Legalizing Marijuana Does Society Really Need Another Way...

At some point in the not-too-distant future, America will confront the question of whether or not to legalize the use and cultivation of marijuana. A recent poll shows that support for legalization has reached its highest level since the question was first asked thirty years ago, with 34 percent supporting a liberalization of policy. Among political elites there is a growing consensus that the harsh penalties imposed on those who grow, use, and sell marijuana are disproportionate to its harmful effects. Even among conservatives, opinion seems to be shifting. Whether the change should be welcomed is another matter. In a recent essay for National Review, Richard Lowry raises the question of whether marijuana is truly harmful-and he†¦show more content†¦Much more potent is Lowrys argument against the conventional wisdom that pot is a gateway drug to such harder substances as LSD, cocaine, metham ­ phetamine, and heroin. Reversing accepted assump ­ tions, Lowry denies both that kids who use marijuana go on to experiment with stronger drugs and that those who do so are led to this behavior by the marijuana itself. As he points out, just because a cocaine addict used marijuana first doesnt mean he is on cocaine because he smoked marijuana. To argue in this way is, he claims, to confuse temporality with causality. It is more likely that children who experiment with drugs of all kinds do so because of a preexisting behavioral problem. Its thus the kid, not the substance, who is the problem. Like the NRAs effective campaign to persuade the country that guns dont kill people, people kill people, Lowrys argument contains much truth. Of course a troubled child is more likely to try drugs than one with a firm sense of right and wrong. But thats far from being the end of the story. Just as a would-be murderer can usually do far more harm with a gun than he could with a less potent weapon, so a child in danger of losing his way can do more damage to himself when drugs are widely available for his use, as they surely would be if they were legalized. And then there is the questionShow MoreRelatedShould Marijuana Be Legalized?1715 Words   |  7 PagesMarijuana in Society Cannabis, formally known as marijuana is a drug obtained from the tops, stems and leaves of the hemp plant cannabis. The drug is one of the most commonly used drugs in the world. Only substances like caffeine, nicotine and alcohol are used more (â€Å"Marijuana† 1). In the U. S. where some use it to feel â€Å"high† or get an escape from reality. The drug is referred to in many ways; weed, grass, pot, and or reefer are some common names used to describe the drug (â€Å"Marijuana† 1). 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