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Keyla Martinez
Professor Altman
Eng. 115 2:00 M/W
Nov 17 2014
Peace, Love and the Legalization of Marijuana
As Bob Marley once said, Herb is the healing of a nation, alcohol is the destruction.
One of the biggest controversys today is whether or not recreational use of marijuana should be
legalized. An example of marijuana bringing about beneficial outcomes is being seen in Oregon,
a state that has legalized marijuana use. Although there are few people that agree with the
legalization of marijuana use, there are still many people who have contradicting perspectives.
One opposing opinion of the legalization of marijuana is that it is harmful to Americas as it is
seen as a gateway drug. On the contrary, others argue that the use of marijuana can be beneficial
to ones health. Also the legalization of marijuana may not eliminate the drug crimes in America,
but it can reduce a great portion of it. The government can take this opportunity to legalize
marijuana and use it to their own advantage. The legalization of marijuana can benefit both the
government and the consumers economically. Although some may say that the legalization of
marijuana is not beneficial to America, there are many benefits that are seen through health,
decrease in crimes and economic wealth that prove otherwise.
Marijuana, along with alcohol and cigarettes, is regarded as a gateway drug. A gateway
drug is when consumers begin using a type of drug, and further down the line, will lead into the
use of many other harmful drugs. In this case marijuana would lead to the use of cocaine. Jeffrey
C. Merrill, the vice president of policy and research at Columbia University, conducted a

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national study which provided evidence for the myth that using marijuana can head to the use of
cocaine. The Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia (CASA) found in the study
the connection between cocaine and gateway drugs. CASA stated that, nearly 90 percent of
people who have ever tried cocaine used all three gateway substances first. More than half
followed a progression from cigarettes to alcohol to marijuana and then on to cocaine
(Columbia.edu). Those who have used marijuana have are more likely to experiment onto harder
drugs like cocaine. This progression of using more intense drugs happens because the consumer
either becomes quite curious or the use of just marijuana are no longer giving the desired effect.
The consumer then looks for another drug to make up what marijuana was lacking. Although the
study conducted by the University of Columbia gives admirable evidence to why marijuana can
be seen as a gateway drug, it is not true. In German Lopezs article No, marijuana is not a
gateway drug he argues against the claims of critics who have stated that the legalization of
marijuana could be dangerous. Lopez argues that the studies of marijuana just falls short in
reality. Lopez states, This correlation, researchers found, is not cause-and-effect (vox.com).
The use of marijuana and cocaine may be related, but the direct action of marijuana use does not
lead to the use of harder drugs. Those people who are initially willing to try marijuana are most
likely, but not always, willing to also try other drugs. This is why the statistics can add up.
Although, the statistics do not include all the variables, in reality, in order to conduct a complete
explanation as to how marijuana can directly lead to the use of other drugs.
Marijuana first came to be medically legal in Oregon in 1998. Now Oregon is the third
state in the union to legalize recreational use of marijuana. Medical marijuana has been kept
around because of the health benefits it brings. MD Michael A. Dworkind, believes that medical
marijuana is beneficial to keep around. Dworkind also believes that physicians should be more

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mindful of their prescriptions but not be dissuaded by marijuana. In Dowrkinds article Medical
marijuana revied, he states, Patients deserve safe and legal access to this ancient herbal
treatment without the fear of criminal sanctions (pg. 1) Dowrkind is a physician who believes in
the positive effect of marijuana use. The use of marijuana has been proven to aid in many health
problems, such as multiple sclerosis, HIV/AIDS, epilepsy, cancer, severe arthritis, spinal cord
disease/injury, Crohn colitis, fibromyalgia, migraines, post-traumatic stress disorder. Marijuana
has also been shown to assist therapeutically. Marijuana has qualities which aid in many way
which other prescribed drugs cannot help. Marijuana has proven affects which is beneficial to
many people.
Drug crime is a major problem in America. Right now marijuana, being one of the
biggest drug in the market, is high in demand. In "The Toxicology of Cannabis and Cannabis
Prohibition by Franco Grotenhermen describes the effects of marijuana concerning health and
he describes some of the legal aspects. Grotenhermen makes a well thought out observation
about how the prohibition of marijuana increases crime. Grotenhermen states that the prohibition
creates undesirable social and health effects. Franco Grotenhermen says that prohibition
[includes] the need for cannabis users to interact with a criminal milieu and an erosion of the
credibility of governments that created laws considered by many to be unjust and unenforceable
(pg. 1762). There are many other effects prohibition of marijuana brings that can be eliminated.
Drug trafficking only benefits the traffickers and increases criminal activities. If the legalization
of marijuana is accepted, the government can take control and stop these crimes. The
government would develop a safer environment for consumers. Thus far, the rate of crimes will
drop, considering that the consumers who once would go against the law to be in possession of
marijuana will now be allowed to do so legally. The government can create regulations like age

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restrictions as well as a proper growing and distributing policy. Overall, the legalization of
marijuana can aid in the defense against drug trafficking.
Another beneficial aspect to making marijuana legal is that is can also be beneficial to
our economy. In Johanna McKays Organ Sales Can Save Lives, she makes a strong argument
on the reasons why people should be allowed to sell their organs. Not only can selling organs
save lives but aids those who are financially unstable and can hault the black market from selling
organs illegally. McKay made a strong point that serves as an example as to why marijuana
should be legalized. Johanna McKay states when goods that are in great demand are made
illegal, there is more opportunity for corruption and exploitation Legalization of organ sales
would give governments the authority and opportunity to closely monitor these live kidney
operations (McKay pg.6). If the government were to take control, they could take this as an
opportunity to help with economic growth. This is the chance they can take to tax and regulate
people as they would with other goods. If the government were to tax ,as they do with alcohol,
they would create a combined savings and tax revenue ranging between 10 and 14 billion dollars
a year in the U.S. Not only would the taxation help, but it would create more jobs within the field
due to all the new shops and growing companies that would be soon to come. Instead of the
money going to the criminals involved with drug trafficking it could go into peoples pockets.
In conclusion the legalization of marijuana would be a great benefit to our country. Even
though some may say that it is a gateway drug thatll lead to the use of other harder drugs these
are only speculations. With no true evidence that marijuana use can directly lead to other drugs it
cannot be proven to be true. Marijuana not only just benefits us medically but also with our
economy and drug crime rates. Marijuana give us alternative methods that do work to aid our
health. The legalization brings the drug crime rate down, cutting it out of that market. If done

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right the government can use it their benefit to create taxes on marijuana like other goods. The
use of marijuana would be beneficial all around if it were to be legalized

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Works Cited
Columbia University Record. November 18, 1994. Vol. 20, No. 10. Web. 24 Nov. 2014
Dworkind, Michael A. "Medical Marijuana Revisited." CMAJ: Canadian Medical
Association Journal = Journal De L'Association Medicale Canadienne, 185.12 (2013): 1067.
Grotenhermen, Franco. "The Toxicology of Cannabis and Cannabis Prohibition."
Chemistry &Biodiversity, 4.8 (2007): 1744-1769.
MacKay, Joanna. "Organ Sales Will Save Lives." The Norton Field Guide to Writing
with Readings and Handbook. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2010. 92-96. Print
No, marijuana is not a gateway drug. Vox. 23 Nov. 2014. Web. 24 Nov. 2014
.