For decades now, the issue of legalizing marijuana has been a hot one in the United States. Even with massive public demand to legalize, and the successes experienced in societies where marijuana is legal, the United States government still sees fit to restrict marijuana usage amongst its citizens. Making marijuana legal draws people out from both sides of the table - and each side is sure that the other is incorrect.

Here are some of the reasons used against decriminalizing marijuana:

• Marijuana is reported by many to cause serious health issues – however, there have never been any scientific, non-biased studies to substantiate these claims;
Marijuana is a great revenue generator for local, state and national governmental agencies. In fact, as with nearly all governmental inspirations, money making drives the reasoning for the continued criminalization of cannabis.
Marijuana is used by non-adult members of society. While this is a true fact, so used is alcohol, cocaine, crystal methane, heroin, LSD and every other drug. Marijuana is a plant and the responsibility to control the actions of children rests with parents.

Making marijuana legal is a battle that has been fought for many years here in the US, and around the world. There will always be proponents and opponents. With each passing year, the opponents of legalizing marijuana are dwindling, and faltering, because there are just not any real reasons to keep it illegal – and they know it.
 

Even though the medicinal herb, marijuana, has been used in nearly every society on Earth for thousands of years now, there are still those who work against making pot legal in the United States. Given: most of those people are politicians who stand to personally benefit from the continued criminalization of the healing plant. These people continue their battle to keep the public from getting what they want - and they do this to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars generated on an annual basis for different governmental entities.

Here are the reasons that anti-legalization activists state for their purposes:

• Critics of marijuana state that the herb causes short-term memory loss and impaired mental functioning.
• They claim that marijuana smoking causes a decrease in motor skills;
• It is said that smoking marijuana causes an individual to experience impaired decision making abilities;
• Accidents are said to increase when marijuana is smoked;
• Many believe that smoking marijuana causes individuals to become unmotivated and lethargic;
• Marijuana causes a small percentage of users to experience paranoia, anxiety and/or panic attacks;
• Some people experience hallucinations when smoking highly-potent pot;
• There is a reported concern about the possibility of developing psychological dependence to marijuana;

There are always going to be those who feel the need to restrict the behaviors and enjoyment of others. Reforming marijuana laws and legalizing marijuana are topics that require direct action and deliberate consideration. Is it really right for one adult to dictate the behavior of another? Should marijuana remain as an illegal substance here in the US? Do you believe that your opinion should matter as much as another person's?
 

Millions and millions of people, just in the United States alone, feel that there are many excellent reasons to legalize marijuana. Marijuana is a natural medicine - and an agent that helps many people in many ways. Conservative and dictatorial governmental standards continue to deny adult citizens the right to choose for themselves whether they desire to benefit from marijuana or not. Peaceful pot smokers are getting fed up though - and a new day is coming.

Here are the top five reason to legalize marijuana, or at least decriminalize it, in the US:

1. Because marijuana is a product of nature - a plant. People should not be restricted from experiencing the wonderful benefits of nature. What grows from the ground is not for man to govern - it's simply to cultivate and enjoy.
2. Because there are many healthful benefits associated with cannabis usage. These include stimulating the appetite in those with health disorders, alleviating various types of pain, increasing the optimism experienced by those who are chronically depressed, allowing friends to relax and have fun together, and so very much more.
3. Because marijuana has been used and enjoyed in nearly every planetary society for thousands and thousands of years now. Hundreds of millions of people, all across the planet, for thousands of years cannot possible be all wrong!
4. Because each individual should be permitted to determine what is correct within his or her own life - as long as that individual is not harming any other.
5. Because marijuana helps people to reduce their stress levels. Even the AMA states that over 85% of all diseases are related to unmanaged stress in one way or another.

Of course, there are literally thousands more reasons to legalize marijuana. If it is ever to happen, then lawmakers must be forced into action. They must be made to represent the true wishes of the people - not simply continue to deprive us of what nature has given to us freely. Make your government representatives reform marijuana laws right now!
 

Myths about marijuana are as common as the bogus election platforms of most politicians. Legalizing marijuana is not an issue of determining what the public desires; it is far more about the billions of dollars that the government generates on a yearly basis by keeping marijuana illegal. Coincidentally, there are hundreds of millions of people that strongly believe that it should never be illegal to put a seed from nature into the ground - or to enjoy the fruit that it creates.

Here is a short list of some of the more common (and ridiculous) myths about marijuana:

• Marijuana kills brain cells. This is a myth of great proportions. This myth is based on completely outdated and isolated information - completely biased. The fact is that even high-dosage, long-term exposure to marijuana smoke has never once been determined to have any degree of negative effect on brain cells.
• The marijuana policy implemented in the Netherlands doesn't work. This is not just a myth; it's a total lie. For more than 25 years now, all Dutch citizens over 18 years old are permitted to purchase and enjoy marijuana at will. This policy has not created a surge of marijuana users. In fact, about the same percentage of Dutch citizens enjoy marijuana as do the citizens of the US. It simply isn't a felony crime there. The marijuana policy of the Netherlands is highly-favored by both the citizens there - and the government.
• Marijuana is a "gateway" drug. This myth is one of the favorites of the stuffy folks who can never find anything substantial to gripe about concerning cannabis. The straight fact of the matter is that marijuana in no way causes anyone to experiment with "harder" drugs. That's like saying that drinking cow's milk will cause an individual to begin drinking goat urine; it just doesn't make sense. (By the way, drinking goat urine is completely legal in the United States.)

It is time for all US citizens to begin to relax and force our lawmakers to decriminalize marijuana, if not legalize marijuana completely. Marijuana law reforms are necessary - and the myths about marijuana need to be exposed and forgotten.