Over the past few years, the legalization of both medicinal and recreational cannabis use has been steadily growing with more and more support. Incredibly now, over 23 states including New Jersey have legalized medicinal marijuana, and four states including D.C have legalized recreational use of the drug. This has been an incredible advancement, considering how prominent of an impact the War on Drugs has had on our nation. Beginning in the 1980s, marijuana has been unfairly written off as a "gateway drug," which has been proven multiple times to be false. According to Psychology Today, a user is more likely to try more illicit drugs based on social factors like stress, not purely because of marijuana usage. It is also reported that most drug use begins with experimentation of alcohol and nicotine.

According to the Village Voice, New Jersey is making major strides to legalize recreational cannabis before New York. The two states are battling it out over revenue. As seen with Colorado's government, a year within legalizing the state racked up about $82 million in taxes from marijuana, and has created many new jobs. In states that have criminalized cannabis, arrests for drug crimes are usually racially inspired, and enforcing marijuana laws costs the state much more money. The Drug Policy reports New York City alone spends $75,000,000 a year on possession arrests.

Marijuana usage has become not as taboo as it was previously. More young adults especially are open to the idea of legalization and destroying the stigma behind the drug. More people are open to the idea of using marijuana medicinally, especially for health problems like seizures, anxiety, and even for cancer. Legalizing marijuana across the United States could be a wonderful opportunity for our country to get rid of harmful drug stigmas and to welcome in a new era in drug policies.