Running head: HOW MARIJUANA CAN BE USED TO IMPROVE THE U.S.

How Marijuana Can Be Used to Improve the U.S.

Somrette Phuong
Ivy Tech

Running head: HOW MARIJUANA CAN BE USED TO IMPROVE THE U.S.

A frequently discussed topic in politics is the legalization of marijuana. Currently Alaska,

Colorado, Oregon, Washington State, and Washington D.C. are the only states in the U.S. that
legalized both medical and recreational marijuana. I have conducted research on Colorado and
Washington States economies after the legalizations. Studies have shown overall improvement
for both states. The use of marijuana for medicinal purposes shows vast improvements in health.
Marijuana is a benefit to the economy and the medical field by increasing tax revenue,
decreasing law enforcement spending, decreasing unemployment and being utilized as medicine.
Marijuana has had a huge impact on Colorado, improving the states economy and
improving the crime rate. Colorado is one of the fastest growing economies the U.S., generating
over 40 million dollars after legalization (Way 2015). The marijuana market has a lot of potential
and can really be a benefit to an economy. The high volume of marijuana sales gives an
opportunity for the state and federal to generate more taxes, which in turn gives these
governments more funding. In 2014 the state of Colorado had 700 million dollars spent in the
marijuana market, generating 63 million dollars in tax revenue (Way 2015). This does not
include accessories for marijuana, like smoking apparatuses. The second hand marijuana
business is also going to continue to grow. In 2016 Colorado is projected to generate one billion
dollars in marijuana sales, which would be 94 million dollars in tax revenue (Ingraham 2015).
Legalizing marijuana is a good way to increase government spending.
The unemployment rate of Colorado has decreased since the legalization. Colorado has
the lowest unemployment rates since 2008 and are well below the national average (Way 2015).
In 2014 the unemployment rate was 4.3 percent (Way 2015), which was the lowest rate in the last
six years. Legalizing marijuana gave more jobs to the people. There are going to be people

Running head: HOW MARIJUANA CAN BE USED TO IMPROVE THE U.S.

needed to operate and maintain dispensaries, people to grow marijuana, and increases in smoke
shops give people more opportunities for jobs.
Colorado has also shown improvement in less criminal activity. The crime rates of
Colorado are down and the fatality accidents are at the same rate, displaying there has not been a
negative affect on driving due to marijuana legalization. Way states, According to state data,
marijuana possession charges in Colorado for 2014 are on track to fall below 2,500, down from
nearly 30,000 in 2010. Data from the National Incident Based Reporting System reveals that
arrests for marijuana possession were responsible for 80 percent of all marijuana arrests in
Colorado over the last five years. Those are dramatic decreases in arrests which would mean
less money spent on law enforcement.
Washington State has also seen some improvements after legalization. These
improvements are substantially better than before but are not as dramatic as Colorados results.
Washington had an increase in tax revenue and a decrease in crime rate. Those two factors play a
critical role in an economy. It is reported that Washington generates 1.4 million dollars in
marijuana sales a day (Smith 2014). In 2014 Washington State generated 250 million dollars in
marijuana sales, resulting in about 62 million dollars in tax revenue (Drug Policy Alliance).
Generating a large amount of tax revenue gives the state more money to spend on other issues,
like funding schools or fixing roads.
The crime rate in Washington State has also decreased. According to data from the Drug
Policy Alliance, court filings for low-level marijuana offenses by adults 21 and older have
dropped 98%. From 2012 to 2014 after legalization crime rates have fallen by 63 percent (Drug
Policy Alliance). And between 2011 and 2014 marijuana related convictions fell by 81 percent
(Drug Policy Alliance). These are dramatic decreases in crime that would save the states law

Running head: HOW MARIJUANA CAN BE USED TO IMPROVE THE U.S.

enforcement millions of dollars and time. Law enforcement can spend more money on more
serious cases and can dedicate more of their time to serious cases.
Marijuana has been a huge benefit to the economy, but also is a huge plus for the medical
field. Marijuana kills cancer cells, relieves pain, stimulates hunger, controls vomiting, and helps
with anxiety and sleep (University of Maryland Health 2016). The main active cannabinoid
in Cannabis is delta-9-THC. Another active cannabinoid is cannabidiol (CBD), which may
relieve pain and lower inflammation without causing the "high" of delta-9-THC (University of
Maryland Health 2016). Many people have been able to implement marijuana as medicine. Most
people have a negative portrayal of medical marijuana, they believe they would be considered as
a pot smoker. There are many ways to use marijuana other then smoking it; you can take it by
mouth, inhaling, or spraying under the tongue. Marijuana is another option for patients as
medicine, it gives another possible treatment. Marijuana is a natural medicine that provides
health benefits to people.
Kevin Chapman of the Department of Pediatrics and Neurology at the Children's
Hospital, University of Colorado, and Anschutz Medical Campus conducted an experiment on
cannabis treatment for epilepsy. It was a parental reporting of 75 children patients, these children
were being treated with cannabis to fight epilepsy. 57 percent of those children had an
improvement on seizure habits (Chapman 2015). The responder rate varied depending on
epilepsy syndrome, some cases of epilepsy are more serious than others. There are also signs of
improved behavior/alertness by 33 percent, improved language by 10 percent, and improved
motor skills by 10 percent (Chapman 2015). These studies have shown that marijuana can be
used efficiently to reduce epilepsy in some cases. Cannabis is a legitimate treatment for some
people.

Running head: HOW MARIJUANA CAN BE USED TO IMPROVE THE U.S.

Marijuana has a bad reputation but has shown it can be utilized in todays world. The
health benefits of marijuana are efficient and the potential of medicinal marijuana are growing. If
more states legalized marijuana it would benefit their local economy greatly. An increase in tax
revenue would give the government more money to improve their state. On a federal level, if
marijuana was legalized it would give the federal government the same benefits as a state
government. Legalizing would also give everybody the same opportunity to treatment, whether it
would be for epilepsy or killing cancer cells. As a nation we should take advantage of marijuana
to benefit our economy and legalize. Whether it would be on a state or federal level, it would still
be a huge benefit to both sides. There are holes in the economy that need to be fixed; legalizing
marijuana can contribute to the economy and health field.
Marijuana is beneficial to the United States, rather than a disadvantage. Marijuana has
proven it can benefit economies. Both Colorado and Washington State have seen dramatic
improvements in their economies, generating more tax revenue for their local governments.
Crime rates decrease due to the legalization of marijuana, resulting in more money and time is
spent on critical cases. Marijuana contributes to the health field as a treatment option. Medicinal
marijuana has proven it can be used to treat epilepsy, kill cancer cells, and relieves pains.
Marijuana is a benefit to the economy and the medical field due to increasing tax revenue,
decreasing law enforcement spending, and utilization as medicine.

References
Cannabis and Cannabinoids. (n.d.). Retrieved July 12, 2016, from
http://umm.edu/programs/cancer/healthinfo/overviews/for-patients/cannabis-andcannabinoids

Running head: HOW MARIJUANA CAN BE USED TO IMPROVE THE U.S.

Chapman, S. (2015, April 3). Retrieved July 13, 2016, from

https://www.ncbinlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25845492
Drug Policy Alliance. (2015, July). Drug Policy Alliance | Guiding Drug Law Reform &
Advocacy. Retrieved July 12, 2016, from
https://www.drugpolicy.org/sites/default/files/Drug_Policy_Alliance_Status_Report_Mari
juana_Legalization_in_Washington_July2015.
Ingraham, C. (2015, February 12). Colorados legal weed market: $700 million in sales last year,
$1 billion by 2016. Retrieved July 12, 2016, from
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2015/02/12/colorados-legal-weedmarket-700-million-in-sales-last-year-1-billion-by-2016/
Smith, S. (2014). How legalizing pot could save America's economy. Retrieved July 12, 2016,
from http://theweek.com/articles/442380/how-legalizing-pot-could-save-americaseconomy