Marijuana is a drug formed by drying the shredded flowers, stems, and leaves of the Indian hemp plant. It is also the most commonly used illegal drug in the United States and the second most widely used drug in the world, behind alcohol. According to a national survey, about 6,000 Americans try marijuana for the first time every day. Marijuana has been proven to have a positive effect on certain illnesses, and the medical legalization movement has made great strides in the United States (randomhistory.com ©2007-2014). However, should the drug be approved for recreational use? There are several important reasons that lead me to believe that this should be the case. One of the main reasons is income. California, where marijuana is legal for medical purposes, considers the substance a substantial source of revenue. “The marijuana crop here is valued at $13.8 billion annually, nearly double the value of our vegetable and grape crops combined (Marijuana Policy Project, www.mpp.org). » Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger estimates that an additional $1.5 billion to $4 billion could be raised if the drug were removed from the criminal market, regulated and taxed (2013). Now take a moment to realize that this is a single state that sells the drug only to those who have a prescription. Imagine how much money would be raised if all 50 states sold it to everyone of legal age. Marijuana costs us money in other ways too; methods that would be practically obsolete if legalized. In 2012, California's Campaign Against Marijuana Planting, or CAMP, wiped out approximately 2.9 million marijuana plants. CAMP and other similar organizations have not yet reduced the availability of the drug. However, what they managed to do was cost taxpayers millions of dollars to pay for paper... the medical qualities of abis are why I suppose marijuana should actually be legalized for recreational purposes. purposes.Works CitedBryan, G. (April 26, 2013). 5 reasons why marijuana has still not been legalized. PoliticsMic. Retrieved January 9, 2014, from http://www.policymic.com/articles/37681/5-reasons-marijuana-still-hasn-t-been-legalized Lee, MA (2012). Smoke signals. New York: Scribner. Smith, F.A. (n.d.). Marijuana Policy Draft. Opinion article: An overlooked revenue source for California. Retrieved January 9, 2014, from http://www.mpp.org/media/op-eds/op-ed-a-neglected-revenue.html31 Random facts about . . . var addthis_config = {"services_compact": "email,fark,digg,delicious,linkedin", "services_expanded": "email,fark,digg,delicious,linkedin"};. (March 2, 2010). 31 Random Facts About Marijuana. Retrieved January 9, 2014, from http://facts.randomhistory.com/2009/02/27