Medical Marijuana: Should Marijuana Be Legalized?

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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. Not everyone feel that legalizing medical marijuana would be the right thing to do. Most opponents concerns are about the ... ... middle of paper ... ... "Prescription Drug Overdoses Killed 23,000 Americans in 2010; Cannabis - 0." Smell the Truth. N.p., 20 Feb. 2013. Web. 26 Apr. 2014. . "Physician claims prescription drugs worse than marijuana." Physician claims prescription drugs worse than marijuana. Illinois Times, 16 May 2013. Web. 10 May 2014. . "Medical Marijuana ProCon.org." ProConorg Headlines. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Apr. 2014. . "Study: Medical Marijuana Laws Do Not Increase Youth Marijuana Use." The Daily Chronic. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Apr. 2014. .

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