Legalizing Marijuana in the Usa
Legalize It In 1972, the US Congress placed marijuana in Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act because they considered it to have "no accepted medical use." Since then, 17 of 50 US states and DC have legalized the medical use of marijuana. Should it or should it not be allowed for medicinal purposes? It has been illegal in general for many, many years now so why would the laws change now, right? With the research done and positive conclusions made, there are so many reasons why the law should be revised. Medically, marijuana has been proven to be much more beneficial and healthier than any kind of pill that a doctor can prescribe and it treats multiple medical conditions. It’s also natural, as in, it’s grown or even organic some may say. However, there are many views opposing the use of marijuana in any way. Most people on the opposing side don’t know about the positive facts and are very quick to draw a negative conclusion about the drug. And there are always morals that most people have that make marijuana just plain wrong. With that being said, there are always two sides to every issue. Medical marijuana has been found to be more beneficial than hazardous. One of the cited advantages of medical marijuana is the fact that it can help manage pain felt by trauma patients, cancer patients and patients experiencing nerve damage. Marijuana has an active chemical-like component called THC, which can act as an analgesic that helps patients relax and deal with the pain. Another benefit that scientists and researchers have learned is that it can help prevent the worsening of Alzheimer’s disease among the elderly. Medical marijuana can also be used for HIV and AIDS patients undergoing treatment by helping them to have an appetite and be able to keep food down. THC in marijuana has also shown positive development when it comes to treating asthma, glaucoma, lung cancer and breast cancer oddly enough. These are just a few of the many advantages that medical
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“Medical Marijuana and the Mind” Harvard Health Publications. Harvard Medical School. April 2010. Web. 21 Feb 2013
United States. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. “Marijuana Used for Medical Purposes” National Institute on Drug Abuse, USA dot gov, July 2012. Web. 21 Feb 2013