By Emily Ottinger |Staff writer
The debate over whether to legalize marijuana seems, at times, to have no end. Each side makes its arguments, but the negatives to legalizing this drug outweigh the positive.
Studies have shown that there are long term effects on users of this hallucinogenic. Many long- term users of this substance can have problems with increased anger, anxiety, irritability, and chances
of violent outburst. Along with that, marijuana can mess with the chemical balance of your brain and impair your thinking and memory skills, according to drugabuse.gov.
Supporters of legalization argue that this hal- lucinogenic is used in the medical field, so it is
deemed as “okay” or safe, but the Drug Enforcement Administration believes that legalizing this drug could cause the public to misuse it. Many health organizations like the American Medical Association (AMA) and American Cancer Association share this concern.
Proponents say legalization of marijuana could help the economy because the government could
tax its sale. That is a valid point, but who says that users would purchase it from suppliers that will tax people. This drug is not like cigarettes; anyone could grow this drug. How are you going to tax them then?
Along with that, are these unpaid taxes going to pay for all of the rehab for the up and coming drug
addicts? The average taxpayers will end up being taxed more to have to pay for the increase in addicts admitted into rehabilitation centers.
The Office of National Drug Control Policy also believes that marijuana can worsen depression in teens and lead to other serious mental issues. Along with that it can lower levels of testosterone in men and can later reduce sperm count. It also may increase the chances of developing cervical cancer, prostate cancer and adult onset glioma.
If the public was more aware of the effects of us- ing marijuana, they would be more hesitant to use the hallucinogenic and not support the legalization of it.