Although I do think marijuana should be legalized, there are certainly a few concerns that I have. Legalization should be done in a way that does not encourage people to become recreational users. Legalization should include provisions to increase public health services to treat people who become mentally dependent on marijuana to prevent marijuana from having a negative effect on society. Yes, most people can use marijuana without detriment to their daily lives, but some cannot and it is important to provide some sort of protections to those people.
I also think ethical concerns arise when any governing body legalizes a vice to generate tax revenue. State governments have successfully taxed alcohol and tobacco without encouraging their use in society, and it is essential that marijuana is treated in a similar way.
Aside from those concerns, I think legalizing marijuana is a solid idea. It would reduce drug cartel activity and violence, reduce strain on the justice system, expand its use in medicine, and allow Americans to have more control over their bodies.