Bob Marley Benefits Of Legalizing Marijuana
Benefits to Legalizing Marijuana
Reggae artist Bob Marley said, "herb is the unification of mankind". Marley believed that if more people smoked marijuana the nation would come to together, rather than be at war and bringing harm to one another. Bob Marley is just one of the many weed activist, explaining how marijuana actually has not caused as much destruction to this world as the legal drug, alcohol. This essay will go on to display how Bob Marley had the right take on marijuana usage and that if legalized how it would in fact improve the United States in various ways. If legalizing marijuana, can be of use medically and economically, as well as improve public safety. Medical marijuana research gained some serious progression over
the course of 2013, with a number of important studies published that signify the importance of cannabis as a life saving medicine. There has been plenty of evidence for decades that marijuana can kill cancer cells, however, in 2013, “researchers from the University of London discovered that the non-stoner ingredients found in marijuana, specifically cannabidiol, cannabigerol and cannabigevarin, could be used as powerful agents in combating this life-threatening disease” (Adams). Other studies performed in 2013 have shown that marijuana can aid in epilepsy, can help cigarette smokers quit, help with Parkinson’s disease, and may help to make you thinner and less prone to diabetes.
Economically, marijuana is too expensive for the judicial system, thus it should be taxed to support beneficial government programs. Annually, over 750,000 arrests are made in connection to marijuana. These arrests make justice more expensive and less productive in the U.S., wasting jail space, clogging up court systems, and diverting time of police, attorneys, judges, and corrections officials away from more violent crimes. Moreover, taxing marijuana will, “provide needed and generous funding of many important criminal justice and social programs” (Alternet). A study conducted in the U.S. finds that marijuana is unlikely to cause violence. It was found in this study that the legal drug, alcohol, increased physical, psychological, and sexual aggression; whereas, “marijuana use was not significantly associated with any type of aggression” (Shorey, Stuart, McNulty, and Moore 365-368). Thus, marijuana is not a substance like alcohol to cause aggression when consumed, aiding in public safety. Not only does alcohol cause violence is the cause of deaths. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has reported in 2012 that 10,322 people died in drunk driving crashes. As alcohol is posing as a major risk to public safety in terms of drunk driving cases, marijuana has posed as no risk. In conclusion, the pros have outweighed the cons in favor of the legalization of marijuana. As Colorado takes strides to legalizing the drug, it will not be long that other states follow suit and legalize weed. Marijuana is not only an important use in the medical field, but governmentally if legalized the drug can help to save money in the judicial system as weed dealers will not be arrested. It was also found that less people may not choose alcohol as their drug of choice reducing the violence and drunk driving rates.
Works Cited
Adams, Mike. "Medical Marijuana Breakthroughs of 2013." High Times. 31 Dec 2013: n. page. Web. 26 Feb. 2014. .
"The Top Ten Reasons Marijuana Should Be Legal."Alternet. 31 Aug 2007: n. page. Web. 26 Feb. 2014. .
Shorey, Ryan, Gregory Stuart, James McNulty, and Todd Moore. "Acute alcohol use temporarily increases the odds of male perpetrated dating violence: A 90-day diary analysis." Addictive Behaviors. 39.1 (2014): 365-368. Print.
United States of America. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Washington, D.C.: , 2012. Web. .
Reggae artist Bob Marley said, "herb is the unification of mankind". Marley believed that if more people smoked marijuana the nation would come to together, rather than be at war and bringing harm to one another. Bob Marley is just one of the many weed activist, explaining how marijuana actually has not caused as much destruction to this world as the legal drug, alcohol. This essay will go on to display how Bob Marley had the right take on marijuana usage and that if legalized how it would in fact improve the United States in various ways. If legalizing marijuana, can be of use medically and economically, as well as improve public safety. Medical marijuana research gained some serious progression over
the course of 2013, with a number of important studies published that signify the importance of cannabis as a life saving medicine. There has been plenty of evidence for decades that marijuana can kill cancer cells, however, in 2013, “researchers from the University of London discovered that the non-stoner ingredients found in marijuana, specifically cannabidiol, cannabigerol and cannabigevarin, could be used as powerful agents in combating this life-threatening disease” (Adams). Other studies performed in 2013 have shown that marijuana can aid in epilepsy, can help cigarette smokers quit, help with Parkinson’s disease, and may help to make you thinner and less prone to diabetes.
Economically, marijuana is too expensive for the judicial system, thus it should be taxed to support beneficial government programs. Annually, over 750,000 arrests are made in connection to marijuana. These arrests make justice more expensive and less productive in the U.S., wasting jail space, clogging up court systems, and diverting time of police, attorneys, judges, and corrections officials away from more violent crimes. Moreover, taxing marijuana will, “provide needed and generous funding of many important criminal justice and social programs” (Alternet). A study conducted in the U.S. finds that marijuana is unlikely to cause violence. It was found in this study that the legal drug, alcohol, increased physical, psychological, and sexual aggression; whereas, “marijuana use was not significantly associated with any type of aggression” (Shorey, Stuart, McNulty, and Moore 365-368). Thus, marijuana is not a substance like alcohol to cause aggression when consumed, aiding in public safety. Not only does alcohol cause violence is the cause of deaths. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has reported in 2012 that 10,322 people died in drunk driving crashes. As alcohol is posing as a major risk to public safety in terms of drunk driving cases, marijuana has posed as no risk. In conclusion, the pros have outweighed the cons in favor of the legalization of marijuana. As Colorado takes strides to legalizing the drug, it will not be long that other states follow suit and legalize weed. Marijuana is not only an important use in the medical field, but governmentally if legalized the drug can help to save money in the judicial system as weed dealers will not be arrested. It was also found that less people may not choose alcohol as their drug of choice reducing the violence and drunk driving rates.
Works Cited
Adams, Mike. "Medical Marijuana Breakthroughs of 2013." High Times. 31 Dec 2013: n. page. Web. 26 Feb. 2014. .
"The Top Ten Reasons Marijuana Should Be Legal."Alternet. 31 Aug 2007: n. page. Web. 26 Feb. 2014. .
Shorey, Ryan, Gregory Stuart, James McNulty, and Todd Moore. "Acute alcohol use temporarily increases the odds of male perpetrated dating violence: A 90-day diary analysis." Addictive Behaviors. 39.1 (2014): 365-368. Print.
United States of America. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Washington, D.C.: , 2012. Web. .