In the perspective of America’s war on drugs, marijuana is one of the biggest issues across the country. Which poses a relevant question as to why marijuana is illegal, if alcohol and tobacco, two life threatening substances, legal. The fact that marijuana is illegal is mostly caused by the amount of money, jobs, and pride invested in the drug war. In other words, the government cannot turn back now.
The difference between illegal and legal substances (specifically marijuana and alcohol) must be abolished. Alcohol was once illegal in the 1920’s. During the prohibition, the sale, production and even transportation of alcohol became a national ban. The reason why it was illegal in the 1920’s was because of the ill effects of alcohol. Some of the ill effects are direct and some alter the behavior and motor skills of the drinker, helping them do things they would not normally do. More often than not, the direct effects result from heavy drinking, like "depression is frequently diagnosed in alcoholics" (Web. MD,2010). But just getting drunk can do serious harm. "Accidental trauma forms the major cause of brain damage from alcohol" (140) would indicate alcohol as a threat to human health. Marijuana on the other hand seems a little out of place in its classification as illegal. The source previously cited notes that, "Although it is classified as a Schedule I drug for regulatory purposes, it is clearly different pharmacologically from the opiate analgesics" (Web. MD,2010). Also, recently a heated debate has arisen on the medicinal value of marijuana. Whether there is a definite use for marijuana is unclear, but there is surely no such debate concerning alcohol. So once again I posture the question why is marijuana illegal if it is not more dangerous than substances that are legal? The American government's investment in the war on drugs spans the spectrum of governmental offices. But the main recipient of funds from the budget is the Drug Enforcement Agency, located...