Legalization of Marijuana One of the major topics going around the United States is the legalization of marijuana. According to Misty Millhorn, Megan Monaghan, Darrel Montero, Maria Reyes, Tony Roman, Roy Tollasken, and Becca Walls, Americans are moving toward legalizing marijuana. A few states have already made marijuana legal for medical use. Marijuana should be legalized because it has healthy benefits, it will end the war on drugs, and it will make prisons less crowded. Marijuana plants come in a number of different types and are usually classified by their taste and look, for example Bubblegum and Ice. Bubblegum gets its name because it has a bubblegum taste and Ice comes from the crystal looking leafs that hang off of the plant. Marijuana has many benefits. For instance, it can relieve certain types of pain, nausea, vomiting and other illnesses such as multiple sclerosis, cancer, and AIDS. So why is marijuana still illegal? Also, when smoked, marijuana can damage the brain as well as the heart, lungs, and immune system. Although changing the policy on marijuana is said to represent a weakening of our national war on drugs; I feel that cannabis should be legalized because it can be taxed, has medical ailments, and on the contrary, can strengthen our national war on drugs. Only people that are a part of the Forbes list or Bill Gates are not suffering from the recession that is currently swamping the United States. The US gross federal debt has grown in 2011 to a total of approximately 15.5 trillion dollars, and is projected to climb to 16.7 trillion by 2012 (Chantrill). An idea that is being tossed around currently within congress is whether or not to legalize marijuana. The Federal Department of Health and Human Services Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) says that approximately 14.4 million people over the age of twelve illicitly used marijuana within a month’s time in 2007 (SAMHSA). The Federation of Tax Administrator’s website said that the average state excise tax on a package of cigarettes as of January 1, 2008, was around one dollar and ten cents (taxadmin.org). SAMHSA also states in 2002 that eight out of ten of the 14.4 million users, were regular monthly users (SAMHSA). That makes about 11.5 million regular users, which are estimated to consume two packs of marijuana cigarettes per month. At two packs a month and one dollar and ten cent tax, the United States would be making 1.27 billion dollars per month. In a year, the tax revenue would be a total of approximately 15.28 billion dollars per year. Although this doesn’t completely make up the United States’ total debt, this is easily a turn in the right direction. There are many positive ways the medical marijuana can assist people. Joycelyn Elders, a former US Surgeon General, says that, “Marijuana can relieve certain types of pain, nausea, vomiting, and other symptoms caused by illnesses such as multiple sclerosis, cancer, and AIDS” (Elders). Elders also claimed that marijuana is less toxic than many of the drugs that physicians prescribe every day. For the treatment of AIDS, medical marijuana is a better choice for patients instead of placebo. “Patients had improved their immune system and gained four pounds more on average than those patients that were receiving placebo,” according to Donald Abrams with the Annals of Internal Medicine (Abrams). On top of that, marijuana can relieve stress. Unlike cigarette smokers, most users do not take the drug on a daily basis according to Colin Blakemore and Leslie Iversen. Also, unlike nicotine, alcohol, and hard drugs, there is no withdrawal syndrome when stopped (Blakemore, PhD, Iversen PhD). On a negative note, according to John Walters, the director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, “Smoked marijuana damages the brain, heart, lungs, immune system, and contains cancer-causing compounds” (Walters). Lester Grinspoon, an Emeritus Professor of Psychiatry at
CLN4U0 14 January 2013 Marijuana should be legalized in the state of Canada Canada has been the leader in progress on very delicate issues such as gay marriage, abortion and health care, until the recent decisions made by the United States Government (USA) regarding the use and distribution of marijuana. It’s time for the Canadian government to look upon its own drug laws and ask if these present laws are relevant and effective in today’s modern society and legalize the distribution, possession…
Marijuana – Legalize it What would you give up to hide the choices of others from society? It costs our government $9099 to provide Medicare to one person per year. Our aging relatives benefit from this program by paying less for healthcare. It costs 7.2 billion for Maritime to secure 9200 submarines and 7200 port vessels. As a result, we are safer. It costs 8.7 billion per year to enforce marijuana laws. We have nothing to show for it except a 50% increase in marijuana usage, and an illegal drug…
Technically, marijuana is not illegal. According to the constitution of the United States of America, an amendment is need to prohibit the use of mind-altering substances. Clearly, there is no amendment stating the use of these substances, therefore, marijuana, or any narcotic for that matter, is legal. The current federal anti-drug law, the Controlled Substances Act of 1971, gets its authority from the Commerce Clause of the US Constitution, which gives the federal government power "To regulate…
Legalize? Some people believe that the use of cannabis by humans should be prohibited. Prohibition is enforced due to the danger of people driving under the influence as seen recently in an accident in Colorado where it is not only decriminalized, but also legal for recreational use. On the other hand, many other people consider the use for their medical reasons to cope with pain, sleep deprivation, and lack of hunger when receiving cancer treatment. There are many different effects on a society…
With the use of marijuana, cancer can be less of a pain-staking way to die. Legalizing marijuana, I think, would help benefit the way society looked at it, not just because of medical reasons, but because of agricultural purposes and a decrease in crime. Marijuana is a good drug to use for someone who has cancer, Tourette’s syndrome, or epilepsy. It is because a person with cancer can be unhealthy and have really bad nausea, diarrhea, and stomach pains. If they smoke medical marijuana, there is an…
Why Marijuana Should Be Legalized The first reason that marijuana should be legalized is because there is no solid reason for it to be illegal. People are asking “Why should marijuana be legalized?" while we should be asking "Why should marijuana be illegal?" From a philosophical point of view, individuals deserve the right to make choices for themselves. The government only has a right to limit those choices if the individual's actions endanger someone else. This does not apply to marijuana. A…
The Road to Legalizing Marijuana Maureen Pelton COM/150 July 16, 2013 Selena Flowers Legalizing (and TAXING) Marijuana, just like alcohol, would give much-needed revenue to the government that desperate…
Marijuana: Legalize or demonize? Marijuana has been a part of culture for centuries and has even been cultivated and sold by prominent members of American society. I chose the topic because of the political implications that have become an issue within the last decade and wanted to be able to make an informed decision. A more personal second reason why I chose this topic is due to personal interactions. Both I and my family have been affected by marijuana; I grew out of it and…
in, like if we should legalize gay marriage or legalization of prostitution. But one of the biggest conflicts is the legalization of marijuana. Many people think it’s bad because it’s labeled as a “gateway” drug, or for the direct fact that you are smoking it. Government and adults try to feed you lies, they only tell you the bad effects of the drug and make it up to be something way worse than it is. The government has no problem telling you all the bad things about marijuana, but what about all…
Theresa Duncan 02 November 2014 Marijuana Should Not Be Legalize in Texas In society today, many people look for a feeling of freedom. Many people go on vacation and spend money but some people choose to use drugs. American society is facing a huge drug problem; in addition, medical marijuana is now legal in 20 states and the District of Columbia. It has become a argumentative issue that marijuana should be legalized or no in Texas. Some people favor to legalize marijuana and believe that it is a helpful…