Recreational Marijuana Should NOT Be Legal

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Recommended: HISTORY OF MEDICAL MARIJUANA ESSAY

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, “schedule one drugs are considered dangerous, addictive, and have no medical benefits.”(Rich and Stingl). Marijuana fits the schedule one drug classification because marijuana is dangerous to people’s health, has been found to be addictive if used daily, and also has no medical benefits because marijuana can cause more health problems than it can cure. Recreational marijuana should not be legalized because of the many negative health effects it has on a person. Marijuana has a big effect on the lungs and when marijuana is smoked it can cause harm to the lungs. The smoke from marijuana has cancer causing substances in it. “Smoking marijuana can cause large air sacs, called bullae, to form. Bullae normally form in young marijuana smokers (less than 45 years old.)” (Drake and Slatore). Marijuana smoke has the same harmful chemicals that tobacco products contain, and marijuana smokers develop lung damage because of this. The fact that marijuana smokers hold the smoke in their lungs longer than tobacco smokers and there is no filters in bongs, bowls, blunts, or joints, there is no safe way to smoke marijuana. Blunts are the wrapping of a cigar filled with marijuana, a... ... middle of paper ... ...re Health Effects?” WebMD, Web MD Health New, n.d. Web 2 Feb 2014. Drake, Matthew G., and Christopher G. Slatore. “Smoking Marijuana and the Lungs.” American Thoracic Society: Patient Information Series. 187. (2013) n. page.Print. “Marijuana Abuse.” National Institute on Drug Abuse: The Science of Drug abuse and Addiction. NIH, n.d. Web. 4 Feb 2014. Rich, Alex K. Stingl, Alexander. “Legalization of Marijuana: An Overview.” Points of View: Legalization of Marijuana (2013):1. Points of View Reference Center. Web. 4 Feb. 2014 United States. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Drugs and Human Performance Fact Sheets. Washington, DC: Washington State Wright, George Newton, Heather. “Counterpoint: There Are No Good Reasons to Legalize Marijuana.” Points of View: Legalization of Marijuana (2013): 2 Points of View Reference Center. Web. 4 Feb 2014

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