Persuasive Essay Sample: Should Recreational Marijuana Be Legalized?

Some Americans believe that legalizing marijuana would have more negative outcomes than positive outcomes. Even though legalizing marijuana would increase drug use, legalizing marijuana would boost the economy because legalization would decrease crime rates and legalized marijuana would be safer for consumer use than marijuana from street dealers. 

It’s true that legalizing the use of marijuana would raise the use of marijuna, however, marijuana would boost America's economy. By 2025 America could have a $24 billion income, the legal marijuana industry generated $7.2 billion in economic activity in 2016, and added millions of dollars in federal taxes paid by cannabis businesses. In the state of Colorado, the legalization of marijuana has brought in three times more tax income than the sales of alcohol alone in the first year of it being legalized. 

With the recent legalization of marijuana in the state of Colorado with the building of marijuana dispensaries in local neighborhoods, the crime from local drug street drug dealers and crime has gone down because of increased security presence and more people around the area. Further research has shown that sales of alcohol have dropped and while the influence of alcohol has a 10x more rate of violence than marijuana, such as domestic violence and assault. The legalization of marijuana would benefit the criminal justice system by also reducing the arrest for being under the influence and possession of marijuana. Instead of local police arresting the community for marijuana they could focus on more serious crimes. 

Without the local dispensaries, people result in buying marijuana off the streets which results in them not knowing where it's from or having the possibility of it being covered with mold, fungus, pesticides,or laced with harder and more addictive drugs. Once the full legalization of marijuana is able to be tested and regulated to make sure that the marijuana is safe and free of anything toxic. Which also makes sure it passes the regulations so kids cannot get into it easily such as child-proof packaging, age restrictions for buying, and a license and regulate the entire supply chain of marijuana, including growers, distributors, retailers, and testing laboratories. With this information previously stated it also ensures that drug overdoses are decreasing due to a safer way to obtain marijuana.

With the recent legalization of marijuana in the state of Colorado with the building of marijuana dispensaries in local neighborhoods the crime from local drug street drug dealers and crime has gone down because of increased security presence and more people around the area. Instead of local police arresting the community for marijuana they could focus on more serious crimes. Once the full legalization of marijuana is able to be tested and regulated to make sure that the marijuana is safe and free of anything toxic.The legalization of marijuana would bring in more pro’s than the American population expects.