...Running Head:Legalizing Marijuana Bradford 1 Legalizing Marijuana Ira Bradford Soc120: Introduction to Ethics & Social Responsibility Marnie Carroll July 11, 2012 RunningHead: Legalizing Marijuana Bradford 2 Legalizing Marijuana I really don’t see nothing wrong with marijuana. They are some pros and cons on legalizing marijuana in this world. I will get to that later on this paper. I feel like for you to talk about this type of situation you have to go through it. I first smoke marijuana when I was twenty-six or twenty-seven. But I started drinking when I was fifteen or sixteen. I tried smoking cigarettes but my body didn’t agree with that. I even tried cocaine two or three times in my life time. I definitely didn’t like that. I even tried ectasy for a while until I find out what it do to the brain cells. Out of all these drugs ectasy is the most deadliest drug that kill the most brain cell. They put all kinds of stuff in that pill, which is very scary. Out of all those that I tried, the only thing that I agree with is marijuana. Yes, I did started drinking before I did any of these things. But who didn’t, alcohol is the gateway drug. I don’t even like taking pills for headaches or colds, when my body aches. The only pills I take is for my high blood pressure. When I smoke I feel so relax and for some reason I can feel everybody vibe. It sounds weird but I do. It lets me know on what I need to do and things...
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...Legalizing Marijuana: The ethical issue and problem Dorcas Rivera SOC 120 Introduction to Ethics & Social Responsibility Instructor: Robert Gala September 23, 2013 Legalizing Marijuana: The ethical issue and problem Marijuana is the most commonly abused drug. Therefore, legalizing marijuana, not only now, but for many years, has been the topic on rather or not it should be legalized. Even though marijuana has been legalized for medical use in 18 U.S. states, this has caused big controversy in our country and the ethical issue and problems it presents. In this article I will explain; what is marijuana, the risk of marijuana use, the effects of marijuana (in the brain and body), and the pros and cons of legalizing it. I will also explain how one of the classical theories, utilitarianism, would resolve the problem. On the other hand, I will contrast the response with the perspective brought to the issue by, ethical egoism. Lastly, will ended off choosing which of the two are closer to my view. Marijuana is a green, brown, or gray mixture of dried, shredded leaves, stems, seeds, and flowers of the hemp plant. You may hear marijuana called by street names such as pot, herb, weed, grass, boom, Mary Jane, gangster, or chronic. All forms of marijuana are mind-altering. In other words, they change how the brain works. They all contain THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol), the main active chemical in marijuana. They also contain more than 400 other chemicals. Marijuana's...
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...Marijuana plays a significant role in America’s population today. According to Ed Rosenthal and Steve Kubby, approximately one third of the United States population uses marijuana or have tried it before. Marijuana also known as weed and cannabis should be legalized in the United States to decrease crime rate, increase job opportunities and increase economical growth. There are many benefits to legalizing marijuana. Legalizing marijuana can decrease the overall crime rate in America. Legalizing marijuana will put less people in prison for possession of the substance. This is helpful to overcrowded prisons because it would open up more cells for criminals with more serious offenses like rape, murder, and robbery. Legalizing marijuana would also force marijuana dealers off the street. Also, allowing police officers to focus on investigating and arresting criminals with serious offenses. According to Sallie Dawson, marijuana was studied and proven to relieve anxiety and depression. Marijuana shows no sign of lung cancer as cigarettes do. It was proven that a person that smoked cigarettes and marijuana is less likely to be diagnosed with lung cancer than one that smokes cigarettes only. It also helps people suffering from aids, cancer, epilepsy and chronic pain. Marijuana does so because it relaxes the body it gives relief from nausea and increases appetite. Marijuana reduces muscle spasms and relief from chronic pain. Since marijuana helps the American people and not...
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...Legalizing marijuana has been one of the most debated topics for a long time now. Across with any other topic, there are pros and cons to the situation. The Presidential election wasn't the only vote in 2016; several states also voted on the fate of marijuana laws. Walking in Colorado and Washington shoes, California, Nevada, Massachusetts and Maine have decided to make marijuana consumption legal for recreational purposes. On the other hand, Florida, Arkansas and North Dakota voted to allow medical marijuana, and Arizona defeated that move. When talking about the legalizing marijuana, more people are talking about it for recreational purposes. Legalizing Marijuana “More than half of US adults, over 128 million people, have tried marijuana,...
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...Running head: LEGALIZING MARIJUANA 1 Legalizing marijuana and why Americans oppose and support idea Melvin S. Walls SS3150 8/19/15 ITT Technical Institute LEGALIZING MARIJUNA 2 Legalizing marijuana and why Americans oppose and support idea In my beginning research into this delicate and controversial topic I found out that Americans and our government are undecided about legalizing marijuana. Some people oppose the idea, while the rest approve the idea of legalization. I think we as a people need to stop, look, and listen and do what is best for our country, our states, and the people that reside within. There are many pros and many cons to making marijuana legal. Here are some breakdowns on both sides of this topic. One of the most important popular topics is the use of medical marijuana to treat patients for various medical conditions. There are over 7 uses for medical marijuana and that number can dramatically increase if marijuana is to become legalize, so that more medical research and studies can continue. Some uses...
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...even though it’s illegal. Though its not something anyone could ever understand, why do these people go against the law and jeopardize their life just to use drugs? The drug that I am talking in this essay about is marijuana, and it may be surprising to some but it is all around us. Marijuana is even being referred to in today’s media. The way that they are doing this is through the mainstream media sources that people prefer; like music, movies, and TV shows. Now being a 20 year old adult and having my own personal experience with Marijuana and knowing its effects on others, and myself. I always ask why it’s not legal. Why is it that this drug has become illegal all over the world, but they allow cigarettes, alcohol, and prescription medication. The war to legalize marijuana in the United States of America has been and is now being fought nonstop since the existence of the drug itself. Marijuana has been tested and proven to have a very positive impact on the American society for multiple reasons. Some of these reasons are for America’s economy, the health of certain people, and even crime. These reasons could very well help America turn around its national debt and help thrive the country in the future. This naturally grown plant known as marijuana is known all around the world. This plant is known to be a herbal medicine that gives users a “high” and is legal in a lot of countries in the world, but also illegal in a lot of...
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...Legalizing Marijuana There are many reasons to use marijuana and there are just as many reasons to not use marijuana. The usage of marijuana can be both helpful and harmful. Now the general populace will go pro legalizing marijuana. However little does society know that as soon as marijuana is legalized it will be taxable and eventually will become like alcohol and similar products. Similar to alcohol it will eventually become legal and with many amenities in the sense it will come with conditions. So in terms of legalizing marijuana it will be beneficial to society due to the fact it will become taxable, it will come with conditions, and that the war on illegal drugs will be one drug less. There consist many conditions that come with formerly illegal inhibitors. For example alcohol was an illegal substance and the way it was abused when it was outlawed drastically changed from the way it is abused now. To elaborate now that alcohol is legal, there are conditions such as the drinking age and the tax that comes with purchasing it. As such many individuals in society drink themselves to poverty. The same predicament can occur with marijuana which will obviously lessen its usage. Another factor is that with it becoming a government regulated substance majority of society will be shackled to the government by more than a medical marijuana card, which addicts tend to use to abuse the marijuana supplied. “Already earning California about $14 billion a year, it has been estimated...
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...August 17,2014 PHI 105 Legalizing Marijuana In the last few year’s marijuana has been a major topic in the media. There is a huge debate on whether or not marijuana should be legalized and how it would all play out if it were to be legalized. Some think marijuana should be legal while other seem to disagree, however, when you look at the benefits behind legalizing it, there is no reason for it not to be. Marijuana should be legalized as it provides benefits for the critically ill, taxation on the legalization product can increase revenue, and the legalization of marijuana can allow it to then be regulated and/or its legalization can reduce criminal activity associated with marijuana (such as smuggling, dealing, using, etc.) For many years, marijuana has helped aid the pain of critically ill patients across America. Health and comfort should be what the government is concerned with. Marijuana can help people in their everyday life like simply relaxing. Marijuana is used for more than just recreational purposes such as treating pain, reducing nausea, and increasing one’s appetite. “Worldwide studies have shown it to be useful for treating pain, reducing nausea and increasing appetite, among a growing list of other things” (Vorenberg. S). When not abused, marijuana’s symptoms are mild and not often people are uncontrollable. While legalizing marijuana cannot only benefit the critically ill, it can help out our government and increase its revenue. Marijuana is tough on our justice...
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...In 1996, medical marijuana became legal in California, which inspired Richard Lee to open businesses associated with the usage of marijuana. Lee was a medical marijuana provider and activist with a dream to legalize marijuana; as a result, he created Proposition 19 in 2010 by using his own funding to the sum of $1.45 million. The creation of Proposition 19 was to legalize marijuana in California through regulation and taxation. In essence, passing of the bill would legally allow individuals that are 21 or older the ability to harvest and use marijuana. However, Proposition 19 would only grant legal rights related with marijuana under the state of California and not under federal law. As a result, federal law must still firmly enforce drug laws against harvesters and distributors of marijuana in California. Although Proposition 19 was unable to pass in 2010, Lee ensures that effort to pass this bill will never stop. Proposition 19 protesters argue that legalizing marijuana creates abuse among adolescents. In the article “Why We Should Not Legalize Marijuana”, Dr. Robert L. DuPont stated, “Marijuana is the most commonly abused illegal drug in the U.S. and around the world.” The United States Drug enforcement Agency has classified marijuana as a drug that has an extreme potential for abuse. They categorized marijuana as a schedule I drug which is under the same category as cocaine, heroin and morphine. Parents fear that the legalization of marijuana enables easier access...
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...Vincent Piccoli Professor Melville EN 112 25 November 2014 The Legalization of Marijuana The legalization of Marijuana has gradually become one of the most talked about topics in the world today. It has been a fight between the government, the states, and the citizens of any country/countries around the world. From 12 percent in 1969, to 25 percent in 1995, to 36 percent by 2005 and hitting 48 percent in 2012, the demographic shift on this issue has been stunning. (Heuvel, Kartina Vanden) There are 23 states in the United States with some form of marijuana legalization. Whether it be the legalization of marijuana medically or recreationally, or some both. Legalizing marijuana has some very big advantages along with the pros and cons already. For most states, legalizing marijuana will benefit the economy greatly, marijuana is more harmless than many other drugs such as alcohol, tobacco, cocaine. There always is that chance it does not benefit the economy but the percentage of marijuana users throughout the world is increasing every year. (Heuval, Kartina Vanden) With all of this comes responsibility and with the right determination and structure, Marijuana should be legalized but with regulations. One positive effect the legalization of marijuana will have on society is the medical aspect of marijuana. So many people need and use medical marijuana to help treat themselves and take care of themselves. For some it is their only cure and for some it is more like...
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...Legalizing Marijuana Kendall Joseph James York Sociology 120 September 18, 2011 Introduction In recent years there has definitely been an extremely unprecedented interest about whether or not marijuana along with its constituent compounds should be allowed to be used as medicine. There have been eight states since 1996 that have approved the medical use of marijuana. Although there are some people who simply dismiss the idea of medical marijuana as a subterfuge enabling liberalization, which they are afraid that there is a small chance that it will spread the plague of drug abuse. Having marijuana legalized could legitimate the drug as both safe and effective . Marijuana's industrial, medical, and recreational uses has definitely played an important role in regards to increasing its fame, there are even some presidential candidates that have even acknowledged the fact that they have even smoked marijuana before. Marijuana is an extremely safe drug simply because of its primary active ingredients THC along with other cannabinoids produce psychoactive effects and there is no fatal dose at all. However, there are other psychoactive drugs like alcohol, opiates, nicotine, and caffeine that can have fatal overdoses. This is why marijuana in its natural form is one of the safest, therapeutically active substance that is known to mankind. Although, there are some people who may feel morally violated in regards to legalizing marijuana and doing drugs may be a victimless...
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...The Legalization of Marijuana Marijuana, also known as Cannabis, is a psychoactive drug for medicinal purposes. The English term marijuana originates from the Mexican Spanish work marihuana. According to the United Nations, marijuana is the most widely used illicit substance in the world. In modern times, marijuana has been used for such cases like recreational, religious, spiritual and medicinal purposes. However, most of today’s people use marijuana for own self-satisfaction and psychoactive purposes. The United Nation estimated that in 2004, around 4 percent of the world’s adult population, which is 162 million people, used marijuana annually and around 0.6 percent used it daily. Due to its psychoactive effect, marijuana is currently recognized as illegal drug in most cases. Right now, it is only used for medical purposes and is legal in few places. However, there have been continuous debates going on about legalizing the marijuana. Although most politicians disagree with legalizing it, there is increase in number who agrees on legalizing marijuana for many purposes. I, too, agree on legalizing marijuana because it will solve many problems. Current Obama administration is on stress about medical marijuana laws. Ethan Nadelmann pointed out that state medical marijuana laws do not make “any sense in terms of public safety, health or fiscal policy”. (Franklin) When marijuana is used for medical purpose, there are over 70 percent of voters who support. However, recently, those...
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...Legalization of Marijuana In today’s society what is accepted in different American cultures as far as drugs are on a thin line of what people accept. The Gore Vidal was published on September twenty-six nineteen seventy, so the discussion on marijuana has been talked about over forty-four years now. It is about time that the American society accepts legalization of marijuana. Many Americans do not see anything wrong with a doctor prescribing them “legal drugs.” People think of marijuana in a negative ways because they are against the law. Many people don’t realize that there are many things that are legal that are a lot worse than marijuana things like prescription drugs, alcohol, and even in some instances cough medicine, but none of these are illegal why is that? When in all reality can we really put a difference on which is okay in today’s society. In the article that Gore Vidal wrote, he believes that our society should legalize marijuana. In comparison to Gore Vidal an article on the website called the Huffington post they also think that there are good reasons to legalizing marijuana and also some negative stand points. America has been fighting to legalize marijuana for nearly forty-four years now. Recreational marijuana is for sale in Colorado, one of the few states that have actually gone through with legalizing it in the United States. There is a Huffington Post article about the legalization of marijuana in Colorado and the effects of it. Amendment 64 is the...
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...Legalizing Marijuana Thomas Hendricks SOC120: Introduction to Ethics & Social Responsibility Instructor: Wendell Johnson 11/18/13 Introduction The legalization of Marijuana has long been a debate and will no doubt continue. While it has its supporters it also has opposition against legalizing it. This paper will look at the argument for legalization and the argument against legalizing it. It will also look at Marijuana use for medical purposes and how that too affects the arguments on both sides. There has been a long debate to legalize marijuana for many years. It now appears that many Americans are favoring legalizing Marijuana and this may have gotten a boost from accepted medical use in some states. Many states allow the use of medical marijuana for cancer patients, multiple sclerosis patients and as Dr. Sanjay Gupta who worked on a documentary called “Weed” for CNN stated the case for medical use of marijuana when he answered a viewer question on his change in opinion of medical use marijuana “Take neuropathy, a severe nerve pain that's often treated with narcotic pain relievers. Yet marijuana has proven to be effective, with few side effects. Every 19 minutes, someone in the United States dies from a prescription drug overdose, usually narcotics. I couldn't find one documented fatality from a marijuana overdose. Marijuana can also ease nausea from chemotherapy treatments, tremors, and epilepsy. Still, I'm very concerned about young people using pot recreationally;...
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...According to “Marijuana: The Facts,” www.usdoj.gov, 2001. Mary and E. Williams reported in her article “Marijuana Is Harmful” she states that marijuana is harmful and addicting, the drug also has many short and long term effects like memory loss, anxiety weakened immune system and an increased risk of cancer respiratory diseases, and heart problems. Marijuana smokers are also more likely to do other illegal drugs. Smoking marijuana can also add to already serious ailments and is not recommended for medical reasons. The underlying problem with the fight to legalize marijuana is that it will lead to legalizing other illegal drugs. (Williams, 2003, para.1) Clarence Page states in the article “The Harmful Effects of Marijuana Use Are Exaggerated.” that marijuana is not any more dangerous than tobacco, alcohol or prescription drugs. He also argues that Marijuana safer than some of these other drugs because no one has ever died from a marijuana overdose. He also asserts that it helps relieve pain and nausea so doctors should be able to prescribe it. Clarence Page also believes that legalizing marijuana would help put an end to violent street gangs. (Page, 2005, para.1) According to “Marijuana Is Harmful” From 1993 to 2000, emergency rooms have seen triple the number of cases involving marijuana. Another thing to think about when discussing the topic of marijuana is that one hour after smoking it can increase the chance of a heart attack by five times. Clarence Page argues...
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