Why Marijuana Should NOT Be Legalized

I was a good kid, got good grades and was really close to my family. I grew up loving animals and wanted so bad to become a veterinarian one day. My family was prepared to send me to the university of my choice and my grades were on track. Then one day when I was 13 playing basketball with my friends one of them pulled out a joint.

At this point there wasn't much education about marijuana, I took DARE class in elementary school and they taught us that marijuana was not addictive. I figured hey, why not? It couldn't hurt to try it! After those first few puffs I was hooked. Marijuana became a new favorite past time and it really brought out my creative side.

As time went by my love for marijuana increased along with my adoration of music and art. I no longer wanted to be part of the "herd" and cast aside all of my aspirations to become a musician. I fell off at school and gathered a "who cares" mentality.

Now 23 years later I look back at my life and I can truly say, "I wish I never discovered marijuana." All I was doing was masking my problems and when I finally got my head out of the clouds they were still there.

So here we are pushing the legalization of a DRUG through the government. I understand that T.H.C. helps sick people but that doesn't mean it needs to be smoked or glamorized. By legalizing marijuana we are sending a message to the youth that it's ok to smoke marijuana and from my own personal experience I can say that this will have lasting negative effects on society. It has been proven that marijuana affects brain development and during our teenage years it is SO IMPORTANT that we have a healthy brain.

My advice to all the potheads is, stop being so selfish! Do you deserve to go to jail for smoking a little pot? No not at all and my issues with the Department of Corrections is for another post, but this movement is sending a really bad message to the youth of America.