LEGALIZE IT!

In our current day and age, a lot of people debate whether or not
marijuana should be legalized. Personally, I believe that legalizing
it could be very advantageous to our country in many ways. However,
it still needs to be regulated and controlled.

The biggest reason I support the legalization of the drug, is that
the taxation of marijuana could really help the economy. People are
out there illegally purchasing marijuana, and they are going to
continue to purchase the drug no matter what. If the government were
to legalize it, all of the purchased product could be taxed and the
government would be able to profit on all sales.

Furthermore, legalization of the drug would create more jobs. This is
probably the second most valid reason to legalize it. With the job
market in its current state, creating more jobs would give people
more money to spend. Then that money would trickle down and affect
all businesses potentially creating even more jobs. For example,
people would have more money to spend on things like books, video
games, going to the movies, day to day supplies, etc. As a result of
the increase in customers, those same businesses would most likely
have need for more employees. It all comes around full circle.

Another reason to legalize it is that it would help our over
populated prisons. With some prisons over populated by a total of 70
percent of inmates, the legalization of marijuana could help to keep
room in the prisons for the people that really deserve to be there.
This is definitely the most arguable reason I have listed but
remember a lot of people are in jail or on probation for smoking
marijuana. People should be in prison for real crimes: theft, abuse,
murder and rape, not smoking a little bit of herb.

However, you have to remember I did say that it should be legalized
and regulated, not just legalized. If pot were to be legalized and
sold in public places, there would have to be extreme laws to steer
people away from selling it. I would strongly support tax evasion
laws that targeted people selling pot privately. As I said before,
the most important reason I think marijuana should be legalized is
the fact that it would help stimulate the economy, not some drug
dealer's bank account.

When people talk about legalizing marijuana they only think of the
fact that they wouldn't be in trouble for smoking. There is still so
much more to it then that. Like cigarettes, there would have to be an
age requirement for purchase. Not to mention common courtesy for
those that don't like to be around smoke. There would have to be
designated smoke spots, and laws that supported them. People would
also have to remember they can get a D.U.I. for driving high, not
just drunk. Intoxication is intoxication regardless of the source.

So yeah, I think legalizing marijuana is a good idea. However, that
is not the extent of it. People need to smoke responsibly, and follow
any laws that would come with the legalization of marijuana.