Essays
Ashley Tromp
Prof. Forbes
ENC 1101-14B
12 April 2012
Research Paper
The Cannabis Club There has always been controversy pertaining to the legalization of marijuana. People compare and contrast the effects on the human body with alcohol and marijuana and don’t understand why marijuana wouldn’t be legal. At least under the influence of marijuana you’re relatively sane and know how to walk. Regardless of that, I believe marijuana should be legal, you never know what the calmness in this natural plant could do in this chaotic country. Rudolph J. Gerber, the author of Legalizing Marijuana: Drug Policy Reform and Prohibition Politics, points out that,“ although the misuse of over-the-counter medications such as aspirin, acetaminophen, ephedra, and antihistamines each year kills thousands of Americans, pot is one of the few drugs that has yet to cause a fatality” (Tardiff 48-49). We on many occasions do not consider the misuse or overuse of these medications to be unsafe or dangerous, yet they are provided easily, and to most anyone who wants to purchase them. The misuse alone has startling numbers, but when you take into consideration the overuse and attempted suicides using these products, they do not even compare to marijuana suicides, fatalities and addiction - mainly because you simply don’t hear about it. We take for granted the availability of these types of medications because they are sold over-the-counter and to basically anyone, but the staggering numbers of abuse and deaths related to these are alarming and well exceeds any you may find due to marijuana use. The death that is related to marijuana use again is related to the actual illegal activity associated with buying and selling it – if legalized, these numbers would decrease. Unlike prescription drugs and alcohol, marijuana cannot be deadly by overdosing, unlike so many legalized “drugs” that most people do not even consider being drugs. Studies show that 15 million Americans abuse alcohol,
Prof. Forbes
ENC 1101-14B
12 April 2012
Research Paper
The Cannabis Club There has always been controversy pertaining to the legalization of marijuana. People compare and contrast the effects on the human body with alcohol and marijuana and don’t understand why marijuana wouldn’t be legal. At least under the influence of marijuana you’re relatively sane and know how to walk. Regardless of that, I believe marijuana should be legal, you never know what the calmness in this natural plant could do in this chaotic country. Rudolph J. Gerber, the author of Legalizing Marijuana: Drug Policy Reform and Prohibition Politics, points out that,“ although the misuse of over-the-counter medications such as aspirin, acetaminophen, ephedra, and antihistamines each year kills thousands of Americans, pot is one of the few drugs that has yet to cause a fatality” (Tardiff 48-49). We on many occasions do not consider the misuse or overuse of these medications to be unsafe or dangerous, yet they are provided easily, and to most anyone who wants to purchase them. The misuse alone has startling numbers, but when you take into consideration the overuse and attempted suicides using these products, they do not even compare to marijuana suicides, fatalities and addiction - mainly because you simply don’t hear about it. We take for granted the availability of these types of medications because they are sold over-the-counter and to basically anyone, but the staggering numbers of abuse and deaths related to these are alarming and well exceeds any you may find due to marijuana use. The death that is related to marijuana use again is related to the actual illegal activity associated with buying and selling it – if legalized, these numbers would decrease. Unlike prescription drugs and alcohol, marijuana cannot be deadly by overdosing, unlike so many legalized “drugs” that most people do not even consider being drugs. Studies show that 15 million Americans abuse alcohol,
Cited: 1) “Marijuana. InfoFacts. NIDA.” Web. 24 Oct. 2011 2) “Marijuana Law Enforcement Costs More than $7 Billion a Year” Raising Awareness of the Consequences of Prohibition. Web 21 Oct. 2011 3) "Pro 's of Marijuana Legalization - MarijuanaToday.com." Marijuana Today - Pros and Cons of Marijuana Legalization. Web. 12 Oct. 2011. 4) Tardiff, Joseph C. "Safety Comparisons." Marijuana. Detroit: Greenhaven, 2008. 48-49. Print. 5) Williams, Mary E. “Marijuana Prohibition: A Costly Failure.” Marijuana. San Diego, Calif. Greenhaven, 2003. 59. Print.