Should Marijuana Be Legalized

The issue of legalizing the use of Marijuana for adults has been under heated debate. In the first half of the century very small number of Americans knew about this addiction but since its use in the United States was first disallowed in 1937 the awareness about this drug has increased manifold. Similarly the number of users has also gone up as today around 70 million Americans admit to having tested once in their lifetime. A constant drug war of over a period of over 50 years has been unable to make a considerable difference in terms of use of marijuana. The ratio of marijuana users has continuously been rising especially among high school seniors. It is largely believed that an easy access to this prohibited product has contributed a lot in the failure to stop this trend.

Since 1970 more than 12 million people were arrested for possessing, manufacturing and distributing marijuana. In only year 2000 over 700,000 persons were apprehended in connection with the use or trade of marijuana. During the last 50 years almost all experts have recommended not to criminalize the adult marijuana users, though the cultivation _of even one marijuana plant is treated as a serious crime throughout the country. The terms of sentences vary from the offence to offence and from the state to state.� The minimum prison sentence for "distributing" or "manufacturing" controlled substances within 1,000 feet of any school, university, or playground is mandated. An estimated 60,000 marijuana offenders are presently said to be languishing in imprisonment. The clause of seizing money and property of marijuana-related accused under civil laws also stands and charges need not even be filed. The cost of waging war to curb the menace of marijuana users has to be borne by a common taxpayer. Approximately more than 9 billion dollars are kept in the annual budget for this purpose. Besides the afore-said negative aspects there are some positive elements too which go in favor to allow the use of...