Marijuana has always been blamed to be the gateway drug because of people's lack of knowledge and because what the media has done to it. Look what alcohol does to teens, families, etc. Most young teenagers try alcohol before they ever try marijuana. People get in their cars and drive drunk, hurting or killing innocent victims or people get violant or can't control their emotions when intoxicated. We should take the crime out of marijuana and make it legal and monitor/tax it. It has helped thousands and thousands of people. Someone that has a suppressed appetite from chemotherapy can medicate and reverse that or someone that chooses not to take the pain pills that they're prescribed (which have way more side effects than marijuana) they can medicate with marijuana and still function on a daily basis. Instead the public only sees the side of the few people that have been greedy and are strictly doing it for the money and doing it illegally at that. If the government made it legal they should still go through with making growers/patients have documentation to grow/medicate, it would take the crime out of it and allow those who are truely ill to use it without the fear of being prosecuted. Americans should be able to choose their medication. Marijuana is hurting way less people than the oxycontin that is being prescribed by our doctors. Ever heard of anyone ever overdosing on marijuana? No. Alcohol and prescription pills have damaged/ended more lives than marijuana ever has or will so to say marijuana is the gateway drug and is a horrible "drug" is ridiculous.