For centuries it has been used for relaxation, to help people eat better, and sometimes simply to make people feel good. While this may not be the noblest reason, it is a fact that we, as independent-minded citizens, have the inherent right to decide for ourselves whether or not to use marijuana. Even alcohol, present in all but the most antiquated forms of speech, is intended to help people relax. For a short time it was discussed and crime flourished during prohibition, but eventually it was realized that it would be foolish to ban a substance simply on the grounds that it "caused harm to others". What effect has marijuana prohibition had on its popularity and distribution, and what effect has it had on our economy? I propose that marijuana be legalized as it would restore to American citizens a right that many other countries guarantee, while at the same time helping to revive the economy. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Many people vilify and downplay the positive effects of marijuana, using arguments like "it destroys families and lives" and "it is a dangerous substance that causes immorality in those who use it" to justify taking away our rights. What the arguments lack, however, are solid empirical data, which, when analyzed with little probability, confirm that marijuana is not as dangerous as alcohol. "For our credibility, we cannot allow alcohol and tobacco, which kill 10,000 people a year in Switzerland, to be sold with all sorts of marketing tricks, while the consumption of cannabis, a less dangerous product, constitutes a crime legal" , stated the Swiss Institute for the Prevention of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse" (Kapp, 970) We always hear the sob stories of our corrupt society about how one day marijuana suddenly arrived. and has destroyed their lives or how society blames and accuses the medium through which our society facilitates its evils but is not at the root of the evils of our society itself. How many times have we seen the government's publicity or smear campaign on how can marijuana also cause the death of your little brother or the death of a loved one? When we are faced with such a proposal it is just that we see the problem at the root and recognize that irresponsibility and bad parenting habits are responsible for many of society's flaws, while excluding citizens from the democratic rights they may hold may seem like the right course of action for a parent, it is not the right of government. Prohibition was clearly a mistake and it is a mistake that our country has paid dearly by producing many negative side effects. The government's attempt to suppress citizens' rights to alcoholic beverages led to the creation of underground criminal networks that still prevail today in the form of mafia. If the government had saved its time, energy and effort, it would have wasted it on the illegalization of marijuana, focusing instead on harder drugs that are physically addictive and have the high potential to destroy society. “The British government has reduced the punishment for smoking marijuana so that it can wage war on harder drugs, such as heroin and cocaine, which “cause the most harm to communities.”” (Kapp, 970) Countless countries have already adopted this same approach and have produced very positive results. "Last year, 167 deaths were reported, down 15.2 percent from 2002 and.