I’ve always been against drug use, so I’m naturally on the opposing side of the legalization of marijuana. As an athlete and someone with a good family situation, I’ve never been tempted to use it and I wish everyone with temptations had a support system not just to pull them away from abusive substances but to give them a reason to stay away in the first place. I don’t support drug use and I don’t think anyone should have access to it because I believe that there’s a better way to deal with our problems. But at the same time, I have to consider the fact that it could open doors for medical uses and research that would answer questions about the actual degree to which it could harm a person and how it affects developing brains.

My first argument is the rising level of THC in marijuana. The THC: CBD ratio is 14:1, which is unbalanced and could provide users with more of an effect than anticipated. However, this effect can be countered by adjusting the CBD level.

My second argument is that marijuana is unhealthy and legalizing it will encourage its use. Some may argue that we don’t know exactly how unhealthy it is, but anyone can say with certainty that it pulls people away from physical activity, which is one of the biggest problems. Also, studies have shown that marijuana can lead to long-term mental problems (especially for developing brains) and harmful neurological effects.

My third argument is the environmental aspect of marijuana’s effects. The 1% of our nation’s energy used for growing marijuana amounts to about 6 billion dollars a year. Legalizing marijuana would overwhelm our electric grids, and outdoor farms are likely to negatively affect surrounding nature and wildlife. You could argue with this statement as well, saying that farmers will be responsible and considerate of this but chances are it will not happen this way.