The Issue Of Legalizing Marijuana - 1324 Words

Does it really come to morality after all? The decision to legalize marijuana has been subject for debate since first introduced in 1969; many arguing the fact that we are sitting on an industry worth an estimated 113 billion dollars. For once we have an opportunity to make a real impact in our economy. We have an aid on â€Å"the war on drugs†. But are we then showing our children that legalizing drugs is really the answer to our problems or does only the big picture mater in the end? Will this bring for a stronger, richer nation or will this bring us down to our knees. Colorado Amendment 64 was passed on November 6, 2012. Section 16 legalized the â€Å"personal use and regulation of marijuana† for adults 21 and over as well as commercial†¦show more content†¦This brings us to the beginning of the debate over this issue. In truth, everything has those who favor and those who oppose. In 1969 Gallup first questioned Americans and found that only 12% favored legalizing marijuana use. Today that number has risen to 53%. A National Survey on Drug and Health says that it is the most commonly used illicit drug in the United Stated. The government survey showed that 18.9 million Americans 12 years or older had used marijuana in the past month. So what does this information tell us? That legal or not millions of Americans have and still use marijuana here in the U.S. This has been said a lot by an advocate in favor of the legalization of marijuana, his name is Tom Tancredo. Tom Tancredo is the one who said, â€Å"Marijuana prohibition has failed us.† It’s crippled our nation over the matter when we have the power to change what is. This former Republican Congressman wrote a column for the Gazette saying, â€Å"that despite his conservative beliefs he is in fact supporting Amendment 64 calling marijuana prohibition to be wasteful and ineffective program. Nothing proved to be truer as the production and sale brought millions of profit annually to the illegal cultivation and sale of marijuana. â€Å"Not to mention the tens of billions we spend trying to prohibit the consumption of something less harmful the alcohol.† In Colorado marijuana users are helping out public schools. â€Å"The people who