We all know that in the year 2020 marijuana will become legal in Illinois, which means more use of it. It’s not a secret that many people use it now, but with this legalization of the substance it’ll become easier to access it with no problem. There are already dispensaries in different places of America, which is making the marijuana business grow rapidly across the nation.

Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders believes that the legalization of marijuana will end the war on drugs. This specifically will keep people from facing jail time for using the substance or having it in their possession. It will also reinvest the revenue that was lost into the communities that were affected by the war on drugs. Bernie Sanders will legalize marijuana in the first 100 days with executive action by nominating an attorney general, HHS secretary, and administrator for the DEA who will all work to aggressively end the war and legalize marijuana. Sanders plans to “vacate and expunge all past marijuana related convictions.” All marijuana convictions would be reviewed for re-sentencing and all past convictions will be expunged. Revenue from marijuana will create a $20 billion grant program within the Minority business development agency to provide grants to entrepreneurs of color who continue to face discrimination in access to capital. “These grants will be used for design, technical assistance, purchasing equipment, installing infrastructure, and more.”

Big tobacco is targeting marijuana industries for profits. Sanders wants to make sure that legalized marijuana doesn’t turn into big tobacco. This will allow jobs to be created and economic growth in local communities. Making marijuana legal is a good idea because it allows people to enjoy it freely but also allows for more businesses to be developed and more money to be made for local communities. This policy will get more people out of jail for past convictions and before we know it there will be thousands of more dispensaries around the world.

It is also a bad idea because this will target young people and with easier access young people will want to use it more. In this case the good outweighs the bad and marijuana legalization is a good choice that will eventually shape the future.