Running Head: Legalization of Marijuana

Cory Do
Visual Analysis of the Legalization of Marijuana
University of Texas at El Paso

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Legalization of Marijuana

Figure 1

The legalization of marijuana has differing views in the United States.

From the picture we can see that one individual has a negative opinion while
the other has a positive one. Theres a marijuana leaf in the back. The
character on the left doesnt have an open mind and believes that it leads to
crime. The character on the right has an open mind and believes that it will
lead to more jobs and better healthcare.
Marijuana being illegal has many cons. Young people are being
arrested and sent to prison for having small amounts. The cost of an inmate
in states like Washington or New York cost about $60,000 a year. The U.S.
spent $8,000,000,000 on arresting and incarcerating inmates on marijuana
related crimes a year.

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Legalization of Marijuana
However, Marijuana being legal has many pros. As seen on statistics in
Colorado after the legalization of marijuana, crime rates decreased and
automobile accidents decreased. The tax revenue makes millions of dollars
in Colorado. This money in the past was given to public school systems to
make the health system better and pay for better health programs.
The legalization of marijuana has created great controversy. Great
debates occur over this topic. Many people think just the same way these
two characters do in the picture.

The War on Drugs has put many

in harm's way. U.S. policies have
killed 60,000 people in Mexico in
2006. In 1980, 50,000 were put
behind bars. Today now a little
over half a million reside behind
Figure
Figure 2

bars. Millions of people have lost

their sibling or child and theyre now behind bars.

The War on Drugs has built racial injustice. Even though fairly the
same amount of each race had roughly equal rates on drug use, African
American Men are arrested 13 times more. African Americans and Latinos are

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Legalization of Marijuana
29% of the U.S. population. However those in the federal makeup 75% of its
population. Minorities are being targeted for drug use.
America is wasting taxpayer dollars. We spend $50 billion trying to
make America Drug Free However, all is wasted because heroin, cocaine,
as well as methamphetamine gets into the U.S. just as easily. State prison
budgets are even higher of those than public colleges.
American citizens lose their constitutional rights. Policemen breaking
into someones home without due process. They terrorize the guilty and the
innocent alike. Its against the bill of rights.

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Legalization of Marijuana

Reference Page

"Marijuana Legalization and Regulation." Marijuana Legalization

and Regulation. Drug Policy Alliance, n.d. Web. 29 Mar. 2016.