Marijuana decriminalization is an extremely controversial topic in the United States. Conservatives view the drug as dangerous and debilitating, while reformers suggest that legalizing the plant would have a huge positive impact on the economy. While others, the terminally ill, want the plant to be legal so that it can be offered as a less toxic and sometimes more effective alternative to harsh prescription drugs. an overwhelming wealth of facts that demonstrate the medical benefits that marijuana can have. It's not hard to believe that marijuana is the third most popular recreational drug in the United States, and government surveys indicate that some 25 million Americans have smoked the plant in the past year. The purpose of this speech is not to persuade you to do something you have no interest in, but rather to inform you of the differences within our government regarding marijuana. The benefits of legalizing the plant outweigh the benefits of making it illegal. The marijuana ban applies to everyone, including the sick and dying. Among all the negative consequences of prohibition, none is as tragic as the denial of access to medicinal cannabis to tens of thousands of patients who could benefit from its therapeutic use. Many states have already legalized medical marijuana. While this is a big step forward, the federal government still considers owning the plant a crime. Many terminally ill people are thrown in jail for possessing marijuana that their state has deemed acceptable to possess. Did you know that the US government considers marijuana more dangerous than cocaine and PCP? Both of these drugs are still used today in hospitals across the states and are recognized as having medical properties...... middle of paper ...... it is for drinking or smoking cigarettes. Whether it is legal or not has almost no bearing on the likelihood of one participating in the act. Try to be careful not to stereotype. Not everyone who drinks is an alcoholic, and not everyone who smokes marijuana is an addict. Marijuana is not toxic and cannot cause death from overdose. It offers terminally ill patients a safer alternative to harsh prescription medications. Taxing the plant and decriminalizing it would bring enormous revenue to our government. It would also remove non-violent offenders from overcrowding our prisons. Our public policies must reflect these realities, not deny them. If you would like to learn more about marijuana decriminalization, there is plenty of information available on the webpage of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, or NORML. .org.