Should Marijuana Be Legalized?

people think that since it is legal in some places, it must be safe. The drug is not safe at all, Marijuana can have short term and long term effects. It can affect the brain development. When THC enters the blood stream and reaches the brain, it starts binding and activating specific receptors. Also, marijuana smokers can have the same problems as tobacco smokers, because the smoke enters your body and irritates the lung and it can lead to lung infections and lung illness. The lung damage can be harmful to the body and causes serious problems later in

Legalizing marijuana can be dangerous, unhealthy, One way legalizing marijuana can be dangerous is that it can affect your respiartory system according to leaf science.com believe it or not, “marijuana smoke contains 50 to 70 percent more carcinogenic hydrocarbons than tobacco smoke, which means it has a much higher potential to cause cancer of the lungs and respiratory

More than one in three people have experimented with marijuana in their lifetime. Meaning that if you’re living, breathing, and socializing chances are you’ve met thousands of people who have either tried or is currently dependent on marijuana. Whether it’s referred to it as cannabis, hemp, weed, pot, reefer, grass, or mary-jane, it’s gone global and has proven significantly difficult to control. There is no substantial research stating whether weed is clear cut good or bad for people to consume, but most doctors and counselors will tell you it's a no-go. Pot is detrimental to mental and physical health, your personality, and society as a whole and should only be legal in instances where death is inevitable. The negative side effects of this

The argument of legalizing medicinal marijuana and marijuana used for recreational purposes has been around for quite some time now. Recreational use is when one smokes cannabis just for fun and with the intention of altering the state of consciousness while medicinal marijuana is used for treating certain maladies and alleviating their symptoms. Though marijuana use is not as harmless as many people seem to believe. Like any other drugs, marijuana can affect the body and mind and may have a majority of side affects. It has an addictive nature and is also known as the gateway drug. It can even affect those around you in more ways than one. For instance if something were to happen to you or if for whatever reason you lash out at them. The

Colorado schools have earned $13.6 million of funding in the first five months of 2015 from the recently legalized sale of recreational marijuana. This is a major increase from 2014 with a total of $13.3 million being paid for the entire year. All of this rapidly growing revenue is being generated through the taxes paid by the marijuana sales industry. This substantial sum is a part of an approved excise tax of 15% on wholesale marijuana sales which orders that 15% of the taxes be used strictly for the construction of new schools. This, of course, comes from the total marijuana tax revenue which has already reached over $60 million in 2015 alone as of August. This unprecedented increase in state revenue and school funding is one of the most obvious benefits to the legalization of recreational marijuana.

Many believe that Marijuana is addictive, and for that reason, should not be legalized. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, “Marijuana use can lead to the development of problem use, known as marijuana use disorder, which in severe cases takes the form of addiction.” According to recent data, it is suggested that around 30 percent of marijuana users may suffer from some degree of marijuana use disorder and people who started using marijuana when they were younger than 18 are 4-7 times more likely to develop this disorder (“Addictive”). Similar to addiction, this disorder is associated with dependence to marijuana, which means that the user may feel withdrawal symptoms when not taking the drug. These symptoms can include irritability, decreased appetite, and sleep difficulties. These generally last about a week or two after giving up the drug (“Addictive”). This happens when the brain’s production of endocannabinoid neurotransmitters slows or stops because it has adapted to large amounts of marijuana (“Addictive”). Marijuana disorder becomes an addiction when the user is unable to stop using even if the effects of marijuana interfere with many aspects of their life (“Addictive”). In 2014, it was estimated that about 4.176 million people in the US, roughly 1% of the total population, abused or were dependent on marijuana, but it is hard to estimate the number of people addicted to marijuana because epidemiological studies of substance abuse use

Because of the widespread use and acceptance of marijuana as well as the passage of several state medical marijuana laws several research studies were conducted. These studies were analyzing whether new medical marijuana laws were causing an increase in teen use. The data from the research showed there was an increase in teen use over the last four years. One such study even revealed that it had increased in the youngest age group studied, eighth grade students (Anonymous). This increase in teen use is further supported by an article from Target News Reports that states “one in every fifteen high school seniors today is smoking pot on a daily basis” (Marijuana). These studies show a growing trend in teenage use of marijuana and popularity of marijuana which would seem to support the fact that legalizing marijuana even for medicinal purposes has led to increased teen use.

Marijuana is a drug that is considered mostly illegal throughout the United States. Yet it is the most commonly used drug in the United States. Research shows that the main ingredient in Marijuana that gets the user high is the chemical delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Marijuana can be smoked, eaten, or through drinking the leaves. The debate still continues today on whether it should be legalized. Marijuana has been studied scientifically for its benefits and the harm it causes to the user. Washington and Colorado were the first states to legalize marijuana for recreational use. In 2009, 46-56% of Americans voted in support of the legalization of marijuana (Grim, R, 2009). These results are why it is such a popular topic in America today. Marijuana derives from the dried leaves, flower buds, stems, and seeds from the hemp plant Cannabis

Despite what people believe about marijuana, it hasn’t once proved to be the cause of any real issue. It makes you wonder what the reason as to why there is a war on drugs. Why is marijuana the main concern? Since the time that alcohol and tobacco became legal, people wonder why marijuana isn’t legal yet. The fact that marijuana is illegal is mainly caused by the amount of money, jobs, and pride invested in the drug war. Once the government starts anything, they stick to it.

The college campuses in the United States have the majority of the population that uses drugs among society (Wadley& Carlier, 2014). The ages of these students range from “18 to 24” that are the most likely candidates to use marijuana and are more susceptible to use and find themselves addicted while they are in college (College Drug Abuse, 2015). There is conflict on college campuses between the state and federal government laws because the college is ran by the state by falls under federal laws when marijuana is involved. The students may experience long term effects of the use of marijuana in their lifetime that they don’t factor into their health because they are not able to understand the risks involve with use. There are many aspects of marijuana that effect college campuses and the students need to find alternatives to stay on the straight and narrow path to become successful drug free adult.

After the government’s continual failure to prohibit the use of marijuana, taxpayers are paying a huge price just to keep marijuana illegal. The government is beginning to work with the drug rather than work against it, turning a crime into a business. This “crime” might just be worth it. Due to many positive arguments in support of legalization, numerous states have legalized the use of medicinal marijuana. and are able to experience some of the economical benefits first hand. As citizens of the United States, it is our duty to make the necessary changes in order to improve our quality of living. This regulated industry is capable of drastically changing the state of our economy by creating more jobs, generating tax revenue, and eliminating unnecessary prohibition costs.

The topic of marijuana is so widely discussed and argued upon. Those that go against legalizing the use of marijuana instinctively believe people just want to casually smoke it and achieve the “high” sensation. Those that choose not associate themselves with marijuana all together are undoubtedly in favor of keeping it illegal. Opposing views on the issue of decriminalizing the plant has caused much debate over the past century and still establishes itself as an important matter. The legalization of marijuana in the Unites States would drastically reduce crime in our cities and form a more productive society through its positive uses.

The possession, use, cultivation, transportation, and sale of marijuana are illegal under the federal law in the United States. However, the federal government announced that states are allowed to pass a law to legalize marijuana for medical and recreational use, provided that they develop a system to regulate the activities. Under the Controlled Substances Act, passed in 1970, Marijuana is classified as a substance of schedule 1, the highest listing under the legislation. The classification implies that the substance is deemed as possessing a potential for grave abuse, according to the federal government. Nonetheless, the state laws do not always agree with the federal standards, and, as a result, state-level proposals for marijuana decriminalization have led to mixed reactions from the people from all over the nation. Washington, Alaska, Oregon, and Colorado are among the United States that have legalized marijuana for both medicinal and recreational purposes (Cerdá et al. 23). The benefits that the authorities and communities stand with the legalization of the substance are greater than the costs, and, as such, the substance should be legalized across all states in the U.S. though it is of paramount importance that sufficient provisions be put in place to regulate the use of marijuana.

Zoned out looking, T-shirt wearing Grateful Dead slacker, long hair and unwashed, their brain cleansed out with any thought is a stereotypical marijuana user. The thought of someone like this makes people cringe. Society looks at marijuana as a drug that people go to, so they are able to escape their problems and worries. The older population seems to oppose the legalization of marijuana while younger age groups along with ethnic groups tend to be more open to legalize the use of marijuana. Marijuana is one of many substances that have acquired a lot of awareness in recent years. However, marijuana is one of the most misunderstood drugs on the market. Legalizing marijuana is a very controversial issue in the American society. Although

Doug Greene “We’ve been doing this for four decades, if we don’t get involved and do the hard work, its not going to go anywhere-Just coming here and listening to me speak and getting high is not going to change anything” (Lewis 1-2). The key phrase “getting high” clearly refers to the drug: marijuana. This particular drug has caused a war for Americans due to its benefits and side effects; they’re some that want to take the risk and some that don’t for legalization. Either way, the odds aren’t in anyones favor at the moment.