Marijuana is listed as a schedule 1 drug. This the same category as hard drugs like heroin and cocaine. Marijuana has been a prohibited controlled substance since the 1930’s. Why is this plant illegal? Why should this drug be legal? These contradicting questions have been raised more and more in recent decades due to a spike in de-criminalization, medical legalizations and loosening of penalties for cannabis based offenses in several states. Prohibitionists and their counterparts both number in the millions but who is truly right here? Well, looking at the facts is the only way to properly decide. Prohibition of marijuana began in the 1930’s after heavy smear campaigns against the drug began. This campaign even included a feature length propaganda film titled “Reefer Madness” which showed that smoking the “evil weed” caused people to become savages who all killed and raped each other without prejudice. The film served its purpose causing an anti-reefer uproar and in 1937 the marijuana tax act nationally criminalized the drug except for specific corporate medical use under heavy taxation. Marijuana was certainly a casualty of the US Governments war on drugs beginning in the mid 1900’s. The government, the police even our nations parents were forming organizations and committees to stop this evil herb from spreading –especially to the children- along with any other drugs. However, given marijuanas huge role in the counter-cultures of the 1960’s and 1970’s in conjunction with a lack of cooperation in fighting marijuana from several states (some even decriminalizing it) marijuana has still remained as one of the few drugs that may soon be nationally legalized in one way or another. In the recent decade the war against prohibition (this truly is a modern form of the prohibition of alcohol in the 1920’s) has gained some serious ground. Now, twenty-three states have legalized medical marijuana usage including Washington D.C, eleven states have decriminalized possession and Washington and Colorado have fully legalized recreational and medical use for adults over the age of twenty-one. There has been a surprisingly equal amount of praise and abhorrence directed at Washington and Colorado nationwide. Even though anti-prohibitionists are growing in number and power, there are still millions firmly against any sort of legalization of marijuana. Modern prohibitionists do certainly have plenty of valid arguments to support their stance. Most of these arguments are backed partially by scientific research and partially backed by the “Reefer Madness” mindset. Medical research has suggested that long term, regular (a few times a week, daily) marijuana usage can lower brain activity levels particularly in undeveloped brains. Studies amongst those addicted to hard drugs such as cocaine or heroine have shown that marijuana can be a “gateway drug” meaning that marijuana usage can lead to using other drugs through a multitude of