The founders of CNN and Apple, Brad Pit, Megan Fox and Barack Obama all have one thing in common. It’s one of the safest substances known to man and is completely natural. The substance has many medical advantages. It is a plant and more than a third of all Australians ages over 22 have used it at least once and approximately 300,000 people will use it today. That’s right it’s Cannabis and yet it is illegal in every state apart from Canberra. Now I can safely say you all have your own opinion on Cannabis and why is should not be legalized. However your opinion is irrelevant if you go on what other people say about it and not base it on facts. So that’s why I’m here to inform you about the positives that Cannabis use has.
First off I want to give you some quick background knowledge of Cannabis. It was first made illegal in 1937 and up until then it was completely legal. In fact the first law on Cannabis was ordering famers to grow Hemp, the most efficient, durable fibre on the planet. Hemp is 100% bio- degradable and is more effective than anything else for making paper, rope, bio-fuel and clothes. The pharmaceutical, paper and cotton industries caught on to how effective Hemp is and this caused them a great threat against their businesses.
In order for the companies to eliminate the competition, publishing tycoon Randolf Herst initiated a campaign against Cannabis. Herst claimed that after smoking one joint you’re likely to kill your brother, rape a white woman among other ridiculous claims. Back when the campaign was initiated people were a lot more racist and gullible to believe the lies of a highly ranked businessman. Soon after this the Marijuana Tax Act was passed therefore making cannabis illegal.
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...and other diseases. So why don’t pharmaceutical companies push for cannabis to become legal? Well they cannot make any money off the plant. Basically they care more about money than they do peoples health.
So we understand that the sole reason cannabis was made illegal was because a select groups of people would make more money. However if it had not become illegal what would society be like today? First off, it would be a lot harder for kids to get their hands on. In a recent Australian survey, teenagers confessed that it was much easier to buy cannabis than it was to buy alcohol or tobacco. This is because alcohol and tobacco require some form of identification such as a valid driver’s license but drug dealers don’t care who they sell to as long as they get their money. I hope the information that I have given you today will help you fight to legalize cannabis.
Why isn 't marijuana legal in the United States? Marijuana could serve many purposes to the human body and the community. In 1937, the government issued the Marijuana Tax Act. This act immediately criminalized marijuana. This means you can not have possession of the drug for medical purposes or not. This act is still in effect today, but it should be repealed .
Marijuana in America became a popular ingredient in many medicinal products and was openly sold in pharmacies in the late nineteenth century (“Busted-America’s War on Marijuana Timeline”). The National Institute of Drug Abuse defines marijuana as, “The dried leaves, flowers, stems, and seeds from the hemp plant Cannabis sativa, which contains the psychoactive (mind-altering) chemical delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), as well as other related compounds” (“DrugFacts: Marijuana”). It was not until the Food and Drug act of 19...
Throughout history people have used marijuana for its dried leaves, flowers, stems, and seeds to relieve pain, stress, and other medical issues from one’s life. Within the recent years it has become one of the most debated issues in the United States. In the 1930s, the U.S. Federal Bureau of Narcotics (now the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs) claimed that marijuana was a “gateway” drug and was a powerful, addicting substance. During the sixties marijuana became a symbol for rebellion against authority so it became very popular by college students and “hippies”. So in 1982, Drug Enforcement Administration increased pressure on drug farms and houses which decreased the use of marijuana. In the past twenty years marijuana has become a
Before we can debate the topic of marijuana we must first know the material. Marijuana also known as weed, cannabis, or reefer is a green plant that will virtually grow anywhere. Commonly developing up to 8ft in length cannabis can be consumed through digestion or inhaling. The only part of the plant that is consumed is the flower or bud. The stem and leaves of the plant can be broken down to make other materials. From this plant we could create consumer textiles, industrial textiles, paper, building materials, food, industrial products, and hygiene product...
The cannabis plant has been the topic of much debate throughout the history of this country. Many people don't know that it was not the effect of cannabis that originally spurred its banning. It was actually originally the work of the cotton industry who put big money behind illegalization for the plant's mind altering effects. The cotton industry was afraid that hemp, a product of the cannabis plant, would soon overpower the strong hold of cotton since it was a more durable textile that required less work, less ground depletion, and could be grown almost anywhere. Since the time when cannabis first became illegal it has been grouped with other narcotics as a counterpart. The truth is cannabis has many benefits to society and other than the effects of smoke inhalation has very few negatives. Those against legalization try to put cannabis in the same light as other more potent drugs like cocaine and heroin. There are many misconceptions about the substance and it is clear it should be looked at separately.
History of Marijuana Prohibition 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).
Cannabis is a natural plant that has been made illegal by the United States, and has been a controversial topic ever since the 1920’s. Marijuana is a substance that has been used hundreds of years ago as an herbal medicine and also can be used for textile products from hemp, which is from the Cannabis Sativa plant. Because of marijuana being categorized as a schedule one substance, it has no medical value and cannot be researched in the United States. Marijuana is said to be a gateway drug and is very unhealthy for adolescents with premature brains. The marijuana prohibition should finally come to a close because there are many benefits from cannabis and it is less harmful than both alcohol and tobacco.
Marijuana in the early 1800’s to 1936 was being used as a cash crop, growing more than corn and even tobacco because of its resource. Throughout the United States and other countries marijuana strains fiber hemp from the plant that was being used to make a lot of items. Hemp, which was made popular in the 1800’s, is the strong thread from the marijuana that was being used to make, paper, clothes, furniture, etc. At one point it was going to replace cotton and wood, even the Declaration of Independence was written on hemp paper. In the article “Dispensing with the Constitution: Obama's Executive Caprice” Explains “On April 14, 1937 the marijuana tax law or the bill that outlawed marijuana was approved by the House of Ways and Means Committee making growing or possessing marijuana a crime.
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.
The Cannabis plant grows extensively on most continents on Earth, this plant does exist in the wild and just like many other crops it has become domesticated, cultivated and selectively bred over time. The first documented introduction of the plant in the United States of America took place the southern most parts of Texas in the late 1800s. Many immigrants from Mexico brought it with them claiming it had healing and medicinal purposes. Eventually some Texan pharmacies would sell what then became know as “Marihuana”. Then cannabis began to take off with many different products such as tinctures, in the early 1900s which many Americans used extensively. Soon after came the first prohibition of the plant in the
Marijuana has been around for decades. It was ingrained into the culture of America as early as the Jamestown era. Marijuana is the most habitually used illegal drug in the U.S. and the world, and was an absolute medicine until it was federally criminalized in 1937. It is imperative that marijuana should be legally regulated as it can be of great harm to the human body in a number of ways. It can also provoke a number of drug addicts and express the message that it is okay to use psychoactive drugs. Currently, penalties are given based on the amount of marijuana possessed. Eventually, the narcotic will be completely diminished from society.
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.
Marijuana is illegal for a reason. It puts mankind at risk. It risks the lives of us, our children, our family, and our friends. We all know of too many people who have lost loved ones to drugs, and it all starts here, with marijuana. People don’t like to hear it, but it’s the ugly truth. Once people start, it is vey hard to stop.
Imagine a world where the sick can be treated with a natural medicine that can-do wonders to aid a vast number of illnesses with minimal side effects. Cancer patients can have reduced nausea and pain. Children with epilepsy can put an end to their episodes. And those with anxiety disorder can finally feel at ease. The economy is booming, and it feels like America is great again, all thanks to a crop called Cannabis. It can aid those afflicted by a vast number of conditions as well as generate billions for the US economy. Unfortunately, this is not the reality. Since its Federal ban in 1930s, access to legal cannabis is troublesome. Luckily, some states have legalized it for medicinal purposes. Making move those in need of cannabis, to more