Dear Future President,

I am writing to you to discuss the controversial issue of the legalization of marijuana, both medical and recreational. There are countless reasons why I believe marijuana should be legalized, and I will delve into those reasons throughout this letter.

Did you know that 1 in every 26 Americans develops epilepsy and seizures in their lifetime? Cureepilepsy.org, a website and charity organization run by researchers, states that over 65 million people in the world have been diagnosed with epilepsy, and over 200,000 people get diagnosed with epilepsy every year. This ongoing issue is one major reason why marijuana needs to be legalized. Marijuana relieves and decreases the number of seizures one may have in a day. Cannabis contains a chemical, cannabiodiol, or CBD, which specifically targets neurological transmitters to stop them from over firing, which is what causes seizures. The negative connotation that surrounds cannabis is the idea of "getting high", however, the THC in marijuana, which can actually be controlled, causes that feeling. Many people who use cannabis to treat their epilepsy and other neurological disorders use cannabis that is high in CBD levels but low in THC, or Tetrahydrocannabinol, so they can live their daily lives. In addition, marijuana has been proven, in controlled amounts, to prevent certain cancers and stomach diseases. CNN conducted a new report on 2014 about a little girl, Charlotte, who was received with Dravet syndrome, a disease that gave her over 50 convulsions a day. After using medical marijuana daily, her seizures only occur 2-3 times a month. The drastic and positive benefits for Charlotte, among many, many other children and adults with persistent seizures, are just one reason that marijuana should be legalized.

One may argue that the legalization of marijuana could cause teenagers to take advantage and become "stoners". However, I do not believe that legalizing cannabis will have any further negative effects on the teenage generation. At the end of the day, if an adolescent wants cannabis, or any other drug, they will find a way to get it illegally. Legalizing marijuana will reduce the number of teenagers that commit illegal acts to be in possession of marijuana. In addition, police force does not need to be wasted on "busting" kids for cannabis or sellers on the black market. Police are trained to deal with severe issues of homicide, abuse, and more, and putting a lot of the force on marijuana control is a waste of time and resources.

I believe that if we, The United States, legalize marijuana, and find a stable way to control it, the effects can be phenomenal. Families do not have to move across the country to find medical marijuana for their children because cannabis will be easily accessible. Police force is not wasted on "weed" searches and finally, we can tax marijuana! The taxes on marijuana can improve the economy significantly, proven in Colorado. Since Colorado has legalized recreational marijuana, their economy has improved greatly, gaining over $1 billion in taxes and revenue from the cannabis. Regulating medical marijuana and its contents, along with putting an age restriction, say 18, on recreational marijuana, can bring in revenue and save so many lives. The legalization of marijuana will not affect those who are against it in any significant ways, especially if there are designated areas for those who don't want to see it, smell it, etc. like myself.

Cigarette smoking is legal and there are NO benefits to that, and secondhand smoking is a very dangerous issue that is never addressed. Over 40% of Americans have already admitted to using marijuana, and no one has EVER died of cannabis use. Marijuana has no addictive qualities, is safer than most legal drugs, and can also aid in sleep and alleviate medical ailments. Overall, medical AND recreational marijuana can boost the economy, relieve so many people and families of the stress and horror of epileptic diseases, and allow the police force to be used for what is what actually made for. Because of these deductions, cannabis should be legalized and taxed. I hope you consider these ideas and make a decision that best benefits the common good of the entire country.

Sincerely,

Samantha