The Legalization of Marijuana
The legal status of marijuana is one of the most disputed topics of today. Once completely frowned upon, marijuana’s legality was never questioned; however, fast forward to the present and one will notice that this negative stigma is beginning to fade away. The negative claims regarding marijuana are gradually becoming discredited by science. Without this negative propaganda, the positive aspects of marijuana are beginning to surface. Marijuana should be legalized because it is relatively harmless when compared to other legal substances, entails economic benefits, and would allow the authorities to focus resources on illegal activity that affects the people they took an oath to serve.
Marijuana poses fewer health-risks than many substances that are currently deemed legal by the government. It is often argued that marijuana is addictive, and that it is harmful to one’s health. It is true that smoking marijuana is not completely harmless, as the repetitive inhalation of any form of smoke will have adverse effects on one’s health. That being said, these effects are very miniscule when marijuana is smoked in moderation. Marijuana has not been scientifically proven to have any lethal or even life-altering side-effects. In regards to addiction, marijuana contains no physically addictive properties. One may become psychologically addicted to the euphoria obtained after smoking marijuana; however, anything that brings enjoyment has the possibility of becoming psychologically addictive. One would assume that something deemed legal by the government would be safer than something that is considered illegal, ironically this is not the case. Cigarettes are considered legal even though they pose a huge threat to on...
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...he most popular recreational substances. The commonality of marijuana translates into the need for a large amount of authoritative resources to enforce the laws on it. The resources used on marijuana prohibition are being drawn away from other illegal activities that are far more serious. When making arrests and/or confiscating marijuana the authorities are not improving the safety of the person with the marijuana nor are they improving the safety of those around them. Marijuana has not been proven to cause any behaviors that would incite criminal or violent activity, yet the law causes the authorities to treat it as so. Marijuana is a substance that generally brings forth feelings of happiness and contentment. It is illogical for the authorities to continue placing such emphasis on the prohibition of a substance that does not pose a serious danger to the public.
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 a drug that is harmful to a person¡¯s health. It has been found to have adverse impacts on one¡¯s mental processes such as memory, attention, judgement, and problem- solving (Butcher, Mineka, Hooley, 2004, p.415). Also, marijuana can interfere with a person¡¯s ability to think rationally and logically. Thus, the lapse in judgement caused by the drug use can lead to risky sexual behaviours and this may result in increasing sexually transmitted disease such as AIDS. Moreover, the long-term use of marijuana may cause chronic breathing problems and cancer ...
First of all, some people feel smoking marijuana can get hyper, which providing them the emotion of happiness, and helping them to see the world from a different perspective. However, marijuana will cause a lot of healthy problems to human’s body. Marijuana has many physical effects on human such as rapid heart rate, red eyes and dry mouth. Because the chemical THC will enter into the body when people are smoking it, THC will enter through the bloodstream to the brain. The chemical affects them to feel ecstasy and unreality; therefore, THC will make them feel more confused if people smoke marijuana for a long time. According to, “ Treat marijuana abuse like a health problem” (McMillan, 2007, July 17), it shows using marijuana can cause more serious health issues on human’s body such as bronchitis, emphysema, and cancer. In addition, using marijuana has also been linked to lung damage and affects the respiratory and cardiovascular systems. For example, if marijuana ...
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.
Marijuana is the cause of much commotion and debate, as the question of legalization becomes more of an issue. Drugs are a major influential force in countries all over the world today. Legalization is an option that has not had a chance, but really should be given one. Although many people feel that legalizing marijuana would increase the amount of drug use, legalization would benefit for the following reasons: 1)reduction of money spent on law enforcement 2)increase in the countries revenue 3)lessen crime 4)useful in treating certain medical conditions. Many feel today we are losing the war on drugs.
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.
Marijuana is a shredded mix of dry flowers, stems and the seeds of a plant called cannabis and people usually smoke it in the form of cigarettes for relaxation. Ever since marijuana hit mainstream America over 30 years ago, government prohibition of it has been the subject of an ongoing debate. Should marijuana be legalized? Proponents of marijuana argue that there are numerous medical benefits and that the drug is not more harmful than tobacco or alcohol. Therefore, prohibiting it intrudes on personal freedom. On the other hand, opponents argue that marijuana is too dangerous; its legalization would increase the chances of the drug falling into the hands of kids and that marijuana use often progresses to the use of more dangerous drugs like heroin and cocaine. In the past decade, a number of movements to legalize the use of marijuana has been gaining momentum. According to the 2011 Gallup survey, a record high 50% of Americans say that marijuana should be legalized and this figure marks a 4% increase compared to the previous year. Support for legalizing marijuana was 30% in 2000, 40% in 2009 before reaching 50% last year. This shows that despite government efforts to eliminate its use, marijuana is becoming more popular. More and more people realize that legalizing marijuana brings a host of benefits. It not only offers medical benefits to the terminally ill but it could also be a source of tax revenues and could save the tax payers billions of dollars that is spent on enforcement costs.
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.
Medical marijuana is one of the most controversial subjects in politics. Marijuana may be an addictive drug, but it has many medical uses. Many patients found it very effective, which trumped any other drug, whether by prescription or over-the-counter. Medical marijuana should be legalized in North Carolina, but should be regulated, because it has helped people with diseases such as Glaucoma, cancer and any physical or emotional pain.
According to an article by Charles Oliver, The Harrison school district in Colorado has barred a student from attending classes if he takes medicine to control his seizures, states that “The boy was prescribed a lozenge containing THC, the active ingredient in marijuana. The school said he couldn’t bring the pills to school because it would violate its zero tolerance policy on drugs” (Oliver). Without the pills containing THC, the young boy could have a seizure. If medicinal marijuana was legal, this wouldn’t have been an issue, and that is why marijuana should be legalized in the United States. It will not only benefit those who need it for medical issues, but the taxation will also benefit our economy.
Ask anyone what the most popular drug of the 21st century is, and he will tell you it is marijuana. And why is this? Well for one, marijuana is a highly accessible drug. Whether at a high school, a town, a college campus, or a gas station, marijuana can be found there. And while it is quite easy to find, it is also not financially straining to purchase either. One can get a various range of amounts inexpensively depending on who is dealing it. And, unlike many other drugs, marijuana is not addictive. Available, cheap, and no strings attached, these words sound like they are describing a new product people can buy at the store, not an illegal drug. But marijuana has been illegal in the United States since 1937, when Congress passed the Marijuana Tax Act. Since then those who sell, grow, buy, and possess marijuana are arrested, fined, and some are even incarcerated. The highest amount of jail time for a marijuana-related crime is forty years and fines have skyrocketed to millions of dollars. Yet, why is there such severity in the penalties associated with the drug? Is marijuana truly that dangerous to the citizens of the United States? And how did it come to be that way? Well, if studied, one can see that marijuana is a great remedy for all sort of medical conditions, and that it is illegal because of a bigotry against Mexican immigrants in the early 1900s.
Millions of people are suffering needlessly because of the prohibition against using medical marijuana, Rosenthal and Kubby assert. They conclude that marijuana should be decriminalized. ”(Rosenthal, Kubby) Today, I am going to help you understand the real benefits of marijuana. By the time that we are through, you will be agreeing with me and will want to be a part of the effort needed by citizens to legalize such a beneficial drug.
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.
To the AIDS or cancer patient, marijuana is the plant that fights nausea and appetite loss. To the nutritionist, its seed is second only to the soybean in nutritional value and is a source of cooking oil and vitamins. To the paper or cloth manufacturer, it is the plant that provided much of our paper and clothing for hundreds of years and produces four times more fiber per acre than trees. To the environmentalist, it is the plant that could greatly slow deforestation, restore robbed nutrients by other crops, and help prevent erosion. Preliminary findings show the drug may prove effective against glaucoma and asthma, and control such side nausea in cancer treatment. I concretely believe that marijuana should be legalized in the United States, primarily for the use of medicinal purposes. In technical or for the average American, marijuana, it is used only for recreational purposes. I think marijuana is a plant that could save many lives if it was made legal. My goal is to reverse prejudices, relieve ignorance, and inform people of the known and potential therapeutic uses of this remarkable plant.
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