Marijuana Legalization DebateMarijuana, also known as cannabis, is the third most popular recreational drug, behind alcohol and tobacco, in the United States (The Whitehouse, nd). Marijuana is composed of dried leaves, plants, stems, and kernels of the Cannabis Sativa hemp plant, which includes the psychotropic compound delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), in addition to other related compounds. This plant substance can thus converge in a resin called hashish or in an adhesive black fluid called hashish oil. Efforts to legalize marijuana for medicinal and recreational purposes in the United States have intensified in recent years. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) states that marijuana may help reduce nausea, encourage hunger, and reduce pain (Food and Drug Administration, 2006). On the other hand, the American Medical Association (AMA) does not condone marijuana as medicine (1995-2013). So many answers are needed with such conflicting opinions surrounding this extremely controversial drug to decide what action needs to be taken from the federal government for a final solution. In 2010, about one in ten Americans abused marijuana; conversely, our country spends more than seven billion each year to implement the illegalization of this environmental material. A final survey carried out in 2011 shows that marijuana has gradually become the drug sought by Americans. Overall, 17.4 million U.S. residents used marijuana in 2010, according to an analysis by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (Stirring the Pot, 2013). An economics professor, Dr. Jeffrey Miron of Harvard University, concluded a report that established the estimate...... middle of paper......marijuana should be legalized.Works CitedAmerican Medical Association. (1995-2013). Retrieved from http://www.ama-assn.org/American Psychological Association (APA). (2013). Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/topics/addiction/index.aspxFood and Drug Administration. (2006). Retrieved from http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/2006/ucm108643.htmNational Institute on Drug Abuse. (2014). Retrieved from http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/marijuanaNorml. (2014). Retrieved from http://norml.org/Stirring the Pot: Could Legalizing Marijuana Save the Economy?. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/sites/kellyphillipserb/2012/04/20/stirring-the-pot-could-legalizing-marijuana-save-the-economy/The White House. (nd). Retrieved from http://www.whitehouse.gov/ondcp/frequently-asked-questions-and-facts-about-marijuana#environment