Ty Heasley
Professor Brown
Sociology
1 December 2013
Legalization of marijuana

The word "marijuana" has raised a concerned eyebrow in almost every American home today. Those that oppose legalization of the plant automatically believe its use is to smoke it, but those that do not choose to use marijuana are thought to be in favor of keeping it illegal. However, based on its economic value and medical benefits, the cannabis has proven to outweigh its negatives with numerous other positives.

The war on drugs deals with every level of society. Every year, the U.S. government spends large amounts of money to control drug use and to enforce laws enacted to protect society from the dangers of certain drugs. Some argue that the fight against drugs is not needed and that society has already lost the war on drugs and the only way to cure the problem to end most of the fighting altogether is by decriminalizing the use of marijuana. "Pot is harmful, but people should not go to jail for smoking it" (Buckley). Buckley was a college professor at Columbian University and admitted to smoking marijuana on a national television show in 1973. At the time Buckley was quoted to say, "There were a half-million arrests due to pot use in 1973 respectively -this makes the realization that there has been a breakdown in communication between the public and the police" (Buckley). Over two decades later, Buckley's words still ring true today. Just eight years later an author speaking on the legalization of marijuana summed up the feelings of "anti-pot laws activists" by saying, "Decriminalization is supported by an increasing number of responsible persons who are seeking a rational and humane solution to an issue too long dominated by myth, emotion and misunderstanding" (Price).

A professor of psychology named Ethen A. Nadelmann is in favor of legalizing marijuana in