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Essay / Marijuana: positive medicinal and economic effects
The consumption of marijuana, in small quantities, for recreational purposes has existed for several hundred years. It has been used for everything from painkillers to food ingredients that create a feeling of euphoria. Throughout the ages, it has served many purposes, and to this day its popularity has not waned. In fact, its popularity is increasing with increasing legalization around the world. So we wonder why marijuana is still illegal for personal use in most states in Australia. Canberra, our capital and seat of Parliament, recently legalized the possession and personal use of the substance. Why then is the rest of Australia lagging behind? If we examine the positive reasons for legalizing personal use of marijuana, we discover three very compelling arguments. Not only would the government benefit from increased revenue from taxing the drug, but we would also equip professionals with the ability to produce the substance in a safe and controlled environment. Add to this the removal of minor offenses affecting the credibility and criminal records of small users, and there is no doubt that other Australian states should follow suit. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay To begin with, a major positive aspect of legalizing marijuana is the fact that the government will be able to tax the sale of the drug. With the additional tax revenue, the government would be able to better fund several drug helplines across Australia. Since drugs and alcohol are a major problem, our community surrounding these substances could use as much help as possible. In 2017, there were 5,731 drug deaths recorded - almost 16 deaths per day across Australia. Of those deaths, only 2.7%, or 158 deaths for the entire year, were marijuana-related. Additionally, the amount of tax revenue from the sale of this drug is high. For example, the state of Colorado in the United States has generated $1.2 billion since retail marijuana sales began in February 2014. This type of revenue could fundamentally help our society. community, even if you only earn a percentage of that amount. Given that marijuana is the most widely used illicit drug in Australia, but is responsible for less than 3% of drug-related deaths, it is clear that legalizing this drug and getting more Funding for drug helplines will overall improve our community. Another crucial reason to legalize marijuana is the fact that it will be able to be produced and grown in a controlled environment. As I said earlier, marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug in Australia, but currently the majority of people who use the drug either buy it illegally or grow it at home. The truth is that most people who buy it illegally are unaware of what they are potentially exposing their bodies to, with the risk being higher that the drug is mixed with unknown substances or grown with many dangerous chemicals. With 33% of Australians using or having tried this medication, (AIWH, nd), there is an extremely low likelihood that people are using the medication drug-free, and its use is even continuously increasing each year across Australia. So if you clearly can't stop people from using it, why shouldn't we make it too.