Some Truths about Marijuana

Marijuana, a plant that humans have used for thousands of years, grows ever closer to decriminalization and legalization around the country. Now that states like Washington and Colorado have legalized the recreational use of Marijuana, the opposition proclaims that usage of this plant will lead to harder drugs. This claim simply isn’t true and studies done by numerous organizations discredit the gateway drug theorem. Marijuana affects psychomotor skills because of the chemical tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the active ingredient in marijuana; however, there has been no evidence to say that this plant will cause more accidents. Also, another theory about an individual failing in the cycle of abuse associated with marijuana has no validity either; studies achieved by independent research firms confirm this notion. The legalization process has swept our country, pot connoisseurs and first timers can enjoy a joint. This paper will provide the statistics, data, and truths about the Herb of life.

Marijuana is considered a gateway drug; however, correlation does not equal causation. The National Research Council in their report “Marijuana and Medicine: Assessing the Science Base” found that drug abusers of any kind are “vulnerable to drug abuse for individual reasons and who find themselves in an environment that encourages drug abuse are initially likely to abuse the most readily available drug”. An Individual might try marijuana and progress onto using heroin or cocaine, but this necessarily means that the subject started with the former. Adolescences are more likely to experiment with prescription drugs or alcohol because of the availability and relative ease of obtaining these items around the household. Marijuana is simply ...

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