Essay --

Though the national public opinions on marijuana and the use of it have recently gained massive media attention, the question still largely remains: â€Å"Do the benefits of marijuana uses outweigh the potential risks associated with it?† The truth of the matter is that all of the negative attributes that would come along with its legalization and usage make one wonder why the nation is even deliberating on the subject. These main reasons clearly identify why marijuana should remain illegal. First, marijuana legalization poses a serious risk for the occurrence of an upswing in teen marijuana use. Secondly, marijuana poses countless health risks on individuals who use it. Finally, the benefits associated with marijuana use are minimal, to say the least, and therefore would do nothing more than allow people to get high at free will. Overall, even though marijuana has been heavily promoted through its own advocates as well as the media as a substance with a plethora of benefits, the legalization of the use of this drug would ultimately do more harm than good. It’s no secret that the media has heavily glamorized marijuana usage in recent times. Teens are watching as more and more states put marijuana legalization measures on their ballots. They are watching as states like Washington and Colorado legalize recreational marijuana use. Not to mention all the stars that glamorize drugs. Teens watch as stars they admire like Miley Cyrus openly proclaim their love for marijuana and getting stoned from it. (Rivera) Slogans like â€Å"Just Say No† are slowly fading from the minds of our nation’s teens. When teens watch things like this occur, it’s easy to see why they may want to begin using marijuana. The issue with this is that an upswing in teen ma... ...uana’s benefits probably do not outweigh its drawbacks, and therefore should remain illegal. Marijuana is and will remain a hot topic in American minds from years to come. Its legal status, though, is the situation at hand and the question remains: â€Å"Does the drug carry enough positive qualities to overcome all of its negative attributes?† The simple answer to that question is â€Å"no.† The drug poses a serious risk in an upswing of teen marijuana use, it has been proven to contain numerous health risks, and its benefits are so small and minimally-researched that likely the only â€Å"benefit† to come from its legalization is freedom for people to get stoned at their own discretion. To sum it up, marijuana is simply something that can do without legalizing. Keeping its status illegal will ultimately help keep our citizens from going down a road they certainly do not need to.