Table of ContentsIntroductionPros and Cons of Marijuana Legalization (Essay)Conclusion and ReflectionIntroductionCrossing Party Lines, Gender, Education, and Race; Public support for marijuana legalization has increased significantly over the past decade. The United States has seen several states legalize the drug, such as Colorado, and after marijuana was legalized in Colorado, other state legislatures and government officials asked Colorado officials about the possible benefits of legalization , including one of them, Colorado Democrat John. Hickenlooper told those officials, “Just say no.” Currently, in New Jersey, marijuana is available through medical means. However, New Jersey State Senator Nicholas Scutari is proposing legislation to legalize marijuana. Senator Scutari believes the state can "regulate the growth, circulation and sale of recreational marijuana, which would dry up the illegal drug market, clean up the streets and fill state coffers with new money." source of tax revenue. While Senator Scutari believes these assumptions regarding marijuana legalization, upon careful examination of the societal costs of marijuana, we can see that the implications of marijuana legalization are much more complex. Therefore, the pros and cons of legalizing marijuana are analyzed in this essay. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Pros and Cons of Marijuana Legalization (Essay) Looking closer, we can find that there are societal costs associated with the legalization of marijuana. First of all, marijuana has long-term harmful effects on the human body. Marijuana can cause anxiety, distorted judgment, lower academic performance, breathing problems, and slower reaction times. Additionally, the younger a person begins using marijuana, the more likely they are to experience unwanted side effects from marijuana use. Marijuana, as we know it today, is more potent than ever. According to Dr. Mahmoud ElSohly, director of the Marijuana Potency Project, the active ingredient in marijuana, tetrahydracannabinol or THC found in marijuana "has increased from less than 1% to 3 to 4% in the 1990s, to almost 13 % Today ". This has led to a "higher potential for addiction" and according to Dr. Christian Thurstone, who runs a drug treatment center in Denver, says, "'It's harder to get kids sober...because they get less motivated for treatment and more dependent. "Additionally, legalization and decriminalization of weed have been shown to increase marijuana use among minors. The national average for individuals aged twelve to seventeen who use marijuana is approximately eight percent, while in Colorado this figure hovers around eleven percent. Although this figure may not be the case, it seems alarming, reports have shown that the number of marijuana users is increasing over the years. For example, in 2011, "one in four Boulder Country district high school students surveyed indicated that they were a current marijuana user," which was three times the national average among. high school students This increase in the number of young marijuana users in Colorado has led to an increase in marijuana-related emergency room visits..