ArenuiAnderson

Dr.Karpowitz
AmericanHeritage100
September10th,2015
LegalizingMarijuanaandPersonalFreedom
OneoftheessentialvaluesthatAmericansholddeartodayisfreedom.Freedomof
choiceisthequintessentialaspectofAmericangovernment.Why,then,shouldthegovernment
restrictasubstancesuchasmarijuanaifitvaluestheabilityofanindividualtochoosehisorher
ownpathtohappiness?Governmentshouldlegalizemarijuanabecauseeveryindividualshould
befreetomakethosedecisionsandchoosetheirownpathtohappinessbecausethe
governmentsroleinthissituationistoprotectthelibertiesthateachcitizenholds,notimposeon
them.
FromearlyintheAmericanfounding,wehaveheldthatfreedomisanaturalrightthat
everypersonhas.ItisevenwritteninourDeclarationofIndependence.Weholdthesetruthsto
beselfevident...thattheyareendowedbytheirCreatorwithcertainunalienableRights,that
amongtheseareLife,LibertyandthepursuitofHappiness.(US1776)Forsome,libertyand
theirpursuitofhappinessisbeingabletoplaysportsorrockclimb.Forsomeadults,however,it
ismarijuana.Forthegovernmenttoinfringeonthisaspectoflibertyistogoagainstwhatis
enumeratedinourDeclarationofIndependence.Acitizenshouldbeabletointakewhatever
substancetheywant,simplybecauseitistheirchoice.Andtakingmarijuanadoesnotcausethe
usertoinfringeorthreatenanothersrights,reducingtheneedforgovernmenttostepin.The


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governmentshouldlegalizemarijuanausebecausebanningthesubstance,fromalibertarian
perspective,iswrong.
Governmentshouldalsonothavesuchabigroleincontrollingwhatconsumerspartake
of.Theymayhaveaninvestmentinthehealthoftheircitizens,butsometimes,thatpoweris
takentoofar.Thisisseenintheunsatisfactoryregulationthatwaspassedin2012bytheNew
YorkCityBoardofHealththatrestrictedsugarydrinksover16ounces.Peopleandcompanies
werelividfromthis.AspokesmanfortheAmericanBeverageAssociationsaidthathedidnt
thinkthatdiscriminatorypoliciesagainstourproductsarethewaytogotoaddressobesityor
anyhealthissues(Saul).ThepeopleofNewYorkCity,aswellasUSbeveragecompanies,saw
thisasgovernmentoversteppingitspowerand,eventually,acourtruledagainsttheregulation
(Grynbaum).Inthiscase,alocalgovernmentoversteppeditsboundstocontrolthehealthofits
citizens.Granted,itwasdonewithgoodintentions,butaswithmarijuana,citizensshouldbe
abletopartakeofwhattheywantwithminimalgovernmentinterference.Aswiththeattempted
banonsoda,theUSgovernmentshouldlegalizemarijuanabecausetheyhaveaminimalrolein
whatcitizensdowiththeirbodies.
Legalizingmarijuanawouldsatisfyindividualfreedoms.Withacontinuedban,
governmentcontinuestoinfringeonthosewhotrytofindhappinessinthisdrug.Therolethat
governmenthasincontrollingthesubstancesthatcitizenschoosetopartakeofisminimal.For
thesereasons,marijuanashouldbelegalizedatafederallevel.

ThispaperrepresentsmyownworkinaccordancewithUniversityregulations.
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WorksCited
Grynbaum,MichaelM.NewYorksBanonBigSodasIsRejectedbyFinalCourt.
TheNew
YorkTimes.
26Jun2014.Web.10Sept2015.
Saul,MichaelH.ForwardPushonSodaBan.
TheWallStreetJournal.
15Oct2014.Web.10
Sept2015.