Use Of Marijuana example essay topic

The controversy of whether or not marijuana should or should not be legalized started in 1996 when California passed Proposition 215. The proposition made marijuana medically available in california. Although not an permanent solution, it does provide a defense in criminal cases. If marijuana were to be legalized throughout the United States, would it be of more harm or help to the patient Both sides of the argument have very strong cases for what they believe. ON the anti-legalizatoin side ther are concerns of he lath and mental risk, the problem of marijuana being a stepping stone drug, and risk that the use of marijuana excites violence. While advocates of marijuana believe it is a more effective drug, it is more cost efficient, and the worry of once it is legalized how will it be obtained.

Both of the sides to the argument will be presented and supported fairly and in an unbiased manner. First a brief description of what marijuana is, its past uses, and what it has become will be presented. Marijuana is a psychoactive or mind altering drug obtained by processing the hemp plant. THere are three types of the plant which include, Cannibals sativa, indica and rudualis. (Sussman 2) In the 1600's hemp was a major product used in teh manufacturing of many things, and it did not bef in its recreatoinla use until the 1900's when it was brough from Mexico to replace alcohol. (Sussman 1) Now I will begin to present the arguments brought forth by those opposing the legalization of marijuana.

In the battle against the legalization of marijuana the major arguement is the adverse effects of marijuana on both the mind and the body. THe most well known damage done to the body is lung cancer. When compared to a normal tobacco cigeratte a joint contains five times as much carbon monoxide four times teh amount of tar, and it does ten times as much damage to the lining of your respiratory system. (Sussman 3) ONe would think why would you wnat to do this to your lungs It is because tetrahydrocanninol or THC, the strongest psychoactive part of marijuana relaxes and takes away your pain very quickly and effectively. Another physical risk is that you immune system will not be as effective when using marijuana. (Sussman 3) WHich is a very g d point.

You are a ill person and you want to get better. Would you wnat to take something that would shut down the very thing that is fighting your disease. It is a complete contradiction as to what you ate trying to accomplish. Another major problem found with the use of marijuana is it can cause problems in the mind. Use can cause confusion, disorientation, and hallucinations. (Sussman 3) There are also other mental problems created by the use of marijuana.

We hn reporting of the mental effects users have stated they cann't stop using the drug, loss of self confidence and memory, family and financial problems, and withdrawl symptoms. (Sussman 6) A physiological effect also know in the fight is that marijuana has benn studied as a stepping stone drug. Approximately sixty percent of adult users use other drugs. While it is not clear how one effects the other it is believed that are pleasurable drug supports the use of other drugs. (Sussman 4) This is an effect that would cause many more problems for those who are fighting to stop the spread of drug use. The final arguement I will Discuss im marijuana link to violence.

Many early studies said that marijuana was not linked to violence, but recent studies show quite the op postie. Twenty-seven percent of murderers had smoked marijuana twenty-four hours before c omitting the crime and twenty-five percent say that marijuana was related to the come. (Sussman 9) Violence ahs also occured in order to obtain the drug. They include the crimes of theft and drug dealing. (Sussman 9) These have been just a few of the man arguements t keep marijuana illegal. While ther are many good arguements to keep marijuana illegal, ther are also very many to help legalize it.

Ther are many advocates in the fight to legalize marijuana. SOme include the Wo / Men's Alliance for Marijuana, Jerome P. Kass ier who is the editor in chief fo the New England Journal Of medicine, and Kevin B. Reese the attorney and president of Common Sense for Drug Policy. Right now marijuana is a Schedule I drug, this means it has no medical value. Advocates wth fro it to be reclassified as a Schedule II drug. An example of a Schedule II drug is morphine. If marijuana were t be reclassified it could prove help hull medically in many ways.

THC has been shown to help patents inm any areas. Its' greatest contribution may be to chemotherapy patients. THC can ward off the effects fo nausea adn vomiting brought on by chemotherapy treatments. (Fackelmann 2) Rhi card Galla, director of the Ochsner Cancer Institute in New Orleans, says that drugs availabe l today offer man cancer patio nets complete freedom form nausea d and vomiting. (Fackelmann 2) On the other hand Kevin Zees e says many patients can't take these drugs that are required to be taken orally. (Fackelmann 2) Pro-marijuana legislators sya tha tinhalatoin delivers a quicker relief which would enable the patient to regualte the amount they recieve.

(Fackelmann 2) Which would be best for the patine t because the could keep the pain away before and still regualte how much they will recieve. The use of marijuana may help in other areas as well. One is Glaucoma, a disorder in which ther is exter me pressure in the eye. One study which took place over a period of twenty-one years showed tha tthe pressure was relieved. (Fackelmann 3) WIth the help of a glaucoma presctiptoin and marijauan the subject was able to ward off the pressure.

(Fackelmann 3) Neither approach worked alone, which is why it make many scientist uneasy to prescribe this treatment. This is a perfect example of why I believe that the government should fund research to help find out why this happens. The more people know then the less they will have to fear. Many people ahve a great fear of ho they will obtain the drug if it were legalized.

When Pr postion 215 was passed the DEA interpreted that law so that only people with prescriptoins an those tha took after them could grow marijuana themselves. It also stared that they couldnt get it from "pot clubs". (Sac camano 1) Which leaves them to deal with drug dealers and exposes them to danger. The cost of marijuana is also a good basis to legalize marijuana. The cost would be twenty to thirty dollars an ounce or thirty cents a cigarette. Zofaran a commonly used drug would cost a patient thirty to fourth dollars a dose almost a hundred it mes as expensive as marijuana.

Grin spoon 4) Thes have been a few of the main arguements presented by marijuana advocates.