Good Example Of Engl1101 - 41164 Argumentative Essay

03-09-2015

Legalization of Marijuana
Drugs play a substantial role in the treatment and cure of innumerable diseases. Drug addiction, however, looms as a large and significant risk to health that affects the economy and has moral implications. In this context, the use of marijuana as a recreational drug has been the topic of intense debates on various platforms. Moreover, the notion of legalizing marijuana is immensely influenced by the news. Indeed, the legalization of marijuana is often and highlighted by the media through the claims presented by both advocates for and opponents against its legal use (Ruschmann 6-7). The debate on the legalization of marijuana is concentrated on the following areas concern: the government intervention in the production and supply of marijuana; the capital needed for the purchase of marijuana as well as the potential healthcare services that marijuana use may require; and the free will of consumers to make up their own minds on whether or not to purchase marijuana. This short paper will conclude that the legalization of marijuana will not benefit society.
One of the fundamental purposes of any state is to ensure the health and safety of its citizens. State advocacy for or involvement in the production and distribution of marijuana would be an absolute failure of its duties to the people. Indeed, the state’s responsibility to furnish healthy and safe lifestyle options necessarily forbid it from supplying potentially hazardous substances to the people or engaging in an activity that is deemed immoral by a majority of the public. The legalizing marijuana would mean that the state itself is advancing practices that pose considerable health risks. Accordingly, the state should refrain from legalizing or getting involved the marijuana business (Brezina 26).
While the health risks of marijuana are commonly known it is still a widely consumed as a way for people to relax and have fun. If marijuana was to become easily accessible through legal means, it is extremely likely that a large section of the population will be inclined to consume it. The rise in the demand for marijuana will substantially increase the number of people who will succumb to drug abuse. This, in turn, will degrade the current ability to treat and rehabilitate drug users (International Debate Education Association 150). Additionally, the people who will want to consume marijuana would be more likely to eventually want to try harder and more lethal drugs in later years. In short, legalized marijuana will become the gateway drug that precipitates an overall boost of illegal drugs and severe health issues. The state will then have to deal with the additional costs of the extra healthcare services needed to treat these drug addicts (Lowinson 1383).
The legalization of marijuana will adversely affect the number of users who suffer from drug addiction. The abuse of any drug, including marijuana, often leads to addiction. Addiction will eventually cause the drug consumer to lose his capability to make logical decisions or make a rational preference on whether or not to continue or withdraw from the habit of drug abuse . More often than not, a drug user will not be able to give up on this habit (Brady, Back and Greenfield 400). The end result is decreased productivity in those that abuse marijuana.
In conclusion, legalizing the supply and consumption of marijuana has received immense attention across the nation. In considering the disadvantages of a legal marijuana market; it is clear that it should not be legalized. Legalization will only lead to more addiction, greater health risks, decreased productivity, and the increased costs to the government to regulate marijuana production means that its legalization would be too costly.

Works Cited

Brady, Kathleen, Sudie Back, and Shelly Greenfield. Women and Addiction: A Comprehensive Handbook. New York: Guilford Press, 2009. Print.
Brezina, Corona. Alcohol and Drug Offenses: Your Legal Rights. New York: The Rosen Publishing Group, 2014. Print.
International Debate Education Association. The Debatabase Book: A Must-have Guide for Successful Debate. Istanbul: IDEA, 2004. Print.
Lowinson, Joyce H. Substance Abuse: A Comprehensive Textbook. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2005. Print.
Newton, David. Marijuana: A Reference Handbook. Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO, 2013. Print.
Ruschmann, Paul. Legalizing Marijuana. New York: Infobase Publishing, 2009. Print.
Walker, Jon. After Legalization: Understanding the Future of Marijuana Policy. Washington DC: FDL Writers Foundation, 2014. Print.