Marijuana should be legalized. The drug control policies have failed to prevent the use of marijuana in the country. This is based on the fact that a high percentage of the citizens are still able to access and use it despite its criminalization. Thus it will be better to focus on formulating policies that regulate the use of the drug since the policies that aim at preventing its use have failed. Just like any other drug, the use of marijuana will be regulated once it is legalized. This means that the government will enact laws that prevent excessive use of the drug to avoid the health risks associated with it.
Due to the large number of citizens who are currently using the drug illegally, the government is spending a lot of money to apprehend the marijuana offenders. Besides, criminalizing the drug has forced those who use it to engage in unlawful activities such as bribery and smuggling to access the drug. Consequently, a high percentage of the government’s funds are being used to prevent the use of marijuana at the expense of other security issues. Therefore, it will be better to invest in regulating the use of marijuana as compared to preventing its use. Even though the use of marijuana is associated with various health risks, such risks can always be managed. The government can introduce awareness programs to sensitize the citizens on the dangers of excessive use of the drug. Such programs have already been used successfully to manage the health risks associated with the use of tobacco and alcohol. Thus marijuana should be legalized.