It's 2014 and marijuana legalization is a trending topic for the state of Oregon. There are numerous ways that marijuana legalization could benefit the public; however, legalizing the use of marijuana could also be very harmful and lead to many problems. Is it smarter to make money or make sure people are healthy? The use of marijuana should not be legalized in Oregon because it has many harmful effects on the human body, does not work well in other states that have legalized marijuana, and would end up costing the state of Oregon money. Most people who have used marijuana say that it is a harmless drug and has no effect on the human body. Some also say that it is just a myth that it can harm someone (White 2). These people are blinded by a drug that is just as harmful if not more harmful than tobacco products. Marijuana smoke is said to contain 50% to 70% more carcinogens than tobacco smoke. A major research study reported that a single joint of cannabis could cause as much damage to the lungs as five regular cigarettes smoked, one after the other. Is it really harmless? Marijuana not only has physical effects on the body, but it can also affect someone's mental capacity. This is supported by research on the long-term effects of marijuana, which indicates changes in the brain similar to those caused by long-term abuse of other major drugs. Some short-term effects of smoking marijuana are sensory distortion, panic attacks, anxiety, poor coordination of movements, reduced reaction times and, after an initial "up", the user feels drowsy or depressed, increased heart rate heart attack (and risk of heart attack) (The Harmful Effects). There is no reason why the state of Oregon should endanger people in their communities... half of document... 13. Network. February 10, 2014 Brady, Jeff. “Medical Marijuana Laws: A State-by-State Comparison” npr.org. National Public Radio., 7 June 2010. Web. 10 February 2014“Cannabis 'kills 30,000 people a year'” dailymail.co.uk. Mail Online., February 20, 2014. Web. February 20, 2014Goldberg, Joseph. "Marijuana use and its effects" webmd.com. WebMD., July 23, 2012. Web. February 14, 2014Schankman, Paul. “Legal Marijuana: How Does It Work in Colorado?” fox2now.com. FOX 2 St. Louis., February 19, 2014. Web. February 20, 2014 “THE HARMFUL EFFECTS OF MARIJUANA” drugfreeworld.org. Foundation for a Drug-Free World., 20 February 2014. Web. 20 February 20142White, Deborah. “Pros and cons of legalizing marijuana” usliberals.about.com. About.com., February 20, 2014. Web. February 20, 2014White, Deborah "Readers Respond: Should the Sale and Possession of Marijuana Be Legalized?" usliberals.about.com. About.com., February 12, 2014. Web. February 13. 2014