Legalize

2 Pages 460 Words

- Don’t you agree that a individual should be entitled to make his/her own decisions. Sure some of the decisions we make in our life might effect our health, but you should have the right to do what u want to do, as long as your not harming anyone else. This brings me to my first argument on why I think marijuana should be a legal substance. The first and basic reason why I believe this is because smoking pot is a victimless crime. Sure it might effect your health, but doesn’t alcohol and tobacco do the same, yet both are legal. A 21 year old can go to the bar and get drunk legally, why cant he go to a bar and get high legally? The second important reason that marijuana should be legal is that it would save the government a lot of money. In the united states, all levels of government (Federal, state and local authorities) participate in the “war on drugs”. we currently spend billions of dollars every year to chase peaceful people who happen to like getting high. These people get locked up and taxpayers have to pay the bill. Taxpayers money goes towards paying for food, housing, healthcare, attorneys fees, court costs and other expenses to lock these so called criminals up. In addition if marijuana were legal the government would be able to place taxes on it and use that money to pay for effective drug education programs and other important causes. The third and final reason that marijuana should be legal is because prohibition does not help the country in any way. There is no good evidence that prohibition decreases drug use. In fact several theories suggest prohibition might actually increase drug use. For example “the forbidden fruit effect” and easier accessibility for youth. One unintended effect of marijuana prohibition is that marijuana is very popular in American high schools. Why you ask? Because its available. You don’t have to be 21 to purchase marijuana- pot dealers don’t ask top see your id. It...