The war on drugs has been an ongoing battle in the U.S. for many years. This war, on drugs, is a primary necessity to stopping drug abuse. Furthermore, of all the drugs with war waged against them, there is one that has controversially made its way to the spotlight of becoming legal. Indeed, any one person, without studying the facts, can determine marijuana should be illegal for it, at most, generates no medical gain. Likewise, there is a common consensus of bias that marijuana legalization would promote zero gain in any category and legalization of marijuana would be all destructive to our society. This consensus is seemingly readily adopted by most Americans without the pursuit of any legitimate facts on the subject. Therefore, since misconception and misguided politics has led to the illegalization of marijuana, it has also obtained a poor judgment by most; furthermore, illegalization has a negative effect on the U.S. for the losses generated economically and medicinally, and by legalizing marijuana and promoting its proper use their can be many acquisitions made that are often overlooked. First of all, misconception from misguided politics is a primary cause of people being biased against the legalization of marijuana. This misconception is brought about from the fact that marijuana's effects seem to be dose related. According to The Encyclopedia of Violence, Peace, and Conflict,” low doses produce some degree of activation and associated motor stimulation and higher doses result in inhibition” (drugs and violence/10). Indeed, abuse of marijuana can result in many problems, but, as shown, low doses provide possible stimulation. This is caused by the interaction between cannabinoids and both dopaminergic and noradrenergic ... ... middle of paper ... ... . Smith, Phillip. "Drug Arrests Top 1.6 Million Last Year Despite Small Drop." Editorial. Stop the Drug War. N.p., 19 Sept. 2010. Web. 16 Nov. 2011. drug_arrests_top_16_million_last>. “Legal, Commercial Marijuana Cultivation Could Reduce Energy Use By 75%.” Good Clean Tech 28 Apr. 2011. Computer Database. Web. 14 Nov. 2011. “Medical Marijuana, Inc. Completes Custom Programming and Prepares for California Rollout of Its Tax Compliance System.” Internet Wire 8 Oct. 2009. Computer Database. Web. 28 Nov. 2011. “Drugs and Violence in the USA.” (2008). Encyclopedia of Violence, Peace, and Conflict. 2008. <2Fwww.credoreference.com/entry/estpeace/drugs_and_violence_in_the_usa>
JJ is a 7 year old boy. He has post-traumatic stress disorder, bipolar disorder and impulse control disorder. He has been thrown out of numerous preschools and admitted to several hospitals for psychiatric issues. His mother has pursued all forms of medical and behavioral help for her son’s hyperactivity and aggressiveness. She came across medical marijuana while trying to research JJ’s problems and after discussing it with his doctors decided to give it a try. She took him off all his medications and put the marijuana in a muffin in amounts prescribed and monitored by the doctor. JJ’s behavior issues declined almost immediately. He is polite, eager to learn and interacts well with teachers and students at school. Now he talks through his questions and problems instead of acting out due to frustration. Marijuana has been used by people throughout the centuries and its use has provided many benefits. Therefore, it should be legalized for medical and recreational use in today’s society (O’Brien & Clark, 2002).
Marijuana, the most abused drug in America, has had a lot of publicity recently. Marijuana has caused multiple economic problems within the U.S. A controversial question has arisen from the increased popularity and troubles of this drug. The question is whether or not the U.S. government should legalize marijuana possession and sale in the country. Many Americans believe that the drug should be legalized for various reasons; others, however, are against the legalization of the dangerous drug. While legalization has both pros and cons, the positives of legalizing marijuana for those people over the age of twenty-one far outweigh the negative aspects of legalization.
In our society today, a big debate has emerged. People are squabbling, arguing, deliberating and discussing on whether Marijuana should be legalized. In the United States, this debate is amplified because people think that illegalizing the substance does not fight its illicit use but only makes it more available and easily accessible. It also makes it “as a cool recreation drug” (Pi, 2007) for the young people. “It is actually easier for many high school students to obtain Marijuana than it is for them to obtain alcohol, because alcohol is legal and therefore regulated to keep it away from kids” (Marijuana, 1999). Debate about legalization of the drug is a significant issue that is socially important to our community and it should be analytically discussed in length. I personally believe that legalizing the drug across the United States of America would help fight its usage and save us a lot of cash (Marijuana, 1999).
Simoni-Wastila, Linda, and Francis B. Palumbo. "Medical Marijuana Legislation: What We Know-- And Don't." Journal Of Health Care Law & Policy 16.1 (2013): 59-75. Academic Search Complete. Web. 20 Apr. 2014.
Legalizing Marijuana has been a common subject for debate in the United States. As the debate continues on in the political system, marijuana has become the most popular illegal drug in the United States. There are many arguments for and against the legalization of marijuana ranging from the effects on the mind and body to the economic possibilities after legalization. Both sides embrace strong facts and stronger support, but much of these facts consist of similar research with contradicting results. The side that tends to have the most and the strongest support in the most prominent arguments, economics, health, and criminal association, is the group for legalizing marijuana.
According to Martin Luther King Jr., “There are two types of laws: there are just and there are unjust laws” (King 293). During his time as civil rights leader, he advocated civil disobedience to fight the unjust laws against African-Americans in America. For instance, there was no punishment for the beatings imposed upon African-Americans or for the burning of their houses despite their blatant violent, criminal, and immoral demeanor. Yet, an African-American could be sentenced to jail for a passive disagreement with a white person such as not wanting to give up their seat to a white passenger on a public bus. Although these unjust laws have been righted, Americans still face other unjust laws in the twenty-first century.
The legalization of marijuana has been a highly debated topic for many of years. Since the first president to the most recent, our nation’s leaders have consumed the plant known as weed. With such influential figures openly using this drug why is it so frowned upon? Marijuana is considered a gateway drug, a menace to society, and mentally harmful to its consumers. For some people weed brings a sense of anxiety, dizziness, or unsettling feeling. Like alcohol, tobacco or any other drug, those chemicals may not respond well with their body. For other people marijuana brings joy, a sense of relief, and takes the edge off of every day stress. For those who are associated with cannabis, purposes usually range from a relaxant, or cash crop, to more permissible uses such as medicine, and ingredient to make so many other materials. We now need to look at what would change if marijuana were legal. Benefits to the economy and agriculture, health issues, and crime rates are three areas worth looking at. Deliberating on the pros and cons of this plant we can get a better understanding for marijuana. From there it will be easier to make a clear consensus on what is best for the nation.
Marijuana is a relatively harmless drug that governments around the world have made illegal. If legalized, marijuana can be beneficial to society in a number of ways: whether it be for medical, economic, or public safety reasons. Marijuana has been proven to treat several life debilitating, and even life threatening diseases. Although it is not a cure, marijuana can ease the pain and suffering of a dying person. Another benefit of legalization is the financial gains that governments will accomplish through the taxation of marijuana. This is a realistic claim if marijuana sales are compared to that of cigarettes; governments make billions each year from cigarette taxes (Caputo and Ostrom 484). Every year law enforcement spends countless man-hours trying to apprehend marijuana dealers and growers. This time would be better utilized in dealing with more serious crimes. This essay will display some main reasons why marijuana is a substance with beneficial uses and applications. First, marijuana can be used as a treatment for the effects of diseases such as AIDS, cancer, glaucoma, and other terminal diseases. A study carried out in California clearly demonstrates the effectiveness of marijuana as a treatment for cancer: “Over 74 percent of the cancer patients treated in the program have reported that marijuana is more effective in relieving their nausea and vomiting than any other drug they have tried.”(Zeese 1990). Chemotherapy for cancer patients often produces nausea and vomiting. Marijuana has been proven to relieve these symptoms and there have been no known side effects recorded (Ad Hoc Group of Experts part 4).
Farrell, Michael B. "A marijuana tax as the next new revenue stream?" Christian Science Monitor 8 May 2009: 2. Student Edition. Web. 19 Mar. 2014.
The legalization of marijuana is a subject that has been debated for many years. Marijuana should be legalized for medical use and it should be decriminalized for recreational use.By decriminalizing marijuana for recreational use, the penalty will no longer be jail time, but a simple fine if caught using it in public.Furthermore, marijuana offers many medical benefits to very ill patients.In short, the benefits of marijuana outweigh the drawbacks, especially for medical purposes, so it should be legalized.First, marijuana should be decriminalized for recreational use.
Policy: Cannabis in Amsterdam and in San Francisco,” Am J Public Health No. 94 (2004):
In light of recent laws allowing Cannabis sativa, more commonly known as marijuana, to be prescribed for medicinal purposes, the question has been raised: Should marijuana be legalized in the United States? (“Marijuana”). With recent studies refuting many common anti-marijuana beliefs, international perceptions are increasingly shifting towards the side its supporting legalization. Most scientists agree that the toxicity of marijuana has been exaggerated and does not earn it a place in the same drug category as heroin and other heavy drugs (“Marijuana Is Not Addictive). The new market created, coupled with decreased government spending on law enforcement, could help give new life to the dwindling economy. Marijuana should be legalized in the United States because it poses less of a health risk than projected by anti-marijuana activists, could generate billions of dollars while helping combat crime, and opinions on it are changing nationally and internationally, along with its predicted effects on our country.
There are many people in this world that feel that marijuana is an evil and sinful drug. They argue several points against marijuana that would support their position. Most of these have no relevance to what in general, and they can be easily disputed. Others have some basis, and they can be considered valid arguments. However, the facts remain that the positive aspects of marijuana far outweigh the negative aspects.
Legalization of Marijuana has quickly become a controversial issue in America. In the United States, legalization of marijuana for medicinal purposes is spreading to the state level. For example, in November 1996, the people of California and Arizona voted to legalize marijuana for medicinal reasons. As a result of Proposition 215 in California, patients now smoke marijuana provided their physician recommends its usage. A prescription is not required, and marijuana continues to be illegal to prescribe. The Clinton administration responded that it “would not recognize these decisions, and would prosecute physicians who recommend or provide marijuana to their patients.” Although California and Arizona are the only two states to have already passed laws regulating marijuana usage, twenty-six states and the District of Columbia have laws and resolutions regarding marijuana usage. These laws and resolutions range from establishing therapeutic research programs, to allowing doctors to prescribe marijuana, to asking the federal government to lift the ban. Despite the states’ desires to have marijuana legalized for medicinal purposes, the US National Institutes of Health examined all existing clinical evidence about smoked marijuana and concluded that, “There is no scientifically sound evidence that smoked marijuana is medically superior to currently available therapies.”
Benton, Jim. "Marijuana Legalization as an Economic Stimulus." Mytpmblog.com. 13 Feb. 2009. 27 Apr. 2009.