Today I want to share my thoughts on the legalization of cannabis, an issue that touches on politics, health and personal freedom. Many people believe that legalizing cannabis would increase use among young people, but data shows that reality can be quite different In this post, I’ll share my opinion and explain why regulation is important, safe, and beneficial for society and for those who need cannabis for medical purposes or own consumption

 Regulation, Safety, and Protecting Minors

One of the biggest fears is that adolescents would use cannabis more if it were legalized the truth is that regulation makes it harder with clear rules on age, store inspections, and quality control, access for minors is much more limited than in the illegal market

In countries like Canada and Uruguay, where cannabis is legal and regulated, youth consumption has not increased significantly. On the contrary, enforcement and education policies help protect adolescents and reduce risks associated with early use
(Source: Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction, 2020)

 Medical Benefits

Cannabis contains compounds like CBD and THC that have proven therapeutic applications, helping treat:

• Chronic pain;
• Medication-resistant epilepsy;
• Anxiety;
• Nausea in chemotherapy patients.

Regulation ensures patients have safe access to medicine and allows research to advance, without increasing recreational use among adolescents
(Source: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, 2017)

Crime Reduction

when something is illegal, the black market thrives. Legalizing cannabis removes power from traffickers and allows people to acquire products safely and in a controlled manner studies in U.S. states that legalized cannabis show a drop in possession arrests and crimes related to trafficking
(Source: Drug Policy Alliance, 2018)

Economic Benefits

beyond health and safety, legalization has positive economic effects. Taxes collected can be invested in education, prevention, and public health States like Colorado and California raised hundreds of millions of dollars through legalized cannabis, funding social programs and prevention
(Source: Colorado Department of Revenue, 2021)

Education and Awareness

Regulation allows proper education about consumption: short- and long-term effects, differences between medicinal and recreational use, and risks of combining with alcohol or other substances reliable information reduces misuse and protects youth, unlike cannabis circulation solely on the black market
(Source: CDC, 2021)

Conclusion

Legalizing cannabis isn’t about encouraging use, but about informing, protecting, and regulating. It provides safety to users, prevents access by minors, reduces the power of traffickers, and generates funds for social policies for me, regulation is a necessary step toward a more conscious, responsible, and informed society :)