The topic of marijuana legalization has been a controversial topic in American society; moreover in American politics today. There are many good arguments for why marijuana should be legalized and my argument is based on supporting facts and details to prove why marijuana should be legalized. Legalizing marijuana would benefit our government and economy, according to Evan Wood, founder of the International Center for Drug Policy Science; American taxpayers have spent approximately $2.5 trillion on the war on drugs. The legalization of marijuana would have medical use, and would also be useful in certain religions; after all, legalizing marijuana would eliminate the cost of keeping marijuana illegal, which costs the U.S. government more than billions annually. Marijuana legalization has been an ongoing battle for many years, it is time to decriminalize marijuana and legalize it. The composition of marijuana is very complex and has many physiological effects and also has a multitude of potential health benefits. The legalization of marijuana, which is a Schedule I drug. Marijuana is the most widely used illicit drug in the United States. Doctors and scientists have confirmed that the effects of marijuana are short-term and it has also been proven to be less harmful than alcohol. Marijuana should be legalized because of its medical use and religious use. Legalizing marijuana would also generate billions of dollars in revenue and taxes for the U.S. government; while banning marijuana would cost taxpayers billions of dollars each year. Marijuana has a medical use that people with certain health conditions may benefit from if marijuana is legalized. Marijuana can be used as medicine...... middle of paper ...... it is proven to have medical use and is much less dangerous than most legal drugs, such as tobacco and alcohol. Individually, people should have the right to decide whether or not they want to use marijuana, excluding minors. In conclusion, legalizing marijuana would benefit the US government and be more effective in controlling drug use. Marijuana prohibition only costs taxpayers billions of dollars each year and has not benefited the economy. Education and treatment would be the effective way to address marijuana issues, while legalizing marijuana would benefit and boost our economy, especially during this economic recession; therefore, the legalization of marijuana could be the beginning of reforming the United States economy; due to the fact that legalizing marijuana would help subsidize our economy.