Marijuana has been a fairly controversial topic over the past few years, and until recently, its classification as an illegal substance has not changed much. In recent years, we have seen many states lift prison sentences, approve its medical use, and even a few states go so far as to completely legalize it in all its forms. But is this a step in the right direction? Should it be legalized? Some will say no, it is a dangerous drug that should be contained and others will say it is nothing more than a plant, no worse than tobacco or alcohol. I am in favor of legalization. I think we should make this completely legal in all 50 states. This medicine is not as dangerous as cigarettes or alcohol; it has been shown to be a safer alternative to prescription painkillers. Not only that, but there is a huge profit to be made when it comes to growing, processing, and selling marijuana. Finally, we need to make it completely legal in all states. Decriminalization has blurred the boundaries, people still spend time in prison, and each state is free to make its own rules, which makes things very confusing. Marijuana has its flaws, but I think its benefits far outweigh its flaws. Marijuana is relatively safe to consume as long as it is consumed responsibly, just as it is OK to drink it as long as you monitor the amount of alcohol you drink and don't drive under the influence. The same rules apply. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Marijuana is far less dangerous than alcohol, cigarettes, and almost all prescription painkillers. It's because of the way it reacts with our brain that it makes it less dangerous. We have receptors in our brain called cannabinoid receptors. Our bodies produce natural chemicals called endocannabinoids. They have a molecular structure similar to THC and other cannabinoids found in plants (Armentano). THC reacts with a natural receptor in our brain the same way our natural chemicals do in the body. It's not like alcohol and prescription painkillers that destroy your liver, or cigarettes that give you cancer, damage your teeth and even your lungs. You can even avoid damaging your lungs with marijuana by making it into oil or butter and putting it in your food. What is even more positive about marijuana is that it is impossible to overdose because it does not depress the central nervous system. such as opiates and alcohol (Armentano). A big fear for many is the fatal overdose which usually threatens the minds of drug users, they become tolerant to the drug to the point of taking so much that they die. A 40-year study suggests that marijuana is not toxic to organs and cells and may even protect our bodies from cancer. One of the only negative effects reported by users was dizziness (Armentano). This shows that in 40 years, nothing has linked marijuana to cancer or disease. This is extraordinary compared to the side effects of prescription drugs, tobacco and alcohol, all of which create disease and cancer with prolonged use. Of course, there are still people who shouldn't smoke it due to their age or health condition. Pregnant women, children and people with certain illnesses such as hepatitis C should notprobably not smoke it (Armentano). New smokers should also exercise caution, the drug affects everyone differently. It may cause paranoia if you smoke too much the first few times. The more experienced you become, the more you will be able to regulate it and know that these are personal boundaries. All of these things add up to me as a simple, almost obvious choice as to why marijuana should be legalized. There's more to it than just "will this kill me?" ", many people claim that the effects of marijuana are powerful and can cloud decision-making, and sometimes even create panic, disorientation, and paranoia (National Institute on Drug Abuse). To that I say it all depends on the person's ability to handle the drug. Just like with alcohol, the user must know their limits. Light people might be more likely to smoke or drink more than they can handle, but with marijuana, these side effects are unfortunately mostly psychological. It's the same with drinking, however, someone who drinks too much at once can also become paranoid, disoriented, and this also clouds your decision-making. Alcohol can also make you seriously ill, cause vomiting, headaches and everything else will definitely follow. So I ask this: why is alcohol legal and marijuana is not? Based on the information gathered above and the side effects of drinking more than the user can handle, I would say there is a pretty even match, otherwise alcohol is worse. Another concern of many is drunk driving. Some would argue that marijuana is just as big a problem as drunk driving. Statistics indicate that 14.4% of night drivers tested positive for drug use, and of that 14.4%, 8.65% tested positive for marijuana use (Larkin). Although these numbers may not seem that high, it only takes one drunk driver to kill several people. More than half of those who tested positive for drugs had marijuana in their system. This is a serious problem that must be addressed. That said, I don't think this is a valid reason not to legalize marijuana. Alcohol is legal and causes approximately 10,000 deaths and over $37 billion in damages (Larkin). To me, this proves that alcohol is just as bad, if not worse, and if alcohol can be legal despite these numbers, I think that's not a strong enough argument against legalizing marijuana. Marijuana cultivation would bring in an immense amount of taxable income for the United States. The company is estimated to be worth around $40 billion, completely untaxed (Drug Policy Alliance). Not only would the sale of marijuana be taxable, but it could also create thousands and thousands of new jobs. Not only would you need people to grow it, but you also need people to process it, ship it, and sell it. There is also a market for edibles, foods made with THC oil. Taxing this drug could help America in its downward financial spiral, or even move it in the opposite direction. Before the ban, its use was not limited to THC-producing leaves. The seeds and seedlings of the plant are among the many parts of the plant that don't produce a "high" feeling, but these parts of the plant are far from useless. The seeds have been used to produce oil, amino acids and.