“If marijuana remains illegal, nothing will change about the fact that many will still find and get away with ways of receiving it…”

   As of 2022, the use of medical marijuana for “qualified” individuals is said to be legal. However, it is against the law to sell, grow, and possess recreational marijuana in the state of Florida, according to “News4Jax.” There has been an ongoing debate on whether marijuana should be legalized in Florida, with many on both sides. I believe that and am in favor of legalizing weed in Florida.  

   With the will and voice of the people to make their own decisions and choices always being one of our nation’s top values, and the growth in popularity of the “adult-use” of cannabis, it is time to “give back a choice that has been denied [to] us for almost a century,” explains Tampa Bay Times. The Tampa Bay Times discusses how there is an overwhelmingly large amount of support from Floridians for the legalization of marijuana with the latest data polls showing 70 percent agreeing with the legalization of weed.  

   The use of marijuana has some of the least harmful effects on people as opposed to other drugs being used throughout Florida. Weed has many positive effects that benefit our society. It is a drug normally taken to receive and feel what is known as a “high.” Some of the effects of cannabis include “euphoria, relaxation [or] decreased anxiety, enhanced sensory experiences, laughter, [and] talkativeness,” explains HealthyPlace.  

   Marijuana is one of the most used illegal drugs in Florida and is still being used despite the criminal charges that could be enforced if caught with it. Florida, rather than allowing this criminal activity to prosper and continue with many not getting caught, should legalize the use of it, lowering the crime rate. If Florida were to legalize cannabis, adults 21 and older would be allowed to purchase and possess one ounce of marijuana for personal use.  

   Stores in Florida are currently selling Tetrahydrocannabinol, commonly known, and referred to as THC, which is the major psychoactive component and one of the cannabinoids recognized in cannabis. This means that stores are already selling the oil form of weed, just in smaller doses usually found in food forms known as edibles. If THC can be legally sold in stores, there should be no problem in selling and purchasing the flower form. 

   Recently, in certain Florida cities possession of small amounts of cannabis has been decriminalized and will result in a payable citation rather than an arrest, explains Russo Pelletier and Sullivan. Since Florida is already starting to decriminalize the use of marijuana in specific areas and is predicted to continue decriminalizing it, I see as though there is no reason to just legalize the use of it altogether.  

   If marijuana remains illegal, nothing will change about the fact that many will still find and get away with ways of receiving it, whether from those who are receiving it legally with a medical card, or from those who are selling it illegally and not getting in trouble. To stop this ongoing debate and lower the crime rate involving weed, i feel it is best to legalize this drug in Florida because even if it does not become legal soon, people will still find ways to use it.  

Additional reading:

Marijuana Health Pros and Cons

Marijuana’s Mental-Health Pros and Cons | Psychology Today