Marijuana continues to be one of the most widely used illegal drugs in the United States. Marijuana has been used for many years and was once legal to consume. Over the years, marijuana has been used to treat several medical conditions and has been used recreationally by people of all ages. While the use of medical marijuana has been proven effective in treating patients with medical conditions, society continues to question its recreational use and the long-term effects it will have on its users. Some believe that legalizing marijuana will only open up new avenues for the use of more potent drugs, leading to an increase in criminal activity. However, a number of people wonder why it is considered illegal since it is a natural growth. Because America's war on drugs is so heavily focused on increasing marijuana use, there isn't much time for officers to focus on crimes of greater importance. Crimes related to illegal marijuana use are becoming more problematic as drug deals go bad, sometimes ending in murder. It has been estimated that a marijuana-related arrest is made every 42 seconds. Since marijuana is illegal, keeping criminal activities under control costs the United States approximately twenty billion dollars a year (Sledge). According to Brian Bremner and Vincent Del Giudice, “A 2010 study by the libertarian Cato Institute predicted that states could save $17.4 billion annually by reducing drug control costs and increasing tax revenues, assuming that production and sale of marijuana were legal nationwide” (11). Many law enforcement hours are spent prosecuting, questioning, and arresting citizens who are in possession of or consuming marijuana. There would be a decrease in the number of misdemeanor possession cases awaiting hearings. These cases would be dismissed, decreasing the costs associated with each case. There are an inordinate number of people who remain incarcerated for nonviolent crimes related to illegal marijuana use. Legalizing marijuana would allow the release of these people, opening up prison spaces for real criminals. Legalizing marijuana would free law enforcement officers from focusing on illegal marijuana use and allow them to focus on more serious issues