Recent decisions made by lawmakers have once again brought up the question: Will marijuana become legal?

The legalization of marijuana in certain states for medicinal use, the question put on one state's ballot concerning legalizing marijuana for personal use and the decision to make financial aid unavailable to individuals with drug convictions have brought up the ongoing debate once more.

The first exception that lawmakers allowed was for marijuana to be used for medical use in certain states.

Although the federal government has outlawed marijuana, there are currently eight states in the U.S. that allow marijuana to be used for medicinal reasons: Nevada, Alaska, Hawaii, California, Maine, Oregon, Washington and Colorado. Research has shown that marijuana might ease certain pains and even help cancer patients regain their appetites temporarily.

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