Legalizing Marijuana
The legalization of marijuana is a
controversial issue but has both negative and positive effects on today’s
society. Marijuana is a mixture of the dried, shredded
leaves, stems, seeds, and flowers of the organism, Cannabis sativa that is from the hemp plant. Marijuana is the most commonly used
illicit drug in the United States. Approximately 15.2 million people in the
United States were recorded to be users of marijuana.
Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the main active ingredient in marijuana,
responsible for many of its known effects when marijuana is smoked; its effects
begin almost immediately. THC rapidly passes from the lungs into the
bloodstream, which carries the chemical to organs throughout the body,
including the brain. Smoking marijuana delivers significantly more THC into the
bloodstream than eating or drinking the drug. The legalization of marijuana is beneficial for several
reasons. Some of my reasons for wanting to legalize marijuana are for health
and medical reasons, such as cancer treatment, to calm college students down
during stressful times, and the benefits marijuana can have on the movie
industry.
The
first benefit of legalizing marijuana and what I believe to be the most
impacting is the
benefit it has on the medical field. Lung cancer is one of the most common
cancers in the United States and any way to help cancer patients alleviate any
pain or anxiety is positive attribute. There is misconception about marijuana
being the cause of lung cancer. However, the American Association for Cancer Research
has found the marijuana actually works to slow down tumor growth in
the lungs, breasts, and brain considerably. In addition to radiation,
chemotherapy, surgical removal of tumors, I believe marijuana should be added
to the treatment of cancer. Also in the medical field there is a disorder, Epilepsy.
Epilepsy also known as seizures affects nearly 3 million Americans and 50
million people worldwide. Seizures are disorders of the brain and cause muscle
spasms. Along with medications that are already approved by the FDA I believe
marijuana could benefit these patients. Marijuana would be able to relax these
patients and relax their muscles. Also HIV AIDS patients would be able to
benefit from adding marijuana to their treatment regimen. It would be
beneficial for these patients to legally be able to marijuana to their medical
treatments. Also on a non-medical stand point these patient are going through
so much stress from their disorder they do not need any more extra stress by
wanting to obtain an illegal drug. By legalizing marijuana it could benefit
people medically and this demonstrates a positive reason to legalize marijuana.
In
our society today all different age group of people are under tremendous amount
of stress although everyone is under different kinds of stress, stress strongly
affects people’s lives in negative ways. College aged students are a group of
people who are under a lot of stress day to day. With our economy being
unstable and getting jobs after graduating being difficult college students
aren’t only dealing with the stress of passing classing and writing but also
worrying about even getting a job once graduating college. There are a large
percentage of college students who get to the point of being so stressed they
are going to unhealthy ways of dealing with their stress. Students sometimes go
to smoking marijuana in a way to relieve their stress and be able to focus on
their work more. If marijuana was legalized more students would be able to use
marijuana as a stress reliever and not get in trouble for it which causing more
stress on the students and even the families. Marijuana used in moderation
could benefit students in relieving stress and enabling them to relax and focus
on doing their work. When people are relaxed they seem to be able to be more
productive and get more work done in a relaxed manner. I believe students are
crying out in negative ways because of the stress in their lives. If students had
another and more outlets to relieve their stress I believe there would be less incidents
of school shooting and such acts of inappropriate behavior.
Lastly,
another positive reason for legalizing marijuana is for the benefit for the
movie industry. Marijuana has been a
great source of help in the business of movies and music. Marijuana has had a
great impact in today’s society through movies and music by symbolizing it as a
fun thing to do and try. Many actors and singers use marijuana as a source of
relaxation as well as a form of drug in parties instead of alcohol because
alcohol can lead them to be a completely different person than who they really
are. Alcohol is known the biggest gateway drug for the young generation. With
the use of marijuana, movie directors and music singers have been able to show
us their idea of marijuana and why they think it should be legal again.
Legalizing marijuana would not only benefit the music and movie industry but
also would lead to young kids not hiding or abusing the use of marijuana
because of its legalization. The younger generations and in general of human
nature people want things they cannot have. Since marijuana is illegal is it
drives people to want to abuse it, it gives them a feeling of power and control
in a world there they feel they don’t have control over many things. By making
marijuana legal it will kill the drive from young people to abuse it and
instead use it to benefit their lives as stress reliever.
Moreover,
I believe marijuana should be legalized in the United States. My reasoning
behind legalizing marijuana are not just for recreational uses but have factual
evidence of being beneficial to people. There are many negative misconceptions about
marijuana. In general human nature tends to lead people to want things they
cannot have, and abuse their nature. By legalizing marijuana, it would lessen
the desire and curiosity of young adults to abuse the uses of marijuana. All in
all, I believe legalizing marijuana has more benefits to our society compared
to its disadvantages.
Works Cited
Nadelmann, Ethan JD, PhD., (“We are
the Drug Policy Alliance.”)
Drug
Policy Alliance, 2012. Web. 14 April 2012.
<http://www.drugpolicy.org/>.
Volkow , Nora
D., M.D., (“The National Institute on Drug Abuse.”)
“DrugsFacts:
Marijuana.” November 2010. Web. 14 April 2010.
<http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/marijuana>.
Zimmer, Lynn, and John P. Morgan.
"The Lindesmith Center A
Project of the Open Society
Institute." posing Marijuana
Myths:
A Review of the Scientific Evidence.
The Lindesmith
Center,
n.d. Web. 14 April 2012.
<http://www.marijuanalibrary.org/Exposing_index_1095.html>.
Where's the paper?
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