Should Marijuana Be Legalized - 2047 Words

Stop Marijuana Legalization Jared Shaheen Keiser University Abstract The number of people that are using marijuana is rising at an alarming rate; legalizing marijuana will only make it higher. We try to teach our children to say no to drugs, yet everywhere we turn there are signs and newscasts telling people that they want marijuana to be legalized. The last elections were more focused on pushing for marijuana to be legalized than they were on voting for state officials and a governor. While most people are focused on legalization for medical purposes, others are looking to vote in recreational marijuana use. Somewhere along the line the main focus changed; people are trying to legalize marijuana for the wrong reasons. Even if it†¦show more content†¦Teenagers and young adults tend to try marijuana because of peer pressure. They want to fit in, so they go along with what their friends in high school or college are doing and they experiment with drugs. Adults on the other hand, will most likely not experiment with drugs because they are addicted and are now feeding their habit. The use of marijuana may start off as a choice where the person is just experimenting with drugs, but because marijuana is a gateway drug, it will only lead to addiction and the need for stronger drugs down the line, such as cocaine and heroin. Legalization of marijuana for anything other than medical reasons is a very controversial subject; marijuana is a gateway drug that could lead to may unforeseen consequences. Addiction, health problems, and higher crime rates are just a few consequences that would be affected if marijuana was legalized. People do not look at the fact that marijuana like any other drug, when used for long periods of time will eventually cause their bodies to be immune to the drug. Once the marijuana stops giving them any type of pleasurable feeling they will then turn to stronger drugs to get the feeling that they want to have from the drug. â€Å"If marijuana is smoked in large doses for an extended period of time it can be physically addictive; it can also cause a mild psychological addiction† (Abadinsky, 2011). Children start in elementary school