Essay - Legalization of Marijuana Introduction Marijuana is One of the Most...

Legalization of Marijuana

Introduction

Marijuana is one ***** the most popular recreational drugs in the United States, exceeded ***** popularity by only alcohol and tobacco. Recent research reveals that "more than 70 million Americans have smoked marijuana at some point in their lives, and th***** 18-20 million have smoked during the last year (NORML, 1999)."

***** to R. Keith Stroup, Esq., the executive director of National Organization for the Re*****m of Marijuana Laws (*****, 1999), "Like most Americans, the vast majority of these millions of marijuana smokers are otherw*****e law-abiding citizens who work hard, raise families ***** contribute to ***** communities..." A national survey revealed that 32 percent of voting adults in the U.S. ***** acknowledged hav*****g smoked marijuana at some point in their lives.

The legaliz*****ion of marijuana has been a topic of controversy for several years. Many proponents ***** the drug argue that marijuana should be legalized ***** both medical and ***** use. O*****rs say that it should at least be decriminalized, meaning ***** the penalty for growing or possession of marijuana would be a simple fine, rather than jail time.

***** paper aims to examine the controversial aspects of legalizing *****, in an effort to present a strong argument in favor ***** legalizing the drug. The paper will present six valid reasons for ***** the *****, as well ***** background statements to support these arguments.

Reasons ***** Legalizing *****

There are m*****y reasons that can ***** listed in support of legalizing marijuana. It is a common belief th*****t marijuana is not a dangerous drug and many people use it responsibly. Responsible use of *****, according to the NORML Board ***** Directors (NORML, 1999), means that: ***** adults use ********** users do ***** drive under ***** influence; users resist abuse; and that the rights of others are respected. Still, despite these factors, many citizens have been arrested and penalized for possession of marijuana.

***** to William F. Buckley, "In 1967, all drug arrests came to 121,000. Of these, hit marijuana arrests were one-half, 61,000. In 1991, all ***** arrests were 1 million, ***** 285,000 (Turnpike.net, *****)" Although marijuana is more ***** ***** a drug than tobacco, it is also used much less than tobacco (University of Michigan-Dearbourne, 1999). The average ***** smoker smokes about one pack ***** cigarettes per day, which ***** about twenty *****, while the average ***** smoker smokes about two joints a day. Greg Norris, the author of the essay "The Issues at Hand: Legalization of Marijuana," says (University of Michigan-Dearbourne, *****):

*****, marijuana contains ***** of the dangerous *****cer causing chemicals than tobacco does. Although this would constitute marijuana as being more "dangerous," but in the society we live in today and the amount ***** tobacco ***** *****-users consume, ***** ***** is on the contrary. Due to the smaller frequency use of product by marijuana-users, tobacco h***** definitely been proven ***** "killer" in today's society." (www.umd.umich.edu)

In compar*****on to alcohol, marijuana is the *****er detriment." (University of Michigan-Dearbourne, 1999) When viewing the situation in