Benefits of Legalizing Marijuana

Abstract or Introduction

A new culture fueled by a large cloud of smoke has emerged in the last 50 years. It is changing the way Americans think. Snoop Dogg and E-40 rap about it, Bob Marley created a red, green and yellow image around it, and now the State of California is making headlines with it. The object in question is the plant cannabis or more commonly known as Marijuana. As marijuana forces its way into the mainstream, voters are thrown into countless debates about the benefits and consequences of lifting the ban. The main argument in favor of lifting the ban is the simple fact that legalizing the drug will raise billions dollars in revenue for the government. I believe that American voters should pass a proposition to end the prohibition but also create strict regulations around the sale and use. Marijuana might not be a product that voters should encourage the use of, but at the same time, the benefits of the plant can help the American budget crisis exponentially.

Marijuana is the most commonly abused illegal drug in the United States. Currently, it sells for 300 to 400 dollars per ounce on the street. The drug is derived from the hemp plant Cannabis sativa. It can be identified by the green and brown mix of dry and shredded flowers, stems, seeds and leaves. Cannabis contains over 400 different chemicals but, Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, otherwise known as THC, is the main brain-altering chemical (Basic Facts About Drugs: Marijuana). The percentage of THC in the plant determines the potency of the drug. Ancient Assyrians were the first known users of marijuana, but an Israeli scientist was the first to identify the THC and it’s effects on the human body (Smith).

The most popular form of marijuana is called Sinsemilla. Sinsemilla is made from just the buds and the flowering tops of female plants. The growing of marijuana is an intricate process. Pot is mainly cultivated outdoors during the summer. But, it can also be grown indoors under an artificial light.