Should Marijuana Be Legalized - 1135 Words

â€Å"There’s nothing new about cannabis, of course. It’s been around humankind pretty much forever. In Siberia charred seeds have been found inside burial mounds dating back to 3000 B.C. The Chinese were using cannabis as a medicine thousands of years ago. Marijuana is deeply American too—as American as George Washington, who grew hemp at Mount Vernon. For most of the country’s history, cannabis was legal, commonly found in tinctures and extracts† (Sides). This is how the national geographic article â€Å"Science Seeks To Unlock Marijuana’s Secrets† by Hampton Sides was opened. Very good opening sentences that provide a good idea of marijuana and a little history on it as well. There are many problems in todays society, but the argument of†¦show more content†¦Currently there are 23 states where marijuana is legal for medical use only, and 4 states where it is legal recreationally. Some facts about marijuana are studies have shown that marijuana is less harmful than alcohol and tobacco, over 800,000 people are arrested every year for possession of marijuana or anything related to marijuana charges, and George Washington grew marijuana in his yard. â€Å"In 23 states and the District of Columbia cannabis is legal for some medical uses, and a majority of Americans favor legalization for recreational use. Other countries are rethinking their relationship to pot too. Uruguay has voted to legalize it. Portugal has decriminalized it. Israel, Canada, and the Netherlands have medical marijuana programs, and in recent years numerous countries have liberalized possession laws† (Sides). Marijuana has been around for a along time, and has actually been very good for the American trade in early years. In 1619 a law passed that requires farmers to grow hemp. Through the 1700s marijuana was a primary crop being grown in the states. The plant continued to be grown for trade, and personal use, up until 1937 when the Marihuana Tax