For many years’ marijuana was looked at as an illegal drug, that was only harmful to those who consumed it. With the legalization of marijuana, it has become even safer to use than ever before. It has cut down the amount money going to cartels and drug dealers. Finally, marijuana is helping the economy with money as well as creating more available jobs for those in need. Marijuana has been arguably one of the most debated drugs to become legal to all. Concluding that the legalization of marijuana is not the worst possible thing that could of happen.
Marijuana boughten on the street or through the black market has no distinction of being safe or not. “Marijuana has been used for centuries as a natural medicinal agent to good effect (Morrow). Thus being said with it now becoming legal, “the government is able to enforce laboratory testing and regulations to ensure that marijuana is free of toxins” (ProCon). Safety to consumers is key, one does not want to have to worry about what they are going to be consuming. Marijuana boughten on the street may contain pesticides, fungus, or may even be laced with another harmful substance. These legal providers of marijuana are doing their very best to ensure each and every user that they will not be putting harmful chemicals or anything that is not presented by the label or manufacturer. “California regulations include limitations on the seed to sale testing and twenty-four-hour surveillance at retail stores” (ProCon). Marijuana has become the safest it has ever been. Therefore, legalization of marijuana has taken the power out of the illegal distributor’s hands.
According to Border Patrol, “marijuana seizures have decreased by millions of pounds and are at the lowest levels in decades” (ProCon). With the government taking control of distributing marijuana cartels and illegal drug dealers are beginning to slowly but surely fade away. The government is easier able to track illegal markets for marijuana since proposition nineteen has been passed legalizing weed. Although it will not fully drive out the cartels, it is a push for a better foundation where safer and healthier plants can be consumed. “There has been a shift to pushing other drugs across the border”, Mexican cartels have been focusing mainly on distributing other drugs across the borders simply because marijuana has no value in the black-market industry anymore (Powers). For the benefit of consumers, marijuana is becoming safer and keeping dirty money out of the hands of these illegal corporations or gang related distributors. Legalizing marijuana took the money away from these illegal distributors and helped benefit the economy and open up new jobs never known of.
This industry has created thousands of new opportunities for work as well as bringing money to the government to benefit our communities. “In 2015, Colorado collected more than $135 million in taxes and fees on medical and recreational marijuana” (Krishna). “In 2016 the state of Colorado posted over $1 billion in legal cannabis sales” (Krishna). There has been a study done concluding that, “81,000 direct, indirect, and induced jobs [have been created] in California as a result of legalized marijuana (Krishna). Legalization of marijuana has created beneficial opportunities for those involved in the industry to make a better living for themselves. This industry has been able to change lives for many and make ends meet for those in need of a miracle. Overall economically marijuana has had a huge impact on reeling in money for the government as well as legal business owners.
Come every positive there must be a downside, not every individual believes that marijuana becoming legal is a positive outcome. In some circumstances, the legalization of marijuana has made black market business boom. “When Colorado voters approved legalization of marijuana, no one imagined such an opportunity to cash in on illegally grown pot”, some states are coming across circumstances that legalizing marijuana is benefitting the underground business (Ferrugia). The federal government and many investigators have come across situations that the legalization of weed has allowed some illegal drug dealers to go unnoticed and continue to make a huge profit. Yes, the whole idea of marijuana becoming legal was to get away from these situations, but some occurrences are inevitable. Law enforcement has done their best to control the black-market industry and reduce the distribution and production of illegal products.
Marijuana becoming legal has been a huge debate. Although in the end it has become legal in many states. It has yet to become federally legal but differs from state to state. If one is interested in this industry, they must research the places it is legal and the safest ways of going about getting involved. The business is cutthroat and people are interested in what will benefit them. Hopefully in years to come the black-market industry is completely wiped away and all usage of marijuana can be safe and clean. The legal aspect of marijuana is still being looked at to this day and will forever be tweaked to be safe in all aspects of the business side to the consumer usage.
Work Cited
Con, Pro. “Pros & Cons – ProCon.org.” Recreational Marijuana, 13 Nov. 2018, marijuana.procon.org/.
Creative, Silverback. “Legalizing Marijuana Has Affected Drug Cartels.” Colorado Cannabis Tours and 420 Hotels, 16 Mar. 2017, coloradocannabistours.com/marijuana-legalization/legalizing-marijuana-affected-drug-cartels/.
Ferrugia, John. “How Colorado’s Marijuana Legalization Strengthened the Drug’s Black Market.” PBS, Public Broadcasting Service, 15 July 2019, www.pbs.org/newshour/show/how-colorados-marijuana-legalization-strengthened-the-drugs-black-market.
Krishna, Mrinalini. “The Economic Benefits of Legalizing Weed.” Investopedia, Investopedia, 11 Dec. 2019, www.investopedia.com/articles/insights/110916/economic-benefits-legalizing-weed.asp.
Morrow, Angela. “The Debate Over the Legalization of Marijuana for Medical Use.” Verywell Health, Verywell Health, 18 Aug. 2019, www.verywellhealth.com/what-are-the-pros-and-cons-of-medical-marijuana-1132484.
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