Marijuana Legalization DebateMarijuana, also known as Cannabis, is the third most popular recreational drug, behind only alcohol and tobacco, in the United States (The Whitehouse, n.d. ). Marijuana is made from the dried leaves, plants, stems, and kernels of the hemp plant Cannabis Sativa, which includes the mind-altering compound delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), as well as other associated compounds. This plant substance can correspondingly be made to converge into a resin called hashish or a sticky black fluid called hash oil. Efforts to legalize marijuana for medical treatment and recreational use in the United States have increased in recent years. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) states that marijuana may possibly help reduce nausea, encourage hunger, and decrease pain (Food and Drug Administration, 2006). On the other hand, the American Medical Association (AMA) does not tolerate marijuana as a drug (1995-2013). So many responses with such contradictory opinions about this extremely controversial drug are needed to decide what measures need to be taken by the federal government for a final solution. In 2010, about one in ten Americans abused marijuana; on the contrary, our country pays over seven billion every year to implement the illegalization of this environmental material. A latest survey conducted in 2011 shows that marijuana has gradually become the drug desired 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 the paper… marijuana should be legalized. Works Cited by the American 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 Marijuana Legalization 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. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.whitehouse.gov/ondcp/frequently-asked-questions-and-facts-about-marijuana#environment