Mondays Matters - Synthesis

Legalization of Marijuana


The issue gaining the most popularity within the United States regards the legalization of marijuana. As marijuana roots itself within American pop culture, more and more teens and young adults are calling for the legalization of the popular herb. Although many disregard legalization as simply uneducated hype, proponents have a solid argument towards legalization. An anonymous editor of the Seattle Times argued that there are economic benefits upon legalization, stating that prohibition has led to huge "costs in tax revenues... in wasted police time, wasted court time" and wasted space in jails. Since prohibition causes little deterrence to the use of marijuana, this is an utter waste of money and resources.
Longmire of the New York Times agrees with the fact that legalizing cannabis will help save funds, but she disagrees with the fact that legalization will stop the drug cartels from transacting within the United States. She states that the drug cartels have been rooted within other businesses such as narcotics, kidnappings, and pirated goods to be drastically affected by the loss of marijuana trade. Qualifying with The Seattle Times' claim, an anonymous editor from the Chicago Sun Times argued that marijuana should be legalized only for medical purposes, rather than for commercial use. The editor stated that with the proper regulation, medical marijuana should be and can be legalized in all the United States without abuse. Although there will be abuse, the editor makes the argument that it will be the same abuse witnessed in legal painkillers but less lethal.
Opponents of legalization, like the anonymous editor of The Times-News Magic Valley of Idaho, argue that marijuana have too many negative effects to be legalized. The editor states that even medical marijuana should not be legalized, using Oakland, CA, as an example where medical marijuana has been legalized and illegal casual use has spike as well. He states that the youth who use marijuana are shown to be more aggressive and uncooperative and have an increased chance of doing cocaine. The editor of the Seattle Times combats those arguments, stating that marijuana has been shown to have no addictive qualities, no lethal effects, as well as no social deterioration. The editor uses Barack Obama as an example, claiming that people who use marijuana can still be successful.
Although there are many conflicting opinions on the legalization of marijuana, overall the proponents of legalization have the strongest argument, and though they yet to win over the majority vote, proponents will eventually win in the fight over legalization of marijuana and the end of this meaningless and costly prohibition.