Marijuana has become a more and more acceptable drug over the past few years despite its many side effects, not only on the user, but also on society as a whole. Due to these side effects on society and the marijuana user, it would be in the best interest of everyone that marijuana remains an illegal substance. On one side of the issue you have marijuana users saying that it is their choice on whether or not they should be allowed to smoke marijuana. The question we have to ask ourselves is, are individual freedoms so important that we are willing to allow these individual freedoms to continue without consequence, even if their actions are harmful. The purpose of this essay will be to put forth a strong argument that will prove that marijuana should remain an illegal substance.
Before I go any further I want to clear up a few things. When I say that marijuana should remain illegal I mean that in Canada marijuana use and trafficking should be treating exactly the way it is now under the Criminal Code of Canada. I don’t mean that there should be anymore restrictions placed upon marijuana. I also mean that the exceptions where marijuana use is allowed should remain the same. Secondly when I refer to marijuana use and marijuana users I am only talking about when the substance is smoked I am not talking about any other methods in which marijuana is used.
The most obvious reason it keep marijuana use illegal is the harmful effects it has on the smoker. Some of the short term effects of marijuana use include: problems with memory and learning, distorted perception, trouble with thinking and problem solving, loss of co-ordination, and increased heart rate (due to possible anxiety).
The long-term effects include cancer; damages to the lungs and airways; and finally damages to the immune system. Studies show that someone who smokes five joints per week may be taking in as much cancer causing chemicals as someone whom smokes fifteen cigarettes daily. As well people who smoke marijuana often develop coughing and wheezing. They tend to have more chest colds than nonusers do. They are also at a higher risk of getting lung infections like pneumonia. Different studies on animals have found that marijuana can damage the cells and tissues in the body that help protect people from disease. When the immune cells are weakened, you are more likely to get sick.
Marijuana is a drug that is harmful to a person¡¯s health. It has been found to have adverse impacts on one¡¯s mental processes such as memory, attention, judgement, and problem- solving (Butcher, Mineka, Hooley, 2004, p.415). Also, marijuana can interfere with a person¡¯s ability to think rationally and logically. Thus, the lapse in judgement caused by the drug use can lead to risky sexual behaviours and this may result in increasing sexually transmitted disease such as AIDS. Moreover, the long-term use of marijuana may cause chronic breathing problems and cancer ...
First of all, some people feel smoking marijuana can get hyper, which providing them the emotion of happiness, and helping them to see the world from a different perspective. However, marijuana will cause a lot of healthy problems to human’s body. Marijuana has many physical effects on human such as rapid heart rate, red eyes and dry mouth. Because the chemical THC will enter into the body when people are smoking it, THC will enter through the bloodstream to the brain. The chemical affects them to feel ecstasy and unreality; therefore, THC will make them feel more confused if people smoke marijuana for a long time. According to, “ Treat marijuana abuse like a health problem” (McMillan, 2007, July 17), it shows using marijuana can cause more serious health issues on human’s body such as bronchitis, emphysema, and cancer. In addition, using marijuana has also been linked to lung damage and affects the respiratory and cardiovascular systems. For example, if marijuana ...
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.
First I will talk about some of the side effects of Marijuana. Immediate effects of smoking marijuana are minimal. A person’s heartbeat may increase by twenty to fifty beats more per minute. One’s eyes may become red, and time seems to creep by.
Some of the main reason why marijuana should not be legalized is because of the mental and health problems. Dr. Robert DuPont, who is a national leader in marijuana prohibition, drug policy and treatment, said “It's interesting, because at the time I knew marijuana was not good. And I always spoke about the health hazards of marijuana. I never said it was benign in the sense that it was safe. But I would balance that health message with a message that says we don't want to use the criminal law to try to solve a public health problem”(drug war). Another reason of why we should not legalize it is because of the addiction that comes from smoking the drug. Therefore, marijuana should never ...
There currently exists some controversy concerning smoking marijuana as a medicine. Many well-intentioned leaders and members of the public have been misled by the well-financed and organized pro-drug legalization lobby into believing there is merit to their argument that smoking marijuana is a safe and effective medicine. A review of the scientific research, expert medical testimony, and government agency findings shows this to be erroneous. There is no justification for using marijuana as a medicine.
...ression, motivational syndrome, and even death. The brain damage has been shown to cause memory loss and difficulty in problem solving. In males, it will lower testosterone levels, lower sperm count, and may cause impotence. In females, marijuana may have some effects on pregnancy and can also cause birth defects. Legalization of marijuana could eventually lead to the legalization of harder drugs. Slowly progressing till it becomes possible for harder drugs to gain acceptance. Drugs like heroin, cocaine, and amphetamines, which many view now as unacceptable could eventually be up for legalization.
The legal status of marijuana is one of the most disputed topics of today. Once completely frowned upon, marijuana’s legality was never questioned; however, fast forward to the present and one will notice that this negative stigma is beginning to fade away. The negative claims regarding marijuana are gradually becoming discredited by science. Without this negative propaganda, the positive aspects of marijuana are beginning to surface. Marijuana should be legalized because it is relatively harmless when compared to other legal substances, entails economic benefits, and would allow the authorities to focus resources on illegal activity that affects the people they took an oath to serve.
Marijuana affects both the body and the mind. Marijuana affects the cardiovascular system and relaxes the user’s nervous system. An increase in the blood pressure and heart rate is a factor with the use of marijuana. Marijuana can also impair balance and coordination which leads to the risk of hurting oneself (Brownstein, 2014). The national institute on drug abuse cited a survey that indicated 6.8 percent of drivers, beneath the age of 35 that was involved in traffic accidents verified positive for THC (Kroll, 2014). Marijuana is recognized to have addictive abilities and withdrawal symptoms when terminations of extended use (Kroll, 2014). Marijuana ...
The legalization of marijuana is considered a controversial issue, something that can benefit people for medical purposes, but what about recreationally? Marijuana has been illegal since 1937, but there’s never been a bigger push for legalization. There are several reasons why it is illegal, because of government propaganda and big industry not wanting to lose money, but this will be discussed later. The purpose of this paper is to educate, theorize, and discuss various aspects of marijuana, such as its history, development, and the advantages and disadvantages of marijuana legalization. Finally, my personal reflection on legalization and marijuana in general will be discussed.
Today more and more people are deciding to side with the legalization of the substance, for America. For those who never give the legalization of marijuana a time of day or those who are hesitant on giving it a chance, are now starting to believe that the legalization of the substance would ultimately be helpful for the United States. As always, with every subject that rises up in the United States, there are people that are for the subject and also others that are against the subject. The legalization of Marijuana throughout the entire U.S. is one of the largest controversial arguments between both people and federal officers. As wrote in LegalizationOfMarijuana, “Prohibition must be weighed against the loss of personal freedom. Countries
Marijuana has a long standing history of being one of the most controversial substances in America. While the history or the Cannabis plant indicates not only acceptance as a useful plant, but even advocated as a source of revenue and medicinal usage, much of the United States government propaganda over the last 100+ years has led Americans to accept very slighted and often false information about the plant and its uses. Based on the origin of the illegalization of marijuana and the inconsistent findings of its effects in comparison to other substances, both legal and illegal, marijuana should be decriminalized and treated as a recreational substance just as alcohol and tobacco are.
Legalization of marijuana has been a hot yet controversial topic all around the world, and some European countries has legalized the personal or medical use of it, while in the USA, the war on legalizing marijuana has been long. Though the opposition is strong, the overwhelming victory has been gained as Colorado and Washington has fully legalized it. Now, over the half of the states have been considering the legalization of marijuana, although California Proposition 19 failed to gain fully support in 2009. I prefer the legalization of marijuana. Just like a coin has two sides, whether we should legalize marijuana is largely depends on the benefits it brings to our country. On the one hand, it is the public’s intention that the government should legalize marijuana. On the other hand, by now, marijuana is proved to be no more dangerous than smoking and alcohol, and it is the individual’s freedom to use it or not. It is also out of the respect to the basic human rights. Considering both the economic profits
Many people crave the moment where they can just sit down, relax, and enjoy some free time. They could perhaps take a nice walk in a park, or possibly sit down and enjoy a movie on T.V. However, a large sum of people nationwide chooses to participate in a certain recreational activity to find their relaxation: smoking Marijuana. In fact, “Washington and Colorado are the first to allow adults to use the drug for recreational purposes” (Legalizing Marijuana, par 1). Unfortunately for half of our nation’s population, the use of the plant, Cannabis, was deemed illegal. “Before 1937, marijuana was freely bought, sold, grown, and smoked in the United States. Since that time, all of these activities have been illegal, but many groups and individuals have fought to decriminalize marijuana” (Rich, par 1). I find this preposterous! I believe that the federal government should look at what the people want, and pass the law making Marijuana legal, but of course having regulations to go along with it. Not only shall it please the people of the United States, but our economy could greatly benefit from legalizing Cannabis and it is an aid towards medical treatment. It would be to our nation’s best interest to have legislation legalize marijuana at not only the state level, but as a national level as well.
5. One long-term effect is the possibility of lung cancer, and many experts say that marijuana use leads to use of other more potent and dangerous drugs.