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Legalizing Marijuana

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legRunning Head: Should marijuana be legalized?

Should marijuana be legalized?

Should marijuana be legalized? There are various reason why people smoke or have smoked marijuana. The reasons may range from extracurricular drug use medicinal uses and anywhere in between. The positive effects medical research states marijuana can assist with cancer patients and terminally ill individuals, but only for pain reduction and appetite increases. In the case of glaucoma the pressure from the eyeballs are reduced by the blood flow changing with the effects of THC. While there may be some positive effects for use of marijuana, the negative effects outweigh positives effects. It is a known fact that marijuana has more tar in the leaf than tobacco accompanied with the mind altering affects of THC in the blood stream are enough to make anyone want to avoid the life altering risks. Marijuana is also know as a gateway drug. Legalizing marijuana would not be as beneficial as some may believe. For those individuals who may still be undecided on whether to support the legalization of marijuana or not, below are a few key points to aid in their decision making.
While some suggest the benefits of marijuana outweigh the negative, not enough research has been conducted to determine this. The immediate and long term effect could be substantially dreadful. Some of the immediate effects of marijuana are hallucinations, paranoia, and psychotic episodes. Also, stimulant psychosis may also occur in some individuals. While stimulant psychosis mostly appears in drug users who take large doses, in rare cases, it may also appear in patients taking therapeutic doses under medical supervision. This indicates that individuals who use marijuana to control nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy, analgesia, and stimulate appetite among other clinical uses, also encompass the risk of stimulant psychosis. Another immediate side effect of marijuana is the mood swings. The brain becomes addicted to the artificial high produced by the drug. The mood swings are caused when there is psychological withdrawal. Even worse, smoking marijuana may worsen depression and mental problems. Marijuana has also been shown to impair motor ability. The Department of Transportation conducted a driving test in a closed driving course for approximately 3 hours. The driver had decreased handling performance, impaired time and distance estimation, inability to make headway, subjective sleepiness, and motor coordination among others. Increased appetite is another immediate effect of marijuana; it is what many call the munchies. Studies have shown that cannabis triggers the desire for sweet and fatty treats which when not consumed in moderation, promote weight gain. Studies have also shown that individuals who regularly smoke marijuana, gain weight over time because of the increased caloric intake. These immediate side affects alone should be enough to keep people away from marijuana but unfortunately, this is not the case.
In addition, smokers experience loss of brain cells and permanent memory loss. Most studies have been conducted in rodents. In one study, rats that were exposed to THC every day for 8 months showed a level of nerve loss that equaled to that of an animal twice their age that was not exposed to THC. This means the brain cell life is cut in half. Even worse, marijuana has the potential to promote cancer of the lungs and other parts of the respiratory tract because it contains carcinogens. Some smokers argue that smoking marijuana is safer than smoking cigarettes but marijuana contains 70 percent more irritants and carcinogens than cigarettes. Since marijuana smokers inhale more deeply and hold their breath longer than tobacco smokers, the lungs are exposed to carcinogenic smoke for longer period of time. Marijuana also induces high levels of an enzyme that converts certain hydrocarbons into their cancer causing form which could accelerate the changes that ultimately produce malignant cells. The high marijuana gives may last a few moments but it’s damaging long term effects could last a life time.
Another negative side to marijuana are the negative side effects to adolescents. In many studies, there have been cases where it delays the puberty stage. Marijuana can disrupt emotional development in younger people. Females have found that it can delay their monthly cycle. Brain development can be affected by the use of marijuana. Studies show that a human brain is not fully developed until mid to late 20’s. A teen that uses marijuana on a regular basis slows down the development of the brain. They are more likely to have cognitive shortfalls. This refers to information-processing abilities including perception, learning, remembering, judging and problem- solving. Marijuana shows trouble with focus and attention in adolescents. Pediatric researcher found abnormalities in areas of the brain that interconnect brain regions involved in memory, attention, decision-making, language, and executive skills. The findings are particular concern because adolescence is a crucial period for brain development and maturation. In adolescence, heavy use of marijuana can damage myelin, a coating around brain cells, and cause it not to function properly. Malfunction of the myelin may cause signaling within the brain to transport slower. As a result, slow information transfer in the brain and cognitive functions will start to take place. Many of the tests that were taken on adolescents use still showed the same results after a month of stopping marijuana use.
Marijuana has been linked as a gateway drug. Studies have shown that marijuana can lead to other harmful drugs. Children 12-17 are 85 more times likely to use cocaine. Marijuana has also been linked with teen violence, suicide, crime and unsafe sex. Most users of other illicit drugs have used marijuana first. Today’s stronger potency in marijuana is increasing the rate of addiction. Addiction specialist said that 57 percent of people in the United States that was admitted for treatment for marijuana addiction was ordered to do so by law enforcement. The percentage of those ordered for treatment in other drugs were lower.
While most agree there are more negative effect of marijuana, we have compiled research regarding the positive uses of marijuana. If marijuana was to be legalized , the country would save billions on law enforcement and prohibition costs. Revenues from taxing would bring billions of dollars to help the country’s growing deficit. Marijuana has been noted to sooth various types of symptoms , for various types of diseases. For individuals who suffer loss of appetite from chemotherapy , they benefit from the use of marijuana. People who suffer from glaucoma, enjoy the benefits from marijuana because it helps excessive eye watering. While marijuana has many pros and cons, all of which are very debatable , it doesn’t have as many cons as liquor. One has to wonder why alcohol has not been taken off the market yet. With all the D.U.I. ’s and people that die everyday because of drinking alcohol, it should be banned. There are no benefits at all when it comes to liquor, other than being able to sell it. Though legalizing marijuana is viewed very harshly by many Americans, they do not seem to care about the negative side effects of other drugs. Today there are drugs advertised on television with side effects that are much more severe than the long term effects of marijuana. These drugs do more harm than good , yet they are endorsed by doctors everyday. Marijuana taxed as a normal commodity would generate just as much, if not more income than some of the drugs that are out there , with a lot less side effects. As Americans, we need to open our minds and look past the stereotypes given to marijuana and get right down to facts of the issue. Let us compare marijuana to alcohol and some of these other drugs and really see how much more harmless the effects of marijuana are. Like all other drugs marijuana, when abused will have negative affects , but like people who drink or people who have a prescription for drugs, one still has to use wisely, the world would be a better place.
Marijuana should also be legalized because it is established scientific fact that marijuana is not toxic to humans; marijuana overdoses are nearly impossible, and marijuana is not nearly as addictive as alcohol or tobacco. Subsequently, when researching for rehabilitation centers, most results are for sex addiction and heavy drugs such as heroin but not for marijuana users. Even when doing the research one went to the extent to call a family member that is actively attending a drug rehab class call “Third Tradition Group of Alcoholics & NA Anonymous” and ask if there any member for the abuse of marijuana. First focus on how society accepts all other harmful products that consumers buy and sell daily at our nearest corner store such as wine and tobacco. Reflect back to one of the commercials seen on television of a man talking about cigarettes; and how harmful second smoke can be deadly. The man even went to the extent to say how he lost his wife to second hand smoke. In the National Vital Statics for the year of 2009, there were 15 leading causes of death and none of the deaths were associated to use of marijuana. Marijuana has a chemical in it called tetrahydrocannabinol, better known as THC. Alcohol is created when grains, fruits, or vegetables are fermented, a process that uses yeast or bacteria to change the sugars in the food into alcohol. Alcohol has different forms and can be used as a cleaner or antiseptic; however, the kind of alcohol that people drink is ethanol, which is a sedative. When alcohol is consumed, it is absorbed into a person's bloodstream. From there, it affects the central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord), which controls virtually all body functions. During this research, I have only found one chemical in marijuana. Regardless of what these organizations will say about marijuana, the fact is it has the potential to become one of the most useful substances in the entire world. If people took action and the government legalized it today, we will immediately see benefits from this decision. People suffering from illnesses ranging from manic depression to Multiple Sclerosis, and cancer would be able to experience relief.
Through the various negative effects of the use of marijuana such as its long and short term effects on the brain, lungs, heart rate and blood pressure. We can conclude that marijuana should not be legalized in the United States of America. Knowing that marijuana is harmful mentally and physically will not stop a user from fulfilling their desired high unless they understand that they aren’t only harming themselves but their family, friends and community as a well. Legalizing the use of this, “gateway drug” will defeat the sole purpose of the United States of America, which is to protect/shield our citizens from health danger/risks. If the legalization of marijuana was to occur in the U.S. the use of harder drugs such as cocaine and heroin would increase as a ripple effect. “Sixty-two percent of adults who had used marijuana before the age of 15 have used cocaine at some point during their lives. For those who had never used marijuana, that number is 0.6 percent and for heroin that number is 9 percent as compared to 0.1 percent for those who had never used marijuana”. Marijuana is not a “safe” drug and has no benefits, only detrimental consequences. With this said there is no reason at all for marijuana to be legalized. Currently, “39.8 percent of the U.S. population has tried marijuana at least once”. How,” high” would this percentage be if it was legalized and what kind of society would we live in? The legalization of marijuana will only be the key to unlock a future of ruin in our nation.

References
Nielsen, A. L., & NIELSEN, A. L. (2010). AMERICANS' ATTITUDES TOWARD DRUG-RELATED ISSUES FROM 1975-2006: THE ROLES OF PERIOD AND COHORT EFFECTS. Journal of Drug Issues, 40(2), 461. Retrieved from EBSCOhost
Cohen, P. J. (2010). Medical Marijuana 2010: It's Time to Fix the Regulatory Vacuum. Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics, 38(3), 654-666. doi:10.1111/j.1748-720X.2010.00519. Cohen, P. J. (2010). Medical Marijuana 2010: It's Time to Fix the Regulatory Vacuum. Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics, 38(3), 654-666. doi:10.1111/j.1748-720X.2010.00519.

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