Cannabis is a natural plant that was made illegal by the United States and has been a controversial topic since the 1920s. Marijuana is a substance used there has hundreds of years as a medicinal plant and can also be used for textile products made from hemp, which comes from the Cannabis Sativa plant. Because marijuana is classified as a Schedule 1 substance, it has no medical value and cannot be researched in the United States. Marijuana is considered a gateway drug and is very unhealthy for adolescents with premature brains. Marijuana prohibition should finally end because cannabis has many benefits and is less harmful than alcohol and tobacco. Marijuana is a plant that has been the subject of discussion in the United States for centuries. On one hand, marijuana is a harmless plant that brings peace and love to those who consume it and on the other hand, marijuana is an evil addictive drug that will ruin the lives of users. Before marijuana was banned, “George Washington and Thomas Jefferson recommended that early settlers cultivate the “abundant grass” and process it into products such as lamp oil, flour, and cloth for uniforms and clothes” (Wilke). Hemp is a very useful plant and the founding fathers of the United States advised people to grow it because of its versatility. "For decades, our government has exaggerated the harms of marijuana in order to keep it illegal. Institutes of medicine have determined that the addictive properties of marijuana are quite mild compared to those of alcohol" (Weise). Alcohol is a substance that can be physically addictive and was banned in 1919 until Prohibition ended in 1920. Nixon also launched the War on Drugs in June 1971, and...... middle paper......use of the psychoactive ingredient THC can cause paranoia and seizures. The CBD in marijuana may have many medical benefits, but until more dispensaries reduce the amount of THC, it remains questionable whether some patients should use marijuana as medicine. Marijuana can cause damage to the prematurely developing brain and should be tested in a laboratory before giving it to children. Marijuana has more benefits if it is federally legalized than if it remains illegal. The amount of money that can be generated from the marijuana plant is astonishing and would really help the American economy. Additionally, the best way to prevent teens from using drugs or alcohol is to inform them of the truth. By classifying marijuana as a Schedule One drug and cocaine as a Schedule Two drug, the United States government is arguing that cocaine is bad, but not as bad as marijuana..