Thesis: Convincing the public of the legalization of marijuana. A hot topic in the United States today is the legalization of recreational marijuana use. Why is marijuana illegal? It does not harm your body in the same way that meth does and does not go through the manufacturing process like crack or ecstasy. The truth is that marijuana was not banned for any of these reasons; Marijuana was actually banned due to racism. In fact, the plant was not considered illegal until the early 1900s, when it was used recreationally in the United States. The government claimed the smoked plant drove Mexicans crazy. A Texas senator once said, “All Mexicans are crazy, and this stuff [marijuana] is what makes them crazy.” » Even though the hemp plant is illegal, it is safer than most legal prescriptions. medicines and will best benefit our country. There will be fewer citizens with criminal records and crime will decrease, more money for the government, a decreasing rate of consumption among adolescents and more benefits for people with mental and physical health problems. There is concern that legalization will increase recreational use among adolescents. Studies show that states that have chosen to legalize the medical use of weed have seen declines in teen marijuana use statistics. This has been attributed to a decrease in the “forbidden fruit” effect. Limit easy access to marijuana on the streets and place more of the plant in licensed dispensaries. Legalization will also reduce the number of people arrested each year for this plant. "About 750,000 people were arrested for marijuana law violations in 2012, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation...... middle of paper ...... arijuana and people who use marijuana. “According to the Denver Post, a 15% excise tax is levied on every marijuana sale, as well as a 10% sales tax. This amounts to a total tax of 25 percent on the sale of marijuana, and for the state of Colorado, this will bring in a lot of revenue for the state to use. The country can repay some of the debt we owe. These arguments show why legalizing weed will improve the country: criminal records and activities will decrease, healthy patients can be helped, the economy will grow, and adolescent use will decrease. I truly believe that legalizing the recreational use of marijuana will greatly benefit the United States in a positive way. Citizens would not have lived in fear of being prosecuted. The profits that the country will make will increase considerably thanks to the taxation of pot..