If there is an illegal drug that when ingested, it would alter a person’s attitude and health for the better, would you not want it to become legal? This illegal drug exists under the name of marijuana! Unfortunately, there are some people who are opposed to the idea of legalizing marijuana. One of those people being Eden A. Evins, a doctor at Massachusetts General Hospital who directs the Center for Addiction Medicine. Dr. Evins states many reasons why marijuana should not be legalized, two of her main points being marijuana is extremely addictive and has side effects that are hazardous to an individual’s health. On numerous occasions Evins compares the withdraw episodes and how addictive nicotine is to marijuana. Considering that nicotine …show more content…
is a legal substance, the attempt of Dr. Evins to compare the two does not support her idea when trying to convince readers weed should remain illegal. Also, Evins goes in to grave details about the hazardous side effects of using marijuana. With that in mind, when a person takes any controlled substance, legal or illegal, there are risky secondary effects that can occur because of the use of that drug. Therefore, I feel Dr. Evins attempt to convince readers that marijuana should remain illegal is unsuccessful. In a New York Times article author Eden A.
Evins states her opinion on the idea of marijuana becoming legal. In her report, she tells readers marijuana should not become legalized for many reasons where she uses various scientific studies to back up her opinion. Dr. Evins goes into great deal about several harmful side effects that come with smoking marijuana mainly focusing on the unhealthy effects on the brain. Further, she elaborates on the addictiveness of marijuana and the repercussions of long-term use, often comparing nicotine and marijuana. Deeper into Evins’ analysis she tells reader should marijuana become legalized mental disabilities will become more prevalent because in certain individuals the use of marijuana can trigger mental disorders. Dr. Evins then concludes her essay by re-elaborating her main points on the harmful side effects of using marijuana. Dr. Evins closes her essay telling readers, “As a society, we are going in the wrong direction on …show more content…
marijuana.” One dominating factor making Dr. Evins' article unsuccessful is she compares marijuana and nicotine, keeping in mind that marijuana is illegal and nicotine is not. This comparison only hurts her argument on why marijuana should remain illegal. She tells readers about their similarities on withdrawal and addictiveness. Evins goes on to say,“The cannabis withdrawal syndrome has been compared to that of nicotine, which is of undoubted clinical significance.Nicotine is very addictive. Compared with nicotine, marijuana is probably less addictive” Focusing on the statement where Dr. Evins says that marijuana is less addictive than nicotine validates one of the many reasons why marijuana should become legalized considering that there are legal substances that can do more harm. Therefore, after reading this section of the article this could possibly lead readers to believe that Evins’ logic is ludicrous mainly because an author should not compare two things that contradict his or her argument. With all this being said, readers should ask themselves why can an individual use tobacco legally but when using marijuana a person is breaking the law. With any situation in life there are always positive and negative consequences(some being greater than others); therefore, Dr. Evins strictly elaborating on the negative side effects of marijuana is a one sided argument because she fails to mention the good. When reading this article a person could be convinced that nothing good can come out of the usage of marijuana. When actually it is the exact opposite! In Evins’ article she tells readers general cannabis use has been connected with an 8-to 10-point drop in I.Q. Cannabis declines mental performance especially in the areas of verbal learning, verbal working memory and consideration precision. Evins goes on further to say cannabis use builds the danger for schizophrenia in individuals who have hidden hereditary danger. Not once did Evins mention one positive effect that comes from the use of marijuana which can connive a reader to agree with Evin when she is only presenting one side of the story. With this being said, after reading this biased argument, this could lead readers to believe Dr. Evins only brings up evidence that is supportive to her argument. After reading Dr.
Evins article one might ask themselves why should the United States legalize marijuana, and there are numerous reasons why cannabis should become legal. One of the most obvious is it can improve certain health issues: marijuana can boost the physical state of an individual with cancer, help with ADD and ADHD, slow the growth of a tumor, and many other health benefits. Other reasons are the improvement of ones attitude for the better. Who would not want to be in a jolly mood majority of the time? These are many of the positive outcomes that come with the use of marijuana. Stating the positive outcomes are necessary considering Dr. Evins failed to do so. Also it allows readers to look at the situation from both
sides. Therefore, just reading Dr. Evins article alone could easily convince someone marijuana should remain illegal. In her article she only brings the negative aspects of marijuana to light ignoring all the good. Evins' article was unfair and bias. She told readers information that would make them support her opinion. She used the tactic of scaring readers away from the idea of using marijuana by presenting life-threatening aftermaths. Since readers are now educated on only a few of the advantages of using marijuana, they are now capable of making a fair judgement on whether or not marijuana should become legal.
Each of the health benefits that are presented also gives research that supports its claim. This is a good article to support the legalization of medical marijuana.
Giving good reason for what legalizing marijuana can do for the United States and how we can gain a lot from legalizing marijuana, but she is able to pull back her reader on why you should not be tamped by what good marijuana can do. The author of the article view that the negative effects of marijuana are a huge deal, since marijuana tempers with the human brain and that even though it has its pros, the cons win since it’s more harmful if not use properly or the drug is used to much or use often. As well that we still don’t know that much about marijuana and that there should be more studies on marijuana, since we can still learn more about
But one of the arguments is that there are alternatives to using marijuana such as medications that come in pills, solutions, shots, or drops. There is no prescribed drug today that is smoked. Another concern is that marijuana is illegal is the United States. Making it a medicine would require a change in the current law which would have to be voted on by Congress. The biggest and most important argument against marijuana is the negative effects it could have on a person. Marijuana effects coordination and short-term memory which may make it impossible for a person to operate a vehicle or learn anything new. Smoking marijuana could cause lung cancer. Smoking three to five joints a day is equivalent to smoking more than twenty cigarettes a day. But marijuana has many helpful effects also.
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).
The medical marijuana debate ascends from conflicting cultural views more so than the science of medicine. The controversy being the decriminalization of marijuana in order for medical providers to prescribe it as a treatment option. This paper will use an inductive argument to analyze the arguments supporting medical marijuana and against its use while avoiding arguments supporting marijuana’s recreational use. The benefits of legalizing marijuana outweigh the associated risk factors as marijuana can be used to treat neurological disorders, chemotherapy patients, loss of appetite and weight related to AIDS, glaucoma, and many more health related issues. Marijuana is a safer treatment option and less toxic than many of the harsh drugs currently
There is a major debate in today’s world about the legalization of cannabis, especially, in the United States. States such as California and Illinois have already moved forward in their open-minded thinking about the drug and are allowing people to use marijuana as an alternative to other prescribed drugs in treating the effects of certain ailments. The idea of legalizing marijuana is a touchy subject for many people; on the one hand its properties are beneficial to many people who suffer from many different illnesses, on the other hand, it is an illegal substance that has many addictive qualities. According to the Drug Enforcement Agency’s website, “Marijuana is a Schedule I substance under the Controlled Substances Act, meaning that it has a high potential for abuse, no currently accepted medical use in the treatment, in the...
Ever since marijuana’s introduction to the United States of America in 1611, controversy of the use and legalization of the claimed-to-be Schedule I drug spread around the nation. While few selective states currently allow marijuana’s production and distribution, the remaining states still skepticize the harmlessness and usefulness of this particular drug; therefore, it remains illegal in the majority of the nation. The government officials and citizens of the opposing states believe the drug creates a threat to citizens due to its “overly-harmful” effects mentally and physically and offers no alternate purposes but creating troublesome addicts hazardous to society; however, they are rather misinformed about marijuana’s abilities. While marijuana has a small amount of negligible effects to its users, the herbal drug more importantly has remarkable health benefits, and legalizing one of the oldest and most commonly known drugs would redirect America’s future with the advantages outweighing the disadvantages.
Many could argue that marijuana is destructive physically as well as mentally. “The National Institute on Drug Abuse says marijuana can cause heart irregularities, lung problems, and addiction” (Welch). “One joint can be just as damaging to [the lungs] as smoking at least two and a half cigarettes” (Ruff). According to Dr. Tom Wright, director of a substance abuse treatment center for adolescents in Rockford, “teens may be especially sensitive to marijuana’s effects because their brains are still being formed” (MJ Rebuttal). However, the marijuana legalization proposition would have tight restrictions and regulations by the states that would eliminate some of those issues, such as age. These facts are not consistent; the evidence is not backed from reliable sources. One institute is referred to, but more experts are needed to verify the information.
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.
Legalization of marijuana has become an increasingly popular topic for debate in society with “sentiment in favor of legalization [increasing] by 20 [percentage] points in just over a decade,” bringing support for legalization to 52% (Dionne and Galston). The most common arguments for reforming current legislation are the following: enforcement wastes public resources, taxation can provide a new source of revenue, and enforcement of current laws is discriminatory (Dionne and Galston). It is necessary to look at the impact on the primary stakeholders by analyzing the various harms and benefits through application of the ethical theories of utilitarianism and deontology, in order to determine the solution that will result in the best possible outcome.
What exactly is marijuana? Marijuana, also known as pot or hemp, is a naturally grown substance that contains THC. THC changes how the brain works and gives the user a high that relieves many different pains and even helps erase bad memories. The hemp plant can be found in just about any place, but has to be kept in heat. Marijuana is from a naturally grown plant so why not be able to use it legally? Well, there are many reasons against the legalization of marijuana and there are also many very good reasons to legalize it for medical and recreational use. So to the government and everyone against legalizing marijuana, too bad! It’s natural and people are going to smoke no matter what the laws are, so why not just make it legal? Making the use of marijuana legal everywhere will more than likely help stop the chaos between the smokers and nonsmokers and reduce the outrageously high total of 858, 408 who are arrested annually for marijuana possession and use.
Richard Sepulveda (2006). “Marijuana: The Simple, Logical Benefits of Legalization.” August 16, 2006. Retrieved from Lancet 2009; 374: 1383-91.
Based on the conclusion made by the US National Institutes of Health, marijuana should remain illegal. Although it does have many medicinal benefits - including improving the appetite in chemotherapy and AIDS patients, reducing muscle spasms associated with epilepsy and multiple sclerosis, and alleviating eye pressure in glaucoma patients - there is no proof that marijuana is the most effective treatment. The main active ingredient in marijuana (THC) is already available in its legal form, Marinol; it does in fact have therapeutic applications; therefore, the whole substance of marijuana does not necessarily need to be legalized. In addition, marijuana has many side effects that may harm patients. If marijuana does become legal, multiple legal drawbacks would occur. For example, it is highly likely that doctors may take bribes from healthy patients to prescribe the drug for recreational use. This would make legalization too difficult to regulate because prescriptions may end up in the wrong hands. In addition, legal marijuana may provide drug dealers with an easy opportunity to escape prosecution for trafficking and dealing drugs. “Reversed psychology” would not work in this situation, for the legalization of marijuana would inflict more chaos and crime than it would attempt to prevent.
For thousands of years human beings have attempted to find ways to get passed the struggles of their lives. With the pain of the world stopping people from enjoying simple pleasures, sometimes there is a need for help. Marijuana brings millions of people relief from the pain they feel on a day-to-day basis. This completely natural plant which helped so many people has puzzled the leaders of our nation for a long time. The THC in marijuana causes its users to experience a mild-huluciginic or high. The effect that marijuana has on a person has prevented the product from being legalized. Many other details about the plant, like the speculation of it being a gateway drug, have put another blockage on its legalization. Even though there are speculations about the plant, the benefit that it brings to the table most definitely out way its disadvantages. Marijuana can also alleviate several symptoms associated with cancer and Aids treatments and disorders. While Marijuana is effective as a medicine, it is also extremely lucrative. The economic benefits that Marijuana brings to the table are endless. Upon marijuana’s legalization, the economy would experience an immediate influx. Legalization of Marijuana would also drastically reduce crime in our cities and form a more productive society through its positive uses. The benefits that marijuana brings medically and economically are considerable enough to legalize its use medically or recreational.
There has always been controversy about marijuana and the affects it has on health and the issue of legalization. Some people believe it is very destructive to one’s health, and yet others feel the complete opposite about it. Is Marijuana truly harmful to one’s health? “Marijuana, the Deceptive Drug”, written by George Bierson, was published in the Massachusetts News. In this article, Bierson determines that marijuana is harmful in many ways. He seems to think that it damages the brain, the reproductive system, and also contributes to the halt of production in the immune system. Bierson also tries to persuade the reader that marijuana is a “gateway drug” that leads to larger drugs in the future. However, by conducting research of my own, I have come to the conclusion that Bierson’s article simply lacks truth.