Pros and cons of Legalizing Marijuana

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has raised the issue of legalizing marijuana. According to him, the tax revenue collected from legalizing marijuana would be enormous. Marijuana, or cannabis refers to 'n' number of preparations of the cannabis plant, which are intended to be used as a drug by humans. Many organizations have been pushing the government to legalize marijuana. Some insist that marijuana has more medical advantages than hazards while others think it has long lasting affects on brain and body. Here are some reasonable points supporting the legalization of marijuana.

Pros of Legalizing Marijuana

• Marijuana is no more harmful than tobacco or alcohol, if taken in moderate quantities. Tobacco and alcohol are both legal and widely used in the US, regulated by US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). If the abuse of marijuana is harmful, isn't the abuse of tobacco or alcohol equally life threatening? Would you want the government to limit how much alcohol or tobacco you take?
• Marijuana has medical benefits in relation to diseases like cancer, AIDS and glaucoma. It is especially helpful in the treatment of patients undergoing chemotherapy. Hats off to states like California that have initiated the move to legalize the drug, at least for medicinal purposes.
• Crime and violence in the US has increased due to the illegal selling and buying of marijuana. Legalizing it would end the need for indulging in criminal behavior. Also, drug related disputes will come to an end and drug mafias would lose their significance. Police can then concentrate more on serious crimes.
• Marijuana is one of the popular agricultural products in the US. According to an estimate by Californian authorities, annual marijuana sales in the state could be worth 14 billion dollars. And new tax revenues from legalizing marijuana could well exceed 1 billion dollars, just in California. Imagine what the revenue will be if it is legalized in the whole of US!

Cons of Legalizing Marijuana

• Many Americans think that the use of drugs is morally wrong, because religious codes prohibit the use of intoxicating substances. Therefore legalizing marijuana would be like legalizing something considered to be immoral
• Marijuana is believed to be a stepping-stone drug that can eventually lead to addiction to heroin, cocaine and other harder drugs.
• Passive smoking is harmful and secondhand smoke from the use of marijuana increases the chances of others suffering the damage by inhaling the smoke.
• Some believe that legalizing marijuana may increase crime as people involved in illegal trade of the drug are also involved in other crimes. They consider society is safer with marijuana offenders incarcerated.

Prohibiting marijuana is, no doubt an unwarranted intrusion of government into personal freedom. Merely on the pretext that intake of marijuana is morally wrong, the government can't intrude into the freedom of people. Marijuana, like alcohol, cigarettes and sex, is one of life's little pleasures for some people, something that makes life worth living. People may get pleasure from coffee, donuts and pizzas, but even they can be harmful if not taken in moderate quantities. All this does not mean that we should give up all these things (coffee, pizza, etc) for the rest of our lives!

The pros simply outweigh the cons. A faction of the people who oppose legalizing marijuana will sooner than later understand the benefits it has in store for them and society. Besides, one can't ignore the enormous tax revenues it would bring. If legalized now, it will surely help the US recover from the economic slowdown.