Marijuana: The Silent Killer?

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A major argument of those in favor of the legalization of marijuana is that there are absolutely no negative health effects resulting from the usage of cannabis, but this could not be farther from the truth. Every day, teens and adults seriously impair their judgment skills, learning skills, motor skills, and other important brain functions necessary to complete basic everyday tasks. However, those who regularly participate in the usage of marijuana seem to be completely unaware of these effects on the brain and the rest of the body. Despite these blatant health issues directly related to the usage of marijuana, laws are becoming more and more lenient on the production, sales, and usage of cannabis. This is absolutely absurd, as there is no simply no reason for the government to authorize the usage of a literal poison to the masses. The negative health effects of marijuana are many, and put those who often use marijuana at extreme risk later on in their lives.
Of the vast quantity of side-effects to the usage of marijuana, the effects on the brain and mental state of the user may be the most severe. One of the most obvious yet serious effects on the brain is the degradation of memory. Within cannabis, there is a compound known as THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol. This compound, when ingested, attacks nerve cells in the brain, which hurts the brain’s ability to remember important information (drugfreeworld.org 1). In addition, it will also make it difficult for the brain to learn new information (Buddy 1). Overall, this will severely hurt an individual’s ability to excel in school or one’s career. On top of these memory related effects, it can also cause hallucinations or delusion in an individual (Buddy 1). While these effects could...

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... on one’s mental and physical health, as well as the effect it can have on one’s personal life and others can be severe and dangerous, and can easily destroy one’s entire life if something is not done. There is simply no reason to legalize the usage of marijuana throughout the country, as it will only continue to endanger the health and livelihood of the people of the United States.

Works Cited
"DrugFacts: Marijuana." NIDA. December 2012. National Institute on Drug Abuse. 5 Jan. 2014 .
T., Buddy. "Basic Facts About Marijuana." About.com. N.p., 23 July 2013. Web. 5 Jan. 2014. .
"The Harmful Effects of Marijuana." drugfreeworld.org. Foundation for a Drug Free World, n.d. Web. 5 Jan. 2014. .

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