Jack Mitchell
Professor Pugh
Enc 1101
13 February 2015 Devil’s Weed

Over the years, a lot of debating has been going on whether to make medical marijuana legal. Some people think that it is a “drug” but it helps thousands of people every day. Some people would not be able to function in their daily lives without medical marijuana. It helps with AIDS, migraines, cancer, insomnia, pain, glaucoma, and more. In the case of terminal illness, medical marijuana may allow patients to enjoy their last days with their loved ones. Why is it that marijuana is criminalized when alcohol and tobacco continue to kill thousands of people every year? Flawed testing is what made medical marijuana illegal in the first place. Marijuana has been around for centuries for tons of uses but has recently become illegal. The marijuana plant also has a stem called, “hemp” which is now known as the plant with enormous environmental potential. (23 Health Benefits Of Marijuana)
Name one report that has been reported of someone dying from marijuana. No one has died from this terrible "drug." Reviews from medical literature in 2002 by Franjo Grothenhermen says, “Medical marijuana has positive effects in treatments for unintentional weight loss, insomnia, vomiting, lack of appetite, nausea, and other well confirmed treatments for very painful conditions such as neurogenic pain, movement disorders, asthma, and glaucoma" (23 Health Benefits Of Marijuana). However, there are more DUI’s than any other substance abuse charges. Why it is that alcohol is legal but marijuana is not? There are thousands of cases of people dying from alcohol, from drunk driving, to murders, and so on. The list can go as far as it wants as long as alcohol is still legal. One of the leading causes of death in the United States is tobacco but yet still legal. By legalizing marijuana, there will be of course marijuana dispensaries around town, so if you’re not into cannabis don’t go to the shops. Do what other states do, regulate how and where the shops can be operated, put them in places legislation can regulate the distribution and cultivation of medical marijuana. Target and restrict the distributors who target minors and open up shops near schools. If our state legislation tries to avoid this issue and continue to study marijuana, they may actually find better results and may even make a profit from this. Not only may this become a profit it may be beneficial to this nation. As a strong supporter, I believe that the government will learn that it is not all about money and legalizes it in every state. (Benefits Of Medical Marijuana)
In the past, medical marijuana has had a lot of hoax testing. In the late 1970s, there was a testing for the theory that “Marijuana causes brain damage.” In this testing with Doctor Robert Heath, monkeys were subjected to the equivalent of smoking thirty joints a day for a year. However, instead they were fitted a gas mask and pumped with what amounted to sixty three Columbian strength joints for a time period of five minutes. This cut off oxygen intake to the brain, which was the main cause of the brain damage. I’m sure if the doctor was choked half to death he would have some brain damage too. This information led to marijuana being known as the worst drug over cocaine, meth, and heroin. This is what gave marijuana a bad name upon itself. (The Union)
Not only can medical marijuana contribute as a medicine it also has a lot of agricultural potential with the plant’s stem called "hemp." It was actually illegal not to grow hemp in the 17th century! Hemp was used