Why might marijuana become legal?

There are many reasons that people advocate the legalisation of marijuana. It is commonly believed that the laws against cannabis cause more harm than they prevent, and they keep cannabis from those in genuine medical need. The laws are also ineffective, and since their inception rates of marijuana use have increased. The government loses out on huge amounts of tax, and the profits instead go in to the hands of criminals and gangsters. What is more, the lack of regulation means consumers are unprotected from contamination or adulteration of the product. Though it is often forgotten, the drug has only been illegal in most of the world for a relatively short time, and it is difficult for proponents of prohibition to point to any benefits that the laws have produced. Aside from the pragmatic arguments, there are ideological ones. The billions who use alcohol and tobacco are free to use their drugs of choice, both of which are much more harmful and dangerous than cannabis. Many prominent people, including the President of the United States, admit to cannabis use, and it is seen by many as hypocrisy for these individuals to continue to advocate prohibition. Furthermore, it is evident that cannabis use causes little harm, and that this harm is mostly restricted to the user. Thus, cannabis prohibition can be seen as legislation of personal morality, similar to homosexuality laws that were in place in the West 50 years ago. This is seen by many as inappropriate and wasteful, and many do not wish to see a law more harmful than the behaviour it is intended to control enforced.