Marijuana Should Not Be Legalized Essay

Marijuana Should Not be Legalized for Recreational Use

I believe that the legalization of marijuana for recreational use would do more harm than good. Not only does it have the potential to cause dependency, but studies have shown that it can cause functional impairment in mental abilities, and that it is a “gateway drug.” I believe that these negative aspects far outweigh their positive counterparts. I do, however, believe that marijuana should be legal for medical use.
Marijuana is already the most common illicit drug in the United States, especially among young people. On top of that, more people are beginning to believe that it has no adverse side effects. This, however, is not the case. While the information about the potential harm marijuana use can cause is freely available on government websites, the movement to decriminalize it is far more vocal. This is causing more and more young people to learn only the positive side of

Marijuana, in the long term, negatively impacts brain development. A study has shown that people who began smoking marijuana heavily in their teenage years and continued throughout their life have lost, on average, eight IQ points between ages 13 and 38. Long term marijuana use also negatively impacts memory, learning capabilities, and the way that the brain builds connections between its different areas. These same effects remain, even if the person stop smoking marijuana as adults.
Marijuana abuse also creates a host of physical problems for the user. Smoke from marijuana can damage the throat and lungs of users in a way very similar to cigarettes. These effects include coughing, an increased risk of lung infections, and more frequent lung related illness. Marijuana use during pregnancy is also increases that chances that the child will have brain and behavioral problems. These problems include a shorter attention span, reduced memory, and problem solving