...illegal drugs used every single day in the United States. The most common illegal drug used is marijuana. Marijuana, also known as cannabis, is a drug derived from dried leaves and buds from the cannabis plant. This drug can be classified as a hallucinogen, stimulant, or a depressant. Marijuana is a very beneficial drug used for recreational, and medicinal purposes. Cannabis should be legalized and decriminalized for a various amount of reasons, which include: economic, medicinal, and religious reasons. Cannabis is a drug of many names, the most common a person might hear are weed, pot, ganja, and mary jane. Marijuana’s first recorded use as a medicinal drug was in China in 2737 B.C. Until the early 1940s, marijuana was was easily obtained at the local general store or pharmacy. The Marijuana Tax Act of 1937 severely restricted Marijuana as a recreational and a medicinal drug. The Controlled Substances Act of 1970 made it illegal to possess, use, buy, sell, or cultivate marijuana. Only a year later, President Nixon enacted the “War on Drugs” policy. However in 1996, California was the first U.S. state to legally allow medical marijuana to pain-suffering patients. Today, 13 U.S. states currently have laws in place which allow regulated medical marijuana use. Marijuana is very similar to alcohol when talking about how the United States government treats it. Alcohol was legal in the early 1900s until 1919 when the prohibition of alcohol took place. When this took place...
Words: 1503 - Pages: 7
...Marijuana Legalization All across the United States there are prisons filled with men and women serving marijuana related crimes. Each one of these men and women go through the court systems, and this takes time and money away from our government. Marijuana is the most commonly used illegal drug in the world. Mainly people think of marijuana of the dirty drug out on the street, when actually marijuana has been proven to help people medically. Marijuana is a less harmful drug than alcohol and tobacco, and yet it is still illegal and millions of men and women are serving yearly sentences. A single person is yet to die from an over dose on marijuana, while millions of people die from alcohol and tobacco every year. If cannabis was legalized it would do many great things, such as create millions of new jobs. With the economy struggling right now in American this would help our country greatly. Another thing marijuana would do is eliminate the spending on preventing marijuana use in North and parts of South America. If marijuana was legal it would give our government more time to look at more important issues, instead of preventing the use and selling of cannabis. Our government could focus more on the War on Terror and prevent harsher drugs from entering the U.S. such as heroin, meth, and cocaine. Our society would completely change; marijuana would be off the streets and would be treated probably. You would see a decrease in marijuana use at a younger age because it would be more...
Words: 3834 - Pages: 16
...The Legalization of Marijuana Do you ever think that maybe our government isn’t as foolproof as we would like to think? Maybe our government isn’t always looking out for people’s health as much as how much money it can make? The fact is, tobacco and alcohol are the two of the leading causes of death in America and are legal. While marijuana has virtually zero deaths yet remains illegal because the government can’t profit from making it legal. Hash, tree, reefer, cannabis, gong, chronic, pot, herb and weed are a few of the common slang terms for the widely known controlled subsistence marijuana. “The term ‘marijuana’ refers to the leaves and flowering tops of the cannabis plant. Marijuana is a tobacco like substance produced by drying the leaves and flowering tops of the cannabis plant. Marijuana contains a natural chemical called THC (delta-9-tetrahydocannabinol) which gives users of the drug a ‘high’ when smoked” (What is Marijuana). Marijuana has several different effects, all of which are not severe or extremely harmful. “Some of the effects of marijuana use include increased heart rate, dryness of the mouth, reddening of the eyes, impaired motor skills and concentration, and frequent hunger” (What is Marijuana). According to Pete Guither, marijuana has been recorded to have been used as far back as 7,000 B.C.E. Its common use at the time was to weave fabrics and make rope, shortly after it was used as a recreational drug. Even though it is illegal now, in 1609 Virginia passed...
Words: 1424 - Pages: 6
...Legalization of Marijuana English 102 Nicole Ramos University of Phoenix The Legalization of Marijuana When an issue receives mixed feedback or stirs up arguments from two different points of views there becomes such a thing called controversy. The legalization of marijuana has always been an issue for many; however they only are basing facts upon it being illegal, so it must be dangerous for the human body? Wrong, the world is so blinded by ignorance that they can’t see statics about alcohol and cigarettes being more harmful to the body and people are dying every day because of these two legal substances. This illicit drug has and can help many medical patients that have been diagnosed with cancer to help cure or ease the pain for good. How is it fair that half the states are legalizing it for medical purposes and even for anyone to walk into a dispensary as if they wanted a scoop of ice cream and then walk out like it’s completely ok? If one state allows it, then every other state should. Not one case has been proven that anyone has overdosed or died because of smoking too much marijuana that alone should show the effects of a true killer that is legal: alcohol, versus one that has never made someone injure themselves to the point of death. In high school students learn that marijuana is known as a gate way drug (studymode).This means that once trying this drug eventually it will lead to wanting to try other drugs. This I know for a fact is wrong because anyone you...
Words: 1600 - Pages: 7
...In Virginia, a bill for medical marijuana is to be established on Tuesday by the Virginia house committee. However the bill was not passed, but if it had been passed medically prescribed marijuana can be used for medical purposes. However, many people believe marijuana is a gateway drug and can lead you to other harmful drugs. That is not the case because people have control over what they put into their bodies. Medical marijuana is legal in some states but it should also be legal in Virginia. Medical marijuana should be made legal in Virginia because it can help those with medical conditions, medical marijuana is a classified drug that has not caused a single death, and it can help those who are on chemotherapy. Medical marijuana can be used...
Words: 911 - Pages: 4
...billion dollars? How could the nation get this much money in one year? The legalization of marijuana would bring such profit. Replacing “marijuana prohibition with a system of legal regulation would save approximately $7.7 billion in government expenditures of prohibition enforcement --$2.4billion at the federal level and $5.3 billion at the state and local level.” (Miron). The money generated from this could be used for so many needs of the nation. For example, one immediate use would be to help restore the foundation of bridges and roads. The United States economy is currently suffering and the simple act of legalizing marijuana would help stimulate the economy. This act also will help struggling citizens with life threatening conditions reduce their suffering. There are numerous benefits to legalizing marijuana including eliminating a portion of the wasteful War on Drugs, stimulating the United States economy, and helping many patients relieve their pain. In order to truly understand the benefits of the legalization of marijuana, it must be discussed why it was made illegal in the first place. In 1914, the Harrison Act “represented the first time drug use had ever been defined as a crime” (Goodwin 42). This law set the precedent for twenty-seven states to make marijuana illegal. There states made marijuana illegal because they mistrusted the incoming Mexican immigrants who brought marijuana with them. (Goodwin 42-43) Therefore, the laws were not enacted for safety or health reasons...
Words: 2151 - Pages: 9
...Medical Marijuana Medical Marijuana Eight out of the ten states that have made medical marijuana legal saw a teen usage of marijuana decrease from 1999 to 2006. I believe that if every state were to legalize medical marijuana, the recreational use of it would go down massively. Marijuana is good for you; it can relieve multiple pain symptoms. You can never have too much, so it is not harmful like alcohol. Marijuana has never caused a death when many legal products have caused millions of deaths each year. Our government wastes millions of dollars trying to keep marijuana out of the United States each year. If medical marijuana was legal, I believe the world would just be a better place. In 2003, Canada was the first country in the world to allow doctors to prescribe patients medical marijuana. There is only a small amount of evidence that marijuana is bad for you. Medical marijuana is not harmful in anyway, it cannot kill you. There are no significant health risks. Marijuana is proved to relieve pain from arthritis; it decreases anxiety, can control epileptic seizures, slows down Alzheimer’s disease, and eases the pain of multiple sclerosis. The first marijuana based prescription was called Sativex, it came out in the United Kingdom in summer 2010. If medical marijuana wasn’t available, many people would be somewhere, useless, suffering and lying in pain. Smoking marijuana has also been known for even stopping the spread of cancer. Marijuana can stimulate an appetite...
Words: 832 - Pages: 4
...Accepting Marijuana, What is going on? Unit 4 Proposal John Tesar SOC3400 Unit 4 Draft Marijuana is a hot topic in the United States right now. It is becoming more acceptable as more states legalize it for medicinal purposes. Colorado and Washington have even made it legal for recreational purposes. With this change in the way the law is looking at Marijuana what is changing about the way people in general are looking at it. Marijuana users have been seen as deviant for over 70 years now. In this project I hope to be able to answer some questions. What has changed that people are becoming more acceptant of marijuana? For years marijuana has been demonized as the gate way drug, it is always the first thing we are warned about in school when they are teaching drug prevention. Why is it now becoming acceptable for to use it? What are the new laws for Marijuana? The laws are changing making Marijuana legal and acceptable. More states are adopting legalization for medical purposes. Some states have legalized marijuana use for recreation and others want to follow. How are these new laws being written? Are more people using it now that it is legal? Have the states that have legalized marijuana seen an increase in the use of Marijuana among people who did not use it previously and if there is an increase than why. How marijuana is classed as a drug and will that change now that the law is changing. Why marijuana was made illegal in the first place? There are so many rumors...
Words: 337 - Pages: 2
...Marijuana: Should not be legalized As a member of a modern society I have seen that people want to legalize marijuana in order to make it a taxable product and therefore help the economy. Although it can be a good idea to boost up the economy the use of marijuana will be abused and more incidents will occur in our society. There is no sense in having more violent crimes occurring in society. The activists that are in favor of the legalization only see it in the way that will benefit them. They do not see the negative effects that can occur if the plant legalize and is be produced, distribute, and better yet consumed. Although the campaigners who want to legalize marijuana have reasonable arguments (the plant sales contributing to the economy), the legalization of the substance can cause various types of problems within society and therefore the legalization of the substance should never be an option. The first law dealing with the usage of marijuana dates back 1619 a law led the usage of such plant be gifted to the farmers by making good usage of it by making it into hemp in Virginia. During the 1840s that’s doctors first acquired knowledge regarding medical benefits that marijuana has and it was legal to be sold in accredited pharmacies. Then the prohibition was enacted because the United States was afraid that criminal events would happen due to the sneaking of Mexican immigrants. Mexicans were accused of addiction to the plant because it made them become insane and violent...
Words: 1587 - Pages: 7
...Tutor Course: Date: Why Marijuana should be legalized Introduction Various governments have made numerous drugs illegal while others remain legal. Such drugs include cocaine, heroin, methane, marijuana, alcohol, bath salts or synthetic cathinone, hallucinogens, methamphetamine and many others. However, some are legal to use; the use of others are limited while others are illegal. For instance, alcohol is legal in most countries while its use is limited in others in terms of time one can use them and in terms of amounts that one can consume. Nonetheless, most of these drugs are illegal including cocaine, heroin, marijuana and many others. However, even though some drugs are termed as harmful, they should receive some considerations to legalize them due to numerous reasons. Particularly, marijuana should be legalized. Marijuana refers to the dried flowers, leaves, seeds and stems from the hemp plant. Scientifically referred to as Cannabis sativa, that contains the mind-altering (psychoactive) chemical, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), alongside other associated compounds. Commonly, it is utilized for its physiological and psychoactive effects that can elevate euphoria or mood, appetite, and relaxation. Discussion Over the past few decades, they have been serious discussion on whether to legalize marijuana or not. Many know the reasons as to why marijuana should not be legalized. Some of the reasons put forward for not legalizing marijuana are that it harmful to one's...
Words: 2322 - Pages: 10
...Meghan Robbins-Sevel Abstract I choose the topic of Legalizing Marijuana because the debate of whether marijuana should be legalized is an ongoing argument in the United States. Also, it has always bothered me how harshly marijuana is prosecuted in this country. While researching the subject of legalizing marijuana I wanted to find out exactly how much tax money was spent on prosecuting nonviolent marijuana offenders, how marijuana became illegal and how marijuana could help our economy if legalized. The results from my research were astounding to me. It was a shock to know that while alcohol was deemed illegal at one point marijuana was completely legal. I expected to prove my thesis, but I was not prepared for so much information that leads me to believe and become active in the cause for legalization. Although there is much opposition, I am very confident that the legalization of marijuana will not be too far away. Keywords: John Getteman, NORML.org, MMP.org, PBS, American Cancer Society The Legalization of Marijuana The word Marijuana alone is enough to send conservatives running from the room. The discussion about the legalization of Marijuana is at the forefront of the American mind. Marijuana is a drug to most people, it is believed to impair the brain and thought to be more toxic than the consumption of alcohol. The legalization of Marijuana is a touchy subject, however, the legalization of marijuana could help our struggling economy, ease the pain and symptoms of...
Words: 1848 - Pages: 8
...Legalization of Marijuana Medical and Recreational Uses Cullen Fitzsimmons ITT Technical Institute Authors Note This research is being submitted on August 17, 2015 to Hugo McPhee’s GS1145 course at ITT Technical Institute by Cullen Fitzsimmons. Abstract I decided that a very controversial subject was that of the legalization of Marijuana, both for medical and recreational use. I found that there are many health benefits to medical marijuana. There also can be many benefits to the recreational use/sale of marijuana. Like all controversial topics there cannot be positives without the negatives. Some of the negatives are accessibility to children, gateway drug and impaired driving. The legalization of marijuana has been a long debated and often heated subject. The federal government has not legalized the recreational use of Marijuana, but that did not stop four states from legalizing it with in their own borders. Through the course of this paper I tend to discuss the many pros and cons of the legalization of Marijuana. There are two main ways of legalizing marijuana; medical use and recreational use. Positives Currently there are four states and Washington D.C. that have passed the legal right to recreational marijuana, Alaska, Colorado, Oregon, and Washington. Besides the medical benefits from marijuana there are also multiple reason why making it legal is a good thing. Colorado has seen a recent drop in crime rate. According to Rough (2015) “violent crime...
Words: 1584 - Pages: 7
...Supporting the Legalization of Marijuana For the past years whether marijuana should be legal or not has been a popular debate topic in the media. This is not only discussed between government officials, but also the general public. It is often a heavily debated topic with two strong opposing opinions. Each side often has a great argument or point of view when it comes to marijuana legalization. There is a lot of concern behind making marijuana legal everywhere which is understandable. What people can sometimes forget is the benefits brought upon by marijuana. Marijuana being more beneficial or more hurtful has been the main issues discussed when it comes to legalizing marijuana. Marijuana should be legalized in every state because it...
Words: 1660 - Pages: 7
...under medical supervision.” (DEA p.1). American country singer and marijuana advocate Willie Nelson said, “I think people need to be educated to the fact that marijuana is not a drug. Marijuana is an herb and a flower. God put it here. If He put it here and He wants it to grow, what gives the government the right to say that God is wrong?” (Nelson p.1). Larry Malerbra D.O, a practitioner, educator and leader in the field of holistic medicine argues that, “The medical benefits of marijuana (cannabis) are pretty well established. There is voluminous scientific research on the subject that verifies its efficacy when applied to a variety of medical conditions, and plenty of first-hand evidence that it works for those who use it for their own health problems.”(Malerbra p.1) With so many different ideas on what exactly Marijuana is, a controlled substance, an herb and a flower, or a medicine. There is no wonder there is much controversy of the legalization of the substance that has just as many names as descriptions. It is referred to as, weed, pot, dope, grass, reefer, herb, Mary Jane, Cannabis sativa, hemp, and most commonly marijuana. In our country we are free to smoke cigarettes until our lungs are black and cancerous, and drink alcohol to the point of intoxication and destroy our detoxification organ making it scarred and unusable. We should as citizens of a free country should be given the choice to use marijuana whether for medical or recreational uses. Legalization would make...
Words: 3010 - Pages: 13
...Argument For Legalization of Marijuana Primarily, according to the UN, 3.8% of the world's population uses Marijuana (Crockett). Marijuana is a plant that can grow almost anywhere in the world. It’s a mild hallucinogen that when used, causes a temporary high and the sense of euphoria. Although there is currently a war on Marijuana, through the government's upholding of the law, and a large amount of the American population to overturn the legalization of Marijuana that took place originally in the 1930’s. In view of mass immigration of Mexican immigrants, using “Marihuana” as they referred to it along with came a bad reputation for cannabis. Doctors Malik Burnett and Amanda Reiman even went as far to say “claims were made about marijuana’s...
Words: 1383 - Pages: 6
