from a little seedling to a full grown plant

Honesty is the best policy, and right now I’m going to be completely frank: before writing this blog I was one of those ignorant negative Nancy types that was totally against the legalization of pot, but for all the wrong reasons. I really just didn’t know anything! I have really enjoyed writing about this topic because it’s one that many people, including the president, can’t talk about seriously.  Through extensive research I have evaluated the pros and cons of legalizing marijuana.

When I first started this blog I thought the main pros of legalization were straight forward: decrease the abundance of drug dealers, generate revenue from the taxation of the drug and related accessories, and decrease the number of marijuana related arrests. Through the development of this blog I have come to realize that although those issues are painstakingly important but that the freedom of the American people to use a recreational drug that is linked to very few deaths is equally as important an argument.

Through my research I have come to the conclusion that the legalization of marijuana SEEMS to be a very cut and dry issue and although I am a strong advocator for the movement to end prohibition, I must admit it is an insanely complex issue and should be handled with the utmost care.  While researching this topic, many negative side effects of legalization were proposed: if marijuana were to be legal then drug use would be on the rise in youth and the negative health effects of marijuana are potentially very harmful. It’s a lot to consider and honestly, I still haven’t made up my mind. But that’s life; it’s all about making tough decisions that hopefully will change lives for the better.

One thing that stood out to me throughout the creation of this blog project is that there is a lot of information out there on the web and one can easily find a website with “facts” saying one thing and it’s simple to find a website with “facts” that are the complete opposite!  In my blog I tried to present readers with cites that are appropriately cited and don’t just state raging opinions  (major lol…is it bad to laugh?) With so much information floating around, it was very important for me to present the argument in an unbiased fashion. I wanted to let the people make their own opinions on this issue for themselves.

It’s clear that there are many benefits to legalizing marijuana. The United States’ lack of action regarding this issue just shows that the government really doesn’t make radical decisions, whether they are beneficial for America as a whole or not. Because marijuana has been illegal for 30 years, preconceived notions about the drug are present across the country. Marijuana is associated with negative behaviors and because of this perpetuated ignorance, it seems nearly impossible for the government to look at this issue objectively. Just like the issues of dependence on foreign oil, unemployment, and public education the issue of legalizing marijuana will get increasing attention throughout the years and the government will FINALLY see the importance of change.

MAJOR sad face :(

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/california-politics/2010/11/prop-19-headed-to-defeat-exit-polls-show.html

"Reading is a basic tool in the living of a good life" -Joseph Addison

http://economics.about.com/od/incometaxestaxcuts/a/legalize_pot.htm

This article helped me gain information about the economic benefits of legalizing marijuana. This cite opened my eyes to the idea that legalizing marijuana would actually stimulate our depressed economy and the statistics presented appeal to most every American.

http://norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=3414

The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) website is geared toward changing the present laws regarding marijuana and making it legal for responsible use. This website is beneficial because it contains news articles related to legalizing marijuana and tons of information about why it should be legal.

http://www.leap.cc/cms/index.php

Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP) is a great site that discloses the side to the drug war that is not often talked about. The website provides information about the law enforcement officers that do not condone drug use, but see the continued prohibition of marijuana to be detrimental.

http://www.calmca.org/

The Citizens Against Legalizing Marijuana (CALM) group advocates for the continued prohibition of marijuana. This site gives a lot of information about the negatives to legalizing marijuana and how many parents and constituents worry about the dangers of drugs.

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=marijuana-research

This article provided me with a lot of information about how it is very difficult to test marijuana and how the policies regarding the drug are unfair in this country.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/09/AR2010090907120.html

This article is extremely important is realizing the extent that drug trafficking across the Mexican-American border negatively impacts both the US and Mexico.

http://www.1stmarijuanagrowerspage.com/legalization-of-marijuana-legalization/against-legalization-of-marijuana.html

This site provides information on both the pros and cons of legalizing marijuana. It cites scientific studies done related to marijuana and goes in depth about the implications of legalizing marijuana.

http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMp1000695

This is an article that goes very in depth about the issue of medical marijuana. It describes the role of the state and federal government in medical marijuana policies as well as describing the reasons behind state and federal government actions regarding the issue.

http://guyism.com/lifestyle/10-major-health-benefits-of-medical-marijuana.html

This is a brief list of the medical benefits of marijuana. It’s interesting because a lot of people do not know that marijuana can alleviate the symptoms of many uncomfortable diseases. It’s important to realize when reading this list that considerably more research is needed regarding this subject to fully understand the medical benefits of marijuana.

http://www.radicalparenting.com/2008/12/18/10-reasons-parents-should-not-support-legalizing-marijuana/

This website evaluates the concerns that American parents have concerning the issue of legalization. It’s important to look at both sides of this issue because it is about more than just making money and reduces arrests.

http://freakonomics.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/05/22/pot-quorum/

This blog/forum is debate about legalization. It includes opinions about the issue both for and against legalization.