One benefit for the legalization of marijuana is the positive impact on our national economy. Doing so would take the production and sale of marijuana out of the hands from our neighbors bordering our north and south, and allow local farmers, retailers and our national economy the opportunity to gain from its sales and taxes.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) states, roughly ten percent of the U.S. population over age twelve-use marijuana throughout the year and of those using, six percent use at least once per month and fifteen percent use on a daily basis. Based on the current volume used and the average national price reported by DHHS, it is estimated our current market would stand to gain approximately seventy to one-hundred billion dollars in potential revenue. Besides its influence on decreasing our national debt, monies can also used to build education programs much like those formed by the tobacco industry to help people better understand the effects of marijuana which have shown positive results in reducing the numbers of cigarette smokers in the U.S. Harvard economist, Robert Barro also agree, prohibitions associated with the use of recreational drugs stimulate illegal activity, have moderate effect on consumption, and impose unacceptable costs in terms of crime, expansion of prison populations, and deteriorations of relations with foreign countries that supply the outlawed substance. The idea to leave intact the existing regulatory structure for cigarettes, which includes substantial but not outrageous tax rates and restrictions on sales to minors and apply this currently illegal drugs (Barro).
Oppositions may testify marijuana has ill effects to the mind, and the human body, but long-term studies DDHS are unable to conclude any relevance to their findings and go on to conclude, the effects from smoking marijuana are no more harmful than alcohol when used on the same regularity. Therefore, allowing legalization of marijuana can certainly be used as an immediate means to effectively jumpstart our unstable economy.
In 2010, an estimated 2.4 million Americans tried marijuana for the first time in which one-half of them were under the age of eighteen. This use amongst teens can have a devastating effect on a still developing body, which include addiction, risk of schizophrenia, and increase risk of anxiety, depression, and amotivational syndrome. Further concern should be examined by looking at how marijuana affects the most important muscle in their body, the brain.
Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the main active ingredient in marijuana, which is also responsible for its many known effects when being smoked. When THC is inhaled, it binds to cannabinoid receptors (CBRs), which are located on the surface of our brains nerve cells. Effected areas of the brain include, but are not limited too, brain stem and spinal cord, which control the important reflex when vomiting and help control the sensation of pain, the