Marijuana is a substance that has become very much a part of American culture. Nearly 65 million Americans have either used it occasionally or regularly. The use of marijuana hit mainstream America during the 1960's and it has been accepted by a large segment of society ever since (Rosenthal 16). The debate on whether marijuana should be legalized or decriminalized remains a very hot topic today. Despite government efforts to isolate and eliminate its use, it is clear that the use of marijuana is still very popular. Governments on all three levels: local, state, and federal are trying desperately to find an appropriate policy involving marijuana. National polls show that more than 70% of the American people, from both ends of the political spectrum liberals and conservatives, support controlled access to marijuana for medicinal purposes. Despite fierce opposition from the federal government, voters in California and Arizona passed ballot initiatives in the fall of 1996 favoring the legalization of medicinal marijuana (Randall 33). If support for marijuana at least as a medicinal remedy is so high, then why have only a few states taken steps to change their policy? There are several reasons why marijuana remains illegal. Mainly, it is a political issue with certain special interest groups' road blocking its legalization.
             Some of these groups have a moral dilemma with marijuana and perceive marijuana as a threat to the home, tearing families apart and causing them to abandon traditional values. But these special interest groups are mainly focused on the economic values of keeping marijuana illegal, and do not see that in actuality the prohibition of marijuana causes many more problems and overall harm to the country at large then the drug itself.
             One group of people against the legalization of marijuana is those that feel marijuana will tear the home and family apart, by abandoning traditional values. But is it the drug...