Legalization of Marijuana: The Time for Change Marijuana has been an ongoing controversial issue for quite some time now. According to the national institution on drug abuse, “Marijuana—also called weed, herb, pot, grass, bud, ganja, Mary Jane, and a vast number of other slang terms—is a greenish-gray mixture of the dried, shredded leaves and flowers of Cannabis sativa— the hemp plant.” (National Institution on Drug Abuse). Today twenty-three states and the District of Columbia currently have laws legalizing marijuana in some form. Four states including Washington State, Oregon, Alaska and Colorado, have legalized marijuana for not only medical use but recreational use as well. Certain people may view marijuana as a relaxing herb as …show more content…
We need to take a stand to be able to be for as well as opposed to the legalization of marijuana. In 2900 B.C. Chinese Emperor Fu Hsi was the first person to use marijuana in a medical way. This history of cannabis use dates back to the Chinese Emperor Shen Nung during 2727 B.C. It wasn’t until the 16th century that marijuana was introduced to the United States of America. It was until 1545 that marijuana spread to the western hemisphere. Marijuana was brought over by the Spanish to be used for its fiber. Later in the 19th marijuana was used in make cloth and rope. Its seeds were also used for animal feed and its oils were later used for the foundation of paint. Today the common use of cannabis medicinal or recreational. The drug may also be used for spiritual/religious use. It wasn’t until 1937 when the Marijuana Tax act was involved. The Tax act placed a tax on the sale of marijuana. In 1969, the act was overturned in the Leary V. United States. This case was against a gentlemen named Timothy Leary who violated the Marijuana Tax Act. Leary later challenged the act and eventually won his case. Today, marijuana can we used by vaporizing (which is based off of temperature). Other ways of using marijuana include smoking (joints or out of a pipe) as well as edibles (adding marijuana to different types of food such as brownies, cookies, and tea). Fundamentally, marijuana should be legalized because of its use for medication, if is its legalized then that
“The oldest known written record on cannabis use comes from the Chinese Emperor Shen Nung in 2727 B.C. Ancient Greeks and Romans were also familiar with cannabis, while in the Middle East, use spread throughout the Islamic empire to North Africa. In 1545 cannabis spread to the western hemisphere where Spaniards imported it to Chile for its use as fiber. In North America cannabis, in the form of hemp, was grown on many plantations for use in rope, clothing and paper” (Cannabis + Coca). Marijuana used to be listed in the United States Pharmacopeia from 1850 until 1942 and was prescribed for numerous conditions such as labor pains, nausea, and rheumatism. Increased use of pot as an
Marijuana was first used in ancient China by a Chinese Emperor by the name of Shen Nung. Even Queen Victoria used it. Shen Nung the Chinese Emperor was the first recorded person who used marijuana. He would use it as a pain killer during operations. In ancient India marijuana was holy. A Hindu god by the name of Shiva gave hemp as a gift to all humanity. It was inexpensive and available to almost everyone. It was known as “The Poor Man’s Heaven”. Cannabis leaves were commonly brewed, and they would add milk and sugar to make a drink. In ancient Rome there was a physician named Galen. He recommended the use of marijuana to reduce pain in operations, or for just everyday pains.
Cannabis has been used as an agent for achieving enlightenment throughout all of time. It is described in an Oriental medical compendium traditionally considered to date form 2737 B.C. It has a long history of being used as a medicinal herb. Its origins spread from China to India and then over into North Africa and could be found in Europe as early as 500 A.D. It was a major crop in the colonial North America. It was extensively grown during WWII.
Marijuana is also called weed, herb, pot, grass, bud, ganja, Mary Jane, and a lot of other terms in today’s world. It is a greenish- grey mixture of the dried shredded leaves and flowers of Cannabis sativa, which is the hemp plant. Some users smoke marijuana in hand- rolled cigarettes called joints, many use pipes, bongs, or marijuana cigars called blunts. (H. (2016, August). What is marijuana? Retrieved November 07, 2016). Marijuana is not only used for personal use but is sold legally and is consumed for medical purposes by people who have permission to do so. Marijuana is a controversial topic in today’s world because to legalize it in every state has brought up issues. Some states have done so and some still have yet to.
Cannabis is a popular topic amongst teens, adults and medical doctors these days. Cannabis, also known as marijuana, pot, weed and hash can be quite controversial across America, since you have those who disapprove and those who condone its use. You might know someone who uses it, or maybe you have even tried it before. They say more than 1 in 3 people in America have tried marijuana at one point in their lives (Web MD). As of 2017, 29 states plus the District of Columbia have legalized medical marijuana to some extent (Healthline). Recreational use of marijuana has been legalized in 8 states, with the age restriction being 21 years or older (CNN).
When cannabis was first introduced its primary use was not for smoking or even medical it was for creating other things like clay pots and a fiber for making rope. Its first human consumption recorded back in 2737 B.C. by the Chinese emperor as a treatment for gout, malaria, beriberi, rheumatism, and poor memory. This drug didn’t enter the United States until the mid-1800s but by that time it was used as an intoxicant and a medicine. Marijuana entered the states by Mexican immigrants in the 19th and 20th century but was not popular. Marijuana was limited to the lower society pretty much minority smoked the drug. After its extended period of continuous use the government began to crack down and created different acts and legislation in 1937 such as the Marihuana act which puts a
burden of marijuana prohibition, the U.S is missing out on opportunities; it is time to legalize marijuana.
With all of the complex issues facing the nation today, it seems as if the legalization of marijuana is being set on the back burner of legislation. There are so many opinions, sides, and overall arguments for and against it that many vote seeking politicians and policy makers have put up a strong resistance to this issue. In this paper I will illustrate the reasons why I think marijuana should indeed be legalized and also the arguments from people who disagree and feel that it should stay an illegal drug.
Illegal drug use is a huge part of American culture and one the most controversial of those drugs is marijuana; its technical name is Cannabis Sativa. But whether you call it cannabis, marijuana, pot, reefer, weed, bud, herb, Mary Jane, hemp, grass or wacky tabacci, it is still illegal in the United States. Actually, all over the world the deliberation rages about the harm or benefits that marijuana has to offer. Attempts to legalize it in the United States have been going on since the Marijuana Tax Act was introduced in 1937 and have thus far largely failed. The debate whether or not to legalize marijuana seems to circle around numerous points, including the recreational use verses being a gateway to
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.
Some people like to call it marijuana, some people like to call it weed, and some people like to call it cannabis. But have you ever took the time to get to know about this drug? Marijuana has been introduced to the world all the way back to 2337 BC. At first the focus was on it’s power as a medication for people to use such as rheumatism, gout, malaria,
Marijuana, also known as Cannabis is the third most well-liked recreational drug, which only falls behind alcohol and tobacco, in the United States (The Whitehouse, n.d.). Marijuana is made up of dried leaves, plants, stalks, and pits from the hemp plant Cannabis Sativa, which comprises of the mind-altering compound delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), in addition to other associated compounds. This plant substance can correspondingly be converged in a resin called hashish or an adhesive black fluid called hash oil. Efforts to legalize marijuana for medication treatment and recreational use in the United States have grown in current years. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) states that marijuana may perhaps
Marijuana has been used by people over many centuries for medical uses. It is a natural pain killer used today as a recreational drug by people all over the world. According to Noel Merino in, “Introduction to Gateway Drugs: Opposing Viewpoints”, “a drug is something other than food intended to affect the structure or function of the body”. Marijuana is a very controversial drug and has been outlawed in many countries for its affect on the function of the body. “Effects may involve hallucinations, impaired judgment, and mood swings.” Describes the effects of marijuana in “Marijuana” Current Issues Macmillian social science library. During the past century Marijuana has been legal, made illegal, strictly enforced, decriminalized,
Cannabis, formally known as marijuana is a drug obtained from the tops, stems and leaves of the hemp plant cannabis. The drug is one of the most commonly used drugs in the world. Only substances like caffeine, nicotine and alcohol are used more (“Marijuana” 1). In the U. S. where some use it to feel “high” or get an escape from reality. The drug is referred to in many ways; weed, grass, pot, and or reefer are some common names used to describe the drug (“Marijuana” 1). Like most drugs, marijuana has a very long history. People have been using the plant around the world for thousands of years. The oldest record of the marijuana plant dates back to 2727 B. C. in China where the plant was used as a medical herb for treating conditions like rheumatism, gout, malaria and even absent-mindedness (“Cannabis, Coca, & Poopy: Nature’s Addictive Plants” 1). Slowly, the plant started spreading around the world. By 1545, cannabis was starting to appear throughout the western worlds. Being introduced to South America by the Spanish to be used as fiber. The crop also had many other common uses around the world. In North America, cannabis was often used to make paper, ropes, clothing and other materials (“The Origins of Cannabis” 1).
The legalization of marijuana in the United States remains a major issue and has caused much controversy due to opposing views. With the economy being in the state that it is, we need to utilize all available resources and set aside personal emotion regarding “smoking weed”. While some support decriminalization, there are many reasons why other individuals, including the government, do not. From a utilitarian point view, legalizing marijuana will produce the greatest good for the greatest number of people affected by the choice (Mosser, 2010, sect. 1.7) Misleading perception and harmful effects influence the decision of marijuana remaining illegal. But, the best way to control its use is to legalize it for its positive effects on the environment, medical uses, and revenue it generates for the government; therefore, producing the best results for the greatest number of people.