Legalization of Marijuana

First I want to address the concerns you raised addressing the effects of smoking marijuana on the lungs and the respiratory system. While smoking anything is damaging to the lungs and this could deter many people from approving the use of marijuana for recreational purposes there is an alternative. Using a Vaporizer to consume marijuana eliminates the actual inhalation of smoke which is the cause of many of the toxins and carcinogens that will enter the users system. Vaporizers heat marijuana only to around 180-200 degrees Celsius which causes the psycho-active ingredients (THC) to boil and vaporize without combustion occurring. This offers the user a much more pure and clean way to feel the effects of smoking the marijuana without most of the carcinogens and toxins. Secondly, you mentioned a study of 450 marijuana smokers that do not smoke tobacco products, a survey measuring the differences between the respiratory effects of marijuana smoke compared to that of tobacco smoke should have a much larger sample size then just 450 people and should contain people who only smoke marijuana, only smoke cigarettes, and who smoke both. This will give a better understanding of the different effects, if any. Also on the topic of this survey did it mention what the preferred method of smoking marijuana was for these people? As stated before using a vaporizer will yield different results for the user than if they smoke using joint papers or blunt wraps. As far as the mental side effects that you spoke of, did you find a study that stated these side effects and if so did it speak on the level of use for the people who experienced theses side effects or there mental background? Of course if people abuse the drug it can have these side effects and alter a persons state of mind, much like how people who abuse alcohol or prescription drugs experience tremendous mental or personality changes. It can also be said that the people who experienced these symptoms were prone to experiencing them or already were experiencing these problems and sub consciously began using marijuana in order to self medicate and help them deal with there emotional problems. You say that marijuana is illegal for a good reason but nothing that you brought up in your argument that I have addressed so far is exclusive to marijuana. Smoking cigarettes and cigars is clearly extremely damaging to a persons health and to my knowledge serves no benefit to society but it is still legal. Drinking alcohol causes many mental side effects on the people who use it such as addiction but it is legal. All of the possible health related side effects of smoking marijuana that you listed can be found in many other products which are legal within the United States. As far as the Mexican drug cartels you say supply our country with marijuana, legalizing the product would most likely eliminate them from the market. Marijuana if legalized would become a corporate industry which is heavily regulated. This would provide the buyers with a much better idea of what they are actually buying, increasing their incentive to purchase from a legitimate distributor. Think about it, would you rather buy a TV from wal-mart or from someone you don't really know as a legitimate person? Also legalizing marijuana would allow for companies and investors to develop and research the product so that it can be manufactured at the highest quality for the lowest cost, which is an advantage that small time drug dealers do not have access too. Secondly just because it will be taxed does not mean that the price will go up for the end user. Much of what makes up the cost of a bag of marijuana today is strictly due to the risk that the producers and dealers are presented with in avoiding law enforcement. Once marijuana is made legal all of those costs will be done away with. Finally, Legalizing marijuana will not have any effect on whether or not people are selling heroin or meth-amphetamines; people who are into those drugs will be into them regardless of whether or not pot is legal.