Marijuana, pot or weed is a popular drug in many countries, but it is illegal in most of them. There are very few countries in which, the use of this drug both for medical and recreational purposes is legal. In the U.S, only a few states have made the move to legalize marijuana. However, there is a growing debate on whether to legalize marijuana or not. The debate to a large extent revolves around the supposed medicinal value of this drug. To make things clearer for you with regards to this subject, here are 5 benefits to legalizing Marijuana.
- It can raise revenue for the government
Even though marijuana addiction treatment is costly, the benefits of legalizing it far outweigh these costs. According to a report by New Frontier Data on cannabis analytics, the federal government would collect about $131.8 billion in aggregate tax as from 2017 to 2025, if it were to legalize marijuana. Currently, the government is not collecting anything from the sale of this product.
- It can create millions of jobs
Immediate legalization of cannabis would create about 1.1 million new jobs. Workers growing this plant, and those working in the processing factories and other upstream industries would immediately benefit from such a move. That’s because any company involved directly or indirectly with the cannabis supply chain would need personnel. Given that it is in the government’s best interest to create employment for its citizens, it makes sense for marijuana to be legalized.
- It can reduce corruption cases
People will always smoke and abuse pot, whether the government legalizes it or not. As such, considering that its effects are not as severe as those from cigarettes, the government would save money by legalizing it, money that is usually lost via the marijuana black market. Police departments are involved in many corruption cases with dealers, in order to allow the underground sale of this drug. If it were legal, they would concentrate on other important issues, while the government collects taxes from the industry.
- It can help reduce crime
If marijuana is legalized, the number of criminal cases related to the underground sale of this drug would reduce significantly. These crimes are there because dealers have to protect their businesses from rival gangs angling for control of the highly lucrative, but illegal, marijuana trade. Such cases lead to gang killings in the race for market dominance. If the drug were to be legalized, there would be no need for such competition and rivalry, which in turn would lead to a decline in crime.
- Scientists have demonstrated that marijuana is medicinal
There is a substance in cannabis called tetrahydrocannabinol that scientists say is effective for relieving pain. It is the same substance that is responsible for the “high” a person feels after using this drug. If the drug is legalized, it would open up more avenues for research, which would help doctors discover safe methods of using marijuana, even for recreational purposes.
