Legalization of Marijuana

Marijuana, also know as cannabis or weed, is a psychoactive drug that is grown naturally in various world locations. It is mainly used to induce relaxation and heighten the senses, but it is deemed as an illegal substance to society. Why is something that makes an individual feel very relaxed illegal? Why is something less harmful than tobacco and alcohol illegal too? Marijuana needs to be legalized, because it will benefit society medically and fiscally in the long run. This paper is to provide history of marijuana oppression and resurgence, to show how the legalization of marijuana in the United States would significantly reduce crime in all major cities, and how it would form a more productive society through its positive uses both medically and fiscally. Upon completion of reading this paper, the read will hopefully gain an understanding of how legalizing marijuana despite its oppressors will be very beneficial to society.

People around the world have been smoking marijuana for thousands of years while also using the hemp plant for fabric materials. It is believed that the first fabric to be woven was from a dried hemp weed. However, somewhere along the way, a man with power and determination decided that marijuana was evil and narcotic. The federal government gave control of illegal drugs to the U.S. Treasury Department, which created the Federal Bureau of Narcotics. A man named Harry J. Anslinger became the first commissioner of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics in 1930 and declared war on drugs and expertly shaped America’s views about marijuana.

Anslinger, in the 1950s, used a new scare tactic by producing propaganda claiming that marijuana was a gateway drug to heroin. Many Americans during that time were concerned about the growing amount of teenagers using heroin, so Anslinger used that concern as an opening statement to spread his marijuana message. The media broadcasted the myth that most heron-addicts were led down the path to destruction by...