Why Marijuana Should Not Be Legalized: A Public Health Essay

This essay argues against the legalization of marijuana, emphasizing the potential negative impacts on public health. It highlights concerns about addiction, increased crime rates, and impaired driving, drawing parallels with the negative effects of alcohol. The essay references research on the drug's impact on the adolescent brain, reduced IQ, and negative effects on educational attainment. It also critiques the arguments of legalization advocates, addressing claims about prison unclogging and tax revenue, while emphasizing the long-term health consequences, including impaired memory, hallucinations, and potential for psychosis. The author concludes that marijuana legalization is detrimental to society, benefiting only sellers and buyers, and should remain illegal. The essay cites multiple sources to support its claims.

Why Marijuana Should Not Be Legalized1
Why Marijuana Should Not Be Legalized
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Why Marijuana Should Not Be Legalized2
Marijuana prohibition is not a burden to the society; instead, it is a benefit. Just like alcohol,
marijuana has negative impacts and it more related to crime and addiction (Hopfer, 2014). If the
legislature agrees with the legalization of marijuana, they must be ready to face the consequences
of their actions such as residents driving under the influence of the drug and even much worse
like dealers engaging in other harder drugs.
Legalization advocates have opened up discussions with the law regarding the medicinal use of
the drug, but there's not enough evidence to show the benefits are more than the risks. Some
anecdotal evidence suggests that most of those discussions are facilitated by people who just
want to get high.
According to research done by United Nations, marijuana substance is the second from alcohol
to be found in the bodies of drivers involved in fatal accidents. The researchers also found out
that more than 3.8% of the planet's population uses the substance. According to US Drug
Enforcement Administration, most of the criminal arrested in 2005 were tested positive for
marijuana. My question is, why would anyone feel any need to make such a substance legal and
socially acceptable?
Most pot smokers argue that marijuana makes them relax and are more aggressive (Cooper, and
Haney, 2010). Surprisingly, research on the link between marijuana and aggression is mixed as it
seems to make people relax but all the same, it causes paranoia and anxiety problem making the
users a threat to themselves or others.
Studies show that marijuana harms both the teenage and an adult brain (Ammerman, Ryan,
Adelman, and Committee on Substance Abuse, 2015). What I am mostly concerned about, is the

Why Marijuana Should Not Be Legalized3
belief of most teenagers that marijuana is harmless drug and the rising population the teenagers
using this drug. Dozens of research show that the drug affects the brain of a teenager and their IQ
is reduced by 8% if they continue to use it to adulthood. Even if they stop using the drug at a
later age, they may recover what they had lost.
Students as young as 15 years old and above using marijuana are more likely to do worse or drop
out of school, earn less when they become of age and have unsatisfying career according to
research done by Dr. Ed Gogek, an author of Marijuana Debunked. I am sure that no parent
wants this for their children, but most of the school's teacher says that marijuana is one of their
main problems.
Advocates campaigning for the legalization of marijuana claim that this will result to unclogging
the prisons but justice department argue that most criminals found in possession of marijuana
were also charged with other serious offenses. They also claim that tax collected from marijuana
business will bring more profit to the country, but this is just misleading stories as they do not
tell us about the legalization cost(Li, Brady, DiMaggio, Lusardi, Tzong, and Li, 2011). The taxes
will not come anywhere near what marijuana takes from the society, i.e., lost productivity, health
cost and criminal injustice among other losses.
Marijuana affects the health of its uses negatively; it overreacts part of the brain that has high
receptors causing the ‘high' feeling (Pacula, 2010). The short-term effect includes; changes in
mood, impaired memory, hallucinations, psychosis and impaired body movement while the long-
term impact includes; a problem in child development during and after pregnancies, decline in
IQ levels and impaired brain development.

Why Marijuana Should Not Be Legalized4
There’s no medication currently available to treat marijuana. Though behavioral support
including therapy and motivational incentives has shown to be effective they still at some time
are unable to reduce withdrawal symptoms and prevent relapse (Hopfer, 2014). Long-term users
trying to quit mostly report mild symptoms such as cravings and grouchiness making quitting
difficult.
In conclusion, marijuana is harmful drug no matter what the drug’s advocates say and not the
kind we put stamps for approval. No community/ legislature should allow legalization of the
drug no matter what, as it benefits only two groups, i.e., seller and buyer. For the rest of us
making sure it stays illegal is the best option.

Why Marijuana Should Not Be Legalized5
References
Li, M.C., Brady, J.E., DiMaggio, C.J., Lusardi, A.R., Tzong, K.Y. and Li, G., 2011. Marijuana
use and motor vehicle crash. Epidemiologic reviews, 34(1), pp.65-72.
Ammerman, S., Ryan, S., Adelman, W.P. and Committee on Substance Abuse, 2015. The impact
of marijuana policies on youth: clinical, research, and legal update. Pediatrics, 135(3), pp.e769-
e785.
Pacula, R.L., 2010. Examining the impact of marijuana legalization on marijuana consumption.
Hopfer, C., 2014. Implications of marijuana legalization for adolescent substance use. Substance
Abuse, 35(4), pp.331-335.
Hopfer, C., 2014. Marijuana legalization: impact on physicians and public health. Annual review
of medicine, 67, pp.453-466.
Cooper, Z.D., and Haney, M., 2010. Opioid antagonism enhances marijuana's effects in heavy
marijuana smokers. Psychopharmacology, 211(2), pp.141-148.