...To Legalize or Not to Legalize Medical Marijuana Elizabeth Connell ENG/102 Research Writing To Legalize or Not to Legalize Medical Marijuana Even though marijuana is a drug, legalized marijuana for medicinal use will help patients through various medical issues. Marijuana has been proven to ease the side effects of chemotherapy, helps patients with severe migraine, and glaucoma patients. Many people are on the fence over the legalization of medical marijuana. There are several reasons to legalize marijuana for medical use, let me tell you about one of the reasons. Six-year-old Charlotte is a little girl who suffered from an untreatable form of epilepsy. By the time she was two years old, her parents had tried all medications to cure her some of which almost killed her. She suffered nearly fifty seizures a night. Her parents managed to get her a medical marijuana card in Colorado. Her parents reported her seizures stopped after her first dose of cannabis oil. Charlotte came out of her catatonic state and met her parents for the first time. CNN featured Charlotte and documented her story. Some parents have turned to medical marijuana to treat their children of the incapacitating epilepsy. Doctors are attributing the drug with reducing seizure activity and bringing alleviation to epileptics. According to an article written by K. Pickert (2014), an innovative clinical trial is about to commence. This clinical trial may finally afford some science to support their assertions...
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...Legalize Marijuana “Why is marijuana against the law? It grows naturally upon our planet. Doesn’t the idea of making nature against the law seem to you a bit . . . unnatural?” -Bill Hicks. Marijuana is created from the dried leaves and female flowers of the hemp plant. The most active ingredient in marijuana is tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Marijuana is also known as pot, mary jane ,grass, loud, and weed, the drug has long been used as a sedative or analgesic; it was in use in China by the 3rd millennium BC and had reached Europe by AD 500. Today it is used worldwide, though it is generally illegal. Before making the decision to legalize marijuana one needs to consider both the pros and cons of the situation. Marijuana is a drug that should be legal , and available for sale in every state of the United States. Should the U.S. Government legalize marijuana or not? To begin, there are many types of drugs in the world that set risk to one’s life, among them marijuana has proven to aid many diseases and has no deaths reported. There is overwhelming evidence from experiments that show marijuana can relieve certain types of pain, nausea, vomiting and other symptoms caused by such illnesses as multiple sclerosis, cancer and AIDS or by the harsh drugs sometimes used to treat them. Indeed, marijuana is less toxic than many of the drugs that physicians prescribe every day. In contrast, many people take caution in using marijuana due to the lack of consistent repeatable scientific...
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...Legalize Marijuana Should Marijuana be legalized nationwide? That is the question that many states and citizens are asking themselves. The main negative towards this movement is that it is a drug, but isn’t alcohol a drug too, and that is legal. What makes marijuana so bad? To the uneducated person, they will simply give you a answer of, “It is a drug and it’s a gateway drug.” Is this what the world has become to just take what other people say as gold, and not to question it. I say that this is shocking and unbelievable, that citizens would be this naïve. Marijuana has been associated with many things from its medical purposes to its use as a raw material. Marijuana has been used medically for thousands of years. America started using marijuana medically in the mid 1800’s. The type of disorders that marijuana helped included pain relief, nausea, glaucoma, and movement disorders. It is also used as a powerful appetite stimulant which helps patients that had HIV/AIDS or cancer patients going through chemotherapy. Nowadays only fourteen state governments across the country have acknowledged cannabis’ effective healing properties and legalized its consumption for medicinal purposes with the consent of a licensed physician. Federally the use of marijuana is still illegal. Also back in the day hemp was used to make medicine, products of all kinds, and even food. The most common use for hemp is in the production of textile based products. Hemp fibers are considerably strong so...
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...2. Claim: Marijuana legalization will benefit everyone both medically and economically, 3. Support: Currently 15 states allow the use of marijuana for medical purposes. 4. Warrant: People with pain, nausea and loss of appetite by people with AIDS, cancer and other debilitating diseases are benefiting from medical marijuana in the current 15 states that allow its use. 5. Backing: As in the past marijuana was used for medical purpose. 6. Rebuttal: Refusal to legalize continues to cost the government a lot of funds in prohibition and enforcement. In the perspective of America's war on drugs, marijuana is one of the biggest enemies. And since alcohol and tobacco, two life threatening substances, are legal it is a relevant question to ask why marijuana is illegal. What comes into our minds each time we hear people talk about Marijuana? We associate the use of marijuana with a lot of bad things such as violence, intoxication, and bad behaviors - the list is endless. Before consideration is even given to legalization of marijuana, let us first of all understand what it is and, its history. Since time immemorial, there has been a negative stigma attached to marijuana, but exactly what is it? www.justice.gov/ndic describes Marijuana as a mind-altering substance produced from a plant with the scientific name Cannabis sativa. The drug is used because of its primary active chemical, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which may induce relaxation and heighten the senses. THC is the main psychoactive...
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...Heading Heading Heading Title A lot of people in America perceive marijuana and people who use marijuana as something so horrible because of the way that the government portrays it, but most of those people who think this way fail to know the truth about marijuana. The fact of the matter is that the “dangers” of marijuana are over exaggerated and its classification is way out of proportion. Views about the use of cannabis have evolved over the decades. Cannabis has been around for centuries and legally used and distributed as a natural resource until it began to gain restrictions and regulations in the late 1800s and early 1900s soon leading to the illegalization of it in the 1930s with the Marijuana Tax Act of 1937 (Guither). In the eyes of many people, the reasons for the illegalization of growing and distributing the hemp plant are untrue or over exaggerated, and this paper will address why marijuana should be legalized in America. The reasons for why the government should take the action of legalizing the use of marijuana, or cannabis, are endless, but this paper focuses on the facts that cannabis has a multitude of known, positive uses, that legalizing it will take thousands and thousands of good people out of prisons, and that legalizing the use of marijuana could actually have economically positive effects on the country. Marijuana has been around long before it was known as a recreational drug in the early 1900s. The known uses of the hemp plant go back to as early...
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...Legalizing Pot In class we had a highly engaging debate about the legalizing recreational marijuana. I was on the side where I believed that we should legalize it. On this side it was hard to say something positive other than the job opportunities and money it would bring because everything ties back to the medical purpose that some users use marijuana for. Twenty-three states have legalized marijuana in some way. I believe that if alcohol and cigarettes are legal than so should marijuana. Alcohol overdose caused nearly twenty five thousand deaths in 2013 and contributed to about sixteen thousand deaths. Cigarettes caused for five hundred thousand deaths in two thousand thirteen with medical bills near one hundred forty billion. Thing two are the most harmful legal drugs, with no benefit to the people while marijuana does have its benefits. You might say that marijuana smoke can affect your lungs and that is true it can. One thing that sets marijuana apart from other drugs is that there are numerous ways of taking it. Marijuana edibles are the most common way of in taking marijuana without smoking it. 749,825 Americans have been arrested for marijuana law violations in 2013. All those people that were arrested for having possession of marijuana their respective states spent money on a judge, officers, and other law informant necessities. Marijuana is linked to helping some cancer patients who suffer from the nausea caused by chemotherapy and helping the appetite of...
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...PART A As described in the introduction paragraph of this editorial, “Legalize Drugs-All of Them” the author is a retired police officer whom favors legalization of all drugs. His subjectivity on the legalization of drugs is based on his life experience as an officer. His experience of daily handling situations created by drugs and drug use has molded his subjectivity on the legalization of drugs. He has been witness to many situations involving the subject at hand and has formed his opinion based on past experiences. The author’s subjectivity has influenced the opinion he expresses in his nonfiction work by illustrating that he feels as if drugs being legalized will help eliminate additional issues that are caused by drugs. His work expresses his belief that making drugs legal will inevitably create a more peaceful place for everyone to live, including the police officers who sacrifice their safety while fighting to keep drugs off of the street while, in his opinion, more imminent crimes need the attention of said officers. His work as an officer gives him a unique outlook on the subject and leads him to feel passionately about the legalization of drugs. His opinion is highlighted through his experience in the field as an officer. The author’s subjectivity is illustrated throughout his writing in many aspects. Aside from the excerpt stating his life experiences effect on his opinion, it is obvious of his subjectivity through his writing in this editorial. The author uses harsh...
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...Alexander Moreno Philosophy 11/17/11 Legalize Gambling in California People don’t like gambling until they win, and people love money. The government doesn’t like gambling, unless they can tax it. People think of gambling and automatically like a trained gambler think of Las Vegas or Atlantic City. Gambling has been in America’s blood since before we were a country. All thirteen original colonies established lotteries to raise revenue. 48 states today that have legalized some form of gambling and have made billions of dollars. 43% of Nevada’s general fund is fed by gaming-tax revenue, which means casinos pump in $9 billion dollars of revenue annually for the state. California is no stranger to gambling, the Gold Rush set off a gambling boom in San Francisco where it replaced New Orleans as the center for gambling in the United States at that time. California must legalize gambling to raise revenue for its state deficit and to put that money back into its communities. California has always set new standards and exceeds expectations with its impractical views, but gambling has been left in gold dust. With billions of dollars to be made for the state, legalizing gambling in California and taxing it seems to be a more practical idea than to keep it illegal. With Indian gaming...
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...marijuana. Since 1996 over 12 million people has been arrested for marijuana. Over 3 billion is spent yearly on the war on pot which has done little or nothing to keep it out of the hands of youth. Surveys conducted on 2010 on Drug Use and Health says that 17.4 million of Americans used marijuana 30 days prior the survey. Education is the key. Many had been asking questions about marijuana because is currently an illegal drug for casual consumption yet, many Americans are not well informed when it comes to the medicinal use of marijuana. Currently twenty states and the District of Columbia use marijuana for medicinal purposes and two states Washington and Colorado legalized marijuana for occasional use. Reasons for the United States to Legalize Marijuana Marijuana use in the United States has been rising in recent years especially among teens. Today, many Americans think it is only a matter of time before marijuana becomes new trend just like tobacco was between the 1930s and 1980s. What is Marijuana? Marijuana is an herb that contains chemicals called cannabinoids that affect the central nervous system. The highest concentration of these cannabinoids is found in the leaves and flowers of the marijuana plant. Cannabinoids from the marijuana plant appear to be similar to codeine. When medicinally used, marijuana is smoked for multiple sclerosis, nausea, glaucoma, appetite stimulation, mucous membrane inflammation, leprosy, fever, dandruff,...
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...Legalize USA COM/156 December 14, 2014 Patience Robinson Legalize USA As of today 22 states in America have now legalized medical marijuana, and 3 States have legalized not only medical marijuana but also recreational marijuana. According to USA Today as of September 2013 7.3% of Americans 12 years or older have tried marijuana. In 2012, a survey done by the New York Times reported that 18.9 million people were regular users of marijuana regardless if it was legal in their state or not. The battle across America has begun on marijuana legalization. Should it be legal for more than medical use or should it not? Everyone has a different opinion on the matter. Based on information and statistics from the 3 U.S. states that have legalized marijuana for recreational and medical use the answer is yes it should, based on the benefits each state can receive by legalizing the drug. According to the government information sites of these three states, the medical benefits are reaching unknown highs; crime rates are down, and the tax revenue alone can help rebuild the economy. One of the number one concerns of a human being is the health of their family and themselves. With over 20 states now legalizing medical marijuana, researchers have begun researching in earnest the medical possibilities contained within marijuana. It has been widely known for many years now that cancer patients can receive an enormous decline in the side effects of chemo and radiation from smoking marijuana...
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...Should Marijuana be Legalized ? With recent changes in state laws regarding marijuana for medical use and even recreational use in some states like Colorado the debate on whether or not to decriminalize it’s use all together has never been stronger. To really address this issue we need to take a look at a few different aspects. To start the history of how marijuana became illegal in the first place. How legalizing marijuana would impact the Criminal Justice System and Economy of the US, and the social impacts of incarcerating individuals of seemingly minor drug charges. In short I hope to make a compelling argument for the decriminalization of marijuana. The first thing that came to my mind when thinking about whether or not to decriminalize the use of marijuana was, why is marijuana illegal in the first place? I did a little research and found some interesting information about the origins and uses of Hemp/Marijuana and how it became illegal. Marijuana was only recognized as an illegal drug as recently as the 1900s. Before this the Hemp plant was used to make fabrics, rope, food and much more. In fact one of the first laws in this country regarding Marijuana was enacted in Jamestown Virginia in the 1600s ordering all farmers to grow hemp seed. Over the next 200 years laws were passed that would send farmers to jail in times of shortages for not growing it because hemp was so important. It was even a form of currency early on and one could pay his taxes with hemp. Hemp...
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...Should we Legalize Jaclyn Russo COM/220 April 20, 2011 Kathryn Geranios The plant Cannabis Sativa a plant that has taken the spotlight of the world, it is a plant that has angered, confused, obsessed, and even mesmerized many people throughout history and today. This plant is otherwise known as Marijuana. Abraham Lincoln said, "Prohibition goes beyond the bounds of reason, in that it attempts to control a man's appetite by legislation, and makes a crime out of things that are not crimes. A prohibition law strikes a blow at the very principles, upon which our government was founded." This statement still applies in today’s society in regard to the illegal use of marijuana. The ban on Marijuana causes more harm than the plant itself. The legalization of marijuana could benefit the country medically and economically by increasing revenue and treating symptoms of many illnesses. Thanks to the culmination of international laws, Marijuana is under new speculation, review, public image, and attention than ever before. Countries are legalizing it, whereas other countries are criminalizing it; some states are decriminalizing it while their country is against it! So it comes down to the argument of it all, and hope that enough people around the world will follow the correct path and stance on the subject. Marijuana should be legal because it is a natural herb that for thousands of years has been used, it is impossible to become physically addicted to, as well as impossible to...
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...Jill Porter April 26, 2014 Marijuana: Should it be legalized? There is an epidemic debate of deciding if legalizing marijuana in states will benefit not only the users but the community also. Marijuana has been illegal in the United States and now slowly the states are permitting medical marijuana for purposes. There still are many that oppose this legalization and hate the thought of making this drug legal. Some feel that if marijuana is made legal it can also lead to other gate-way drugs also being legalized. While others feel that it can help others medicate themselves and also bring up the economy. Despite which side one might choose marijuana is still considered a drug that is mind altering and many want to avoid this legalization and want nothing to do with while others are all for it. Marijuana is a seed based hemp that is usually smoked but can be used in the form of oil or hash. THC is what causes the brain to alter in what is usually called a high. The National Institute of Drug Abuse states that, “Marijuana refers to the dried leaves, flowers, stems, and seeds from the hemp plant Cannabis sativa, which contains the psychoactive (mind-altering) chemical delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), as well as other related compounds” (Marijuana, 2014). It seems that marijuana is used a lot by individuals in the United States for medical and recreational purposes. With today’s youth being interested in marijuana it is very important to study its long-term effects...
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...Jennifer Boyd PHY-105 Shelley Evans 05/08/2016 Should Marijuana Be Legal? Marijuana has long been labeled a Schedule I drug by the US government. A Schedule I drug, has no medical benefits, known to have high a potential for abuse, and is declared not safe even with medical supervision. How can that be you ask, when many studies have shown the benefits of the use of marijuana for certain medical conditions. It is prohibition at its finest, serves no purpose and is a violation of our rights of liberty, due to the misrepresentation of marijuana. The legalization of marijuana has many benefits with increase revenue for the state, enormous medical benefits, and a significant decrease in violent crime and gang activity. A study done in 2010, by Cato, legalizing marijuana would generate over $8 billion in federal and state revenue annually. (HuffingtonPost, 2013) The cost of keeping marijuana illegal to this day is astronomical. “In 2012, Colorado voters approved Amendment 64, which legalized marijuana for full recreational use. The state now stands to raise hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes over the next decade.” The largest boost of revenue from the sale of marijuana comes from taxes. In 2014, Colorado, had a vast number of pot tourists visit the state and bring in over $10 billion in funds, even with the increased snow activity that would normally lower their tourism. Another benefit that comes with the legalization of marijuana is the money saved from unnecessary...
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...Justin Tonter Professor Smith English 1A 8 July 2014 Why We Should Legalize Cannabis While more and more people are supporting the legalization of cannabis, there are still many who are on the fence about the issue. Even though I do not smoke marijuana, I am all for legalization as I believe the positives that come from it outweigh the negatives by a great deal. So far we have seen two states legalize marijuana for recreational use, the two being Colorado and Washington, and the positive effects it’s having on these states are outstanding. The people who are still not all the way on board with it believe that weed is just for lazy people who eat Doritos and watch Family Guy all day long and they can’t see any of the great benefits cannabis can actually have. Seeing what has happened in Colorado and Washington more people are seeing the benefits legalization can have, not only on people for health benefits but for the states economy as well, not to mention a decline in crime. Between January 1 and 2 April 30, violent crime and property crime in Denver dropped 10.6 percent compared to that same span one year earlier. Homicides have dropped to less than half of last year’s levels, and motor vehicle theft has shrunk by over one-third (“Crime down and revenue up in Colorado since start of marijuana legalization”). A long with lower crime rates the state is gaining a bunch of money from taxes on marijuana as well. Kelly Phillips Erb who is a writer for Forbes said this...
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