For several decades the legalization marijuana has been a very controversial topic. There have been increasing costs spent on the war against marijuana and countless dollars spent on rehabilitation, but the problem still exists. Marijuana is a mixture of leaves, stems, and flowering tops of the Indian hemp plant "Cannabis", and may be smoked or eaten for its hallucinogenic and pleasure-giving effects. Marijuana has not been proven to be physically addicting but, psychological dependence can develop. The long-standing prohibition against recreational use of cannabis in Canada should be repealed. In addition, the penalties for possession and trafficking of cannabis should be abolished, and cannabis should be taxed and regulated by the Ministry of Health who controls the other recreational, legal, yet addictive and potentially injurious substances such as tobacco and alcohol. Legalizing cannabis would cause a serious problem to the black market as it would eliminate a major source of revenue for gangs. Some believe that its legalization will lead to more people using the drug and as a result, becoming addicted. However the government could control the use and sale of it by regulating cannabis consumption, so that it can be used responsibly. Marijuana should be legalized in Canada as it would gradually eliminate the black market and would favourably impact the economy.The legalization of cannabis will reduce the black market and the violence associated with its sale. If cannabis were to be legalized in Canada, the dangerous trafficking from other countries like the United States, Columbia and Mexico would be eliminated. People would be able to go to the store and purchase it, eliminating the profitability of illegal sale. "The average price of 1 gram (a unit) of marijuana is sold for $10 on the street, while its cost of production is only about $3." A seven dollar profit for a unit of marijuana would not last in a free market. Entrepreneurs noticing the great profits to be made in the marijuana market would start their own grow operations, increasing the supply of marijuana on the street, which would cause the street price of the drug to fall to a level much closer to the cost of production. With no profit from marijuana sales, the drug dealing profession would lose its hold on Canada. A major problem is that children in lower-class areas see selling drugs as a good way to make money, and the fact that minimum wage jobs do not compare to the profit made with dealing drugs, these children go willingly into a life of crime. Most of the violent crimes associated with drugs can be traced directly to the drug dealers and not the users. If the government controlled the sale of marijuana then the violence related to it would be non-existent. Drug prohibition accounts for much of the proliferation of handguns as drug dealers must enforce their own contracts and provide their own protection. A customer would probably choose to buy a market-tested product from...
