Summary of research

- Should we legalize marijuana

Pros

 TOKING FOR FREEDOM

o The government does not actually have any right to restrict this. Simply put,
the government has no business prohibiting individuals with permission from
enjoying relatively innocuous activities. Every person has the freedom to
choose whether to use marijuana, even if it is detrimental - which is by no
means certain.
 Better than alcohol
o Marijuana is less damaging than substances that are allowed, such as alcohol
or cigarettes, thus continuing to outlaw it is utter hypocrisy. In truth, cannabis
has demonstrated health advantages, including the ability to treat glaucoma,
prevent epilepsy, and lessen the symptoms of multiple sclerosis. There are no
medical reasons to keep it illegal; rather, it's only a cultural holdover from the
time when marijuana was seen as a hazardous import. There is no evidence
that marijuana creates physiological addiction, but tobacco is more addictive
than cocaine.
 Drug trade (Gangs)
o Cannabis would no longer be controlled by criminal groups if it were
legalised. That would lessen their evil effect in both the nations that import
cannabis and the regions where it is grown. Nobody is in charge of
determining what hazardous compounds could be combined with it when it
is sold illegally on the street. Law enforcement authorities might concentrate
on dealing with serious drug pushers who cause actual harm instead of
hunting after helpless drug users.
 Economic standpoint
o Estimates in the United States suggest legalizing marijuana would make the
country about $18 billion better of every year. The gains would come from
tax revenues on pot sales and savings to the justice system – including the
cost of keeping smokers in jail.
Cons
 Its bad for you
o Although cannabis may have some medical uses in strictly controlled
circumstances, smoking it or consuming it via digestion is simply not good for
you. In addition to being unhealthy for your brain, smoking is also hazardous
for your lungs, heart, and poses a serious danger if you want to drive or
operate machinery. Additionally, marijuana users are more likely to
experience mental health issues including schizophrenia and despair.
 Higher increase in demand
o Cannabis has a high level of addiction. According to studies, up to one in ten
users eventually become dependent. Cannabis withdrawal symptoms
including anxiety and anger can occur after stopping usage. Weed addiction
affects more than half of the 7.3 million persons in the US who are classed as
Summary of research
- Should we legalize marijuana

abusing or dependent on illegal drugs. Making it legal will lead to an increase

in usage, especially among young people, and an increase in addiction.
 Drug trade(Gangs)
o Legalizing cannabis won't halt the drug cartels; instead, it will increase their
income by bringing in new users and addicts. Just take a look at Amsterdam,
where the permissive marijuana culture has given rise to societal issues
including prostitution, muggings, and serious drug usage. Restrictions have
been tightened by the local government. According to research, people who
consume a lot of marijuana are far more likely to conduct violent crimes than
people who don't.
 Can lead to use of worse
o The usage of harsh drugs follows the use of soft drugs like marijuana.
Cannabis is viewed by addiction specialists as a gateway drug that may
expose consumers to more harmful drug misuse. Regular cannabis smokers
were shown to be 60 times more likely to take other illicit substances than
young individuals who had never used cannabis, according to research from
New Zealand. Cannabis is becoming more potent. Around 1% of the
substance that hippies smoked in the 1960s included tetrahydrocannabinol
(THC), the chemical that gives marijuana most of its psychological effects.
THC concentrations nowadays can reach over 30%.
Summary of research
- Should we legalize marijuana