Marijuana has been used for recreational and spiritual purposes since around 3000 BC. It was used as a crop for industrial use thanks to hemp fabric, one of the most efficient and cheapest fabrics available today. It has been the focal point of many religions and may even have been considered a religious sacrament for early Jews and Christians (Delorde). In today's society, it is still used by religions as a focal point, including the Christian religion Rasta. It has had as colorful a history for its use as a fiber as for its recreational use. When Jamestown was founded in 1619, farmers were required to grow Indonesian hemp. At certain points in the history of the Americas, you could even pay your taxes in hemp because of its value. Marijuana was made illegal in 1937, after many years of falsehoods and propaganda about the apparent "dangers" of the drug smoked by blacks and Mexicans. When the United States government tried to ban alcohol, it failed. Crime has increased alongside sales of this now “illegal” substance. What were the justifications for the ban? What were the benefits? Marijuana prohibition currently faces the same problems as alcohol prohibition. What is the solution? Legalizing marijuana would dramatically reduce unnecessary crime, prevent tax dollars from going to unnecessary government organizations, and guarantee the freedoms granted in the Bill of Rights. Drugs and crime have always been linked. Usually for good reasons. Many organized crime groups are associated with smuggling hard drugs such as cocaine and heroin into the United States. Such groups are the Medellin Cartel and the Mafia are known for smuggling...... middle of paper ......ments are right and this should not be the case for your neighbors. Ultimately, you should have the right to choose whether or not to use marijuana. Works Cited Delorde, Paul. “5 Religions You Didn’t Know About Used Marijuana.” Internet. May 25, 2010. http://www.sensibleseeds.com/article_religion.html. “Iowa – NORML.” Marijuana Law Reform - NORML. Internet. May 26, 2010. http://norml.org/index.cfm?wtm_view=&Group_ID=4537.Klein, Joe. “Why Legalizing Marijuana Makes Sense – TIME.” Latest News, Analysis, Politics, Blogs, News Photos, Videos, Tech Reviews - TIME.com. April 16, 2009. The web. May 26, 2010..Madison, James. The Bill of Rights. 1789. “Pot Arrests for 2008, Second Highest Total Ever Reported – NORML.” Marijuana Law Reform - NORML. September 17, 2009. Web. May 26, 2010. http://norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=7977.