Should Marijuana Be Legalized - 1118 Words

The unjust imprisonment of American citizens with over-exaggerated jail sentences (pertaining to marijuana charges) is a very big problem in the US. I chose this topic because I had heard so many horror stories of people being sentenced at least 9-10 years on marijuana possession charges just to fill prisons, and it made me extremely upset. What angered me even more was the proof of racially motivated arrests/sentencing in many instances of unjust marijuana related arrests. While these people were â€Å"busted† for carrying marijuana and subsequently jailed for decades, rapists get out in 8-9 years on average (Sex Offender Attorney). Even more outrageous, almost all those charged with marijuana possession are sentenced/punished, while only 3 of†¦show more content†¦History of Marijuana Prohibition in the US The prohibition of marijuana in the United States of America (coined by many as an essential part of the â€Å"War on Drugs†) has ultimately shown itself to be a self-destructing mission, led by ultra-conservative political leaders unaware of the opinions of the people they’ve been elected to represent. The situation we find ourselves faced with today seems like deja vu to many, as the government’s attempts to control the recreational use of marijuana reminds people of the Alcohol Prohibition from 1920-1933, known as â€Å"the noble experiment.† (Thornton) Both the prohibition of alcohol and the prohibition of marijuana have very similar traits, and these traits are evidence of just how ineffective the criminalization of marijuana is. The national alcohol prohibition was undertaken to reduce crime and corruption, solve social problems, reduce the tax burden created by prisons and poorhouses, and improve health and hygiene in America. The results of that â€Å"experiment† clearly indicate that it was a miserable failure on all counts. Although consumption of alcohol fell at the beginning of Prohibition, it su bsequently increased by the end of 1933 (Thornton). Alcohol became more dangerous to consume (as