The legalization of marijuana has been a topic often debated in the United States especially in more recent times. There are pros and cons with the use of marijuana, however the disadvantages are much less significant than the benefits of legalizing the so called drug. Marijuana is useful medicinally and has other positive attributes and therefore should be legalized.
The oldest record of Cannabis (another term for marijuana) use dates back to 2727 B.C. in China by emperor Shen Nung; he discovered the healing properties in marijuana, and as a result marijuana is used worldwide, from the Middle East, to Africa, and it was also used by ancient Greeks and Romans. The use of cannabis spread to the Western Hemisphere around 1545 when spaniards
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imported it to chile for use as fiber. When cannabis was introduced to North America, it was grown on many plantations in the form of hemp, and used in rope, clothing, and paper until The Marijuana Tax Act of 1937 which federally prohibited the use of marijuana. The federal government considers it a Schedule I substance, meaning that it has no medicinal uses and is at high risk for abuse. However, two states have made marijuana legal for adult recreational use, and 20 states are allowing it to be used to treat certain medical conditions. What is marijuana? Marijuana is a mixture of seeds, flowers and dried leaves which comes from the cannabis sativa plant. Cannabis is a dioecious plant, meaning it has both male and female reproductive parts. Both parts are easily distinguishable from each other. Male plants are taller and thinner than female plants and they have the pollen generating anthers. Female plants are short, dark, and have short protruding hairs. The plants come in different colors, green, brown or purple. Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, better known as THC is a chemical found in marijuana and is responsible for the mind altering effects after consuming it. Concentrates are known to have a higher amount of THC, and the strength of a strain of marijuana is related to the level of THC it contains. Marijuana is generally smoked after being hand rolled in paper or cigar wrapper, or with the use of a water pipe. Cannabis leaves or concentrates can also be mixed in with baked goods, beverages, candy, and food for a more convenient way to consume it. It has been almost 80 years since the use of marijuana has been prohibited in the United States, yet many people do not know why marijuana was made illegal in the first place.
People are misconstrued into thinking that marijuana is criminalized because of health issues, meanwhile this decision was made to target certain groups primarily Mexican immigrants. These immigrants were deemed responsible for the introduction of recreational marijuana use in America. People were judgmental and afraid of Mexican immigrants, which led to individuals associating marijuana with the newcomers. The government fueled this fear by conducting several researches on marijuana, and eventually providing the public with incorrect information. Researchers linked socially deviant behavior, violence, and crime to the consumption of marijuana. To properly target the racially inferior group, the government decided to pass the 1932 Uniform State Narcotic Act,
encouraging all states to prohibit the use of cannabis. Due to a propaganda-filled national campaign on marijuana, in 1937 congress passed the Marijuana Tax Act, which effectively criminalized the possession of marijuana. It is evident that the reason marijuana was illegal in the first place was based on insecurities, fear and untruthful information and therefore shouldn't still be in
effect. Those against the legalization of marijuana argue that the drug is dangerous, and according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, "Marijuana also affects brain development, and when it is used heavily by young people, its effects on thinking and memory may last a long time or even be permanent". This statement is based on studies carried out in New Zealand, which showed that individuals who began smoking during their teenage years lost an average of 8 points on their IQ. This same study also concluded "those who started smoking marijuana in adulthood did not show significant IQ declines". Additionally, there is no evidence that marijuana smoking increases the risk for lung cancer. It is evident that the health risks associated with marijuana are based on out dated science which was primarily used to instill fear in the population. These studies show the effects it has on teenagers, but the majority of those consuming marijuana are not teenagers. Moreover, the same argument can be used for alcohol and tobacco. Alcohol and tobacco are actually responsible for thousands of deaths in the United States and around the world. Both substances are frequently abused by teenagers, and according to the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD), alcohol kills approximately 2.5 million people annually. An estimated "320,000 young people aged 15-29 years die annually, from alcohol-related causes, resulting in 9% of all deaths in that age group". A list of 19 health concerns was listed in a Global Health Risk report in 2009, and alcohol was ranked #3, beating other health issues such as unsafe water, high blood pressure, tobacco, obesity and illicit drugs (ranked #18). The government claims to be worried about the health of individuals, yet they seem to be looking in the wrong direction. Why crack down on a substance whose negative effects are still being investigated, instead of creating solutions to some of the severe problems we are already facing? The Center of Disease Prevention and Control does not even have a category for deaths caused by the use of marijuana because it hasn't been heard of. In addition to insufficient information on the detrimental effects of marijuana, legalizing the substance will be a good financial move for the economy. First of all, the government's use of criminal penalties to prevent marijuana use has not been very successful. An estimated 300,000 people consume marijuana legally for medicinal purposes, and roughly over 25 million people use it annually. Additionally, arresting individuals for merely possessing marijuana even without the intent to distribute is unfair. The enforcement of this law is biased and minorities are often targeted by the police. African Americans make up about 13% of the population and roughly 13.5% of annual marijuana users, yet they account for more than one-fourth of all marijuana arrests. Arresting people for the possession of marijuana is too much of an expense for the justice system to bear. The time police officers spend making arrests for marijuana is time that they could have used to attend to heinous crimes, sexual abuse, etc. Furthermore, the government spends millions on people who are practically wasting jail space. The cost of keeping and feeding each individual arrested, as well as court and lawyer fees all add up. Harvard University economist Jeffrey Miron estimates that the United States spends approximately $20 billion dollars a year on this ridiculous war on marijuana. That money could be used to provide funding for other governmental programs such as education and healthcare which benefits society. My proposal for the government is to make marijuana a regulated legal market. According to the Federal Government’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Youth Risk, research shows that in Colorado where marijuana was recently made legal for recreational purpose, current marijuana use among high school students in Colorado dropped from 24.8% to 22.0%. Not only is marijuana beneficial medicinally, it was made illegal based on untrue information. It is also clear that the law is set up to target certain people, and the cost due to these arrests are too much. Legalizing the substance will boost the economy tremendously, instead of this money being received by international criminal gangs who profit billions by smuggling it into the United States. These funds can be diverted towards the productive economic development in this country. Lastly, the claims about marijuana being dangerous to the health of individuals is simply based on theories with no solid research evidence to back it up. With that being said, the benefits of marijuana outweigh the concerns and should therefore be legalized.
Of course, there are many people opposed to legalizing marijuana, despite the benefits. Some doctors are against legalizing marijuana because they think that it will cause “emotionally crippled adults”, and they think that people can become addicted to it. Doctor Howard Samuels believes that marijuana is a psychoactive drug which will create problems for adults in the future. I disagree with this. It doesn’t do anything harmful to your brain, so I don’t see how it would cause problems for adults in the future that use marijuana. You can’t become addicted to it, like you can with cigarettes and alcohol. Marijuana doesn’t have nicotine in it, which causes the addiction to cigarettes. Doctors prescribe morphine to patients, and that is very addictive...
In January of 1919, the 18th amendment, the prohibition of alcohol, was ratified due to progressive movements. It was soon repealed in 1933, when crime increased and issues spread throughout the country. The concept of “gangsters” was established and unsafe alcohol became apart of America’s diet. This problem is now evident in this country today. Marijuana, an all natural plant that is known to get someone “high,” or to alter the state of mind, has been illegal since 1937 when the Marijuana Tax Act was put into action. But, this has caused problems throughout the country, just like the prohibition of alcohol. Making marijuana illegal has affected the social and cultural aspects of America negatively, by increasing the crime rate, making our country somewhat unhealthier, and weakening the economy.
On August 2nd, 1937, United States president Franklin D. Roosevelt signed into law the Marihuana Tax Act of 1937. The law was passed only 83 days after being introduced in the House of Representatives as House Resolution 6906. This law sought to place prohibitive regulations requiring medical professionals to obtain a one dollar tax stamp in order to continue prescribing cannabis sativa as medicine. However, physicians who wished purchase the tax stamp were also required to divulge an abnormal amount of detail regarding the patient, the condition being treated, the amount prescribed and the date of the prescription. Failure to follow these strict rules while prescribing marijuana resulted in harsh penalties to both the medical professional and the patient. According to the text of the Marihuana Tax Act of 1937, “Any person who is convicted of a violation of any provision of this Act shall be fined not more than $2,000 or imprisoned not more than five years, or both, in the discretion of the court.”
According to Grinspoon (2005) marijuana, may have been a crop farmed as many as 10,000 years ago. The first evidence discovered that attests to the use of medicinal cannabis dates back to the Chinese Emperor, Chen Nung, who lived five-thousand years ago when this plant was recommended for malaria, constipation, and rheumatic pains, as well as, the inability to concentrate and pains in relation to the female body (Grinspoon, 2005; Guterman 2000). Even Queen Victoria had a physician recommend that she use marijuana as medicine for ailments such as “insomnia, migraines, menstrual cramps, and muscle spasms” (Guterman, 2000, p. A21). Evidence of the power of marijuana as a medicine can be found in almost any culture on Earth. For example, some tribes in Africa use marijuana to treat snake bites and to reduced the intense pain of child-birth and in India, cannabis is used to “quicken the mind, lower fevers, induce sleep, cure dysentery, stimulate appetite, improve digestion, relieve headaches, and cure venereal disease” (Grinspoon, 2005, p. 1). Marijuana has been proven as a powerful medicine by people of many ethnic backgrounds and countries over the entire world, time and time again.
Regulatory laws were passed in 1937, and criminal penalties were instituted for possession and sale of the drug. "Marijuana" refers to the dried leaves and flowers of the cannabis plant, which contains the non-narcotic chemical THC at various potencies. It is smoked or eaten to produce the feeling of being "high." The different strains of this herb produce different sensual effects, ranging from a sedative to a stimulant.
The “Marihuana Tax Act” was passed in August 1937, and took effect on October 1, an incident which would forever change the country. The main reason behind the ban placed upon Marijuana was the same as most other drug prohibitions – the oppression of minorities. Case in point, the first anti-drug law on record in the United States was passed in San Francisco in 1875. Opium was outlawed at that time due to concerns that Chinese immigrants who used the drug were “ruining” white women by associating with them in Opium dens. (Schaffer sec. 1)
History of Marijuana Marijuana has been used both recreationally and medicinally for centuries. There are numerous accounts of its medicinal qualities in multiple historical artifacts. Its use dates back to 2737 B.C. when the Chinese emperor, Shen Nung, used it for medicinal purposes including malaria, gout, poor memory, rheumatism, and analgesia (Carter et. al., 2003). Eastern Indian documents, in the Atharvaveda, dating back to 2000 B.C. also refer to its medicinal use.
Marijuana has a greater beneficial impact on society then many people realize. Marijuana should be legalized for medical as well as recreational purposes. This is a highly controversial issue that is being debated throughout the country. In essence marijuana is evaluated by the effectiveness of the drug. It is defined as the dried flowered clusters and leaves of a hemp plant smoked for the intoxicating effect. Whether it should be legalized or not is the real question.
Marijuana comes from the Cannabis Sativa plant. Its discovery could have been as early as 2700 BC in China. Despite the Cannabis Sativa plant producing Marijuana it also produces hemp, which is a very usefu...
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.
Cannabis is indigenous to central and south Asia. In ancient China, there are writings praising the plant for its medicinal uses. Additionally
History of Marijuana Prohibition Marijuana has been illegal for less than 1% of the time that it’s been in use (Guither, 2014). Going back to 1619, the Virginia Assembly passed legislation requiring every farmer to grow hemp. Hemp was allowed to be exchanged as legal tender in Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Maryland (Block, 2014). It was actually a crime in some states to refuse to grow hemp in the 1700's. In the late 19th century, marijuana was a popular ingredient in many medicinal products and was sold openly in public pharmacies (PBS, 2014).
Many people say that marijuana should not be legalized in the United States, however, another percentage of the society says that marijuana should be legalized. Those who agree and disagree need to inform themselves about the pros and cons of marijuana. It is very important to see different point of views from each side because there are several consequences and benefits that the use of marijuana can cause. Legalizing marijuana can be dangerous because many people are not informed of the diseases they can get from using drugs. In most cases people try marijuana to see how it feels and how their bodies react, but there are many who try it once and they keep on doing it very often. Marijuana should not be legalized in the United States because
The Pros and Cons of Drug Legalization Should drugs be legalized? Drugs are resources that are capable of affecting the American economy in many ways—both positively and negatively. Drugs often have a bad name, even though they help us everyday in medical cases. and the drugs with the worst reputations are not the most abused drugs. One may benefit from the legalization of drugs in many ways, while others would suffer greatly.
In the mid 1900's soon after the Mexican revolution. As of now we saw a flood of movement from Mexico into states like Texas and Louisiana. Not shocking, these new Americans carried with them their local dialect, culture and traditions. One of these traditions was the utilization of cannabis as a prescription and relaxant.