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Legalizing Marijuana
Marijuana is a very controversial and obtrusive issue in our society today. Although many have made malicious remarks about it in the past, and even still in the present, the truth and beneficial facts of marijuana are finally resurfacing. Unfortunately, our society has become a very critical crowd towards the legalization of marijuana due to the stereotypical view of the kind of people who are considered
“pot smokers”. This contorted perception of a lazy and unmotivated America is the logic behind keeping marijuana unattainable to our citizens. While carefully examined by many people all around the world, the benefits of using marijuana easily outweigh the disadvantages of the plant. Although many argue that the it can lead to further drug use, the plant has showed nothing but leverage to people who have serious illness and chronic pain. The legalization of marijuana would be tremendously beneficial to all types of people in America.
The medical purpose of marijuana is not a recent discovery. The use of it dates back more than 5,000 years. By the late 18th century, early editions of American medical journals recommend hemp seeds and roots for the treatment of inflamed skin, incontinence and venereal disease (Stack). Today, thousands of patients are able to use marijuana as an effective method of treatment for symptoms of certain ailments. This is possible because fourteen state governments across our country have acknowledged the effective healing properties of the plant and have legalized its consumption for medicinal purposes with the consent of a licensed physician. However, these patients are at the mercy of the federal government and its authority.
While marijuana has been noted to be effective for...
... middle of paper ...
... others who have similar medical reasons should be considered in this debate. If marijuana could stop one of your family members from being in pain, why wouldn’t you want them to have it?
Works Cited
Armentano, Paul. "Health and Societal Costs of Marijuana vs. Alcohol and Tobacco."Alternet,org.
Alter Net, 30 Mar. 2012. Web. 19 Oct. 2013.
Gupta, Sanjay. "Why I Changed My Mind on Weed" CNN.com. Cable News Network, 18 Aug.
2013. Web. 19 Oct. 2013.
Stack, Patrick. "A Brief History of Medical Marijuana." Content.time.com. Time Inc, 21 Oct.
2009.Web. 19 Oct. 2013.
Wilson, Jacque. "Highs and Lows of Using Marijuana." CNN.com. Cable News Network, 12 Nov.
2012. Web. 19 Oct. 2013.
Zolfagharifard, Ellie. "Teenagers Who Smoke Cannabis Damage Their Brains for Life and May Be
More Likely to Develop Schizophrenia." Dailymail.co.uk. Daily Mail, 25 July 2013. Web. 19 Oct. 2013.
Works Cited "The California Marijuana Vote." New Yorker 23 Dec 1996: 62+. Brookhiser, Richard. "Pot Luck." National Review 11 Nov 1996: 27+ Simmons, Michael. "Give Pot a Chance." Rolling Stone 26 Dec 1996: 111+. Rist, Curtis and Harrison, Laird. "Weed the People." People 21 Oct. 1996: 75+. Funk and Wagnall's Volume 23 "Marijuana" 1996 Baum, Dan. "California's Separate Peace." Rolling Stone 30 Oct. 1997: 43+ Brookhiser, Richard. "Lost in the Weed." U.S. News & World Report 3 Jan. 1997: 9 Buckley, William "Legalization of Marijuana Long Overdue" The Albuquerque Journal. Online. 8 June 1993.
Zeese, Kevin and William Ruzzamenti. “Should marijuana be legalized for medical uses?” Health Nov./Dec. 1993 Vol.7 Issue 7 page 23. http://ehostvgw8.epnet.com/delivery.asp?…3F&startHitNu m=1&rlStartHit=1&delType=FT.
Marijuana is one of the oldest cultivated plants (Nahas 8). Since it became illegal in 1967, there have been questions of whether or not it is good for purposes, such as medicine, other than being a leisure drug. Debates between pro and con groups for the use of marijuana in the medical profession, have been heated and in recent months, referendums have been pasted in a least three states to make it accessible for medical treatment. Personally, I feel that marijuana has the potential to be a significant help with certain aliments, however, more research needs to be done to maximize its potential.
The legalization of marijuana is, and has been a heavily disputed issue for decades. On one hand, marijuana could lead to a medical breakthrough, or at least provide relief to cancer and AIDS patients. On the other hand, legalizing a drug could expose it to too broad an audience. As a drug, marijuana has never proven to be anywhere near as harmful as cigarettes or alcohol. Each year in the United States, 400,000 people die from tobacco, 50,000 from alcohol, and from marijuana, zero. Regardless of what side one may take to this argument, there are some causes to this marijuana debate that everyone should know. Marijuana was not always illegal, and the reasons behind the history of narcotic regulation are interesting when viewed from today's perspective. The history of marijuana prohibition is a story of racism, political repression, and poorly represents the qualities this country claims to embody.
“Chapter 2: The History of Marijuana.” Marijuana: Mind-Altering Weed (2008): 18-31. Book Collection: Nonfiction. Web. 24 Mar. 2014.
Khamsi, R. (2013, May 31) How Safe Is Recreational Marijuana. Scientific American. Retrieved from http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=how-safe-recreational-marijuana
National Institute on Drug Abuse. "The Nagative consequences of Marijuana Use." Marijuana (Contemporary Issues Companion). Tardiff, Joseph, ed. Farmington Hills: Greenhaven Press, 2008. 34-44. Print
Dr. Gupta wrote the article for CNN.com because he wanted to the public to know the truth about cannabis, admitting that he was wrong about cannabis in the past and now finds it a helpful and useful drug. Doug Benson filmed this documentary wanting to disprove many myths about marijuana by partaking in activities such as taking a SAT test while high and checking his lung capacity and metal status after smoking every day for 30 days. These reasons including the purpose, rhetorical devices and structure are the reasons why an internet article written by Dr. Sanjay Gupta titled "Why I Changed my Mind on Weed" and a video documentary made by comedian Doug Benson titled "Super High Me” are the best genres on the topic of the legalization of marijuana.
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.
Rosenthal, Ed, and Steve Kubby (2004) "Marijuana Should Be Legalized for Medical Use." Retrieved from Opposing Viewpoints: The War on Drugs.
In an the article titled medical use of marijuana the topic is that of people who uses marijuana for medical reasons verses those who uses it just because. There are indications that marijuana is sometimes used to alleviate pain from cancer, to reduce nausea from chemotherapy, and to mitigate the wasting syndrome of AIDS. Studies have suggested that the medical use of marijuana is common among people with HIV/AIDS (CAMJ). There was a survey that involved telephone interviews with Ontario male adults eighteen years and older and completed with 2508 people. In the weighted sample 49 respondents reported using marijuana for a medical reason in the year preceding the survey, a total of 173 respondents reported using marijuana, but not for medical reasons. The remaining 2305 respondents in the weighted sample reported no use of marijuana in the preceding year (CAMJ). In this article it was also stated that compared with nonusers, those who use marijuana for any reason tend to be younger, more likely to have alcohol problems and more likely to have used cocaine in their lifetime. Those who use marijuana for medical reasons were similar to other users but more likely to use cocaine. About 2 percent of the population can claim the right to use marijuana for medical reasons, considering their needs, confronts the growth of a system to make sure they have entry to quality-controlled marijuana for medical use and could increase arguments for decriminalization of marijuana for personal use. The use of marijuana for any reason was linked with a male, comparative youth, smoking cigarettes, a lot of drinking, and the use of cocaine (CAMJ). Additional research has to be performed to decide whether uses with alcohol, drugs and other lifestyle choices influence the want for marijuana use and viewpoint in its medical benefits.
There are many other uses for medical cannabis including treating symptoms of IBS, Chron’s disease and other gastrointestinal disorders, pain relief from cancer and multiple sclerosis, the prevention of Alzheimer’s and helping individuals suffering from ADD, seizures or Tourette’s. Unfortunately, the federal government fails to see the many benefits of cannabis and clear proof shown in the countless peer-reviewed studies done through the years and instead maintains its classification as one of the most dangerous drugs with no acceptable medical benefits. More and more states are taking steps to regain their rightful authority from an over-reaching federal government, and taking the necessary steps to offer relief to many patients suffering from a wide array of maladies.
"Myths and Facts About Marijuana." Marijuana: The Facts. Drug Policy Alliance Network. 27 Apr. 2009.
Some people might ask “why should Marijuana be Legalized?” but the question we all should be asking is “Why is Marijuana Illegal?” From a physiological standpoint, I believe individuals deserve the right to make choices for themselves. The government should only have the right to infringe on those choices if the individual’s actions endanger others, or pose a significant threat to the individual; nevertheless this argument therefore does not logically apply to Marijuana because Marijuana is proven to have medical use and is far less dangerous than most drugs which are legal, such as tobacco and alcohol. Individuals should have the right to decide whether or not they want to use marijuana, excluding minors.
187. The. (2013) n. page. print. “Marijuana Abuse.” National Institute on Drug Abuse: The Science of Drug Abuse and Addiction.