Should marijuana be legalized? Many Americans have this question roaming through their heads. Marijuana is an illegal drug in the U.S. and many other countries; it comes from dried flowers and leaves of the hemp plant. It has been available since the 1960s, but is 20 times more potent than before. Many youngsters believe that marijuana should be illegalized. However, they fail to know its many long term side effects. In the long run marijuana usage has a very high effect on the person’s body. Also, it’s known for a fact that marijuana has a high rate for addiction. Some people also believe that marijuana is accepted as medical use; however this is not true. In my eyes, marijuana is illegal for extremely powerful reasons, and it should stay that way.
Marijuana usage had a bad effect on one’s body. When people use marijuana they may not know what is happening inside of them. But however, there is a strong negative effect to the whole body. For one thing Marijuana increases heart rate by 20–100 percent shortly after smoking. In one study, it was estimated that those who use marijuana have a four point eight fold increase of a heart attack in just one hour after smoking the drug. Not only does this drug affect the heart, but it also greatly affects the lungs of a person. Many studies have showed that marijuana smoke carcinogens and to be an irritant to the lungs. They also show deregulated growth of epithelial cells in a person’s lung tissue. When people smoke marijuana they don’t understand the pain they put themselves in.
When any one uses marijuana there is a chance of them becoming addicted. In some cases it may be a very low chance but in others there is a high. Usually a person becomes addicted if they cannot control their urges to seek out and use marijuana. Once a person is addicted it affects heir family relationships, school performance, and recreational activities. Some marijuana users develop “tolerance” from its effects; to they tend to use larger amounts to obtain the desired effect that they would gain from using smaller amounts. In conclusion, marijuana is that one drug that should not be legalized.