UNITED STATES—Marijuana is a subject that has people arguing against or for the drug to be legalized. A lot of people consider the drug something that does not hurt others, but that depends on what is considered a victimless crime. The problem with marijuana is that it has the potential to impair a person’s judgment. People who smoke marijuana may be tempted to get behind the wheel; that is not a safe situation for anyone involved. People who smoke the drug tend to find themselves in a ‘lazy’ mood.
So why are we talking about marijuana because more and more marijuana dispensaries are popping up in cities across the nation where multiple states have passed laws legalizing marijuana. How is that possible, if federal law considers the possession of marijuana a crime? It’s a good question because as we all know federal law trumps state law.
The government has to make a decision to either legalize the drug or ban it completely. Yes, many of us are well aware of some of the medical benefits to marijuana especially those who may be battling cancer, going through chemotherapy or other illnesses. The issue is so many people abuse this tactic to get their hands on the drug for recreational use.
The issue with legalizing the drug is people using the drug as a way to earn money, to smuggle the product and to build empires that could increase the level of violence on the streets. Young people may be more inclined to dabble in the drug because it’s legal so there is no need to worry about ramifications they may face. That is something we cannot allow to happen in this society. We don’t want to send the message to kids its okay to dabble with drugs.
My perspective on the issue is that it’s decisive; there are advantages and major disadvantages to legalizing the drug. There is the risk of giving the thumbs up for people to use the drug to earn money, hence increasing criminal activity. Marijuana has way more cons than it does in terms of pros. Besides the usage of medical marijuana, what other reason do we need the drug? It slows activity for people, its makes them brain dead and notably it stigmatizes cultures. The biggest thing that annoys me so much about marijuana is the smell. It’s so potent, that anyone who smells it is well aware that the drug is in their presence. It’s a stench that is not easy to get rid of and it does have an impact on the workforce. There are so many people who dabble with the drug that they are unable to pass a drug test for employment.
Plain and simple, marijuana is bad. The federal government needs to make a decision. Either legalize the drug or make it illegal. We can’t say it’s legal here and there because of state law; yet on a federal level it’s illegal. It’s a confusing ideology for those of us who can’t see why a ruling hasn’t been made.
By Trevor Roberts
