My friend, John, has an uncle who had cancer eight years ago. For five months,
he had to get shots of chemotherapy every week. To him, the cancer wasn’t the
enemy but the cure was. He knew that chemotherapy had killed his healthy cells
along with his mutated ones. His bones were weak, his hairs were coming off, and
his spirit was fading. One day, John sneaked into the hospital with an ounce of
marijuana. His uncle was hesitant at first but the torturous power of the
chemotherapy was too strong. Within a week, this pale and bald man transformed
into this pale and bald man with spirit. For the next two months, he had to
worry about being caught with something that made his life worth living. From
that moment, I knew that marijuana was not the devil that the government
projected it to be. Our country's war on drugs places great emphasis on
arresting people for smoking marijuana. During President Clinton's
administration, approximately 2.8 million Americans have been arrested for
marijuana offenses. In 1997 alone, state and local law enforcement arrested
695,200 people for marijuana violations. The 1997, yearly arrest total for
marijuana violations is the highest ever recorded by the FBI. These figures show
the conception that the government wants marijuana to have. The laws for
marijuana vary from state to state. In Hawaii, Cultivation, delivery, or sales
of marijuana from 2.2 lbs. to 1000 lbs. could get you 10-99 years in prison and
a fine of $25,000. There is a mandatory sentence of 3 to 15 years. When caught
with over 1000 lbs. of marijuana, there is a mandatory sentence of life without
parole. Selling to minors could get you 2 to 20 years with a fine of $10,000.
Involving in a drug trafficking enterprise could get you 25 years to life for
the first offence with a fine of $50,000 to $1,000,000. The second offence has a
mandatory sentence of life without parole. My past experiences with marijuana
have shown that it is not an addictive drug. My friends have always said that
marijuana is safe. They have been using it for a couple of years. I have known a
lot of people to quit marijuana “cold turkey.” They usually get bored of the
drug or, in more cases, they don’t have the money to continue. I have no known
anyone to rob a bank for an ounce of marijuana. Legalization is an option that
hasn't gotten a chance but should be given one. People feel that legalizing
marijuana would increase the amount used, but marijuana should be legalized
because it will reduce the great amounts of money spent on enforcement and it
will increase our country's revenue. There will also be many benefits that can
be uncovered to help people if legalization of marijuana is given a chance. The
notion of legalization is not a new idea. Groups such as the Physician's
Association for AIDS Care, Norml, and the National Lymphoma Foundation argue
that marijuana should be legalized in order to treat terminally ill patients.
Among them are AIDS victims who find that marijuana stimulates their appetites
so they can fight off dangerous emaciation. Glaucoma sufferers who have used
marijuana said it has prevented them from going blind. A cancer patient could be
using marijuana for alleviating unbearable pains from chemotherapy. Legalization
of marijuana would benefit the federal budget in two ways. First, the federal
revenues would increase because marijuana cigarettes would be taxed at the point
of sale, and also the companies that make the cigarettes would also pay income
taxes. Second, there would be a reduction on the amount spent on law enforcement
efforts to apprehend and prosecute users and sellers of marijuana. The drug
enforcement authorities might reduce their budget requests, but more likely
focus more intensely on hard drugs and violent crimes. The courts would be
relieved of hearing some drug cases, as well. There would probably be
arrangements that would be made to license the production of marijuana into
cigarettes. If the government can sell cheap and pure marijuana, then thousands
of drug dealers would be put out of business. Then a secret part of the economy
would finally come into the light. If marijuana is legalized, doctors could get
on with investigating marijuana's medical uses without fears of controversy.
After legalization, it might become possible for the users to discuss their
problems of marijuana use without getting caught up in a legal situation. An age
restriction of twenty-one and a zero tolerance behind the wheel will treat
marijuana like alcohol. During Prohibition, a time when liquor was illegal,
alcohol was still sold and used. Then the 21st amendment was passed, and
repealed prohibition and alcohol taxes were increased. Marijuana could follow
this example to gain public support. John’s uncle is a good example of why
legalization should happen. Maybe the government can now see that marijuana is
not the pure villain that they proclaimed it to be and that it can help mankind.