Legalization of Marijuana - Essay Example

In addition, use of marijuana contributes to increased crimes such as homicide. Other crimes committed by persons under drug influence include thefts in an attempt to obtain money to buy drugs. Scientific research has proved that use of marijuana affects the short-term memory of those using it thus making them less productive and irrational. Legalization will lead to increased use hence more people will become unproductive as it has been proofed to be addictive.

Use of marijuana should not be legalized for persons aged 21 years and above since, there are no benefits associated with smoking marijuana (Risling, 2010). Marijuana also acts as a gateway to usage of more hard drugs such as heroin. Legalizing marijuana for those less than 21 years will increase the chances of kids below 21 years accessing it (DuPont, 2010). Smoke from marijuana contains carcinogenic substances thus its legalization will lead to increased cancer cases. Second hand smoke is also harmful to other people.

Legalization of marijuana could also pave the way for legalization of other harder drugs (Risling, 2010). Those proposing legalization of marijuana claim that prohibiting drug abuse has not prevented their abuse. On the contrary, a great reduction in drug use has been registered amongst American in the last twenty years. Another misguided claim is that marijuana smoking has medicinal benefit. This is an erroneous belief since the medicinal version of marijuana is Marinol, whose use is legal. Smoking marijuana has not been scientifically proofed to have any medicinal advantage (DuPont, 2010).