Legalization of Marijuana

Marijuana has been around for many years and has been used in a variety of ways. Narconon International stated, “It was described in a Chinese medical reference traditionally considered to date from 2737 B.C,” (History of Marijuana). Marijuana spread from China to India and then continued to spread throughout North Africa. Marijuana was used mainly as a medication for rheumatism, gout, malaria, and even absent-mindedness. However, marijuana is a drug that many abuse and marijuana will continue to be abused more than before, if it becomes legalized throughout the United States. Over time marijuana was used for more than just medical reasons.
Marijuana became very popular back in the “olden days” when alcohol was starting to become very scarce. The use of drugs became a large problem in the United States and continued to escalate into the problem it is today. The United States could benefit from the legalization of marijuana. They would be able to tax marijuana along with many other things. Palash R. Ghosh stated, in the International Business times, “Drug legalization would yield tax revenues of $46.7 billion annually, assuming legal drugs were taxed at rates comparable to those on alcohol and tobacco,”(Ghosh). However, if marijuana would become legalized the United States could experience a rough time. The crime rates would go up, the use of other drugs will increase, minors being under the influence would rise, but most of all most of the United States citizens would be under the influence of marijuana most of the time.
Increasing crime rates, more people being sent to jail, and what is the start of all this commotion? The legalization of marijuana will be the cause of crime rates to increase throughout the United States of America. Illegal crimes linked back to the use of marijuana will cause police officers time to be taken over. If police officers spend most of their time dealing with drug related crimes they would not have the time in their day to deal with...