Medical Marijuana Legislation In The United States

The legalization of marijuana has been an argument for over 70 years. Even though voters helped to legalize the drug in Colorado and Washington, it’s still legal for the rest of the United States. There are many pros and cons for marijuana

As more effective treatments for diseases and cancers are being developed, a safe and promising drug is being under attack for its many misconceptions. Marijuana use of both medicinally and recreationally, has been hindered by the misconceptions it has faced due to it being on the schedule 1 drug class of the U.S government. These misconceptions of medical marijuana have hindered its legalization by having people continue to believe them, refusing to learn the beneficial properties of medical marijuana, and as a result have affected people who could benefit from this form of treatment.

            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

For centuries we have battled back and forth with the idea of legalizing marijuana (formally known as cannabis) for medical use. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has classed marijuana as a “Schedule I drug which is defined as any drug, substance or chemicals with no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse.” (Scheduling) Due to the classing of this drug, society has a preconceived notion without doing their own research and even if they do, they go into it subconsciously with a mindset of “this drug is addictive and dangerous,” without rhyme or reason.

In order to conduct a legal marijuana study in the US the research must be approved by the National Institute for Drug Abuse (NIDA), the only legal source of marijuana. The problem is that NIDA focuses on discovering negative effects of illicit substances and has even stated that organization “generally do[es] not fund research focused on the potential beneficial medical effects of marijuana” (Harris 2010). Under these restrictions the only studies that aim to establish further negative effects of marijuana are approved by NIDA. This generates a considerable bias in the current evidence which upholds the placing marijuana as a Schedule I

Legalizing marijuana is one of the biggest controversial debates in America today. Although legalizing marijuana would be beneficial to America, the government will not allow it. Marijuana should be legalized because it can help in medical areas, help the economy, and lower crime rates

In recent years legalization of marijuana has been a controversial issue. With states like California and Colorado establishing recreational systems other states have yet to even allow medicinal usage. This much heated debate has raised cause for concern everywhere and is a relevant topic. The Compassionate Use Act of 1996 was first installed in California and now 20 years later it is being passed in the state of New York. Two decades of experiments, studies, and policies have still left many open questions. The legalization of marijuana is not fully recognized by our country but studies have shown that further knowledge is needed to make better reform on the matter which is why I believe that marijuana should be legalized and regulated.

Should marijuana still continue to be classified as a Schedule 1 substance on the Drugs and Enforcement Administration list? The decisions made related to drug policy and legislation to use of marijuana are absurd and rarely based on scientific evidence of known risks and harms. There are many reasons as to why it is so, especially the politicization of marijuana use where ideology, religion, and morals took precedence over science. Nevertheless, the documentary “Clearing the Smoke – The Science of Marijuana” presented a clarification through a scientific lens in preventing that smoked or blurred screen that obscured our understanding of marijuana, benefits, and its impact on the lives of the

Medical marijuana should be legalized at the federal law for medical purposes because the federal government does not like the idea of legalizing marijuana and bans the use of medical marijuana, but there is a growing number of states that feel differently, so that is why it should be legalized. Back in 2012 18 states including Washington, D.C., legalized medical marijuana. These states legalized it for people with conditions such as epilepsy, cancer, chronic pain, and etc. These states still cannot stop the federal government from imposing its own laws. These federal drug laws were unreasonably extreme. Consider the case of Chris Williams, who opened a marijuana greenhouse in Montana after the state legalized medical marijuana. Many people feel the need to legalize medical marijuana so why not legalize it? The only thing holding people back is the federal law.

In the year 2008, Michigan voted in the use of marijuana for medical purposes. I will be exploring two papers, the first is Prohibition Works: Keeping Marijuana Illegal, the second is Legalization of Marijuana. In the paper Prohibition Works the author discusses numerous reasons marijuana should be kept illegal, and the second paper Legalization of Marijuana the author makes many valid points on why marijuana should be legalized for medical use. Michigan now joins 15 other states that have passed laws for consumption of marijuana for medical purposes. Both marijuana and medical marijuana are the same substance. In this paper I will discuss how the federal government views the use of marijuana, how doctors argue their case whether they are

In our society, especially in recent times, the topic of interest for many is the highly stigmatized drug marijuana. Marijuana is currently under national debate on whether it should be legalized on a federal level. A myriad of news and media outlets report that marijuana is legal in multiple states for numerous reasons, but the federal government still fails to legalize it as of now. To provide insight, marijuana also referred to as cannabis, is derived from the leaves and flowers of the hemp plant and can be used in many ways—smoking, edibles (food or drink), vaporizing, tinctures, ingestible oils, topical lotions or balms, and dabbing (delivers a higher THC in the form of hash oil, wax, or shatter). THC and CBD are called cannabinoids, which are the major chemicals in marijuana that assist the user for medical purposes or recreationally. As stated by Americans for Safe Access (ASA), “The federal government claims that marijuana is not medicine and in Gonzales v. Raich (2005) the United States Supreme Court held that the federal government has the constitutional authority to prohibit marijuana for all purposes… States have recognized marijuana’s medical value” (Americans for Safe Access). Furthermore, marijuana is used recreationally and medicinally in some states and the District of Columbia under state specific laws. Although the use of cannabis is legal in certain states, in the federal government’s eyes, marijuana use,

Today more and more states are passing ballot initiatives in order to make medical and or recreational marijuana legal. The progressive figures of our country continue to pitch this façade that this plant is completely harmless and can be financially rewarding to states who collect tax revenue from this Schedule I drug. Fellow drugs in this class include: heroin, LSD, MDMA, and bath salts. Some have an affinity to argue that this classification is unreasonable and outdated; however, when the factual evidence is displayed one can easily see why marijuana has no place being moved from this class, and without a doubt no justification for legalization. The tremendously detrimental effects marijuana has on the health of those who use it, the

On the one hand, the correct and clear legalization will allow improving the quality of life of patients, who suffer from painful, chronic diseases or whose treatments generate various side effects. For cancer disease it has been proven that medical marijuana decreases the nausea and dizziness caused by chemotherapy. Cannabis also has antispasmodic properties and the ability to relieve pain, which benefits a large universe of patients beyond those diagnosed with cancer. On the other hand, when the legalization is implemented, the acquisition of this medicine can be safely regulated. This control will prevent people who require the plant from having to obtain it under illegal standards, whose consequences can lead to incorrect doses, low percentages

There are individuals who want marijuana legalized in order to make money and for health reasons. There are individuals who don’t want marijuana legalized because they believe it is a harmful drug. An analysis of legalizing marijuana has been a growing controversy in the past centuries, but by passing rules and regulation marijuana can be used to help others or cause problems.

For years, the fight over legalizing marijuana has always been on every state’s agenda. However, marijuana continues to stir a lot of debate as to whether or not there are benefits from its use. Some refer to marijuana as a hard drug such as cocaine or heroin, especially since it is still classified as a Schedule I substance under federal law. Nevertheless, many Americans point out the medicinal benefits of the herb from several decades of research and studies. Meanwhile, with states such as Colorado and Washington already legalizing recreational marijuana, other states are starting to consider the pros of passing laws that would allow recreational use. As the legalization of marijuana continues to become a vote on ballots across the country, states, and counties; many Americans are concerned about the negative consequences this reform will have on the American youth rather than focusing on the medicinal benefits to an ill individual’s relief.