Several pressing issues have arose throughout time, such as abortion and capitol punishment. The controversies have been addressed and decisions have been made. A new topic has emerged and demands recognition. It is the legalization of marijuana. Legalizing marijuana has become a widely discussed topic in the United States and the world for several reasons, including its role in industry and in recreation.

Over the centuries, marijuana has been used to make such things as rope, sails, paper, cloth, oil, birdseed, and other various products. It was a major cash

Immediately proceeding legalization, "coffee shops" emerged throughout the Netherlands. The coffee shops sell various foods made with marijuana and the plant in smokable form. There are approximately 450 coffee shops in Amsterdam, distributing about 150,000 dollars worth of marijuana annually. Siberia sells 1,000 dollars worth daily. Tourists purchase an estimated 180 million dollars each year, which accounts for twenty-five percent of the country's income from tourism.

Couldn't it be that there are people in the United States Senate who would like to see... [the] struggle continued in Columbia, a safe distance away from the United States, rather than consider alternatives that distribute the burdens of the drug war more equally? (858).

There are also physical dangers to consider. One joint does the equivalent damage to the lungs as four cigarettes. If marijuana was legalized, a rise in the number of lung cancer patients should be expected to rise. Marijuana weakens the immune system. It reduces the IQ's of babies born to inhaling mothers. Marijuana distorts perception, impairs memory, and reduces concentration. It is known to be psychologically addictive (Forbes, 26).

Perhaps one of the best arguments for marijuana activists is that the marijuana plants are actually environmentally-friendly. The crop can be produces with little or no fertilizers or pesticides, which could "help save the planet from chemical doom." (Barry, 23). Cotton, presently one of the largest cash crops in the south, is a chemical dependent crop and requires large quantities of water, which, in most cases, must be supplied by artificial means. Not only would marijuana eliminate a large amount of chemicals that are being pumped into our environment daily, but it would also remove heavy metals from the soil and replenish the ozone.

The advantages of legalizing industrial marijuana are evident. The citizens of the United States and their government must decide if such advantages constitute legalizing, or if it would be more beneficial to observe the present laws. Either way, the issue must be faced, and all options weighed accordingly. Industrial marijuana is the possible primary cash crop, and demands acknowledgment.

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Approximate Word count = 5581
Approximate Pages = 22 (250 words per page double spaced)