It is Time to Legalize Marijuana Essay -- Argumentative Persuasive Top

  Ã‚   The long-standing prohibition against recreational use of cannabis in the United States should be repealed. In addition, the penalties for possession and trafficking of cannabis should be abolished, and cannabis should be taxed and regulated by the federal agency that controls the other recreational, legal, yet addictive and potentially injurious substances tobacco and alcohol (the ATF). Cannabis has been illegal since the Marijuana Tax act of 1934. Yet of a population of 284 million (2000 U.S. Census), 70 million Americans claim to have smoked cannabis at some point in their lives [NORML]. Prohibition of cannabis is therefore apparently ineffective at changing the habits of a population, just as prohibition of alcohol was ineffective in 1919-1933. Making otherwise law-abiding citizens fugitives does nothing more than fill the prisons and alienate the populace from their government. In fact the total cost to taxpayers of solely marijuana-related incarceration (in local, state, and federal prisons and jails) of 15,400 people exceeds $1.2 billion per year. That one billion does not include what it costs to investigate, arrest, and prosecute the "hundreds of thousands of marijuana users arrested every year" [Hall]. Three and a half million people were arrested for marijuana offenses during the 8 years under President Clinton! [NORML] More than double the same period bef ore his presidency. Hall goes on to quote a report by the National Academy of Sciences: "there is little evidence that decriminalization of marijuana use necessarily leads to a substantial increase in marijuana use." So while it is argued that the corruption, guerrilla violence, and terrorism carried out by the black market drug traders would infiltrate ma... ...ause compared to alcohol and cigarettes, there really isn't any reason for it not to be.    WORKS CITED 1. Illegal Drugs and Alcohol-America's Anguish. 1997. Information Plus, Wylie, TX. 2. http://www.lectlaw.com/files/drg17.htm The State Of The Art In Horticulture. A Crime Punishable By Life Behind Bars, By Michael Pollan, From New York Times Magazine, 19 February, 1995. 3. http://www.fas.org/drugs/issue7.htm The FAS Drug Policy Analysis Bulletin, Issue 7, June 1999. "Appraisals of the Adverse Health Effects of Cannabis Use: Ideology and Evidence" by Wayne Hall 4. http://www.usemb.gov.do/IRC/drugs/threats.htm ONDCP Chief Releases Report on Drug Threats Across United States, 2 December 2000. 5. http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00.n1521.a05.html Thornton, Jacqui "Cannabis Can Kill You" U.S. Census data can be found at www.census.gov.