Position paper over why marijuana should be legalized for recreational Essay

Position paper over why marijuana should be legalized for recreational use - Essay Example This comparison significantly influence public perception on the issue. In analyzing the arguments on for and against marijuana, supporting the legalization of marijuana has more benefits to the society than its negative effects. Consequently, marijuana should be legalized for recreational use. Most criticism on marijuana are based on the medical impact on the user. Similar to most drugs, marijuana has side effects. However, the side effects of the drug can be easily addressed. In comparison to legal and most abused drugs in the United States, marijuana poses the less significant health risks. In an argument by Brewer the health risks associated to cigarettes and alcohol cannot be compared to that of marijuana (1). For instance, numerous studies have shown the cancerous effects of tobacco. Apart from studies, it is proven that cigarette use is a major cause of cancer. This is dissimilar to marijuana. The drug still has zero proven cases reported as a cause of cancer. Still on cigarettes, tobacco is highly addictive compared to marijuana. Rampant users have difficulty in refraining from its use. On the other hand, marijuana addiction are rare as users easily cope with absence. Comparing the two drugs, Brewer is of the assumption that tobacco is hugely dangerous to human hea lth than tobacco (1). The author further asserts that tobacco has been a cause of death of 500,000 people annually in the United States (Brewer 1). From this provisions, one may assert that is cigarette is a legal drug, marijuana should also be legal. The argument is based on the adverse effects of tobacco on human health as compared to tobacco. The same comparison could be made on the effects of alcohol. As reported by the CDC, 25,000 deaths caused by alcohol overdose were reported in 201 (Brewer 1). In addition, 16,000 liver disease deaths were contributed to alcohol abuse (Brewer 1). These statistics display the impact of the health hazards associated with alcohol abuse. The same