The debate about marijuana in the United States is ever changing and not lacking in attention by any means. Just the topic of marijuana legalization brings about varying opinions on many different levels and which has the potential to divide a country, a state, a county, a city and in some instances, maybe a household. The topic of marijuana and its legalization for whatever reasons contains within it, many topics which the debate currently revolves around. However, the debate to decriminalize marijuana for medicinal purposes is the most profound. But, many who do not know may ask the questions. Who is involved in the debate and for what reasons? How has it affected our society or nation as a whole? Or, what is the past and what may …show more content…
Advocates for medicinal marijuana argue that clinical tests have established that marijuana has definite and valid therapeutic values. It is the Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in marijuana that is the active chemical component for the relief o pain and symptoms. Marijuana suppresses AIDS-related nausea and nausea in patients undergoing cancer chemotherapy, along with appetite loss and abnormal pressure in the eye which leads to glaucoma, the #1 cause of blindness. Marijuana is also believed to be a safe and inexpensive alternative in treating muscle spasms, epilepsy, anorexia, asthma, insomnia, depression and other disorders. Marijuana is not only believed to help with physical ailments, but psychological ones as well. A former chairman of the 1991 established Office of Alternative Medicine’s (OAM) Program Advisory Council said, “When used appropriately, marijuana could be extremely helpful to people undergoing certain kinds of emotional crises.”
Then there is the opposition who says that there is still no consensus that confirms marijuana as a legitimate medicinal agent. The opponents believe the THC damages the brain, the heart, the lungs, the reproductive and immune systems, and that marijuana use is linked to increased aggressiveness and violent behavior. It is also reported to reduce memory, inhibit driving ability, limit attention span, increase the risk of schizophrenia,
Marijuana can have very damaging affects on a person?s brain. It can impair a person?s short-term memory, decision-making and signal detection (Cannabinoids). ?In one study conducted in Memphis, TN, researchers found that, of 150 reckless drivers who were tested for drugs at the arrest scene, 33 percent tested positive for marijuana? (Marijuana). After having used marijuana a
The legalization of recreational marijuana is an important debate, one that could really cause drastic changes in societies. Marijuana has entered a dark stage in the pathway of legalization, and it is correlating with the prohibition stage that alcohol rested in. The debate can often reach a nasty level between individuals taking sides with the topic. Legalization of marijuana can be very beneficial under regulated circumstances, therefore making all of the negative views less important.
The decriminalization of marijuana is an incredibly controversial topic in the United States. Conservative views deem the drug dangerous and debilitating, while reformers suggest that legalizing the plant would have an enormous positive impact on the economy. While others, the terminally ill, wish for the plant to be legal so it can be offered as a less toxic and sometimes more effective alternative to harsh prescription drugs. an overwhelming wealth of facts that state the benefits marijuana can have medically.
The legalization of marijuana has been in dispute since the idea has come into conception. Exists a myriad of stances: legalization strictly for medicinal purposes, decriminalization of possession(treatment instead of incarceration), a complete prohibition, and finally a stance of the legalization of marijuana strictly for the sake of industrial use.
Marijuana has been deeply studied in the past few decades and has shown scientist many things that weren’t evident before. Marijuana has been linked to many health issues good and bad. It has shown to reduce stress and anxiety, help with headaches, lower blood pressure and one of the most evident and positive health affects is that it has been shown in many studies to stop and even kill cancer cells in the body. There are however negative effects that have been looked into and studied by scientist. These include, blocking memory formation, psychosis, and an increased risk of depression while using marijuana regularly. Not everything revolving around marijuana is a “health issue” though, the biggest reason that people use marijuana today is because it simply makes people feel good. That is a positive effect.
Medical use of Marijuana is probably the most discussed topic of the legalizing campaign over the recent years. Some opponents of Marijuana say that it does not have any medical uses at all, and argue that Marijuana is only harmful and should remain illegal. Others for legalization have an opposite view that is starting to gain more recognition as time goes on. Around the late 1990’s, some members of the nation’s medical establishment began to acknowledge marijuana’s potential health benefits. One respected health organization, the Institute of Medicine, released a report in 1999 which stated that “nausea, appetite loss, pain and anxiety can all be mitigated by marijuana (Medical). In an article Drug Legalization, Advocates of medical marijuana say that in many cases it is the only treatment that has been shown to work. “It is a very effective medication for people who have failed to get good results from standard medications,” says Ethan Russo, a neurologist who has studied medical marijuana, “and that is why so many people are devoted to risking their lives and career to get this drug”(Drug). There are many reports that Marijuana can help with conditions traditional medicines do not seem to help with. Marijuana has also been a huge help to patients with Cancer, HIV/AIDS, Glaucoma, and Insomnia. With a lot of prescription medicines being expensive, Marijuana would be a cheaper alternative to buy if people chose to do so.
Opponents of making marijuana legal would like society to believe that marijuana shouldn’t be legalized.It is stated that marijuana is terrible for your physical health.A recent Northwestern University studies have founded that marijuana users have abnormal brain structure and poor memory and that chronic marijuana abuse may lead to brain changes resemble into being diagnosed
Debates over the legalization of marijuana have been around for a long time now. The process to pass a law is long. Marijuana has been legalized in some parts around the country, and in different states in the United States. Several articles have been written, some approving of marijuana and some opposing it. The questions of the approval of marijuana come from a long run of opinions. Written articles have been made to express an individual’s own hypothesis over it. The articles “Why It’s Always Been Time To Legalize Marijuana” by Katrina Vanden Heuvel and “The Real Reason Why Pot Is Still illegal” by Lee Fang go further into detail on the pros and cons for the legalization and also differ into shaping up this argument. The authors of the articles
Medical marijuana has been proven to an effective drug in the treatment of a number of encumbering medical conditions. A large number of legitimate medical organizations recognize the benefits of marijuana. It is far less harmful and poses fewer negative side effects than many prescription drugs, including painkillers - and patients often find it to be a more effective treatment for a variety of illnesses. However, it is perhaps the most commonly misunderstood substance in America. The usage of the drug has been widely researched and proven to be a “most viable and safe source of medicine to many Americans suffering from Aids, Glaucoma, Cancer, Multiple Sclerosis, Epilepsy, and Chronic Pains” (Medical Marijuana). According to the Institute of Medicines, (1999) “marijuana, in its natural form, is one of the safest therapeutically active substances known” (Legalization of Marijuana). More and more resources and case studies will be further discussed and practices to back up the claim, and determine marijuana’s medical value.
The legalization of marijuana is, and has been a heavily disputed issue for decades. On one hand, marijuana could lead to a medical breakthrough, or at least provide relief to cancer and AIDS patients. On the other hand, legalizing a drug could expose it to too broad an audience. As a drug, marijuana has never proven to be anywhere near as harmful as cigarettes or alcohol. Each year in the United States, 400,000 people die from tobacco, 50,000 from alcohol, and from marijuana, zero. Regardless of what side one may take to this argument, there are some causes to this marijuana debate that everyone should know. Marijuana was not always illegal, and the reasons behind the history of narcotic regulation are interesting when viewed from
Marijuana in the medical field has countless usages from dealing with chronic pain to helping cancer patients with nausea. “Two of the most important treatments, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy, also cause damage and often, severe vomiting” (McKinley). Cancer therapies, such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy are essential in treatments for cancer though it often can result in extreme vomiting in the patients receiving treatments. Medicinal marijuana can help patients with their nausea and vomiting. If the vomiting ceases while using marijuana, the individual’s appetite is sure to increase making it easier for the individuals to sustain an adequate weight as cancer patients are most of the time under weight. “The smoking of cannabis, even long term, is not harmful to
The author remarks that marijuana may have cancer preventive effects according to some researches. Nevertheless, its heavy use could lead to a lung damage that can be hard to detect. Also, some studies link marijuana use to deficits in memory, concentration and learning, as well as the risk of schizophrenia. On the other hand, Richards, mentions other research that suggests that schizophrenics cannabis users score better on cognitive tests than the ones who do not. In this article, she shows different data supporting marijuana use, and data against it. This article provides the two sides of the coin, thus, I can easily consider which data is the strongest and has a better background regarding to marijuana
Legalization of marijuana is one of the most controversial topics in American society today. Surveys done by the US Government’s Substance Abuse and Mental Health Data Archive showed that 95 million Americans have used marijuana. There are two opposing sides that have strong stances on whether it should become legal or should remain illegal. We have one side that is anti-marijuana and the other is pro-marijuana. Each side provides valid and strong arguments supporting their views. The purpose of this paper is to carefully examine each opposing side and try to find some way to come to a compromise.
Experts from the National Institute of Health or NIH have confirmed that marijuana is an effective, safe and inexpensive alternative for treating nausea caused by AIDS medications and cancer treatments other such ailments as glaucoma, muscle spasms, intractable pain, epilepsy, anorexia, asthma, insomnia, depression and other disorders (Iversen 23). Other such ailments in which marijuana has been said to help are Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, repetitive migraines, and Alzheimer’s, but the NIH has not reported those results (<a href="http://www.abcnews.go.com/medmj990317.html">http://www.abcnews.go.com/medmj990317.html). The National
Drugs are heavily used throughout the entire world. However, it is important to understand and not undermine the variability in which drugs are used. It is clear some are for distinct medical treatment and others are for recreational use. In the United States, marijuana has been and continues to be a very controversial drug. Some states have allowed marijuana consumption for medicinal purposes, while others have completely outlawed the drug. Those who are against the legalization and regulation of marijuana suggest the economical and health risk associated with consumption of the drug are too high. Although there is risk involved with the legalization of the marijuana, our country has already been risking too much banning the drug.