Editor:

A major problem in the United States is that we don't realize the aggravating effects of marijuana. The issue of whether or not it should be legalized has a simple solution. Marijuana, if legalized, will negatively affect our schools and entire society. One of the risks of legalizing marijuana is the effects it will have on the schools. Studies show that teens aged 12-17 who smoke marijuana weekly are three times more likely to have suicidal thoughts, depression and schizophrenia. If marijuana were made legal, kids would be able to freely smoke and sell marijuana. Students would come to school stoned, and not care about their homework, grades, or even their friends. Imagine your own child being openly introduced to such things. Another important issue is the effect legal marijuana will have on our society. Even though marijuana is currently illegal, there are still more than 70 million Americans who have tried marijuana and more than 20 million who have smoked it in the last year. Imagine the number if marijuana were to be legalized. It would at the very least be tripled.

Marijuana should not be legalized especially because of the effect it will have on the families in our society. This drug causes indifference towards everything, and if marijuana were legalized, there would be so many more broken and hurt homes. Parents would come home high and the kids would be either punished or neglected due to the indifference of their parents. We can't let this happen.

Jessica Frei, Syracuse