Decriminalization of MarijuanaThink about alcohol for a minute. It’s something we’re used to in our everyday lives. We associate it with celebrations, parties, relaxation and many other things that involve leisure. What else do we associate alcohol with? What about drunk driving and the deaths that result from it too. The idea of ​​alcoholism and the destruction of the body as well as families might come to mind. Now think about marijuana. Potty is something we have all been taught that is close to sin. “Pot will make you stupid and lazy.” “Pot will ruin your life.” These are just a few examples of phrases that accompany the mention of marijuana in any context, and the government has spent a lot of time and money to keep it that way. They also maintained a strict policy of imposing prison sentences on anyone caught using or possessing drugs. Should someone be jailed for drinking a beer? A night of drunkenness has far worse effects on the body than marijuana (Fortgang 53). The drug's small harmful effects are why marijuana should be decriminalized. When I say decriminalized, I don't mean legalized. Politicians should at most impose a fine in a case involving cannabis, not years and years to life in prison. The hard facts about the drug marijuana are very different from the beliefs of American society. How it actually changes the brain and how addictive it is are pretty minor. The chemical THC is what does the majority of the work when someone smokes marijuana. This chemical travels along the pathway of molecularly similar neurotransmitters in the brain called anandamides. THC stays in the receptors for a while, using up close punishments that already work...... middle of paper. Overall, the war on pot is a more negative situation than a positive one. It wastes money, sacrifices excessive time in people's lives, and is not taken seriously, even by the men who defend it. The best solution is decriminalization. In the 1970s, the 11 states that decriminalized marijuana saw no increase in crime (Schlosser 49). Scarce prison cells should be reserved for violent criminals, not marijuana smokers. Impose fines and create some revenue for the state, not spend it all trying to eradicate a less harmful substance than the alcohol we consume daily.Bibliography:Works CitedFortgang, Erica. "Is pot bad for you? Six questions answered." Rolling Stone, February 1999: 53, 101. Schlosser, Eric. “The politics of pot: a government in denial”. Rolling Stone March. 1999: 47-52.