Legalize It

                To legalize or not?  That is the controversial question.  Marijuana has been used for thousands of years by many different cultures and societies, first for it’s medicinal qualities and then for recreational use, also.  It is the third most popular drug in America, alcohol and cigarettes being the first two.  It has far fewer physiological effects on the human body than alcohol and cigarettes.  So, why is it illegal? 

Is marijuana a dangerous drug that causes people to go out and commit violent crimes?  Hardly.  It’s illegal status causes violent crimes.  Drug cartels profit from it’s criminal status and those profits support kidnapping, human trafficking and extortion.  If marijuana use was legalized, there would be much less violent crime committed by these drug cartels. 

Does it cost our law enforcement officials funds to fight it in our unsuccessful drug war?  Yes, definitely.  According to Rob Reuteman of CBNC, “In the 2010 edition of “The Budgetary Implications of Drug Prohibition,” Jeffrey Miron, director of undergraduate studies at Harvard University, estimates that legalizing marijuana would save $13.7 billion per year in government expenditure on enforcement of prohibition.” (Reuteman, 1)  If marijuana was made legal for recreational use, the incidence of violent drug crimes would go down and law enforcement officials could concentrate on other more serious crimes instead of arresting someone for possession of a very small amount of the harmless substance.

Would legalization of marijuana result in much-needed revenue for many government programs?  Yes.  "According to Politico, one Rocky Mountain congressman is estimating the taxes could bring in as much as $100 million in potential revenues for Colorado alone."  It’s hard to argue with that point.

                Would legalizing marijuana increase the amount of users?  Not likely.  Marijuana is legal in the Netherlands. You can go into any government-regulated coffee shop and buy and smoke it right there – if you are over the age of 18.  The Netherlands’ rate of marijuana use is not dramatically different from the United States - except for young adolescents where the rates of marijuana use are lower than in the United States.

                With all the positive arguments for the legalization of marijuana, why is it such a controversial subject?  It is time to legalize it so we will have a less violent society and we can reap the financial rewards.