The issue of marijuana legalization has been prominent in the headlines recently with Washington and Colorado's new laws regarding recreational marijuana use. The problems arise from the large difference in opinions between those who support the new laws and those who oppose them. Supporters of marijuana legalization argue that police resources used to try to prosecute marijuana users could be better used for violent crimes such as murder and rape. Proponents also argue that marijuana has far more positive properties than negative ones. Those who oppose legalization say marijuana is a gateway to other, more harmful drugs such as methamphetamine and heroin. They also say that marijuana is a harmful drug and should be treated as such. The benefits of making marijuana legal for recreational use by the adult population far outweigh the negatives. Marijuana has been used legally almost as long as humanity has existed. The first time marijuana became illegal was in 1937, with the Marijuana Tax Act. A Gallup poll shows that in 1969 the percentage of people who believed marijuana should not be legal was 84% ​​and of those who thought it should being so was only 12%. In 2009 the survey was repeated and this time the numbers had changed dramatically. The percentage of people who think it should be illegal fell to 54%, while the percentage of those who favor legalization rose to 44%. Marijuana is practically harmless to the adult user. Several studies have concluded that even long-term use of marijuana is not associated with an increased risk of cancer. This includes cancers of the lung, prostate, breast or cervix, among others currently under study. A recent population... middle of paper... ucoma, cancer, HIV, used to treat depression, anxiety, attention deficit disorder and many other diseases and conditions. So, in retrospect, when it comes to marijuana, in my opinion, the good definitely outweighs the bad and does so while remaining natural, renewable, and cost-efficient. One day, I hope to see marijuana widely available to the general public, at an affordable cost. Works Cited Morral, Andrew R.; McCaffrey, Daniel F., and Susan M. Paddock. “Reevaluating the Gateway Effect of Marijuana.” Addiction 97.12 (2002): 1493-504. Inaba, Darryl S. and William E. Cohen. Uppers, Downers, Handyman: physical and mental effects of psychoactive drugs. 2nd ed. Ashland: CNS Productions, 1995. 174Block, R.I. et al., “Acute Effects of Marijuana on Cognition: Relationships to Chronic Effects and Smoking Techniques.” Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior 43 (1992): 907-917.