Legalizing marijuana - Essay Example

Legalizing Marijuana Legalizing Marijuana has been one of the most popular issues for decades. Smoking marijuana has been a widespread activity among the people from all ages and is one of the most commonly traded drugs around the world. Although marijuana affects the natural brain functions such as: memory, learning, and the ability to solve problems, it has advantages more than disadvantages. In this essay, I will show the uses of marijuana in the medical field and the potential benefits to the community.

Moreover, I will highlight the counter argument.Using marijuana for medical reasons has registered positive effects throughout the world history. There is evidence that it can be effective in addressing the symptoms of cancer, Aids, and other multiple conditions. Studies show that, marijuana helps to reduce stress, and it can be used to numb the body during the simple surgeries (Gerber 46). Analysis of the marijuana plant reveals that it contains plant chemicals that have medicinal values. In addition, legalizing Marijuana can serve as a way of decreasing the crime rate and combating it as well.

This will also help in the reduction of overcrowding in prisons. This is because statistics indicate that 750,000 arrests yearly are related to marijuana. Colorado is one of the states that legalized marijuana, and the studies showed that the crime rate decreased by 3.3%, after the first month of legalizing it. This serves to prove that the legalization of marijuana presents more benefits (57).On the other hand, the legalization of marijuana can have adverse effects on the society. The fact that marijuana can alter the brain functions may lead to increased mental disorders.

This in turn can serve to increase the rate of crime in the society by registering more robberies, accidents, and murder (60). Notably, legalizing marijuana may promote its abuse by adolescents, destroying the future of the society. In conclusion, the legalization of marijuana is an ongoing debate among governments because while the drug is deemed harmful and illegal, it could save the governments billions of money. The pro side of the legalization claims that it is useful in the medical field, and it can contribute to the reduction of overcrowding in prisons.

The benefits of legalizing marijuana would help the government to save money, which they can be used to fund other projects.Work CitedGerber, Rudolph J. Legalizing Marijuana: Drug Policy Reform and Prohibition Politics. Westport, Conn: Praeger, 2004. Print.