Marijuana is one of the most used drugs in the world. It is illegal because it has been assumed to be a gateway drug upon us. A gateway drug, is a type of drug that leads the users of one drug, (the gateway drug), to other drugs that are extremely addictive and can kill such as Methamphetamine, Heroin, and Shrooms, LSD, etc. Just because gateway drugs lead the users of them into addictive drugs, does not always mean that the gateway drug itself, (Marijuana) is addictive. Marijuana is infact, non-addictive. But it can still lead to abuse if used at the wrong time or in the wrong place such as driving or in a state where it is not legal.
Throughout America many people believe marijuana should be legal because it's not bad for you. There are many different theories about this conflict. There are also those people who believe that marijuana is the gateway drug, the drug that takes you to more drugs. This drug can take your life in a heartbeat.
In order to gain an understanding of marijuana's so called "harmful" negative effects; it should be compared to other drugs that are presently legalized in this country. In the pharmaceutical world, over-the-counter drugs are being prescribed for everything these days. Ritalin and Adderall are readily available for college students in the university health centers across the country. Kids are staying up all night studying, complaining that they can not pay attention, and are immediately referred to the prescription drugs which in many cases they do not even need. Along with the prescription drug problem in our nation, we have a serious issue concerning alcohol and tobacco. Alcoholism is killing people daily with liver malfunctions
Marijuana has negative side effects on a consumer that may end up being the reason why the legalization is wrongful. Most drugs have crimes tied along them, and this automatically gives a reason to keep drugs illegal. Along
There is one big problem about the testing of marijuana; the government still classifies it as illegal. They refuse to put it down to a schedule two drug along with cocaine and morphine which they classify as having medical value. Maia Szalavitz of Time magazine compared the addiction rate of marijuana users against tobacco and other hard drugs. She stated, “Marijuana is much less addictive, coming in at 9% to 10%. In contrast, 23% to 25% of heroin users get addicted, along with 15% of alcohol users and 15% to 20% of those who use cocaine.” Nicotine in cigarettes addicts about up to 30% of those who smoke, along with being more harmful to the body according to Robert Melamede. Marijuana seems like it would be a legitimate candidate for medicinal use country wide when compared to alcohol which is legal, cocaine, and morphine which have accepted medical use but also can be more harmful to the user.
Marijuana should be legal because it has several medicinal benefits, does not cause as much harm as alcohol or tobacco, and has been used by several dignitaries. The origins of marijuana date clear back to before recorded history, but the earliest written mention of it was in 1500 B.C. in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia, titled the Rh-Ya. Emperor Fu also appears to have mentioned it in 2900 B.C., claiming that cannabis was a very popular medicine that possessed both ying and yang. It’s also mentioned several more times throughout history including usage in the Book of Exodus, Bhang (an Indian drink made of cannabis and milk), and possibly even in Bible. It was medically referenced in several places including Ancient Greece, Egypt, and China. Marijuana was made illegal essentially in 1937 by the Marijuana Tax Act. There are a few considerable reasons That it should be re-legalized, however.
Marijuana is illegal in most cities in our country because of the effect it has on the human body. When marijuana is inhaled, THC is released into our bloodstream, brain, and organs. THC levels affect parts in the brain that focus on pleasure, memory, thinking, and coordination. Due to this, marijuana can cause long term damage to one’s brain. Or at least that’s what they want us to believe. There are no real cases where someone has suffered severe
Marijuana is a very popular drug that many people have used. Over 98 million people over the age of 12 in the United States have smoked marijuana. It is known under many different names such as: weed, bud, ganja, hashish, doobie, reefer, mary-jane and grass. It plays quite a substantial role in modern day pop culture and almost everyone over the age of 16 knows what it is. Despite all this, marijuana is illegal and in most states a person can be sent to jail for the possession of less than a gram of this substance. Even if the person is doing nothing wrong and is subjected to a random search, if that person has marijuana on them, they will be charged with a criminal offense and sent to jail. Marijuana should be legalized because it can
To start off, many people think weed should not be legal. One reason some may say it is not safe to legalize weed is public safety. “Marijuana use, like the use of alcohol, can cause impairment in the user. This means if a person is driving whilst under the influence, they may be more prone to having a collision and potentially harming a pedestrian or fellow road user.” (10 Reasons Marijuana Should Remain Illegal). Also, some think the use or marijuana will lower the quality of life. “
Marijuana or Cannabis is a hallucinogenic drug that contains a very high amount of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). It can be used for both medical and recreational reasons, but it is currently illegal in most states in this country. This drug has been illegal for the majority of this country's history, and just recently several states like Washington, California, and New York have passed laws so that people with medical issues are able to consume this drug for their own medical needs
Marijuana does have some negative effects, but compared to other drugs marijuana is harmless. Other drugs are highly addictive were marijuana is not. Alcohol is one of the most leading causes of car crashes. Marijuana is nowhere near being a leading cause of death. Other drugs can lead to cancer where marijuana is used to cure it, and other drugs can lead to deaths. Other drugs impair you vision, but marijuana does not. All the other drugs except alcohol are gateway drugs, and the only way to purchase them is by smuggling them across the border. Many advocates say “we should begin to reflect that reality in our state and federal legislation, and stop acting as if otherwise law-abiding marijuana smokers are part of the crime problem. They are not, and it is absurd to continue using law enforcement resources arresting them.” (Gary) Many advocates also say, “Far more harm is caused by marijuana prohibition than by marijuana itself.”(Gary)
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,
Since being officially outlawed in the 70s with Controlled Substances Act marijuana has been a completely illegal substance for anyone to have or consume(Burnett). However, that has not stopped anyone from using the plant. Growing up in a small conservative town it was pretty surprising how many people actually admitted to using the drug. The drug has been demonized for years by parents that believe that it will turn their kids into burnouts. However, that has not necessarily been the case. Like other substances any form of abuse can ruin a person’s life. Let’s take for instance a legal substance that suffered the same fate as marijuana at one point in time. Alcohol has long been the
Marijuana is the flower of the cannabis plant, and if smoked, gives the smoker an euphoric high, but really has much more to offer than just the high. Using marijuana and the growing of hemp are presently illegal in the United States, with the exception of medicinal uses in some states. The legalization of marijuana has many advantages including for simple personal enjoyment, the usage of hemp and its by-products, and medicinal purposes.
Scientists are still divided about addiction. Some believe that marijuana is not as addictive, while others claim that two out of every twenty marijuana users develop a dependence of some type to it or a more serious and dangerous illegal drug. Marijuana alters your perception and can lead to multiple problems such as impaired driving, falling, and other numerous injuries. Marijuana also produces what is called a high, which can lead to paranoia, enhanced or intense feelings or emotions that someone is already having. The side effect of marijuana like having the “munchies” can lead to obesity in the long run if marijuana is used long term. There also the downside that more people will have marijuana in their homes around small children, who may be able to get their hands on it, if not stored away properly. Since marijuana is a plant grown from seeds, it would be easy for someone to start growing marijuana and selling it for their own profit to anyone including kids. Some doctors may prescribe marijuana when it may not be medically necessary. Many poor people in need of money who are have prescribed marijuana for medical use may sell it or the seeds for cash, making it easier for drug dealers and kids to get their hands on it. Many others find it offensive to their religion. Marijuana has always been considered a gateway drug that leads to other drugs that are classified as being more hardcore like cocaine.
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.