Opioid War Essay

Marijuana can help a person in many ways an individual person cannot. There are doctors who recommend marijuana to people with medical disorders. “The National Eating Disorder Association acknowledged marijuana as a viable treatment option.” (Arielle Pardes) One of the many physical effects marijuana has on someone includes a huge increase of appetite. Not only is it a good solution for people with eating disorders, it is also good for people who suffer with insomnia. “Cannabis Sativa L. has been utilized for treatments of pain and sleep disorders since the ancient times.”(Ethan Russo) Therefore, smoking marijuana helps people get the help they need to face the problems that they are suffering with.

b. Joe Messerli of Balancedpolitics.org, states, “There are a number of medical benefits of marijuana, most notably in the treatment of patients undergoing chemotherapy. Others believe it helps in the treatment of depression unlike alcohol.”

There have been several news coverages on TV and social network about drug overdose of different cases recently and they have risen people’s concern about the problems of drug abuse national-wide. The drug abuse and opioid epidemic is not a new problem to the American society, actually it has been a serious problem for many years. So what is the situation of drug epidemic now, and how can we find effective ways to deal with this problem? A few writers who ponder this question are Nora D. Volkow, Dan Nolan and Chris Amico.

“According to the United Nations, 158.8 million people around the world use marijuana—more than 3.8% of the planet’s population” (Drugfreeworld.org, 2014). Marijuana is one of the most widely used illicit drugs in the world (Sewell). It has received a plethora of criticism in the past and its negative reputation has carried on throughout history, making the legalization of marijuana one of the most controversial topics today. Marijuana does not deserve the reputation it receives, and in actuality it serves many medicinal purposes for the human body. Marijuana should be legalized in all 50 states for medical use.

Various levels of governments in different communities across North America have initiated programs to deal with the opioid epidemic and its effect. Some of these initiatives will be examined in more details below.

A controversial topic often being advocated for by sitting governors is whether the legalization of marijuana is more beneficial or harmful to the economy. Marijuana, also known as weed, is a mixture of the dried and shredded leaves, stems, seeds, and flowers of the cannabis sativa plant. It’s the most widely used illegal drug in the United States, even though studies have shown results that the benefits of using marijuana for medicinal or recreational reasons far outweigh the negative matters that may be associated with its use. While marijuana is still a controlled substance under federal law, thirteen U.S. states currently have compassionate use laws in place, which allow for regulated medical marijuana use. By legalizing marijuana, the government is helping the economy by reaping medical and financial benefits, not only at the state level, but also at the federal level. Taking into account the numerous studies done with marijuana on whether it is for recreational use or medical purposes, the government cannot go wrong in legalizing marijuana because of such an impact it will have. Marijuana should be legalized for recreational purposes because it will help society economically and socially.

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.

For many years, there has been a war against society and the federal government on whether or not marijuana should be legal in the U.S., for medicinal and recreational purposes. There are so many positive aspects as to why it would be a highly viable asset to communities all over the U.S. Though there are some aspects to be looked at and taken into consideration when it comes to legalizing this drug, it still stands as an important fact that marijuana should be in fact legalized by the federal government, so that the development of hemp crops can be used as a valuable agricultural crop in the U.S., creating a new bio-fuel to reduce carbon emissions we consume every day, so that we can expose majority of the prohibitions on the dangers of marijuana are solely based on disinformation and lies, and so that dollars collected in tax revenue from marijuana sales can be used for bettering our communities instead of spending our earned taxed dollars on criminalization costs keeping it illegal.

Aside from all of the benefits to people who want to use marijuana recreationally, there are benefits to using it medically, too. It can help people who suffer from insomnia, as it can relax them and aid them in sleeping. It helps people who suffer with PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), which is the most common example of medical marijuana use in the research. Also, people argue over whether or not it helps people with anxiety and depression. Though some consider marijuana a "gateway drug" (a light drug that tends to lead people to use harder drugs, such as cocaine or heroin, though continued use), it is entirely dependent on the person being recommended to use it whether or not they want to use it.

Opioids are classified as opium like compounds; some (ex. codeine and morphine) exist naturally in opium, which is a gummy substance derived from the seedpod of the opium poppy, indigenous to Southern Asia. Other opioids are of the synthetic category, such as methadone or fentanyl (opioidaddictionsource.com). Though the use of prescription opioids may be well intended, due to their effect on the brain chemistry, it is fairly common for one to become addicted to them; America is amidst a raging prescription opioid epidemic, in fact.

In the United States, twenty-one states have no laws on legal marijuana use, even for medicinal marijuana. Another twenty-one have legalized marijuana for medical use only. As for the other eight, those states have legalized the use marijuana for medicinal and recreational. The states that have fully legalized marijuana have seen a boost in the economy due to taxes from marijuana sales. Along with helping the economy, marijuana is proven to provide medical aid for illnesses, such as cancer and Parkinson’s Disease. The legalization of marijuana for medicinal and recreational use will be a benefit to society.

The opioid crisis has affected me personally. Three years ago, my biological father overdosed and died. He had been taking a lot of pills ( far more than what was prescribed) for quite some time. He had overdosed multiple times before it finally killed him. My youngest brother (whom my father raised), is unfortunately addicted to heroin now. He is only 21 years old, and sadly I feel he is following in our father's footsteps.

With assistance from local educators such as Dr. Fagan and government policies could help bring awareness to opioid addiction to reduce and limit opportunities for misuse. Communicating this problem among healthcare physicians, providers, health departments can provide the public with information to help those with recovery and prevent further exposure. With effective communication, healthcare providers can spread knowledge, stories, break the stigma surrounding opioid use, and bring more discussion. “Children who learn about the dangers of drugs at home are up to 50 percent less likely to use drugs.”Therefore, we must start a conversation to break the stigma that affects individuals and families throughout our communities. Within the environment, some individuals may feel stigmatized by substance abuse which can be a barrier for those to seek help and contributes to poor mental and physical health ultimately increasing rates of relapse, delay recovery and increase involvement in risky

Americans nationwide have been using marijuana for decades due to a variety of reasons. Talks of marijuana legalization and marijuana use across the country has rapidly grown and America is getting one step closer to becoming a “weed nation”. Many Americans disagree with the legalization of marijuana, but a majority of voters believe recreational marijuana should be legal nationwide. Last year alone, nearly twenty tons of marijuana was sold to recreational and medical users, which resulted in $63 million in tax revenue and an additional $13 million in licenses and fees. Legalizing and regulating marijuana will bring the nation's largest cash crop under the rule of law, creating jobs and economic opportunities in the formal

Available scientific evidence indicate that marijuana contain a useful chemical that treats several mental disorder illnesses. The useful purpose of this drug has prompted a long standing debate as