By Kimberly Edwards
Writer, Contributor
Smoke is billowing in the air in some states as the legalization of marijuana spreads. For decades marijuana has been condemned, criminalized and was surrounded by commercials advocating how
dangerous its use was and how it affected them all negatively. Over the years, other lethal drugs have become widely circulated and shown to have real negative effects on its users; therefore, the commercials about marijuana shifted to meth, crack, synthetic marijuana, molly, and ecstasy pills.
Despite numerous studies proving the health benefits of marijuana for chronic pain sufferers, people with epilepsy, etc., there is still skepticism on whether it should be legal medically and recreationally.
For medical use, marijuana can be used as an alternative to unnatural pain relievers that cause health issues. For recreational use, the legalization of marijuana would boost the economy due to the ability to tax it, the decriminalization of weed would allow people with marijuana-related charges to be discharged from prison and stop taxpayers from losing more money due to marijuana prohibition costs.
In states that have legalized marijuana there have been major economic growth. For California, marijuana is a $14 billion a year cash crop. Colorado raised $5 million from marijuana sales tax. Overall, marijuana is a $100 billion industry and can ultimately help benefit everyone in America financially, medically, and legally.
Shrieks. Racing thoughts. Anxiety gushing through acidic veins. The faint beating of faltering hearts. That’s the ambiance of the classroom when a deadly shooting starts. Kids, children, teenagers all eager to learn and get to that point in their life where they hold a degree, are racing through hallways, searching for shelter, shrinking down to their knees, kissing the floor while trying to breathe lightly, light-headed and almost unable to breathe. Waiting for a shooter to finish playing god. It’s difficult to imagine the horror of being trapped in a facility and to hold this constant fear daily that at any time during a school day a classmate could become a shooter, or an outsider may walk in with heavy artillery like an AR-15 and attempt to annihilate everyone in sight. Authorities need to realize is that in order to eliminate these mass school shootings they must tighten gun control legislation, improve school security measures and practices, and lessen the NRA’s power over politicians. 
Mass shootings have become a dangerously common in today’s society; and it’s happened again. The tragedy that happened in Parkland, Florida has “mass shootings” back in the news. Everyone is looking for the quick fix but this won’t be the last mass shooting in America, it won’t even be the last one this year. So, is there a solution? 
