Mr. Murphy
English 10
23 May 2012
Legalizing Marijuana Regulating and licensing the growth of marijuana in the United States will create new revenue and jobs for the farming industry. Legitimizing marijuana will generate hundred of millions of dollars for state and local governments. While providing a safer relief from suffering, the legalization of marijuana in the United States will also generate new business opportunities, create new jobs and save billions by not fighting the war on drugs.
Smoke it, eat in, chew it or brew it - Cannabis sativa. Grown almost anywhere, Marijuana is obtained from this tall annual hemp plant. Its leaves resemble an open palm with five to seven leaflets. The leaves are sticky with resin and each plant is male or female. For the relief of headaches, menstrual cramps and toothaches THC, tetrahydrocannabinol, relieves symptoms of illness. During the 1920’s and prohibition the use of marijuana grew and continued to grow daily. In 1937, 46 states banned the use of marijuana (“Marijuana”). From the Spanish names Maria and Juana (Mary and Jane) marijuana has many names. Mary Jane, pot, grass and herb are just a few. Currently, thirteen states have legalized marijuana for medical purposes (“Marijuana”).
Marijuana reduces symptoms of appetite loss, depression, pain, spasticity, drooling and weakness. Marijuana is far safer than many painkillers which doctors can already prescribe legally and unlike marijuana, many prescribed drugs carry ferocious side effects (“Marijuana”). Sixteen states currently have some form of legal marijuana laws in place. Recent polls show 74% of Americans approve of medical marijuana use, and 50% of Americans approve of its use without medical restrictions, and yet it’s use has been prohibited by the federal government for decades. As history proves, prohibition is a breeding ground for serious criminal activity. Prohibition is not the answer. Being educated on the facts
Cited: Barbour, Scott. Should Marijuana Be Legalized. San Diego: ReferencePointPress, 2011. Print. Barbour Scott a author for ReferencePointPress discusses the legalization of marijuana.Barbour Scott book is short but seems to touch each valid point to the legalization of marijuana. It seems really target the readers of marijuana enthuses .This article was ok but could have had more detail on the subject. Lacter, Mark. “Joint Venture.” Los Angeleses Magazine 1 Apr. 2011: 4. eBooks on EBSCOhost. Web. 27 Apr. 2012. <http://web.ebscohost.com>. Mark Lacter a journalist for Los Angele’s Magazine,discusses the legalization of marijuana and all the pros and cons for it.Mark Lacters article is long and seems to touch each valid point to the legalization of marijuana and the other side of the argument to the readers of the Los Angele’s Magazine. This article helped my thesis and helped me really understand my subject more. “Marijuana.” Encyclopedia o Science. Gale Student Resources in Context, 2007. 3. Student Resources in Context. Web. 3 Apr. 2012. <http://ic.galegroup.com>. Marijuana a article in Encyclopedia o Science discusses marijuana and everything to know about Marijuana.This article is long and seems to really tell me alot of key fact on the topic.It really is helpful for anyone that wants to know about Marijuana. .This article is very informative and hits key factors in my essay. “Just Saying ‘No’ to the Sick and Suffering.” Washington Monthly 1 Oct. 1995: 3. eBooks on EBSCOhost. Web. 4 Apr. 2012. <http://web.ebscohost.com>. SJW is a journalist for eBooks on EBSCOhost,this discuses all the helth benifits for the drug and how close we are to legilizing it.SJW article is long and seems to touch each valid point to the legalization of marijuana and targets the readers of eBooks on EBSCOhost..This article hit all the ideas I had for my essay. Warnke, Ersun. “Economic Benefits of Medical Marijuana reform in Oregon.” Salem-News 10 Mar. 2010: 5. Salem-news.com. Web. 14 May 2012. <http://warncke@comcast.net>. Ersun Warnke is a writer for Salem newspaper, he discuses in his article how much safer and more effective marijuana is than other legal drugs. Ersun Warnkes article is long but gives a lot of information about the good marijuana can do for the world/USA. This article targets the newspaper readers very well and touches a lot of key points about the matter at hand. This article wasn’t the best article but it did pocus on one of my main points in my essay.