Marijuana is such a divisive political issue that few currently elected public officials will advocate weed’s decriminalization. As far as the U.S. federal government is concerned, even legalizing the drug’s medicinal applications is closed for discussion.
Arguments for cannabis prohibition stress protecting children and assume that arresting people for possession of marijuana neutralizes criminals who will otherwise commit more serious offenses–such as rape, robbery and assault.
Marijuana proponents also appeal to emotional reason. Furthermore, the pro-weed crew likes to present its case in stacks of real-world statistics.