Encyclopedia of Opinion
Question
Should recreational marijuana be legal?
Position1 of 3›

Recreational marijuana should be legal

This position holds that recreational marijuana should be legal. It argues legalisation would minimise harms by allowing regulation and control, ease the strain on police and prisons, raise tax revenue, and respect personal freedom—noting cannabis is less harmful than alcohol or tobacco.

Supporting arguments · 6

  1. Marijuana is less harmful than alcohol and tobacco
    Alcohol and tobacco are legal, but cause far more deaths than marijuana. There is no reason marijuana should be illegal while alcohol and tobacco are legal.
  2. Access to medicinal cannabis is restricted
    Currently, medicinal cannabis is only prescribed through the NHS is a child or adult has a rare form of epilepsy, or if an individual experiences vomiting or nausea as a result of chemotherapy. However, there are many other instances in which the use of cannabis is beneficial in alleviating certain side effects, such is the case for Lyme disease.
  3. Legalizing marijuana would lessen the strain on police and prisons
    A significant amount of resources are used to arrest and imprison people for marijuana offences. Legalizing marijuana will save the government time, money, space, and decrease racial injustice within prisons.
  4. Legal marijuana can be controlled and regulated
    The composition of legal cannabis can be guaranteed by a trusted organization (a state or an association for example). Thus, the consumers will be protected from added substances present in street cannabis.
  5. Personal freedom and marijuana
    Just as we allow adults to consume alcohol, adults should have the freedom to use marijuana if they desire.
  6. Marijuana as a source of tax revenue
    By legalising and then taxing marijuana, governments can gain a significant source of revenue.