A dramatic change in American culture is in the horizon and coming very close to changing the face of many people’s lives. There is a newly funded wave of states trying to legalize marijuana for recreational use. Many states have it legal to use marijuana for medicinal purposes, but some want to take it the next step and go for full legalization. Whether it would be good or bad, this move would drastically change our society.
Why our states now wanting to legalize marijuana? Well one of the biggest reasons currently for this push to legalize is financial. With many states and people feeling the crunch of the recession, states are looking for any way to make a little extra capital. Early estimates for the legalization of marijuana for the state of California would be billions each year. This figure comes primarily through the new found tax that would be imposed on marijuana, but also from licenses, new industries, and a new crop. Also, with the decriminalization or marijuana there would be more freed money from the government that would have been spent for court, trail, jail time, and police man hours. However, marijuana would have laws that would be strictly enforced. Like, the age limit for use would be 21, cannot drive under the influences of marijuana, and have a limit to what you would be allowed to carry. Another positive aspect for the argument is that the price of marijuana is expected to drop. Leaving the consumer with a regulated and cheaper product than before. The legalization of marijuana would also help cut down on drug cartels whose profit primarily comes from marijuana. Finally, with legalization of marijuana would come the more wide use of hemp. Hemp being the stalk of the plant that has no THC(the chemical in marijuana that alters your mind). It can be used in a wide range of common items(rope, oil, cloth, etc.). Overall the argument for legalization has fair and reputable base of followers, with it growing as time goes on.
However according to Newton, “For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.”What would this new legalization of marijuana change in everyday life? Well for one sure thing it would make marijuana more sociably accepted as a whole. Whether you think that is positive or negative is in the air, but there is no arguing that at least initially there would be a mass influx in smoking the drug. The accessibility to minors has a possibility of increasing due to easier excess of the drug. Even though no conclusive evidence linked marijuana to possible side effects as memory loss, lack of motivation, and possible cancer causing substances there is a possibility that these are still present in prolonged smoking. Also, there is the possibility of marijuana dependency and abuse. Marijuana is not physically addicting however can easily be held a psychologically addicting. Meaning say if you smoke so you can go to bed easier or better handle your problems than you start depending on the drug to get you through that each time, rather than doing it sober. The body and mind might not be able to handle going to sleep or feelings of anxious, anger, and anxiety as well than a non-marijuana smoker. Even though not very common the possibility of marijuana abuse is still a problem. The final problem with the legalization would fall under the society we live in today. Society has a tendency to take advantage of laws and to go into gray area. For example, the law says not to go over the speed limit however, how many people on a daily basis go over it even by a few miles per hour. The law does have boundaries that society will continually try to push and with the movement started it would be hard to know where the line would be drawn. Legalization of marijuana would be a hard challenge due to the many negative possibilities linked with it.
Overall it is hard to choose a side for positive or negative, but it is very clear that it would drastically change society in America. That the argument of whether or not to legalize marijuana lies within each person and no one can directly predict what will happen. Just keep educated with all aspects and to voice your opinion for your own cause. Finally hope for the best of our country.
