Legal Recreational Marijuana Revisited

The Gateway Drug Theory: The truth is the idea you have brought up is simply a theory. Tobacco and alcohol have also been accused of being gateway drugs. I understand marijuana and alcohol are different kinds of drugs but nothing about marijuana has been proven to qualify it as a 100% surefire "gateway drug." Numerous tests and data have shown inconclusive evidence of the gateway drug theory. In 2007 the surgeon general said that marijuana was in fact a gateway drug. He, however, did not prove this himself, and was instead, stating a probable (but not true) side effect to marijuana use based on inconclusive research to help raise awareness about the negative effects. Two studies from University of Pittsburgh's School of Pharmacy show inconclusive evidence to support this theory. So has the U.S. National Institute of medicine and RAND, who works for the U.S. government and military. All of these are reliable resources. Lastly, the assumption that marijuana would be legal for teens is false. Because marijuana is not legal, we don't know what legal using age will be put into place. Avoiding selling to teens is a very valid point that I agree with. Criminal Activity: There is no way to tell how society will react, especially because we don't know whether the gateway drug theory is correct or not. Because of the this unpredictability factor, we have to rely on history for answers. I could list and list events, but I don't want to waste your time so I'm going to concentrate on one significant, closely related one: Prohibition. As you know, Prohibition was when alcohol was illegal in the United States throughout the 1920's. It was proven that as soon as this drug was deemed illicit, crime (organized crime especially) skyrocketed as well as the smuggling of alcohol into the States. This all goes back to the fact that people in the past have increased criminal activity due to the act that made another so-called "gateway drug," alcohol, illegal, the opposite of what you proposed. Alcoholics have a chance to do harder drugs, just like any other type of user, and if your theory was correct then the harder drugs should have become as much of a problem as alcohol in the 1920's...but they didn't. I think we can agree that, heroin, for example, is much more addictive and harmful than marijuana. The difference is so significant, that it makes the assumption that "we should allow other harder substances," false. There are specific reasons marijuana should be legalized versus other drugs. By no means is the government supporting usage by legalizing it. Tobacco is legal yet you don't see the President of the United States endorsing it. The decision is up to the citizen and they have the right to be informed before using. Your two reasons of opposition (the numbered ones) are more of personal reasons why you would not use. The act of legalizing marijuana simply reduces the amount of crime in that drug deals connected to violence will be eliminated, providing users with a (lets just say) safe pharmacy where they can get marijuana. This is legalization to reduce criminal activity not discuss usage benefits/disadvantages. Just like alcohol or tobacco, marijuana use is a personal decision that has to be made. Advertisement bans, behind-the-wheel rules, etc. can all be made to ensure the safety of the public to help regulate this drug in a safer way so that people can use in the peace of their own home, without getting tangled up in crime. This is why recreational marijuana should, in fact, be legalized.