Persuasive Essay On Legalizing Marijuana

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Cannabis is a useful plant. Aspects of it are used to make clothes, rope, lotions, and medications. Marijuana has been in the news recently because of states like California and Colorado legalizing if for medical and recreational uses. People who agree with the states argue that marijuana is safe and has legitimate medicinal properties. People who oppose argue that legalizing the drug and making it more easily accessible will increase addiction rates and a state legalizing it violates the federal prohibition on it.
The debate over states rights and federal rule has been going on since before the Civil War. It is known that federal law rules supreme over the land and states laws can't conflict with it. Anything that has not been specifically addressed in federal laws is up for the state to decide, such as school systems. The argument is that …show more content…

Marijuana has been proven effective to treat symptoms of many different illnesses. Cannabis is less dangerous than alcohol because alcohol is an intoxicant and cannabis is not (Armentano). Those that want to keep America "drug-free" need to also start a prohibition on alcohol also because that does more harm than good. Countless die from drunk drivers and alcohol poisoning. Alcohol is the cause of multiple types of cancers. Research has shown the cannabis and positive effects on tumors and many different types of cancers, including lung cancer. Not only has this plant has proven medical health benefits; it's less abrasive on the body then alcohol and alcohol is illegal. The mind-altering effects of marijuana seem to be completely reversible with no permanent damage to the memory and overall cognition. It has been used to treat muscle spasms brought on by Crohn's disease and also appetite suppression brought on by chemotherapy. The drug has also been proven less harmful and less addictive than some other commonly prescribed medication

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