The medicinal use of ‘Marijuana’ is a growing practice that is creeping its way into Australian culture and the current legal system. As societal beliefs develop and change throughout time so too does the debate on medicinal Marijuana. So, do we as the general society really want another drug to be decriminalized and brought into mainstream culture? Do we really want our Government condoning the recreational usage of Marijuana? However, cannabis, when assessed for its medicinal properties contains a cannabinoid known as ‘CBD’, which has been seen to possess healing qualities. While at such an early untested, uncertified and unsteady time, is it time or is it too early to legalize ‘marijuana’ for medicinal purposes? Society would yield multiple …show more content…
Nevertheless, what makes a drug fit in to this category? Cannabis is a drug which inhibits normal human behaviour and changes the state of ones normal self, it has a number of debilitating and serious long and short term health effects much like two other very controversial drugs, tobacco and alcohol. Alcohol and Tobacco cause very serious health risks, coupled with a high death toll each year. My way of looking at things is, if it detriments society and will cause problems with productivity and widespread antisocial activity, it should be outlawed morally, socially and legally. Think about the children of this great nation, and how much better off they would be without these toxic …show more content…
With a large debilitating effect upon mental, physical and emotional health, recreational marijuana is an extremely controversial legal issue in the present era. With a high amount of vigilance for the detrimental health effects of recreational usage, the study for the effect of medicinal use is left unknown. The current Queensland legislation states that cannabis is a Schedule 1 Dangerous Drug and is therefore considered illicit. Currently the prevalence of cannabis is at an alarming level and is rapidly entering into mainstream Australian culture. While the laws attempt to protect the citizens from the harmful effects of drugs, they cannot hide the clear untested and unproven medical qualities that the drug possesses. Without testing this substance and automatically governing it as a ‘safe drug’ is a way of condoning recreational drug use to the younger generations. However, after close scientific analysis ‘medical marijuana’ should be safely implemented into society. Why should we go through a rigorous process of amending the current legislation (Drugs Misuse Act 1986 (QLD)) to provide society with something that is essentially toxic? However, society would yield multiple benefits if marijuana were decriminalized for the sole purpose of medical use. Additionally, through outlawing drugs such as tobacco and alcohol to
First, from 1900 to 1940, marijuana, including opium and cocaine were considered part of everyday drugs. As time went on, the U.S. cracked down on crack and opium, eventually outlawing them, but continued to be very “loose” with the use of marijuana. Hoxter a weed smuggler explains how he began in the 1960’s trying weed and years later saw himself unloading four hundred pounds of pot in Vancouver. The story of this man ends in his isolation and argument of why he couldn’t smoke weed even if he stopped selling? He asked a parole officer and she didn’t know what to respond. It is true what Hoxter states, fifty years ago alcohol was illegal and now it’s not, was it bad then? Will weed be legalized? And will the conflicts have been in vain? (Schou 8). Around the late 90’s and early 2000’s, scientific studies started to produce jaw-dropping results. Scientists started to discover that marijuana can significantly help people who have become ill. Medical Marijuana has been tested to help people with cataracts, cancer and severe depression (Zeese 1999). With this new worldwide discovery, the argument about medical marijuana ignited. States wanted to only make medical marijuana legal so it may help sick people, but the government did not want any form of marijuana legal. The law that was known throughout the United States was any form of marijuana was illegal. But now with this new discovery, doctors in states across the country want the
In the United States, we have enacted numerous bans and restrictions against certain drugs and substances with the purpose of protecting the general public from their negative effects. On this list of illegal drugs are harmful and addictive substances such as cocaine, methamphetamines, and heroin. A substance called cannabis, also known as marijuana, is also on this list. As of now, it is illegal to buy, sell, possess, or use marijuana in any shape or form in the state of Louisiana. However, due to the advancement of technology and of human perspective and innovation, it has come to light that marijuana could actually be of benefit to our society through its medicinal uses in treating a range of conditions and diseases as well as its possible social benefits in helping individuals stray from heavier drugs by acting as a substitute. Now that the wheels of time are turning and that medical marijuana is becoming a budding industry, the question remains: should marijuana be legal all across the United States of America? With the benefits it could bring with its medical, social, and economic uses, marijuana could be a profitable asset to our society if it were to be legalized, and I believe that we should strive for that outcome.
The perception and policy on cannabis has been clouded by ill-informed attitudes uphold by a section of society and by the legacy of the various ‘war on drugs’. A handful of countries such as SPAIAN, Netherlands, North Korea, Colombia, Portugal, and parts of United States of America, have legalised medical and recreational use of cannabis. However cannabis is currently illegal in Australia, state of Victoria soon to legalise medicinal cannabis, but the handling and benefits of the current policies are inundated by the potential social opportunity cost if legalisation was to occur. The question is, should cannabis be legalised here in Australia? The following three main pillars of arguments will illustrate why cannabis should be legalised in Australia; decriminalisation, regulation and relative ramification.
The medical marijuana debate is an interesting one because there’s such a wide diversity of opinions and views that oppose each other. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency classifies marijuana as a Schedule 1 drug. They consider these drugs to have no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse and to be some of the most dangerous drugs, because they’re highly addictive and may cause severe psychological or physical dependence. Other Schedule 1 drugs include heroin, LSD, ecstasy and meth. Many who are against marijuana believe the drug is dangerous, harmful and feel it should remain illegal.
According to a survey by pubmed.gov, “92 percent said that medical marijuana alleviated symptoms of their serious medical conditions, including chronic pain, arthritis, migraine, and cancer.” 86 percent of the United States believe that Cannabis has valid medical uses, says statista.com. Definitions.com states that, “medical marijuana refers to the use of cannabis or marijuana, including constituents of cannabis, THC and other cannabinoids, as a physician-recommended form of medicine or herbal therapy.” Medical marijuana should be legalized, because it can be a safe and effective treatment for a plethora of illnesses.
Decriminalising marijuana sends the dangerous notion of endorsement to young Australian’s. Our current society has an ethical obligation to protect our future children from the tribulations involved with drugs. Legalising the possession of cannabis is enticing the false conception that drug use is not harmful. The United Nation’s Convention of the Rights of the Child Article 33 states that we should “take all appropriate measure, including legislative, administrative, social and educational measures, to protect children from the illicit use of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances”. Protection Australia’s forthcoming generations is a necessity.
Many citizens in the United States suffer from lifelong diseases that cause them to lose the ability to live their day-to-day lives. The United States is now faced with the problem over whether or not drugs, often stigmatized by society, should be made legal. One of these lifesaving drugs is medical marijuana. This leaves us with the troubling question: “should medical marijuana be legalized in the United States?”. Supporters of the drug have argued that it should be legalized because it is superior to other painkillers and can be beneficial to people suffering from numerous illnesses. However, those who oppose its use, argue that not enough research has been done and it may be harmful. The
Throughout this paper, there will be the highly debatable discussion between legalizing medical marijuana and regular marijuana. Both sides of the argument have their pros and cons and there is an in depth description of both sides of the argument. At the end of the day though, the paper thoroughly supports the legalization of medical marijuana and marijuana in general. Medical marijuana less harmful than most other legal tobacco products and has the ability to reduce the pain within ailing people. Cannabis also can be a curable and more natural drug to help people in pain. Marijuana also has the potential to raise the U.S. out of their tough economic struggle as well as lower crime rate and create more jobs for many more
According to a report put out by the British Police Foundation in March 2000, cannabis has been shown to produce less harmful effects than its other legal counterparts such as alcohol and tobacco. This kind of information calls into sharper focus the question on the minds of many as to why such a plant that is not only less harmful than legal drugs but has significant health benefits has remained illegal.
Recently the drug policies and war on drugs has been increasingly seen in the headlines. Policies taken by the United States government against illegal drugs like marijuana are becoming apparent, and are coming into question. This has caused quite a controversy among supporters and opponents about legalization issues. Should marijuana be used as a medicine, as its advocates say? Or is it a dangerous drug of abuse that exposes users to brain damage and lung cancer? The debate over legalizing marijuana in all probability will continue for a long time, and it is a shame that this debate is so polarized. Marijuana produces long-term effects and damage on the brain. Although there have been reports of successful treatment in the use of marijuana as medicine, there appears to be more negative reasons why marijuana should not be used. Marijuana has been used for treatment of many diseases, some of which include cancer, post traumatic stress disorder, arthrosclerosis, digestive diseases, and HIV/AIDS. Despite the success for some medical issues, marijuana continues to be a “dangerous, addictive drug that poses significant health threats to users. Marijuana has no medical value that can't be met more effectively by legal drugs” ("U.S Drug Enforcement Administration"). The government and medical professionals should make it a point to emphasize the increasing problems of marijuana and its harmful effects on the body, as well as providing alternatives to
The debate for years \that has divided the question is weather not any good. Many states have legalized medicinal marijuana. The states that have legalized has it helped or has come from its use. What is the purpose? What should the guidelines be? The Medical board and the Government have hopes that in legalizing it, medical marijuana will help those with diseases to be able to cope much easier. However, the determination of which ones that should be allowed to have the okay to be able to use it. Even though some people may argue against medicinal marijuana use and legalization, there are too many reasons why it should be.
If the current proposed clinical trial is successful, it is presumed that medical marijuana would be approved throughout Australia and regulated as a pharmaceutical substance to help treat such illnesses and chronic pain. Though, one significant limitation of moving forward to legalise medical Cannabis, is the political controversies of politicians in Australia, who are nervous about being “soft on drugs” (especially before an election)
Cannabis is becoming increasingly widespread and increasingly common in modern-day society for both recreational use and for medication. The article by Craig Reinarman, ‘Criminalisation, legalisation and the mixed blessing of medicalisation in the USA’ generates many controversial issues of cannabis.
Medical marijuana is very a big and controversial issue in today's society, currently the community is divided on the issue. Questions are always being thrown around such as "how does marijuana affect the body?" and "what good does’ marijuana do for a person?" Researchers have tried to answer these questions with multiple studies and they have shown some of the positives of medical marijuana. If something is able to help someone who is in dire need why not use it on those people to find a better solution for them. I myself am on the supportive side of the issue of medical marijuana. I don't think it should be legal to just anyone though I believe there should be a legal age law, a driving while under the influence, and a public intoxication law in effect for medical marijuana to be legal.
Drugs are heavily used throughout the entire world. However, it is important to understand and not undermine the variability in which drugs are used. It is clear some are for distinct medical treatment and others are for recreational use. In the United States, marijuana has been and continues to be a very controversial drug. Some states have allowed marijuana consumption for medicinal purposes, while others have completely outlawed the drug. Those who are against the legalization and regulation of marijuana suggest the economical and health risk associated with consumption of the drug are too high. Although there is risk involved with the legalization of the marijuana, our country has already been risking too much banning the drug.