Nester Hurtado

English 1010
Baird
Position Synthesis
An End to Prohibition: Legalizing Marijuana

An ongoing debate has been started between states, with the recent legalization of
marijuana in both Colorado and Washington, and the question at the heart of that debate is
should we legalize marijuana. It was in 1920 that marijuana was first prohibited, and eventually
marijuana became a schedule 1 drug according to the controlled substance act in 1970.
However it was in 1996, that California passed proposition 215 that legalized marijuana for
medical use, since that time medical marijuana has been legalized in 22 states and Washington
D.C.
In 1619 hemp was first planted in the United States as a source of revenue for the
colonizes, since that time its use and beneficial effects has slowly faded into a negative light and
has since been viewed as a illegal drug or substance. Recently Americans have started to hear
and discuss all of the benefits that legalizing marijuana, however there are still some that insist
that there is no clear proof of marijuana having any medical effects and that marijuana should
be kept as schedule 1 drug, along with cocaine and heroin. While I do think that marijuana
should be regulated as a substance, I disagree that it should be in the same category as cocaine
or heroin, I believe that it should be treated the same as alcohol and tobacco. Though I concede
that more research must be done for medical marijuana, I believe that we already have all the
medical benefits for the use of medical marijuana.
This summary will be about why I think we should legalize marijuana; it will briefly
summarize the finical, and medical as well as other aspect of legalization. I have decided to stick
with these subjects due to the fact that they are the main subject of why we should or should
not legalize marijuana.
The most common argument for legalization is the revenue that would be made if
marijuana was legalized. While there are large sums to be made from taxing marijuana; On New
Years dispensaries opened in Colorado and had a total of over a million dollars in sales, and at
the end of the week sales totaled over $5 million dollars in sales. With state taxes at 35 percent
Colorados income for taxing legal marijuana is estimated to be $70 million dollars. The first
$40 million dollars of income will go to education and schools, while the rest will go to
regulating marijuana says Travis Eubanks. On the other hand, the amount of money that the
U.S. government spends on the war against drugs is in the billions, and still illegal drugs are
getting in the country. Meanwhile Harvard economist Jeffery Miron states legalizing marijuana
would save an estimated $8.7 billion a year in government expenditures on enforcement of
prohibition. So not only would the government make money from taxing legalized marijuana,
but also I believe the government would save billions of money from legalizing marijuana
instead of it being spent on the failed war on drugs.
When it comes to the topic of marijuana being used for medical purposes Americans are
of two minds, the first being that there has not been enough research do to statistically prove
the marijuana has any kind of medical benefits, and the other is that research has shown some
medical benefit, but more research is needed.
In July, Charlees law will go in to effect in Utah; it will allow certain patients with severe
epilepsy and seizures to use medically approved cannabis oil, which research has shown that
cannabis oil is unmatched in conquering seizures while stopping short of getting the patients
stoned. Although many people are arguing that medical marijuana is still nothing more than
an illegal drug and that there has not been enough research done to justify medical marijuana.
At the same time there are very few federal government research programs researching the
medical benefits of marijuana. However, even with such little research that has been done it
has been explained by researchers that marijuana has helped aid against seizure, AIDS/HIV, and
also cancer. It is because marijuana has led to helping patients suffering these ailments that
have caused 22 states and Washington D.C. to legalize marijuana for medical purposes.
According to Utah governor Herbert Cannabis oil shows promise of offering relief to
Utahans suffering from seizures and epilepsy and we should do all we can to help them, it is
for this reason that we should legalize marijuana. There is a currently trend of parents who
reside in a state that marijuana is illegal that are traveling to Colorado with the intent to
purchase legal marijuana for their children who suffer from seizures or epilepsy. it is these
families that are getting displaced because while it is legal in Colorado it is still a federal crime,
so these families are have a hard time traveling back home with marijuana they bought for the
kids for medical purposes.
In making a case for legalization for marijuana, I am not saying that we should make it
readily available for just anyone but that marijuana should at the very least be decriminalized. I
believe that marijuana should no longer be associated with the class 1 substance and that it
should be regulated the same way the government regulates alcohol and tobacco. According to
Richardson, 1.64 million who are arrested every year for drug charges, half of which are for
possessoin of small amounts of marijuana. While I understand possession of marijuana is illegal,
I do not believe that someone who is charged with possession of small amount of marijuana
should go to jail alongside someone who is convicted of a serious crime such as assault or rape.
According to the CDC, the amount of deaths per year for alcohol related deaths are
75,000 per year, while subscription pills are at a staggering 100,000 per year, however the
amount of death per year surrounding marijuana have been 0. It is argued that marijuana can
cause negative effects on a youths brain, but so can pills as well as alcohol (alcohol even
causing kidney and liver damage).
I believe that we should decriminalize marijuana, and that if you are a parent you might
agree with Dershowitz. Who explains that has a parent she would not want to see her childs
life drastically effected over a possible possession charge of a small amount of marijuana(she
also state that some of the funds made from legalization should go toward education on drugs).
While if one timed charged could result in no longer being available for federal grants for
school, as well as follow them throughout their adult life and career. According to a national
survey over 94 million Americans have admitted to trying marijuana.
With marijuana decriminalized the U.S government could regulate the amount of
marijuana that people should be charged with illegal possession. With this I believe we would
see few people going to jail for drug possession. As well as with legalization I believe you would
see a drop in minors who use marijuana.
So in conclusion why I believe we should legalize marijuana is for a few different
reasons. Such as if you are a parent and your child suffers from seizures or epilepsy you would
want to take your child across the country just to get the something to help aid their ailment
when you could have just got it where you live. However there is also the fact that Americans
are using marijuana now even though it currently is illegal, why not legalize and regulate it the
same way the government regulates alcohol. This way we bring down underage consumption
while boosting the economy.






Works Cited:
Richardson, John h.The best reasons to legalize marijuana. esquire (2014): Hearst
digital media.web. 2014
Emily Miller, THE WASHINGTON TIMES. "The Dire Consequences of Legalizing
Marijuana." Washington Times, The (DC) (2014): 3. Newspaper Source. Web. 11 Apr. 2014.

Burden, Wes Opinion: Legalization of Marijuana has Financial, Health Benefits.
TheLantern.com. Web. January 2014.
Frum, David. Dont Go to Pot.. Commentarymagazine.com. Masterfile. Web. 2014.
Dershowitz, Hanna LeibmanWhy Parent Should Support Legalizing Pot.Alternet.org.
web. September 13, 2010.
Eubanks, Travis Eubanks: Economic benefits from legalizing marijuana will draw
interest. DailyNebraska.com. web January 15, 2014.
First of its kind medical marijuana law signed in Utah. Rt.com. web. March 26, 2014.