Marijuana
Cheema 1
Farhan Afzal Cheema
2015-11-0079
Rabia Nafees Shah
SS 100 Writing and Communication
4 January 2012
Should Marijuana be legalized in the United States of America?
Marijuana “is a greenish-gray mixture of the dried, shredded leaves, stems, seeds, and flowers of Cannabis sativa- the hemp plant” (NIDA “What is Marijuana?”). It is the most widely used illegal drug in America according to the 2008 National Survey on Drug Use and Health and was the only drug used by more than half of all drug users (NIDA “What is Marijuana?”). Marijuana is most commonly smoked in the form of hand rolled cigarettes called joints and otherwise through pipes and cigars although a small amount of users use it to brew tea and add it to food (NIDA “What is Marijuana?”). Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the main ingredient in marijuana and is responsible for its effects. When marijuana is smoked the effects of THC begin almost immediately and it passes through the lungs to the bloodstream and then to the organs in the body (NIDA “What is Marijuana?”). In recent years marijuana has become a more accepted part of American culture and there is generally more open-mindedness towards marijuana. Recently a survey conducted among voters in Massachusetts showed that 58% of those surveyed were of the opinion that Marijuana should be legalized for recreational use for adults (Lyons). Although it is feared that it may be addictive, marijuana should be legalized in America because it will lead to economic benefits, homogeneity in the treatment of similar drugs, advantages for law enforcement relating to drug control, control over the drug and its users, an increase in the exercise of free will and an increase in the medical use of marijuana. Cheema 2
It is feared that marijuana may be addictive. There is a large amount of evidence that suggests that people who use marijuana have a high tendency to get addicted to it. The National Institute on Drug Abuse, NIDA, states that 9%
Farhan Afzal Cheema
2015-11-0079
Rabia Nafees Shah
SS 100 Writing and Communication
4 January 2012
Should Marijuana be legalized in the United States of America?
Marijuana “is a greenish-gray mixture of the dried, shredded leaves, stems, seeds, and flowers of Cannabis sativa- the hemp plant” (NIDA “What is Marijuana?”). It is the most widely used illegal drug in America according to the 2008 National Survey on Drug Use and Health and was the only drug used by more than half of all drug users (NIDA “What is Marijuana?”). Marijuana is most commonly smoked in the form of hand rolled cigarettes called joints and otherwise through pipes and cigars although a small amount of users use it to brew tea and add it to food (NIDA “What is Marijuana?”). Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the main ingredient in marijuana and is responsible for its effects. When marijuana is smoked the effects of THC begin almost immediately and it passes through the lungs to the bloodstream and then to the organs in the body (NIDA “What is Marijuana?”). In recent years marijuana has become a more accepted part of American culture and there is generally more open-mindedness towards marijuana. Recently a survey conducted among voters in Massachusetts showed that 58% of those surveyed were of the opinion that Marijuana should be legalized for recreational use for adults (Lyons). Although it is feared that it may be addictive, marijuana should be legalized in America because it will lead to economic benefits, homogeneity in the treatment of similar drugs, advantages for law enforcement relating to drug control, control over the drug and its users, an increase in the exercise of free will and an increase in the medical use of marijuana. Cheema 2
It is feared that marijuana may be addictive. There is a large amount of evidence that suggests that people who use marijuana have a high tendency to get addicted to it. The National Institute on Drug Abuse, NIDA, states that 9%
Cited: Market.” The American Journal of Economics and Sociology. 53.4 (1994): 475-490. JSTOR. Web. 5 Jan 2012. Necessity.” Journal of Public Health Policy. 21.1 (2000): 40-60. JSTOR. Web. 5 Jan. 2012. 15 Dec 2011. Web. 5 Jan. 2012 <http://blogs.bostonmagazine.com/boston_daily/2011/12/15/massachusetts-voters Institutes of Health. N.d. Web. 5 Jan. 2012. Institutes of Health. N.d. Web. 5 Jan. 2012. (1997): 722-728. JSTOR. Web. 5 Jan. 2012. Marijuana?” Get Smart About Drugs. N.p. N.d. Web. 5 Jan. 2012.