Negative health effects of marijuana shouldn’t be deterred by government legalization

Naysayers of the nug – those who, despite all the positive noise surrounding marijuana in the United States – are really quashing the argument that the nation shouldn’t legalize it because of the possible health repercussions.

A recent article in the National review goes for the carotid artery of the cannabis scene, suggesting medical marijuana is a scam; Grass causes cancer; it can be fatal, and it hasn’t – or hasn’t – wiped out the black market. So wouldn’t it be better to discourage legalization and lock up pot offenders?

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While there is some evidence that smoking marijuana is not much different from smoking cigarettes in terms of cancer risk, that alone shouldn’t be deterred by government legalization. Tobacco use is falling across the country, largely as people are slowly realizing that this is not the healthiest of all activities. However, smokers do not, nor have they ever needed the federal government to uphold the ban to inspire them to make smarter choices.

This is America, after all, a country based on the ability to make decisions regardless of the potential dangers. Because of this, 16 million Americans live with some type of disease caused by smoking, while 500,000 of them die from these diseases each year, so statistics issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

RELATED: Are High Government Marijuana Taxes Really the Cause of Persistent Black Market?

The same goes for alcohol, arguably the most popular drug in the United States. How could it not be? It’s a social lubricant that makes the reticent more open-minded; it makes the less attractive more attractive. When used responsibly, it can be moderated throughout the day for backyard barbecues and other social events without completely and completely obliterating a person. Even so, it’s not a healthy drink. Alcohol is responsible for at least 100,000 deaths each year in this country, some of which are cancer-related. However, try again to ban it and you will see a violent backlash that makes the Capitol Hill riots look like a Bob Ross painting.

Old Uncle Sam is perfectly fine when it comes to letting people make their own decisions about alcohol and tobacco.

RELATED: What Is Preventing Cannabis Legalization In The US?

Cannabis advocates like to argue against the validity of research revealing potential health risks associated with marijuana, calling for anyone to look at the evidence of its potential health benefits. You want people to know about the mostly anecdotal evidence showing how marijuana can treat PTSD, contain the opioid crisis, and all of the other results of the week. If Congress just legalized it, some proponents would argue, the United States could even see a significant drop in cancer rates. So far there is no evidence that cannabis is a miracle drug. However, that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try to legalize it.

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Regardless of which side you’re on on this matter, none of what was mentioned above should matter in the grand scheme of federal marijuana legalization. Currently, about 20 states have legalized adults aged 21 and over. But conflicting marijuana laws have created even more problems, like the existence of a domestically operated black market.

Congress should be concerned with legal weed now more than ever as these conflicting laws surrounding marijuana do not do the country justice. As long as there are prohibitive laws in place, law-abiding citizens will continue to go to jail and get entangled in the criminal justice system – one that should focus on real criminals with actual victims.

National legalization of marijuana would protect responsible users in legal states and allow law enforcement to crack the skulls of criminals who break the grain of the system, just as they do with alcohol. It shouldn’t matter that marijuana could cause health problems for some users, just that the continued ban causes problems for all.