Should Drugs Be Legal?

The question of whether or not marijuana should be legalized for recreational and medicinal use has been a three decade long conversation. There are many pros and cons to legalizing marijuana. There are many different ideas about the effects of marijuana, but as with any drug answers are going to vary depending on the person you survey. Age, health, and mental stability are all factors to consider how a drug can positively or negatively affect you, and marijuana is no different. To be legal or not to be legal is the million dollar question up for debate.

Marijuana is a drug formed by drying out the shredded flowers, stems, and leaves of the Indian hemp plant. It is also the most common illegal drug used in the United States, and the second most- used drug in the world, behind alcohol. According to one national survey, approximately 6,000 Americans try marijuana for the first time every day. Marijuana has been proven to positively affect some illnesses, and the Medical Legalization Movement has made great progress in the US (randomhistory.com ©2007-2014). However, should the drug be approved for recreational purposes? Several significant reasons lead me to believe it should be.

I am certain in my belief that most students who have attended any university in the US have in one way or another been around drugs. However, whether or not they partook in them is debatable. They have more than likely made a decision: to do the drug, or not to do the drug. If they are like me, they did not do the drug, but continued to socialize with those that did partake. If they are not like me, they may have taken the drug and continued to socialize with those they are around. Drugs have become a large part of college culture, and more ultimately, human culture. The reasons vary as much as the reasons why people personally choose to partake in the drug of their choice. Peter De Marneffe states in his article “Decriminalize, Don’t Legalize”, that “people use drugs because they enjoy them; they find them fun and relaxing. If it is easier, safer, and less expensive to do something fun and relaxing, more people will do it and do it more often” (De Marneffe, 200). Currently, the US is dealing with drug prohibition (War on Drugs) which has become a topic of hefty discussion. As David Boaz states in his article “Drug-Free America or Free America?”, political entities have attempted to stop the use of various drugs since drugs were first used. He goes on to say the most familiar example to the American people is the prohibition of alcohol (Boaz, 194). In this position paper, I will do the following: I will define

The United States has the highest incarceration rate in the world, with 730 in 100,000 people behind bars. Why has America imprisoned so many of its own citizens? The recreational use of marijuana and other drugs has been banned in all but four states. This has led to the mass of approximately one million drug offenders incarcerated in the United States today. The legalization of recreational drug use in the U.S. would reduce the nonviolent prison population and provide funds for improved rehabilitation for prisoners.

I believe marijuana is known as a drug for a reason. I am ok with having a use for it medicinally but only for problems. Right now, it just seems to be a hindrance for people that don’t medically need it. For example this can stop motivation in a job environment causing less production or be a safety hazard if someone is under the

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.

Drugs in society have been a part of society for hundreds of year, and the usage of them definitely has to do with the psychology in the users and certainly the abusers. Throughout history, the way society views and uses of drugs has been different from culture to culture. In some cultures it is a natural consumption, while in others it is strictly forbidden both by law and society’s stigma. Addiction to drugs has always been around and it has always been a problem, in both places with strict and relaxed laws about drug use, how different patients are treated is a different issue. There are many facets to the battle against drugs like in the United States there is a current debate on the legalization of marijuana in all the states. When you

Through the years marijuana has been known by many names, and almost as many opinions have been held concerning its effect on people. Not all of those opinions have been correct in fact; most have been pure propaganda. Marijuana is not a gateway drug. It does not have fatal side effects, and it is not only used by lazy people. These are just some of the stigmas that have plagued marijuana over the years. The truth is that marijuana is a medicinal plant and, as such, should be used to treat medical conditions instead of the chemicals created by big pharmaceutical companies. Though today marijuana still has a negative stigma associated with it, medical marijuana should be legalized nationwide due to its health benefits for those with terminal

Should the drug marijuana, that most try to not be associated with, be legalized? Or should it be legalized for prescribed for those individuals who suffer serious or chronic medical illnesses such a cancer or arthritis? Should it even be legalized at all? Legalization of marijuana draws a huge concern to people across the country. It could raise revenue through tax dollars for the states or our country, put drug dealers out of business, or even reduce the number of thefts and robberies occurring in our society today. In contrast, legalizing marijuana could also harm those who repeated use the substance recreationally similar to the ways alcohol or tobacco are misused, or could be used as a stepping stone for more serious illegal drug

Legalization of Marijuana Should marijuana be legalized? This has been an enormous controversial issue for the last couple of decades. It’s a drug that can be good for you, yet cause many great dangers. There are many views supporting and opposing the legalization of cannabis. A patient suffering from AIDS, cancer, glaucoma, multiple sclerosis and other serious conditions often find marijuana the most effective treatment. In some cases it may be the only remedy. (2nd or not) As of November 2000, there are only 8 patients receiving marijuana legally as a form of medication. There are thousands of people using the drug illegal to help them cope with their disease. Presently, patients can be arrested and sent to prison for using marijuana --

Should marijuana be legalized? People now a days still consider marijuana as a harmful drug. It is really obvious that the others, who don’t do drugs at all, still look down upon those who only smoke marijuana. Why is that? Do they not know that marijuana is actually helpful for cancer patients, people with extraordinary pain, and severe cases of depression? Marijuana is the only drug that is natural, (if not laced with another drugs), that can be used for natural causes. Causes such as muscle spasms caused by multiple sclerosis, nausea from cancer chemotherapy, weight loss caused by chronic illness, such as HIV, or nerve pain, seizure disorders,

There seems to be a constant and never-ending debate over the legalization of marijuana. I was not entirely educated on marijuana until my sophomore year of high school. Marijuana comes from a hemp plant and contains many chemicals, one of the many chemicals is tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and THC gives the “high” feeling. Even after I knew the basic facts I still did not understand the affect it had on people. I never saw individuals that smoked marijuana as bad people, I just knew that I personally would never do it myself. I was always somewhat afraid of the drug, but after past research I discovered that it actually has many benefits. I strongly believe that marijuana should be legalized everywhere. One reason marijuana should be legalized is because of the amazing medical benefits it contains that have been researched thus far. Another reason marijuana should be legalized is because it is no more harmful than alcohol or tobacco. Some people argue though that taking marijuana is morally wrong. Some individuals see it as morally wrong but it is something some people enjoy and should be able to freely. Marijuana is not this evil drug that most people assume it is.

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.

The subject of drugs has certainly been an issue that has been widely discussed. Over the years, it has always boiled down to whether all drugs should be legalized or not. While the United States has been arguing over the topic of for many years, countries, such as Portugal, have taken an alternative and very unique way to fight the war on drugs. In 2001, the Portuguese government decided to flip its war on drugs strategy entirely: It decriminalized them all (Aleem). At first, this strategy was greatly criticized because people believed that decriminalizing drugs would not solve Portugal’s problem. They believed that the country would fall into the abyss of increased drug usage, criminals, and corruption. Actually, none of that has happened, and 15 years later, the country is doing much better than it has before, especially in terms of usage rate and health (Aleem). I believe the United States should decriminalize drugs just like how Portugal did because decriminalizing drugs can actually reduce drug use and its consequences, improve public safety and health, and can make a positive economic impact.

Should all drugs be legalized? Suppose that someone has some life threatening illness and suppose that a drug that has not yet been approved by the FDA can cure this illness. Should he have to die just because some government bureaucrat tells him that he cannot have this drug? There are millions of AIDS patients in similar tragedy. The two most harmful and dangerous substances are alcohol and tobacco. Yet, they are legal, only because they are popular. Marianne Apostolides of the pro-legalization Lindesmith Center wrote in the Wall Street Journal: "Marijuana is safer than other substances such as nicotine and steroids. Most people who use marijuana have no problem with it." “The question about legalized drugs is the defining point for a Libertarian. If you are opposed to legalizing all drugs, then you are not a Libertarian, by definition.” Sam Sloan But if we analyze did alcohol use decrease when it was legalized? Answer is No. When abortion became legal, did abortions decrease? No. When an action becomes legal, the number of people carrying out that action increases. Drugs are not different Drugs Abuses, Crimes and Legalization Crimes will also not be reduced by drug legalization. Studies show a correlation between drug use and crime - violent crimes such as homicides, assaults and domestic violence. Why is this? It's quite simple - drugs cause violent behavior. In actuality, crime will rise when drugs are legal because more people will be taking drugs. Crime is high