Marijuana has been a long time “street drug,” and has been used for both medical and recreational use across the entire United
States. One of the biggest ongoing debates over the years has been whether or not our government should legalize it across our
country. Currently marijuana is legal in 23, including Washington.
It is quite evident that our government will never be able to completely remove marijuana from the streets and the danger it
brings when sold illegally is enough to legalize the plant nationwide right there. We have so many other drugs prescribed by
doctors that indeed account for thousands of deaths annually, yet we all have a negative outlook on a plant that has accounted for
zero deaths… ever!
Marijuana is a huge industry in our country already, reeling in $1 billion last year in Washington alone, according to Andrew
DePietro from Washington Forbes Magazine. Marijuana is taxed very high and brings our country tons of money annually. This
money paid into taxes would not be there if it wasn’t for legalization. Tim Wenger of the Matador Networks states, “We’ve got
better infrastructure, the public schools have more money, and Denver is emerging onto the world stage as a modern, tech-savvy,
friendly place to be.” Marijuana and it’s high tax rate helps the whole community grow, just like in Denver where the infrastructure
and schools have been improved.
Marijuana is unregulated when purchased from a drug dealer, meaning there is truly no way to really know exactly what is in the
marijuana you just purchased—this isn’t just dangerous, it can be fatal too. With dispensary marijuana, there is an exact label
listing anything that is in the bag you are purchasing. Having dispensaries definitely add to the consumer’s safety. Marijuana alone
has never once been to blame for any deaths like alcohol has, and our government legalized it anyway after the prohibition ended.
There is no doubt this little magic green plant will never stop growing, and hippies around the world will never stop smoking it,
so having regulated and taxed marijuana is our best solution possible. We couldn’t do it in 1933 with alcohol and there’s no
stopping the greens from growing either.