Should Marijuana Be Legalized?

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Cannabis, also know as marijuana has been a major topic in the United States for quite some time due to its medicinal and recreational use. There have been numerous studies to show the positive effect of medical marijuana but the negative stigmata still exists no matter how positive the outcomes are. In the United States there has been a battle between the federal government and states to legalize marijuana. Some states have created their own policies to bring the benefits to those that are sick and some states have made policies for recreational use to bring income into the state. Whether its for medical or recreational there are many factors that have to be taken into consideration before a general conclusion can be made. As early as 2737 B.C. marijuana had been used as medicine and some used it for religious purposes. Emperor Shen Neng of China was prescribing marijuana as treatment for various diseases and disorders. With increased popularity the use of marijuana for medical uses spread like wildfire throughout Asia, the Middle East and the coast of Africa (Stack,2009). In the 1840s a French doctor, Jacques-Joseph Moreau did research and found that marijuana could inhibit headaches, aid in sleep and increase appetite. With increased use and research by 1914 the Harrison Narcotics Tax Act was implemented to tax persons that imported and produced opium and cocoa leaves. Although not directly related this becomes a representation to a later drug regulation basis for the Marihuana Tax Act of 1937. This act allowed doctors to prescribe marijuana for medical purposes but in order for them to do so they had to pay an annual tax along with registering with the federal government. During the 1970s, with the increased use of ... ... middle of paper ... ...Wadsworth. Pew, R. (2014, 04 02). America's new drug policy landscape. Retrieved from http://www.people- press.org/2014/04/02/americas-new-drug-policy-landscape/ ProCon.org. Founding Fathers on Religion in Government. ProCon.org. Retrieved February 22,2008, from http://undergod.procon.org/viewresource.asp?resourceID=70 ProCon.org. (2012, January 11). Does the Regular Smoking of Marijuana Cause Lung Cancer or in Any Way Permanently Injure the Lungs? Retrieved from http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org/view.answers.php?questionID=000234 Seamon, M. J., Fass, J. A., Maniscalco-Feichtl, M., & Abu-Shraie, N. A. (2007). Medical marijuana and the developing role of the pharmacist. American journal of health-system pharmacy, 64(10). Stack , P. (2009, 10 21). A brief history of medical marijuana. Retrieved from http://content.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1931247,00.html

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