Argumentative Essay: Should Cannabis Be Legalized?

Marijuana has been used in religious ceremonies or for medical purposes for thousands of years. I have always been against the use of Marijuana up until four years ago when my husband at the age of twenty seven underwent invasive surgery on his knee and has never been the same since. Colorado took a huge step several years ago legalizing marijuana for medical use and in recent years took the plunge to legalize it for recreational use. Marijuana is not always a bad thing nor is it always a good thing. A lot of people will compare it to any other mind altering substance and have very valid points. I would rather have a loved one or myself smoke marijuana or ingest it, instead of popping pain pills or other harmful substances put on the market by the pharmaceutical industry; Recreational use can be safe and accepting if it is regulated correctly and used responsibly.

Cannabis, also known as marijuana, is a natural plant containing the psychoactive substance Delta-9 Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Cannabis originated in central Asia but has since spread worldwide, becoming the most consumed illicit drug in the world. Around the world, different countries and states laws regarding cannabis use vary greatly. Himmelstein (1983) wrote on how cannabis had previously been regarded as a “killer weed” in the United States, but in the mid-1960s, this view changed dramatically, and cannabis was then seen as a “drop-out drug”, which resulted in a major shift in how the public viewed the use of cannabis throughout the world. “In the last three decades, the recreational use of cannabis has become widespread among adolescent

The idea of marijuana as a medicinal has been a very controversial topic but the reality of it the benefits greatly out way the risked if used responsibly by the right people and should be legal to help these people. Currently cannabis is being use in some states in the U.S. as a cheaper and possibly more effective method of treatment compare to off the shelf pharmaceuticals. Many professors would agree with such a statement such as Lester Grinspoon, MD, Emeritus Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School when he wrote an article published in the Boston Globe: "Doctors and nurses have seen that for many patients, cannabis is more useful, less toxic, and less expensive than the conventional medicines prescribed for diverse syndromes

My goal is to prosway you to follow in my belief that marijuana should be for recreational uses, but with restrictions like alcohol and tobacco

The times of hearing that marijuana is the devil?s lettuce, evil, illegal, etc. are coming to a halting stop. According to The Boston University of Public Interest Law Journal, ?Marijuana is the illegal drug of preference, with reportedly approximately 16.7 million American users at present? (167). Many citizens are overcoming the false stereotypes associated with marijuana use perpetuated by people who are uneducated about the true benefits legalization would have on society. The number of users is continuing to grow, as well as the number of supporters. For instance, ?In April 2015, a CBS News poll found that eighty-four percent of Americans support medical marijuana as a treatment if prescribed by a doctor? (Titus 39). Most

Some medical reasons that marijuana shouldn’t be decriminalized are that it has long and short terms effects. Examples of the short term outcomes include memory loss, difficulty with thinking, loss of motor skills and increased heart rate. According to the National Institutes of Health show that someone smoking about five joints per week is taking in as many cancer causing chemicals as someone smoking a pack of cigarettes every day. There is no science proof that smoked marijuana can be used for medication. Since cannabis plants are polluted with a range of fungal spores, smoking marijuana may increase the risk of infectious organisms. Taradiff, J. "Marijuana and the War on Drugs. “Marijuana. Farmington Hills, Michigan: Thomas Gale, 2008. 157. Print.

Marijuana is an herb that has been around for centuries. Most people call this popular herb different names such as: weed, cannabis, pot, maryjane, reefer, dope, etc. Marijuana has always been debatable on whether it should be legalized or not. Most people do not look at the benefits of this plant being legal; they only see the bad, but maybe it is time for a little change. Personally, I think marijuana should be legalized because it helps with medical issues, brings in a lot of money to the government, and there is a low percentage of deaths through marijuana usage. Why not legalize a drug that is beneficial?

Our world today suffers from neglect, the neglect to help others, the neglect to provide the top help, and the neglect of a potential medical benefaction. Medical marijuana is a subject that has fascinated me enough to research and find evidence that backs this plant for medical purposes. As young adults, we grew up constantly being told to stay away from marijuana, “it is a gateway drug”, and “it will do more harm than good”. Not being a user of the drug, I have little experience to really know the effects of the plant and what it does to ones exterior and interior behavior. I seek to find why many believe this plant to be a medical breakthrough for various medical illnesses.

The use of cannabis, also known as marijuana or hemp, goes back centuries around the world in several cultures. Seventy nine years ago, in 1937 the united states passed the Marijuana Tax Act of 1937 which banned the usage of cannabis or sale of cannabis related products. There wasn’t enough time to oppose the new act when pharmacists realized the term marijuana meant cannabis because back in the 1930’s the term cannabis was the medical term for marijuana, while marijuana was a slang term. The Food and Drug Association (FDA) along with the Federal Bureau of Narcotics (FBN) illegalized the use and sale of cannabis/marijuana under false pretenses, along with pharmacists/doctors not fully backing the law up with little knowledge of what the plant

Is medical marijuana really at “high” demand? Sixty percent of teenagers do not think the use of marijuana is harmful. The recreational use of marijuana will affect many things especially in the development of the teenage brain. Medical marijuana should be legalized to help those who actually need it where as recreational marijuana is not necessary.

While on marijuana, one may suffer from the following side effects; relaxation, peacefulness, tie dye shirts, creativity, and humor. The side effects are terrifying. Who in their right mind would do this terrible drug? Marijuana is a natural drug that comes from the cannabis plant, a wondrous plant that has many uses. In most of the world cannabis is illegal for the wrong reasons. Without the prohibition of cannabis our community would have a safe alternative to a deadly elixir named alcohol, create much more revenue from sales and reduce the hold that the violent black markets have on the US.

On the other hand, some people who argue that cannabis should not be legalized argue that cannabis is more lethal to the human body than alcohol, which is legal. This is demonstrably false. Obviously, cigarettes and alcohol are harmful to humans, causing lung cancer, liver failure, brain damage, and other ailments. The proponents of legalization of cannabis argue that cannabis is already being used all over the world and less deaths can be attributed to it compared to other drugs. Rarely, if ever, has a death been attributed to cannabis use. The reality is that no human has ever died from marijuana overdose. Cannabis does contain carcinogens, which critics say is one of the dangers that need to stay

Marijuana is believe it or not, one of the safest ‘illegal’ drugs on Earth. It is safer than legal alternatives: alcohol or tobacco. According to CNN “1 in 8 Americans smoke marijuana on a regular basis.” the drug can provide medical benefits, lower social costs, and better the economy. Therefore Marijuana should be deemed legal for recreational and medicinal usage across America, because it provides medical benefits, lowers social cost, and betters the economy across the board.

The legalization of marijuana has been a controversial topic for year. Marijuana has been legalized in many states for medical use (and a few for recreational use). While people are still learning about the risks and rewards of the use of marijuana, the data has showed overwhelming results. While there is opposition to marijuana because it is thought of as dangerous and hazardous, the benefits for medical marijuana usage greatly outweigh the risks.

Among the burning issues in our society, the legalization of marijuana is one of the items which lawmakers and We the People are tasked with deciding. However, the problem of smoking and driving could become more prominent when these laws are passed and could contribute to traffic injury and fatality numbers. With the eminent legalization of marijuana at hand in the next five to ten years, what can legislators do to crack down and ensure American motorists and marijuana consumers don’t do both at once?