Whether it’s a Macklemore song encouraging kids to leave their drugged out lives behind, or a Drake song showing kids how to escape life through the use of drugs, there is continuous talk about getting baked and exploring life at a ‘heightened state’. One drug that always makes a guest appearance in these songs is marijuana. Unfortunately, the drug all these singers preach called marijuana happens to be illegal. Many people of all ages argue that marijuana does more good than bad and should indeed be legalized, however there is also those who argue that it should stay illegal. Although a strong argument can be made for both sides, due to marijuana’s overall medical benefit as well as the double standard that allows all people over the age of 21 to consume alcohol–a drug that has a much greater potential for harm, the legalization of marijuana is the best choice for America as a whole.
Just because the word ‘drug’ has a negative connotation in America doesn’t mean that something considered a drug is bad for you. In fact, marijuana is a prime example of a drug that has many strong medical benefits. A renowned doctor by the name of Dr. Sanjay Gupta preached the negatives behind marijuana for years saying, “[he had] steadily reviewed the scientific literature on medical marijuana from the United States and thought it was fairly unimpressive” and that “[he would] vote no for the legalization of marijuana”. However, after copious amounts of research he changed his view completely. Ending his research with an apology to those he influenced into thinking that marijuana was all bad, saying that “marijuana’s benefits have the possibility to far out-weigh its negatives”. These medical benefits are depicted in great detail on a medical website by the name of Herbal Mission, explaining that marijuana’s main positive medical affects consist of remedying migraines, decelerating tumor growth, easing chronic diseases, averting Alzheimer’s, doctoring glaucoma, preventing seizures, helping dim the symptoms of ADD and ADHD, relieving PMS, and relaxing Tourette’s. A drug that reaps so many medical benefits should not be illegal in a place that stresses the importance of the health of its citizens like America.
How can America legally allow kids of 21 and older to go to parties, get drunk, and be at the risk of having to be rushed to the hospital to get their stomach pumped. But not allow kids, to go sit and enjoy a small amount of marijuana with their friends, and enjoy the summer breeze? America needs to realize that the legalization of alcohol versus the legalization of marijuana is a total double standard. If as a country, America can agree on legalizing alcohol, despite it’s overall health risks. Then as a country, America should in turn, be able to agree