Dear Next President,

This country has asked an important question for many years. As the next president of the United States of America, it is your job to answer this question. Should marijuana be a legalized drug? I believe it should. Marijuana should be legalized not just for medical purposes but for recreational use too.

Marijuana has many benefits. It can be used to treat Glaucoma. Glaucoma increases pressure in the eyeball, damaging the optic nerve and causing loss of vision. According to the National Eye Institute: "Studies show that marijuana, when smoked, lowered intraocular pressure (IOP) in people with normal pressure and those with glaucoma." The progression of the disease was lowered preventing blindness. Marijuana also has been used prevent seizures. Thanks to marijuana’s chemicals, it binds to a person’s brain cells regulating the excitability impulses thus preventing seizures, according to the Virginia Commonwealth University. This is why there are currently 25 states that have legalized weed for medical purposes. That is half the nation, but we need to go the extra mile and legalize it in all 50 states for medical and recreational use.

I understand the other side of the argument as well. Like any drugs, there will be some disadvantages to using marijuana. Some of these problems include breathing problem, increased heart rate, problems with child development, and altering the chemicals in the brain. Smoking marijuana will cause some irritation in the lungs but according to a study published in Journal of the American Medical Association in January 2012, marijuana does not impair lung function but actually expands it. Smoking marijuana can increase the heart rate which can cause a heart attack according to the NIH. There is a simple solution to this. If a person has a history of heart problems or is an elder then they should not smoke or stop smoking marijuana.

Marijuana also can harm a child during pregnancy. Another easy solution for this is for mother’s to not smoke weed during or after the pregnancy. If the mother wants to smoke weed then they should talk to their doctor to make sure it is safe to do so. Marijuana also changes chemicals in the brain. It changes it for the better. It helps with seizures and according to the Harvard Medical School reduce anxiety which would improve the smoker’s mood and act.

In conclusion, not only does marijuana’s benefits outweigh its cons, but it will benefit everyone. This question has been put off for far too long. I ask you now Mr./Mrs. president, will you be known as the president who failed to help his/her citizens, or will you lead America into the next golden age that will last for generations to come.