Don't Legalize It

Marijuana legalization is the first step towards a useless, addicted culture. The majority of Americans agree that marijuana should be legalized. I do not. Marijuana is a harmful drug that needs to be treated as such. The new law in Massachusetts does seem to be a fair one. The users are dealt a disserved punishment but it is not too harsh. The law really weeds out the dealers (no pun intended). There is one problem I find with the new law. It sets the acceptable age of use to eighteen. Since this age is too young for alcohol, I think it should also be too young for pot use. The law should make the cut-off age twenty-one. All people under this age should have to pay for drug classes. This is the way that it is for alcohol, and marijuana should be treated as harmfully as alcohol.

Marijuana will never be legalized for a few reasons. One reason is the fact that it is hard to prove that someone is high behind the wheel. It certainly impairs the driver’s ability, but the sobriety test is only really effective for those who are drunk. Marijuana does not affect the motor skills as bad as drinking, but it is not safe to drive a car under these conditions. Also, despite most people’s claims, marijuana is habit forming. If a person is smoking every day, a week off would be unbearable to them. The drug itself is not addictive, but the feeling is. It does not need to be addictive for a person to want to be high all of the time.

Marijuana negatively effects people’s memory, and other brain activities. Typical “stoners” don’t have the best memory. This is a stereotype that is often true. Marijuana makes it harder for people to remember things that happen in short-term. If someone is high the day before the test they may not remember as much. It has also been recorded that marijuana’s effects stay with you for about 24 hours after you smoke. So if a person smokes every day, they will always be a little off. Whether it’s stumbling over words or just fatigue, it is noticeable in most smokers. It may make you think that you are a genius, but when you look back on those “Highdeas” the next day, were they really that insightful?