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Medical marijuana benefits research paper
Essay on history of marijuana in history
Benefits of Medical Marijuana Research Paper
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“There are 100,000 total marijuana smokers in the US, and most are Negroes, Hispanics, Filipinos, and entertainers. Their Satanic music, jazz, and swing, result from marijuana use. This marijuana causes white women to seek sexual relations with Negroes, entertainers, and any others.” This quote, said by Harry J. Anslinger (Then director of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics) was used with many like it to persuade congress to pass a bill against marijuana in 1937. Marijuana was made illegal in the US in 1937 due to pure ignorance, incompetence in our government, and personal advancement. Marijuana needs to be made legal because of medical and economic benefits that have been previously explored by other countries and states that have decriminalized medical marijuana. While marijuana is used for recreational purposes, its medical value is unparalleled. With marijuana legalized, the United States can gain more insight into the medical properties of this plant. On top of the medical benefits, we can stop theorizing about the benefits we could see in our economy and justice system and actually get some answers.
Marijuana wasn’t always illegal. It was made illegal because of fear, one man’s goals of personal advancement, and ignorance. For years before it was illegal (dating back to the 1600’s in the United States), marijuana was used for things such as rope, paper, and clothes. The very first marijuana law, which was enacted in Jamestown Colony, Virginia in 1619, was a law commanding farmers to grow marijuana. Marijuana was such an important part of the economy that the government didn’t simply ask for it to be grown, they ordered it. In 1930, Harry J. Anslinger was named director of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics, a newly establis...
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...trieved November 6, 2013, from http://druglibrary.org/schaffer/hemp/history
Mozes, A. (n.d.). Active Ingredient in Marijuana Kills Brain Cancer Cells. ABC News. Retrieved November 6, 2013, from http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Healthday/story?id=7235037
Peleg, M. (n.d.). MAPS Media Archive: PTSD Relief in Israel Through MDMA and Cannabis Research. MAPS Media Archive: PTSD Relief in Israel Through MDMA and Cannabis Research. Retrieved November 6, 2013, from http://www.maps.org/media/view/ptsd_relief
Szalavitz, M. (n.d.). Marijuana as a Gateway Drug: The Myth That Will Not Die | TIME.com. Time. Retrieved November 6, 2013, from http://healthland.time.com/2010/10/29/marijuna-as-a-gateway-drug-the-myth-that-will-not-die/
William Randolph Hearst [1863-1951]. (n.d.). William Randolph Hearst [1863-1951]. Retrieved November 6, 2013, from http://www.zpub.com/sf/history/willh.html
The controversy of legalizing marijuana has been raging for quite a while in America. From some people pushing it for medical purposes to potheads just wanting to get high legally. Marijuana has been used for years as a popular drug for people who want to get a high. All this time it has been illegal and now it looks as if the drug may become legal. There has been heated debate by many sides giving there opinion in the issue. These people are not only left wing liberals either. Richard Brookhiser, a National Review Senior editor is openly supportive of medical marijuana yet extremely conservative in his writing for National Review (Brookhiser 27). He is for medical marijuana since he used it in his battle with testicular cancer. He says "I turned to [marijuana] when I got cancer because marijuana gives healthy people an appetite, and prevents people who are nauseated from throwing up. "(Brookhiser 27) Cancer patients are not the only benefactors from the appetite enhancer in marijuana, but so are any other nauseous people. Arizona and California have already passed a law allowing marijuana to be used as a medicinal drug. Fifty Six percent of the California voters voted for this law. "We've sent a message to Washington," says Dennis Peron. "They've had 25 years of this drug was, and they've only made things worse." (Simmons 111) The Arizona proposition garnished an even wider margin of separation between the fore's an against in a sixty five percent support tally. Ethan Nadelmann insists that " these propositions are not about legalization or decriminalization. They're about initiating some non radical, commonsense approaches to drug policy." General Barry McCaffery disagrees saying, "I...
Wingerchuk, Dean. "Cannabis for Medical Purposes: Cultivating Science, Weeding Out the Fiction." The Lancet 364.9431 (2004): 315-16. Print.
Author, Andrew Johns, in his journal, “Psychiatric Effects of Cannabis,” analyzes the dangers of the drug to human beings. John’s aims to find out the effects of the drug to its users, the rehabilitation process for addicts, and the subsequent damages caused by addiction. He adopts a resilient tone to encourage determination in fighting addiction and use of cannabis to his readers.
Bibliography 1) Friedman, Milton. “Prohibition and Drugs.” Newsweek. 1972 2) Potter, Beverly. The Healing Magic of Cannabis.
Louie, Wason, and Ryan Wippler. "Marijuana: It's Role in the Medical Arena." Alternative Medicine. Creighton University Medical Center, Feb. 2005. Web. 28 Feb. 2012
The legalization of marijuana has been a highly debated topic for many of years. Since the first president to the most recent, our nation’s leaders have consumed the plant known as weed. With such influential figures openly using this drug why is it so frowned upon? Marijuana is considered a gateway drug, a menace to society, and mentally harmful to its consumers. For some people weed brings a sense of anxiety, dizziness, or unsettling feeling. Like alcohol, tobacco or any other drug, those chemicals may not respond well with their body. For other people marijuana brings joy, a sense of relief, and takes the edge off of every day stress. For those who are associated with cannabis, purposes usually range from a relaxant, or cash crop, to more permissible uses such as medicine, and ingredient to make so many other materials. We now need to look at what would change if marijuana were legal. Benefits to the economy and agriculture, health issues, and crime rates are three areas worth looking at. Deliberating on the pros and cons of this plant we can get a better understanding for marijuana. From there it will be easier to make a clear consensus on what is best for the nation.
Marijuana is a controversial drug that has been up for debate for its legalization ever since it was considered contraband in the 1920's. (Citation needed) It grows from the Cannabis plant and contains a chemical called delta-9-tetrahydrocannibol, or otherwise commonly known as "THC". This chemical has been clinically proven to show that it alters the consciousness of a person when introduced orally via digestion, or through absorbed through respiration. (Citation needed) Some would say that it is the "gateway drug", in that it leads to the usage of other, more dangerous drugs, and that it should not be made legal. While other groups argue that the use of substances is irrelevant, since it is based on the will of the user, and again others may argue that marijuana use can potentially be beneficial in medical contexts; not only that, but financially viable too. One must then determine whether it is ethical for the US Government to control and regulate Marijuana—as it does already, by federally banning it?—or if not, does legalization necessitate the resolution of this ethical dilemma? In order to understand whether Government regulation is ethical, one must understand why the drug itself is considered illegal and thus unethical as well.
The active ingredient in marijuana is delta-9-trans-tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC. The structure of THC is very similar to the endogenous cannabinoids, or endocannabinoids for short, which are naturally occurring chemicals in the body (1).The THC binds to the receptors of the endocannabinoids, and activates the neurons, causing the different sensations experienced during a high. These receptors are spread throughout the brain. THC affects the central nervous system, as well as the peripheral tissue systems. THC can reduce pain, lower body temperature, and enhance appetite. It can also be used for anti-inflammatory, bronchodilatory, and anti-convulsant, which is why THC is used for medicinal purposes. THC is used as a popular treatment for glaucoma by reducing ocular pressure, and for neurological disorders such as multiple sclerosis, Huntington's Disease, and spinal cord injury (4).
In 1937, a legislation was passed, the marijuana tax act, giving the government control over the drug which made it illegal. Twenty years later, harsher laws with mandatory sentences for any drug convictions were put in place. A movement in the 1970’s reevaluated the status of marijuana and in turn led to lighter sentences, in most states, for those caught with a small amount of the drug.(Drug Legalization, 2010). In 1996 California was the first state to legalize the use of the drug for medical purpose only. (California leads again) Personal use of marijuana is still illegal across the entire country and should stay that way due to the effects on your health and personal life.
Marijuana has been illegal for less than 1% of the time that it’s been in use (Guither, 2014). Going back to 1619, the Virginia Assembly passed legislation requiring every farmer to grow hemp. Hemp was allowed to be exchanged as legal tender in Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Maryland (Block, 2014). It was actually a crime in some states to refuse to grow hemp in the 1700's. In the late 19th century, marijuana was a popular ingredient in many medicinal products and was sold openly in public pharmacies (PBS, 2014). However, in the early 1900’s things changed, a prejudice and fear began to develop around marijuana because it was being used and associated with Mexican immigrants. In the 1930’s, the massive unemployment rates increased public resentment and disgust of Mexican immigrants, which escalated public and governmental concern (PBS, 2014). In 1930 a new federal law enforcement agency, the Federal Bureau of Narcotics (FBN) was created. Harry J. Anslinger was appointed the first commissioner of the FBN in 1930 (...
You will be in amazement at how long our government has despised such a great thing. Let’s begin with the US revenue gains that would occur from legalizing marijuana. Marijuana Offers Extreme US Revenue Boost in several Different Ways. Shouldn’t we want to collect revenue due to taxation other than criminalization? Marijuana is too expensive for our justice system and should instead be taxed to support beneficial government programs....
For thousands of years human beings have attempted to find ways to get passed the struggles of their lives. With the pain of the world stopping people from enjoying simple pleasures, sometimes there is a need for help. Marijuana brings millions of people relief from the pain they feel on a day-to-day basis. This completely natural plant which helped so many people has puzzled the leaders of our nation for a long time. The THC in marijuana causes its users to experience a mild-huluciginic or high. The effect that marijuana has on a person has prevented the product from being legalized. Many other details about the plant, like the speculation of it being a gateway drug, have put another blockage on its legalization. Even though there are speculations about the plant, the benefit that it brings to the table most definitely out way its disadvantages. Marijuana can also alleviate several symptoms associated with cancer and Aids treatments and disorders. While Marijuana is effective as a medicine, it is also extremely lucrative. The economic benefits that Marijuana brings to the table are endless. Upon marijuana’s legalization, the economy would experience an immediate influx. Legalization of Marijuana would also drastically reduce crime in our cities and form a more productive society through its positive uses. The benefits that marijuana brings medically and economically are considerable enough to legalize its use medically or recreational.
Marijuana continues to be one of the most used illegal drugs in the United States. Marijuana has been used for many years and at one time was legal to consume. Throughout the years, marijuana has been used for treatment of different medical conditions and has been used recreationally by people of all ages. While the use of medicinal marijuana has proven to be effective in treating medically ill patients, society continues to question its recreational use and the long term effects it will have on its users. Some feel that legalizing marijuana will only open up avenues for the use of more potent drugs, causing an increase in criminal activity. However, a number of people question why it is considered illegal being it is a naturally growing
The first law that regarded marijuana in America required farmers to grow hemp in the year 1619 for clothing, rope, and other materials, but “as early as 1840, doctors recognized the medical applications of marijuana, and the drug was freely sold in pharmacies for over a century.” (Rich and Stingl). In 1937, the use and possession of marijuana was made illegal, but “before 1937 marijuana was freely bought, sold, grown, and used. ”(Rich and Stingl). In 1970 the Congress decided to classify marijuana as a schedule one drug, which has made the legalization more difficult.
In the perspective of America's war on drugs, marijuana is one of the biggest enemies. And since alcohol and tobacco, two life threatening substances, are legal it is a relevant question to ask why marijuana is illegal. The taxpayers of America can partly answer this question when they fill out their tax forms and when they hear the hash rhetoric used against marijuana by the government. The fact that marijuana is illegal is sufficiently caused by the amount of money, jobs, and pride invested in the drug war. In other words, the government cannot turn back now.