officers,” (Halsey, par. 4). Halsey exemplifies that more law enforcement officers are needed if recreational marijuana were to be legalized. Law enforcement officers would be needed to regulate people who are driving under the influence of …show more content…
However, if legalized recreational marijuana is expensive then people would be buying from black markets more often because it would be cheaper. In “The Lingering Black Market”, author Jacob Sullum mentions Michael Elliott, an executive director of Colorado’s Marijuana Industry Group, who states, “The black-market prices are definitely lower than recreational prices” (Sullum, par. 6). Therefore the government would not be collecting tax revenues, because no one would be buying it legally. In conclusion, marijuana is a drug that causes major health problems and potential addiction. Recreational use of marijuana should not be legalized within the United States because it is a principle in which health issues occur, such as: memory, brain development, and thinking processes, as well as an increased rate of heart attacks. Furthermore, marijuana can possibly lead to other drug addictions. To conclude, it is in the public’s best interest of health to not support in the legalization of using recreational marijuana within the United