Nicholas Acker Student Choice #3: Marijuana vs Alcohol

The debate over the legalization of marijuana has been going on for a long time. When compared, it would seem as though there should be nothing hindering the legalization of the plant. Alcohol is known to cause dependency issues, can be lethal, severely impairs motor skills and judgment, and the list of negatives goes on. The difference lies in the social conceptions of alcohol and how over years of integration we have become accustomed to its use. Marijuana also has negatives, some similar to alcohol, but if it is used appropriately the dangers and even the health aspects are miniscule. If laws were set into place that controlled marijuana use similarly to alcohol’s policies, I believe marijuana would seem the lesser of the two drugs. There would be an initial craze after the legalization, but that would settle down when the issue isn’t as fresh. Besides these factors, the legalization would eliminate violence stemming from illegal drug trade between Mexico and other countries. It would provide the government with millions of dollars in taxable revenue and also reduce the amount of money the government spends looking for and incarcerating marijuana related offenders. The weed dealer would disappear and thousands of new jobs would pop up to support the marijuana industry and provide a much needed boost to our economy. When you look beyond the stereotypical negative reputation of the “stoner” at the facts about marijuana it is easy to see how with proper regulations and education, marijuana can be beneficially accepted.