Marijuana has been used by humans for four thousand years. It was first used in the western world in 1545 when Spanish merchants shipped the plant to North America. Since then, marijuana has become controversial in the United States.

In the 1960s, it was common for the white middle-class youth of America to have experimented with or regularly used marijuana in many different ways. At that time only 12 percent of Americans supported legalizing the drug in comparison to today’s 52 percent, according to the Pew Research Center.

Marijuana is in the top three most popular drugs behind alcohol and tobacco according to SAMHSA. As its popularity has increased, the cries from both sides to legalize or ban this intoxicating drug have become louder and more evident. Here are some important facts about cannabis:

  • According to a study done by Duke University and researchers in New Zealand, people who used marijuana heavily in their teens lost an average of eight IQ points from the ages of 13–38. However, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, those who started using marijuana as adults showed no IQ declines.

  • Researchers at the U.S National Library of Medicine found that only 9 percent of heavy marijuana users actually become dependent or addicted.

  • If the federal government made marijuana legal, it would create $105.6 billion in government revenue between 2017 and 2025. It would also create one million jobs by 2025, according to Forbes.

  • Marijuana is not a gateway drug. A report by the National Institute of Medicine found “no conclusive evidence that the drug effects of marijuana are causally linked to the subsequent abuse of other illicit drugs.”

  • Overall, multiple studies have found that marijuana is far less dangerous for the health of the human body than alcohol or tobacco, according to The Journal of the American Medical Association and The Journal of Psychopharmacology.

The arguments against the legalization of marijuana are credible but contain some flaws. One argument is that the drug is far too powerful and dangerous for anyone to use. The levels of Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in regularly bought marijuana has increased from 4 percent in 1995 to 12 percent in 2014 according to the Journal of Child Psychology. So while the drug has become more powerful, it is still not strong enough to put the individual or society as a whole in any form of danger.

An additional argument is that marijuana can cause schizophrenia, which is a type of psychosis. Although marijuana use has risen immensely since 1996, cases of psychosis among those who use marijuana have remained stable according to Schizophrenia Research. In addition, marijuana does not raise the likelihood of psychosis unless a user is already at a greater risk.

Along with arguments against marijuana, there are plenty of arguments in favor of it. Marijuana being legalized would actually provide many benefits to the country both from economic and societal standpoints. Additionally, because marijuana is currently illegal in most of the country, legalizing it would help the criminal justice system immensely.

Criminal justice resources could be used to focus on other crimes far more serious than marijuana-related offenses. In 2013, Jeffrey Miron, who is a senior lecturer at Harvard University, reported that enforcing marijuana laws cost both the state and federal government $20 billion per year. Miron also reported that the government would save $8.7 billion if it were to legalize marijuana and according to the CATO Institute, marijuana would create another $8.7 billion in tax revenue.

Legalizing marijuana would also create more jobs, which would serve not only the people but also the government. According to New Frontier Data, the legal cannabis market will create 250,000 jobs by 2020. This is with only 30 states providing medical or recreational marijuana. If all 50 states would legalize cannabis, millions of jobs would be created for everyday Americans.

Finally, it has been shown that even with laws, people are still going to use illegal substances. The prohibition of the 1920s and 1930s is a great example of this. During the prohibition, people could not legally purchase alcohol, and their access to it was usually hidden and scarce. Due to this, people started drinking hard liquors that were designed to get people intoxicated quickly.

Since the legalization of alcohol, hundreds of different drinks have been produced and sold with each having their own intoxication strength. At this point, one can walk into a liquor store and there is an endless selection regarding alcohol percentages. The same principle applies to marijuana. Because the drug is scarce and illegal across so much of the country, people are using stronger marijuana to make it worth their while since access is limited.

Currently, recreational marijuana is legal in nine states and 21 additional states provide legal medical marijuana but not recreational. Canada recently legalized marijuana on Oct. 17, but the drug remains highly regulated when it comes to the production and distribution process.

Individuals can have their own views and values when it comes to this controversial topic. However, it is important that people are aware of the facts surrounding marijuana from both a positive and negative viewpoint. The public needs to remember to study the facts and take them into account when taking a side in the legal marijuana discussion.