Marijuana: The Hazy Debate

Cannabis has been used for various reasons since ancient times. The Chinese began using it medically around 2800 B.C. In The Science of Marijuana by Leslie Iversen, the Head of Faculty of Pharmacology and Drug Discovery at Oxford University, he discusses the history and practicality of medicinal marijuana in one of the chapters. Until the twentieth century, many cultures continued to use cannabis for many medical reasons, such as convolution, gonorrhea, asthma, and to stimulate appetite, just to name a few (The Science of Marijuana, p. 116). The British began distributing it as medicine during the 1800s, as well as the United States. In the early 1900s, the U.S. outlawed the substance, followed by the British in the 1970s. Each country considered it a Schedule I drug (The Science of Marijuana, p. 122). Recently, the use of marijuana for medical purposes has been on the rise. Started by California in 1996, the list of American states approving medical marijuana continues to grow. Within the past two years, Colorado and Washington have gone as far as legalizing it for recreational purposes. This has caused some controversy in the judicial systems within America, as well as culturally. Those in favor of recreational marijuana on a federal level have gained the majority at about 52 percent. Despite this, the federal government has given no sign of change in the current laws. There is also a debate over whether the states are able to legalize marijuana when the laws go against those on a federal level. Many people have little actual knowledge of marijuana and need clarity for making decisions.

Medicinal cannabis has been around since nearly 3000 B.C. The Chinese are the earliest known users, utilizing it to combat constipation, gou...

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Marijuana legalization has become a growing issue in today’s political views. As more and more states opt for the use of the substance medically, and even with seven states legalizing recreational use by the 2016 election, it seems that there needs to be some sort of federal motion on the matter in either direction. The federal government has given no sign of its stance on whether marijuana should be legalized. President Obama has given some view, saying that he believes that it is not a proper approach to fixing the current economy. With the benefits and costs being misconstrued between all of the gossip and hearsay, those taking sides must have proper information before deciding on what decision they make while in the polls. The road to legalized marijuana has been a long one, lasting almost a century to this point, and is on its way to finding a final answer.