It wasn’t long ago that the concept of legalized Marijuana seemed like a pipe dream, but with recreational marijuana now legal in 9 states and medical marijuana legal in 30 states, that time is happening now.

While the tide may be shifting for Legalizing Marijuana, there are still many politicians and average people who still have serious apprehensions about the use of marijuana–either for medical and recreational use.

On the other side of the fence, supporters of marijuana legalization list some highly valuable reasons that marijuana should be legalized and made widely available to the public.

Here are 5 pros and cons of legalizing marijuana, from both sides of the camp.

Pros

Dismantling the black market

As an illegal drug, marijuana funds organized crime and increases crime rates. As a legal drug, it would no longer be a profitable source for criminals and would limit a large portion of their funds.

Improved safety

When purchased off the street, users don’t know what exactly their marijuana has been exposed to or what else it may be laced with. If legalized, marijuana would become safer and more controlled and could be easily accessed at dispensaries. Visit American Mary here to see a list of places where you can purchase safe marijuana.

Further medical research

Marijuana is believed to alleviate a variety of health issues, however, as an illegal drug, pharmaceutical companies have very little interest in putting money into drug research. If legalized, more funds would be funneled into medical researched to see how marijuana can help.

Tax revenue

Since Colorado legalized marijuana, they have seen millions of dollars of tax revenue come in. The legalization of marijuana means hundreds of thousands of tax revenue that can go towards roads, schools, hospitals, and more.

Frees up the court system

Many people are in jail or in the process of going to court over marijuana possession. A majority of these people are not significant criminals and putting them in jail or charging them only backs up the court system. Legalizing marijuana would open up the system to process more severe crimes.

Cons

It’s addictive

Many people are still divided on whether marijuana is addictive. However, some findings have shown that it is psychologically addictive, which can still be very dangerous.

Second-hand smoke could be an issue

Addictive or not, smoke can be an irritant to people’s lungs. If you choose to smoke, it’s one thing, but if you are smoking around others, then you could be subjective people to second-hand smoke that could be upsetting and an irritant.

It can be dangerous to drive under the influence of marijuana

Like alcohol, marijuana does alter your perception. This can mean that users of marijuana may be more dangerous when they decide to get behind the wheel of a vehicle. For this reason, it’s essential that marijuana users avoid driving.

Smoking marijuana damages your lungs

No matter what causes the smoke, it hurts your lungs to smoke things. Marijuana smoke can still cause issues such as bronchitis and lung cancer.

Marijuana may increase mental health issues

The jury is still out on this one, but there is some evidence to suggest that marijuana use can contribute to an increase in schizophrenia and depression. However, scientists are uncertain whether marijuana contributes to these conditions.

The post Comparing Both Sides of the Coin: 5 Pros and Cons of Legalizing Marijuana appeared first on Medical Marijuana Blog.