Why Marijuana Should Be Legalized Willie Nelson once said, “I think people need to be educated to the fact that marijuana is not a drug. Marijuana is an herb and a flower. God put it here. If He put it here and He wants it to grow, what gives the government the right to say that God is wrong?” Marijuana has been a plant for longer than any human has been alive. Civilizations have used marijuana for hundreds of years for hundreds of purposes. But ever since the 1970’s when growing or having possession became illegal marijuana has been looked down upon by a majority of people living in the United States. Just because it’s illegal doesn’t give someone the right to look down upon you for doing a drug that’s been here longer than we have. I’m not saying just because a poppy plant has been here since before us that you should go overdose on a bunch of opium or any other drug that causes you to want more and more. That’s not healthy by any means. But with marijuana there are no adverse harmful side effects that would cause one to fear for their life or to become addicted. First I will talk about some of the side effects of Marijuana. Immediate effects of smoking marijuana are minimal. A person’s heartbeat may increase by twenty to fifty beats more per minute. One’s eyes may become red, and time seems to creep by. Now we will look at how medical marijuana is used in today’s society. Medical Marijuana uses are more beneficial than people think. The Medical Marijuana Program (MMP) was established to provide a medical marijuana identification card for qualified patients. To obtain a Medical Marijuana card it costs $100 to apply, and you must have a doctor note recommending it for medical use and show proof of residency in t... ... middle of paper ... ...Marijuana is also a major cash crop and has the potential to be America’s largest cash crop. Medical Marijuana has been legalized in twelve United States including California. California has legalized medical marijuana and has had great success. Marijuana is California’s largest cash crop, raking in billions of dollars a year which is helping California’s debt. If America legalized and taxed marijuana, we could see the economy flourish and could help us break this recession. Marijuana is more helpful than you think. It is much less harmful than legalized substances and drugs most use today. There’s no real reason why marijuana is illegal. Why the government wouldn’t want us to be hungry, happy, and sleepy is beyond me, especially if they’re making billions of dollars on it. Natural marijuana has been on earth since the beginning of time. What makes it wrong now?
America is in a war. A drug war with marijuana.Marijuana is a hallucinogen grown naturally as the cannabis plant. Smoking pot clearly has far fewer dangerous and hazardous effects on society than legal drugs such as alcohol, yet it is federally illegal. It is established scientific fact that marijuana is not toxic to humans; marijuana overdoses are nearly impossible, and marijuana is not nearly as addictive as alcohol or tobacco. But, the marijuana prohibition continues to be thriving. Marijuana prohibition causes more problems than it solves. This nation spends too much money where it could be making more money. If America were to legalize marijuana, it would cause a healthier economy, improve health care, and it would be safer than legal drugs like alcohol and cigarettes. The prohibition ruins thousands more lives than it supposedly tries to save and it should stop.
The story of marijuana's prohibition goes back as far as the early 1900's. The Mexican revolution was bringing a large population of Mexicans into the southwestern United States. The Mexicans brought with them the habit of smoking "motas", marijuana cigarettes. (Gerber) The locals claimed that the marijuana "incited Mexican immigrants to violent crimes, aroused a lust for blood' and generated superhuman strength." (Gerber) These statements stemmed more from the racist ideas of the time than from actual fact. There were similar claims made all over the states; by the 1930's, the New York Times was printing such headlines as "MARIJUANA MAKES FIENDS OF BOYS IN 30 DAYS; HASHISH GOADS USERS TO BLOOD LUST." (New York Times) This racism became, over time, a notion in the minds of Americans that marijuana was a dangerous narcotic. Marijuana...
Keeping Marijuana illegal is the best choose to keep people healthy mentally and physically and keep the community clean from crimes because marijuana is one of the reasons that people can’t control their action. It can cause a lot of health and mental problems or you might get in an accident and cause other people and yourself serious injuries. Marijuana is a dangerous drug for the human and also the community.
Some of the main reason why marijuana should not be legalized is because of the mental and health problems. Dr. Robert DuPont, who is a national leader in marijuana prohibition, drug policy and treatment, said “It's interesting, because at the time I knew marijuana was not good. And I always spoke about the health hazards of marijuana. I never said it was benign in the sense that it was safe. But I would balance that health message with a message that says we don't want to use the criminal law to try to solve a public health problem”(drug war). Another reason of why we should not legalize it is because of the addiction that comes from smoking the drug. Therefore, marijuana should never ...
The cannabis plant has been the topic of much debate throughout the history of this country. Many people don't know that it was not the effect of cannabis that originally spurred its banning. It was actually originally the work of the cotton industry who put big money behind illegalization for the plant's mind altering effects. The cotton industry was afraid that hemp, a product of the cannabis plant, would soon overpower the strong hold of cotton since it was a more durable textile that required less work, less ground depletion, and could be grown almost anywhere. Since the time when cannabis first became illegal it has been grouped with other narcotics as a counterpart. The truth is cannabis has many benefits to society and other than the effects of smoke inhalation has very few negatives. Those against legalization try to put cannabis in the same light as other more potent drugs like cocaine and heroin. There are many misconceptions about the substance and it is clear it should be looked at separately.
Marijuana is claimed to be just a harmless plant but do you really know what people are inhaling into their body? Marijuana, also known as weed or pot, has over 350 different chemicals some of which are carcinogens (cancer-causing agents). Marijuana legalization is starting to become a real controversy in the United States. Twenty years ago no one in their right mind would think that drugs would become legal for private use. That’s we need to move forth in our society not back, we needs to leave drugs behind and start to focus on more important things. Marijuana should not be legalized for recreational use because marijuana is addictive, marijuana presents health risks, and marijuana can have a negative effect on society.
Marijuana has been used as medicine since the beginning of time, but because of the bad reputation surrounding marijuana you wouldn’t believe that marijuana first use was for medical purposes. Marijuana dates all the way back to 2900 BC, in China, where the Chinese emperor Fu Hsi noted that cannabis was a very popular medicine that possessed both yin and yang. The Egyptians also used cannabis for glaucoma, inflammation, and enemas. In India, they use Bhang, a drink of cannabis and milk, as an anesthetic and anti-phlegmatic. By the mid-1930s, marijuana was regulated in every state by laws instituted through The Uniform State Narcotic Act. Then in 1937 the Marihuana Tax Act was passed. The Act imposed a tax on anyone who dealt with marijuana, which lead to a decline in marijuana prescriptions. The Act didn’t criminalize the possession or use of marijuana but it did include penalty and enforcement provisions to which marijuana handlers were subject. Violation of these procedures could result in a fine up to $2000 and five years in prison. In 1972, the US congress placed marijuana in Schedule 1 of the Controlled Substances Act because they considered it to have “no accepted medical use.” Research has shown that marijuana use is medically beneficial and that legalization would have a positive impact on patients who suffer from symptoms caused by such illnesses as multiple sclerosis, cancer and AIDS. By keeping marijuana illegal, we are denying relieve, that marijuana provides to the patients that does not respond to the medicines that physicians prescribe or suffer from the side effect of these harsh drugs causes.
Is marijuana really that bad? Since the 1930's marijuana has been illegal in the United States because it went along with the alcohol prohibition. Somehow, Americans make tons of money off of it each year. People whole smoke marijuana favor legalization, as well as those who do not smoke but want to help the economy out. Many of us who do not smoke want to legalize it because we see that if it is illegal, it does not support what marijuana can do for the economy and for medical reasons. Marijuana should be legal because it would have a much more positive affect on society, rather than keeping it illegal.
Marijuana is the 3rd most commonly abused substance in the world behind alcohol and tobacco, and the most commonly used illegal drug in the United States and should be illegal. Abuse refers to the misuse, excessive use, or recurrent use of marijuana. Marijuana is a hallucinogen, which means it distorts the way the brain sees the world. Think about what the world would be like if everyone had a distorted view of everything. When marijuana is smoked, the effects are felt within minutes. Most of the time, immediate effects include an increased heart rate, decreased coordination, and an unreal state of mind that is similar to being in a dream. Therefore, using marijuana could possibly lead to making irrational decisions. Marijuana should be illegal because of the health issues, the increased crime rate, and more. Smart people that don’t want to end up in the emergency room should be aware of all the possible dangers that come with marijuana abuse.
It’s proven to be less harmful than cigarettes or alcohol. There have been more accidents involving cigarettes and alcohol than there are involving marijuana. Alcohol and cigarettes are addicting and cause permanent harm to your body, whereas marijuana is less addicting than caffeine. There has never been a documented overdose death from marijuana. The government allows it’s people to shrivel up their lungs from cigarettes and damage their livers from alcohol but they won’t allow marijuana, a harmless drug, be in the possessions of people who are doing no harm to anyone else around them. Alcohol and cigarette users inconvenience others around them with their drunken personalities or their toxic cigarette smoke, but marijuana users either zone out or become relaxed with the environment around them. Educating the people about the truths of marijuana will eliminate the bad reputation its gained over the years, and it will no longer be seen as a “gateway
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.
People usually smoke marijuana in cigarettes or pipes, but it also can be mixed with food and beverages. Short-term effects of marijuana include both psychological and physical reactions. These reactions usually last for three to five hours after a person has smoked marijuana. The psychological reaction, known as a high consists of changes in the user´s feelings and thoughts. Such changes are caused mainly by THC. The effects of a marijuana high vary from person to person and from one time to another in the same individual. In most cases, the high consists of a dreamy, relaxed state in which users seem more aware of their senses and feel that time is moving slowly. Sometimes, however, marijuana produces a feeling of panic and dread. The different reactions result partly from the concentration of THC in the marijuana. Other factors, such as the setting in which marijuana is used and the userÕs expectations, personality, and mood, also affect a personÕs reaction to the drug. Long-term effects of marijuana are not completely known, but studies have shown that some people have used marijuana regularly for several months or longer have develop serious long-term problems. Among males, marijuana use can reduce the production of sperm and of the male sex hormone testosterone. Among females, it can cause menstrual irregularity and reduced fertility. Extended use of marijuana also has a long-term psychological effect on many people. These individuals loose interest in everything.
...s proven to have medical usage and is far less dangerous than most drugs which are Legal, such as Tobacco and Alcohol. Individually people should have the right to decide whether or not they want to use Marijuana, excluding minors.
Marijuana continues to be one of the most used illegal drugs in the United States. Marijuana has been used for many years and at one time was legal to consume. Throughout the years, marijuana has been used for treatment of different medical conditions and has been used recreationally by people of all ages. While the use of medicinal marijuana has proven to be effective in treating medically ill patients, society continues to question its recreational use and the long term effects it will have on its users. Some feel that legalizing marijuana will only open up avenues for the use of more potent drugs, causing an increase in criminal activity. However, a number of people question why it is considered illegal being it is a naturally growing
People have been fighting for the legalization of marijuana for a long time. Many people use this drug and find absolutely nothing wrong with it. Others find it disgusting and are opposed to the legalization of it. The earliest use of marijuana was documented in 7000 B.C. The ancient Greeks, Egyptians, and many others used it for medical purposes. Marijuana was first used in the United States during the 1800’s and was banned in 1937 without any reason given by the government except that “it was for our own good” (Block, “Why Marijuana Became Illegal”). Marijuana should be legal everywhere in the world because, although it is highly addictive, marijuana is not as harmful as tobacco and alcohol, having a regulated market for it would reduce the sale and use of it amongst people under the age of eighteen, and the government can save and make money off of it.