Here’s a scenario! You’re sitting at the bus stop waiting to go to work, when all of a sudden the guy next to you decides to light up a “Blunt”. You begin to inhale its harmful toxins, so you get up and walk away. That was just one of the few issues millions of non-smokers have to deal with everyday. Which brings me to why I believe that the legalization of drugs would not only bring about injurious health problems, but it would also cause an increase in smokers, which would not be beneficial to those who don’t.

To begin with, everyone already knows how marijuana so calls “gets you high”. But what most people didn’t know is that it contains T.H.C., which is the active substance in pot, and is retained in the body for a long time. Basically what this means is that even though you may not be smoking, the effects of it is still in your system, which could probably hurt those closest to you. For example, if you’re the only one amongst you friends who smoke than they may turn against you and disassociate their selves from you. Another issue is that when you put an addictive drug in your system, your body begins to crave the pleasure and you start having that good feeling, producing a powerful high. The chemical in the weed (when absorbed by the body) creates an impotency (which is where males may experience the inability to function sexually). In females, marijuana may cause premature births, low birth weight and even infant death. Not only are you hurting those around you, but you’re hurting yourself in a way no one can explain.

In addition to that, I am against the legalization of marijuana because it causes detrimental health problems. The drug contains a stimulant which speeds up the pulse by 50% and the THC (active substance in pot) is 10,000 times stronger than alcohol. Weed also leads to irreversible brain damage within 3yrs relating to memory and problem solving. Also it’s possible that your lungs will turn from pink to black with excruciating use of the drug. With the legalization of drugs, these would be the least of our problems. Marijuana as a matter of fact, happens to have more carcinogens and carbon dioxide in smoke than cigarettes. Maybe if everybody knew about the hazard this drug causes there would be less use of it, because for some reason everyone seems to think that you’re better off smoking weed than a cigarette which is not true. Even though in some predicaments drugs/plants may be use as medicine, doesn’t mean it’s o.k. to light up. If you smoke 3 blunts a day, it’s basically like your smoking 17 packs of cigarettes per week. Now don’t get me wrong, if smoking is your thing, than be my guest, do it! But just know what the effects will be after a long term use of it.

Lastly due to impunity from the legalization of drugs more and more people would be out on the streets selling the product which means more people would begin smoking, because the fear of punishment would have diminished. It would also probably cause an increase in dropout rates as an effect of teens feeling the need to make a quick buck from the sales of marijuana. Where I grew up, every street corner you hit, you’ll find an adolescent trying to pass by from selling “Nicks, Dimes, and even QP’s (types of drugs) and I would hate it if they weren’t apprehended and taught a lesson through trial. But I’m not going to lie, the only good thing that might come out of making marijuana an acceptable drug would be less people in prison doing 5-10.

To sum it all up, if you want to “kill yourself slowly”, than just roll up a blunt, sit back, relax, and just “puff, puff, pass”. To add on to that, not only does smoking weed affect those around you, but it could also leave you with a lingering scent, which instead of attracting the opposite sex, it repels them. The long term use of it (esp. during pregnancy) can cause birth defects and infant death. But if you want to legalize marijuana, than do what you got to do, however just know that you’ll be ruining the lives of not only thousands but millions. So don’t be ignorant, do the right thing and instead of legalizing marijuana, help get teens to stay in school and become an inspiration. We all need change and it can start with you!