Legalizing Marijuana Pros and Cons Social Sciences Essay (Essay Sample)

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Legalizing Marijuana Pros and Cons
Marijuana, a product of the Cannabis plant, is arguably one of the most popular psychotropic substances in the United States today. Although several states have legalized marijuana for medicinal use, with California pioneering in 1996, legalization for recreational purposes remains a contentious issue in the United States. However, prompted by the urge to control and profit from the vast marijuana market, more states have since then legitimized the sale of recreational marijuana. While the legalization of marijuana may inadvertently cause social issues, the economic benefits far outweigh the potential drawbacks.
One of the primary economic advantages emanating from the legalization of marijuana is the creation of new revenue streams. In 2018, over eleven million people in the United States attested to using marijuana for recreational purposes (Gonzalez and McGee 74). Based on the current proliferation of marijuana use in the United States, it is more than likely that the number of consumers will increase markedly in the future. Consequently, by legalizing marijuana, the federal government would effectively curtail the black market sale of marijuana and tap into the billion-dollar marijuana market through taxation. Currently, states like California, Colorado, and Washington continue to profit on the revenues emanating from the legal sales of marijuana (Gonzalez and McGee 106). Moreover, legalizing marijuana allows businesses to increase profits