Preview

Legalization of Marijuana

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
817 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Legalization of Marijuana
Legalization of Marijuana

Marijuana, when a person hears this term the first thing that comes into the mind is that it's a drug which is illegal. Many people believe that the only use of marijuana plant is that it can get you high, which isn't true. The Marijuana, cannabis, or hemp plant is one of the oldest psychoactive plants known to humanity. Its history dates back as far as 6000 B.C., when cannabis seeds were used as food in early Chinese traditions. People have used the hemp plant for fabric, ropes and even ethanol fuel. The perception of marijuana in today's society is that marijuana is an illegal drug that leads to increase in crime rate.
According to the Whitehouse "Trafficking in illicit drugs tends to be associated with the commission of violent crimes". Many people fail to realize that marijuana has a history of more than 8000 years and it has only been illegal for a short period of time. False myths have discredited marijuana for a long time, marijuana not only provides benefits in the field of medicine but it can also help our economy improve and save billions of tax dollars.
Among many myths, one of the very popular ones is that marijuana damages your brain. Although marijuana stimulates the brain cells "it does not produce toxins that kill them like alcohol, and it does not wear them out as other drugs may" (Levine). Yet many people have believed that marijuana will destroy their brain cells due to the anti drug advertisements and the knowledge of society. Because of the false information passed among society marijuana is considered to be a dangerous and evil symbol in our society.
Another common myth regarded with marijuana is that it is considered to be a gateway drug. This theory states that the use of marijuana will lead to the usage of harder drugs like cocaine and heroin. This statement isn't true because according to Joshua Levine "when the Dutch partially legalized marijuana in the 70's, heroin and cocaine use substantially declined".

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    PCN 527 Final Exam 112011

    • 516 Words
    • 2 Pages

    The drug Marijuana has been widely used for many years. This illegal drug has caused much controversy over being legalized. It is the third most popular abused substance worldwide. Heavy users of this drug often argue that alcohol, which is legal and more dangerous than Cannabis. People see marijuana as a gateway drug. Teens who often start with marijuana often times become users of a more addictive and dangerous drug. The use of marijuana causes many health issues such as lung cancer, loss of brain cells, impaired motor ability, blood vessel blockage and many other problems. “Children ages 12-17 are 85 times more likely to use cocaine Marijuana has also been linked with teen violence, suicide, crime and unsafe sex-HIV transmission” (http://marijuanatoday.com/cons.php).…

    • 516 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    For many years in the past, marijuana has been made to look like a dangerous drug, linked to crime and addiction. In the early 1920s and ‘30s most people still did not know what marijuana was or had even heard of it yet. Those who had heard of it were largely uninformed. The drug rarely appeared in the media, but when it did it was linked to crime and even thought to be murder-inducing. A 1929 article in the Denver Post reported a Mexican-American man who murdered his stepdaughter was a marijuana addict (Baird 2011). Articles such as this began to form a long-standing link between marijuana and crime in the public’s mind. Soon, laws against marijuana began coming into place. In 1970, Congress classified marijuana as a Schedule I drug, meaning it had no medical utility.…

    • 2054 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    In Weed We Trust

    • 1669 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Marijuana is a gateway drug, or so they say. The legalization of marijuana is a common topic talked about in today’s politics, and it should be. People have gone back and forth on the pros and cons this decision could have. The fact of the matter is though, that the pros seem to outweigh the cons drastically.…

    • 1669 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    “Marijuana is an addictive gateway drug” (Drug Policy Alliance Network, 2009). There is no good reason to use it, and it does nothing but ruin lives. These statements are frequently made by people who oppose the use of marijuana for medicinal reasons. Unfortunately, these statements are false. Medical breakthroughs would never be a reality if different risks were not taken. For example, long ago radiation was something that everyone was afraid of, but because a risk was taken, cancer patients now have hope of recovery. Someone somewhere believed that just maybe radiation would work, and it did. Marijuana deserves the same opportunity. Many studies have proven that marijuana does have significant medical benefits. There is no proof that marijuana is physically addictive, and furthermore, it is not physically possible to overdose from marijuana consumption (WAMM Organization, 2008). Despite these facts, over the years society has developed a very negative view of marijuana when in reality this drug has far more benefits than negative attributes.…

    • 2050 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Better Essays

    Legalization of Marijuana

    • 1557 Words
    • 7 Pages

    The topic of legalizing marijuana has been a topic of controversy for quite some time now not only throughout our local streets, but throughout the local and into the state government. The legalization of marijuana is such a controversial topic because some are for it and some are against it. People are for the legalization because of the great uses it has towards medicine, the money that could come from the taxation of legalized marijuana, and the emptying of prisons because of the releases of marijuana offenses. The list could go on and on. Other people are against the legalization because it is considered a “gateway drug”, or because the legalization of marijuana would eventually lead to the legalization of harder drugs such as heroine or cocaine. Despite the negative comments about the drug, marijuana should be legalized because it would give the U.S. a huge amount of money from the taxation and regulation of the drug, its uses would greatly impact our health throughout the medical field and throughout our own well being, and would help our fight with the war on drugs and our overcrowded prisons.…

    • 1557 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Better Essays

    Medicinal Marijuana

    • 1076 Words
    • 5 Pages

    The vast majority of people who are opposed to Marijuana have no idea what it is and they have no desire to learn about it. A common idea by most is that Cannabis kills your brain cells if you are a consistent user of the herb. That idea was based off of the Dr. Heath/Tulane study in 1974. In the study, they pumped sixty three Columbian joints through a gasmask into monkeys over a five minute period for three months, without any additional air in the mask. They concluded that the herb kills your brain cells. They actually suffocated the monkeys, when your brain isn’t getting oxygen, your brain cells die.(“The Union.” Youtube.com) Majority of Americans continued to believe this crooked study. There is a new study being done that is showing…

    • 1076 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Legalization of Marijuana

    • 3597 Words
    • 15 Pages

    Several topics in modern day society cause controversy, but one topic that out ranks them all is the legalization of marijuana. The main argument is whether not marijuana should be treated the same as already legalized drugs, such as tobacco and alcohol. Many Americans use marijuana illegally; the people using the drug range from the age of teens to even adults in their eighties. Marijuana is considered by most, especially in legal terms, as a dangerous drug. Although the drug is seen as such, many still continue to use it and argue it should be legalized for several reasons. Both citizens and government officials alike debate this topic. To successfully develop and argument for the legalization of marijuana the topic must be defined, the history of the topic must be unveiled, an argument must be made, and a good solution should be proposed. Yes, both sides of the argument both have well supported positions, but marijuana should be legalized by the United States government because the facts supporting legalization far outweigh the arguments keeping the drug as it is.…

    • 3597 Words
    • 15 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Legalization of Marijuana

    • 2091 Words
    • 9 Pages

    One of the most controversial debates in our time has been the legalization of marijuana. Legalizing marijuana in the United States can promote utilitarianism for the greater good. Political parties have argued various pros and cons of legalizing marijuana in the United States. I believe that by legalizing marijuana you can actually produce the best results, thus affecting the greatest number of people. Legalizing marijuana would allow the government to control the substance, just as they control tobacco and alcohol. If the government controls the retail market of marijuana use and the distribution it can dictate the negative outcomes that are a direct result from keeping marijuana illegal. Legalizing marijuana has many benefits; however there are four of them that can dramatically affect our country for the better. They are as follows; increased tax and private market economic growth, reduced crime, medical advancements, and safer drug use. These four categories can improve the lives of our citizens for the greater good.…

    • 2091 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Marijuana Legalization

    • 917 Words
    • 4 Pages

    In the 21st century, marijuana is illegal in the U.S. ostensibly due to moral and public health reasons, and because of continuing concern over violence and crime associated with production and distribution of the drug. (White, 2013)…

    • 917 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Legalization of Marijuana

    • 871 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Groups that advocate against the legalization of marijuana center their argument on several major points; legalization may increase the number of people using it and more criminals are on the streets. Moreover, it has been implied to be a gateway drug to more illicit drugs. A quote from President Barrack Obama states:…

    • 871 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    People tend to think marijuana is a gateway drug. As you continue to smoke you begin to build up a tolerance. Some users can be abusive & want a heavier high during come down. Alcohol & tobacco are also known as gateway uses. 99.9 of cocaine users began by first using a “gateway drug” like marijuana, cigarettes, and/alcohol says drugfreeworld.org. Marijuana itself doesn't lead people to other drugs.…

    • 459 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Legalizing marijuana in the United States has become an extremely controversial topic despite the positive effects it could cause throughout this country. In the eyes of many, people are scared to legalize marijuana due to the fact that it is considered a drug. Let me state that unlike other drugs that are in the United States, marijuana includes no accidents or deaths to a human body by consuming the drug since its history with us. When people hear the word “drug”, they automatically assume that it is something that has a negative effect to one’s self. The word drug is defined as “a medicine or other substance which has a physiological effect when ingested or otherwise introduced into the body”. With that being said, you can experience a physiological…

    • 1977 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Marijuana

    • 625 Words
    • 3 Pages

    When most people hear marijuana, they automatically think gateway drug. The gateway theory is the theory that the use of less deleterious drugs may lead to a future risk of using more dangerous hard drugs. Scientific research has found that more than 100 million Americans have tried marijuana. There is an estimate of 14.4 million Americans to be past month users. Yet there are only an estimated 2,075,000 past month users of cocaine and 153,000 past month users of heroin. The fact that most people get marijuana from people who have more harmful drugs like cocaine and heroin, if the government legalized marijuana people would not be persuade to try other drugs and less likely to get a hold of them.…

    • 625 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Marijuana Controversy

    • 674 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Marijuana is not being looked at as a harmful illegal drug, rather it is beginning to be looked at as helpful. Since the first state legalized cannabis, the rise in usage has gone up drastically. A major reason to this growth in usage…

    • 674 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Marijuana Myths

    • 659 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Marijuana has many positive and negative effects on the body. Marijuana Myths have been harmful to society by attracting people to the drug. Myths about the marijuana not being harmful have caused people to use the dug without the effects on the body. Myths are generated by popular culture to give people false ideas about the drug (National Drug Conference 8-9).…

    • 659 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays