Marijuana is the fifth most addictive drug in the United States (Henningfield). Even more shocking is that two states, Washington and Colorado, have made recreational use legal. Just like alcohol. Marijuana was legal until 1937, when it became illegal with the Marijuana Tax Act. It wasn't until March 2011 that medical marijuana was legalized in Washington, Colorado, and Alaska due to sick people who had a variety of sick conditions (" Legal history of cannabis in the United States"). The American Society of Addiction Medicine thought this was a bad idea and declared that the use of medical marijuana should be stopped. This opened the opportunity for these states to put the legalization of recreational marijuana on the ballot. Washington and Colorado eventually seized these opportunities and soon legalized marijuana in 2013 with Amendment 64 in Colorado. Marijuana is now legal and can be purchased if you are 21 years old or older. What effects will the legalization of marijuana have? Historians can look to the end of Prohibition for answers. Alcohol is the second most addictive drug in the United States (Henningfield). Alcohol kills over 2.5 million people every year! This statistic combines death from alcohol poisoning, as well as drunk driving, etc. Prohibition on alcohol began from 1920 to 1933. Prohibition occurred when all alcohol was illegal. This includes consuming alcohol, producing alcohol and selling it to criminals. In 1933, Congress passed the 21st Amendment (“Alcohol”). The 21st Amendment allowed the sale and consumption of alcohol, permanently ending prohibition. The world thought that once alcohol was legalized again, everyone would drink excessively, crash their cars, and cause a ruckus all over the United States. Although when it was legalized, the crime rate decreased and health increased! There were fewer people in prison and in hospital. Since alcohol was legal again, people didn't have to sneak around for a drink and risk getting arrested. Back then there were fewer people who would try to brew their own beer and end up getting alcohol poisoning, so there were fewer people who would end up in hospital. The end of Prohibition opened up many job creations for everyone in the United States. Everyone was now able to sell beer and spirits and earned a decent amount of money.