Marijuana Paper
Michael Walker
WR 121
8/8/10
Essay #4 Rough
Smoke 101
Marijuana is by far the most commonly used illegal drug in the United States and in most other countries as well. More than 100 million Americans have tried marijuana, and more than twenty million have smoked it in the last year, but does marijuana really affect people and their thinking process, and should pot be legal in the United States. (Armentano Paragraph 3) I believe that marijuana should be legal because people should live life how they want, even though it could lead to harm.
Since marijuana 's first recorded use dating back five thousand years ago, it has never gained much popularity until the last century with prohibition and antiwar movements. Now, more than ever, propositions to legalize the plant have risen and been subject to controversy and heated debate. Marijuana is the most widely used drug in the United States and considered to be the most harmful by the government with its anti-marijuana stance and laws aimed at curtailing its use. With marijuana use rapidly growing, the United States national debt has never been so high, and the search for seemingly 'incurable ' diseases raging on, marijuana has the potential to solve many problems if it were to be legalized.
One of the major concerns of consuming marijuana is that brain damage can occur, as well as memory loss. According to the UCLA School of Medicine “marijuana does not impair long term memory”. (Against - Cons - Anti Marijuana Legalization, Paragraph 2) Weed can cause short term memory loss but only while under the influence, the same can be said for alcohol and many over the counter sleeping medications. Brain damage that does occur is not because of any chemical property in ganja, but because the brain is deprived of oxygen for so long that brain cells are killed. For any self-acclaimed pot smoker that’s an easy fix, just don’t hold your hits in for so long. One of the studies that is referred to the most was performed
WR 121
8/8/10
Essay #4 Rough
Smoke 101
Marijuana is by far the most commonly used illegal drug in the United States and in most other countries as well. More than 100 million Americans have tried marijuana, and more than twenty million have smoked it in the last year, but does marijuana really affect people and their thinking process, and should pot be legal in the United States. (Armentano Paragraph 3) I believe that marijuana should be legal because people should live life how they want, even though it could lead to harm.
Since marijuana 's first recorded use dating back five thousand years ago, it has never gained much popularity until the last century with prohibition and antiwar movements. Now, more than ever, propositions to legalize the plant have risen and been subject to controversy and heated debate. Marijuana is the most widely used drug in the United States and considered to be the most harmful by the government with its anti-marijuana stance and laws aimed at curtailing its use. With marijuana use rapidly growing, the United States national debt has never been so high, and the search for seemingly 'incurable ' diseases raging on, marijuana has the potential to solve many problems if it were to be legalized.
One of the major concerns of consuming marijuana is that brain damage can occur, as well as memory loss. According to the UCLA School of Medicine “marijuana does not impair long term memory”. (Against - Cons - Anti Marijuana Legalization, Paragraph 2) Weed can cause short term memory loss but only while under the influence, the same can be said for alcohol and many over the counter sleeping medications. Brain damage that does occur is not because of any chemical property in ganja, but because the brain is deprived of oxygen for so long that brain cells are killed. For any self-acclaimed pot smoker that’s an easy fix, just don’t hold your hits in for so long. One of the studies that is referred to the most was performed
Cited: Armentano, Paul. "Over 100 Million Americans Have Smoked Marijuana -- And It 's Still Illegal?". NORML. September 10, 2009 <http://www.alternet.org/story/142556/over_100_million_americans_have_smoked_marijuana_--_and_it 's_still_illegal/>. "Against - Cons - Anti Marijuana Legalization". 1stmarijuanagrowerspage.com. http://www.1stmarijuanagrowerspage.com/legalization-of-marijuana-legalization/against-legalization-of-marijuana.html "Drunk Driving Research". The Century Council. <http://www.centurycouncil.org/learn-the-facts/drunk-driving-research>.