...INTRODUCTION Cannabis use has always been a topic of controversy both legally and socially. In recent years, there has been a steady move towards ending the prohibition of cannabis. This shift can be seen today in countries such as the Netherlands and Portugal and several states in the US where cannabis has been decriminalised for both medicinal and recreational purposes. On the other hand, many jurisdictions view cannabis as a harmful substance that needs to be controlled under strict laws. Cannabis is derived from the Sativa or hemp plant and has been used for centuries for medicinal and agricultural purposes. The prohibition of cannabis was only brought to the fore as recently as the 1920s. Before then, cannabis was legal and there was...
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...Marijuana Marijuana, also known as cannabis, hash, or weed, is the new trend rising in America. This psychoactive drug has been used for thousands and thousands of years; from Ancient China, to Colonial America. It has recently come into the light because of the legalization of the plant in two states: Colorado and Washington. This law legalizes the use of the plant for recreational purposes, and allows the growing of 12 plants in each household for personal use. How will this affect our economy? What are the health benefits / advantages? The use of the Cannabis plant throughout history is surprisingly large. The earliest documented use of it was in Ancient China, around 4000 B.C. To most cultures, Marijuana was viewed as a gift, or treasure, from the Divine spirit. It was used during ceremonies, ingested for deep meditation, smoked for pleasure, or used as clothes. The Chinese emperor and herbalist Cheng-Nung wrote about its medicinal uses 5000 years ago, stating its effects on malaria, and many other illnesses. In England, King Henry VIII required the cultivation of one quarter acre of it for every sixty acres of farming land. When the Pilgrims landed in early America as early as 1632, the Native American people taught them about the farming of Marijuana. The first president of the United States, George Washington, grew Indian Hemp, or Cannabis sativa, on his farm. Marijuana is the dried blossom of the Cannabis sativa and Cannabis indica plants. Parts of the plant are...
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..."Don't be absurd, smoke some herb." Cannabis is a nationwide plant that consumers can smoke and eat. The use of the plant can fall under many categories from Muscle Spasms, Nausea, poor appetite, seizures, or just personal enjoyment. Although Marijuana is facing controversy, the substance should be legal. When some people hear this their mind immediately refers backs to the "Reefer Madness" phobia. Back in the 1930’s the government came out with movies and advertisements that would show people going nuts from smoking pot. This was a novelty that was apart of the movement to ban marijuana. This book took a turn on people changing their view on the herbal plant, but Why believe a book? A majority of the public favors legalization of cannabis....
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...of neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's Disease and HIV dementia." In August of 2016, the DEA again announced that it has no plans to reclassify marijuana from a schedule I to schedule II drug stating that, "it has a high potential for abuse," and " no accepted medicinal use." " Accepted by whom? The Health and Human Services Department? The FDA? ," askes Ben Swann in the article , "Government refuses to reclassify marijuana, but holds patent on cannabis oil." Swann continues, "The DEA claimed that not enough study has been done, but there is a reason for that. Cannabis is a schedule I drug which means doctors, universities and research facilities cannot study it. It is a crime to possess." The first recorded information referring to "Ma," the Chinese word for cannabis dates back to 2900 B.C.," writes Drew Jameson, in the article, "United States Patent 6630507: Medicinal Values of Cannabis," "Chinese Emperor Fu Hsu referenced it noting that, 'Cannabis is a very popular medicine that possesses both yin and yang,'" Jameson continued. It was not until 4511 years later that marijuana was first brought to what is now known as the United States. In the year 1611, the Jamestown settlers, (named after King James) migrated to West Virginia bringing with them marijuana plants. All adult heads of households were required to grow and ...
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...powerful cons as to why we should not legalize this drug. The negative issues associated with legalizing marijuana are the physical and mental effects to the body, it typically leads to the further use of drugs that are more harmful, and it has multiple implications on society. This drug is a plant known as a herb. According to Dictionary.com a herb is such a plant when valued for its medicinal properties, flavor, scent, or the like. Marijuana has a never-ending list of names such as “weed”,” pot”,” Mary Jane”, “cannabis”, and many more labels people come up with. “The main hallucinatory chemical in marijuana is THC, which stands for tetrahydrocannabinol; this chemical is responsible for majority of the intoxicating effects. The plant contains more than 500 other chemicals, including over 100 compounds that are chemically related to THC.” (NIDA. Par. 2). Marijuana can be smoked in almost any way involving a lighter. The topic of legalizing cannabis has been a controversy that just will not go away. I am not quite sure it ever will the only way it would go away is if everyone got what he or she wanted, but that is not possible here. Some people want marijuana legalized and some do not. If it is legalized, people who do not like it will complain, and if it is not legalized people that did want it will complain as well. Recreational marijuana has been legalized in four states already, California,...
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...Just like most people who partake in cannabis or people who are against it. The almost Seemingly never ending controversy of how cannabis is either good or bad. Both sides have some Pretty solid evidence on why it should either legalized or not. This essay will basically discuss the Few reasons why it should and why it shouldn’t be legalized. Hope the readers enjoy. Cannabis has always been a huge topic to discuss amongst all types of people. Ranging from Political figures, to the high school kids that believe they’re cool for doing it. No matter where you Go, you’ll always find that one person that loves it or hates it. Cannabis first started off as a use for Medical or recreational uses, thanks to its euphoric...
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...Legalization of Marijuana One of the most controversial topics to talk about around the United States is the “legalization of marijuana”. Marijuana is being actually used as a drug by many young teens; also, cannabis is currently one of the drugs used in the medicine department. Like any other topic of discussion, there are always two parts of the story. Opponents of the legalization of marijuana argue that it should not be legalized just because it is a sign of liberty, and only liberals want cannabis to be legal. People in favor do not see the drug as harmful as the opposing side sees it. Many people believe that marijuana should be legalized to gain control over it. There are many ideas on how to control the use of marijuana, but one will never know the result of this until government makes it happen. First of all, marijuana has been used since ancient times when it was discovered by Chinese emperors around the fifth century B.C. These emperors discovered the narcotic benefits of the plant and allowed their subjects to use it as a painkiller. By the 1200s, Asians introduced marijuana to Europeans. During that time, the plant became a valuable crop because of its fiber content and narcotic effect. “Cannabis was brought to America with the Jamestown, Virginia, settlers in 1607” (Marcovitz 13). Still by the 1800s, many Americans were using marijuana for its recreational purposes, as a result, “In 1915, California became the first state to outlaw recreational use of marijuana...
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...seems to have made reference to Ma, the Chinese word for Cannabis, noting that Cannabis was very popular medicine that possessed both yin and yang." 2. 1450 BC- Book of Exodus References Holy Anointing Oil Made from Cannabis "Holy anointing oil, as described in the original Hebrew version of the recipe in Exodus (30:22-23), contained over six pounds of kaneh-bosem, a substance identified by respected etymologists, linguists, anthropologists, botanists and other researchers as cannabis, extracted into about six quarts of olive oil, along with a variety of other fragrant herbs. The ancient anointed ones were literally drenched in this potent mixture." Chris Bennett "Was Jesus a Stoner?," High Times Magazine, Feb. 10, 2003 "Marijuana proponents suggest that the recipe for the anointing oil passed from God to Moses included cannabis, or kaneh-bosm in Hebrew. They point to versions calling for fragrant cane, which they say was mistakenly changed to the plant calamus in the King James version of the Bible." Shannon Kari "Cannabis Involved in Christ's Anointment?," National Post, Apr. 22, 2010 [Editor's Note: The Revell Bible Dictionary (1990), by Lawrence O. Richards, estimates that the events of the Book of Exodus occurred around 1450 BC.] 3. 1213 BC - Egyptians Use Cannabis for Glaucoma, Inflammation, and Enemas Cannabis pollen is found on the mummy of Ramesses II, who died in 1213 BC. Prescriptions for cannabis in Ancient Egypt include treatment for the eyes (glaucoma)...
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...valuable, and beneficial qualities that marijuana has. Relying on the facts found to ultimately come to a conclusion on whether or not legalization would positively effect our country. Introduction Background Information The legalizing of marijuana for both recreational and medical purposes will have significant benefits for smokers and non-smokers, the economy, and the population. Currently any production, sale, distribution, or consumption of the drug marijuana is illegal in forty-eight states in the nation. Legalizing marijuana in this situation would mean executing the same or similar laws as are imposed on to alcohol. “On November 6, 2012, Colorado and Washington became the first states to legalize the sale and possession of cannabis for recreational use since the Marijuana Tax act of 1937 when they passed Colorado Amendment 64 and Washington Initiative 502” (Szalavitz). The few states that have legalized marijuana are instituting practices to integrate the substance into society. To continue, consumption of marijuana would be illegal as well as the purchase of the substance by minors under the age of 21. Driving or performing certain tasks under the influence of the drug would be illegal and result in criminal consequences. The unlicensed sale of the drug, or any sale to minors will be illegal as well. The personal production or growth of the substance would be legal and untaxed permitting that the product is not sold or distributed for money. Legalization offers...
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...country singer and marijuana advocate Willie Nelson said, “I think people need to be educated to the fact that marijuana is not a drug. Marijuana is an herb and a flower. God put it here. If He put it here and He wants it to grow, what gives the government the right to say that God is wrong?” (Nelson p.1). Larry Malerbra D.O, a practitioner, educator and leader in the field of holistic medicine argues that, “The medical benefits of marijuana (cannabis) are pretty well established. There is voluminous scientific research on the subject that verifies its efficacy when applied to a variety of medical conditions, and plenty of first-hand evidence that it works for those who use it for their own health problems.”(Malerbra p.1) With so many different ideas on what exactly Marijuana is, a controlled substance, an herb and a flower, or a medicine. There is no wonder there is much controversy of the legalization of the substance that has just as many names as descriptions. It is referred to as, weed, pot, dope, grass, reefer, herb, Mary Jane, Cannabis sativa, hemp, and most commonly marijuana. In our country we are free to smoke cigarettes until our lungs are black and cancerous, and drink alcohol to the point of intoxication and destroy our detoxification organ making it scarred and unusable. We should as citizens of a free country should be given the choice to use marijuana whether for medical or recreational uses. Legalization would make a new taxable product, free up law enforcement...
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...Medical Marijuana Shelby Taylor ENG/147 February 2, 2015 University of Phoenix Medical Marijuana Medical marijuana has risks and benefits just like all medical treatment does. People do not always see the risks and benefits of all medical treatments until it is one that has a major controversy in the United States. Some say the main ingredient in marijuana is useful for these diseases and others argue that the benefit of smoking marijuana is questionable because there are other forms of THC available. Sativex is a medication that is based on natural extracts of marijuana and can be administered as an oral spray. Marinal (FDA approved) is a legal pill form of medical marijuana containing a synthetic THC. The human body produces a natural version cannabinoid called endocannabinoids. Studies show that the endocannabinoids help regulate the body's responses to a variety of stimuli. These receptors are found throughout the body but are prominent in the brain. Cannabinoids in marijuana, like THC, bind to these receptors and produce various effects, such as reducing pain or anxiety, but also the feeling of being high. Medical marijuana can reduce nerve and chronic pain along with treating nausea with chemotherapy, loss of appetite due to AIDS, eye pain due to glaucoma, spasms and seizures triggered by multiple sclerosis, insomnia, and Crohns disease. Along with the benefits, the risks can be that of increased heart rate, fluctuations in blood pressure...
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...Despite the high rate at which the states are legalizing marijuana, there exists only little scientific evidence to support such laws. According to Bostwick (2012), most of the state cannabis legalization policies are based on ‘political ideologies and gamesmanship’. Lack of existing medical evidence on the benefits and effects of marijuana is seen as a satisfying factor that encourages its continued use. The little research done in the mid-20th century indicated that the cannabinoids presents in cannabis can be used in curing various illnesses. After the establishment of the Controlled Substance Act, the scientific research on marijuana became more difficult due to the existence of several federal barriers. The restrictions have made it difficult...
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...Tavarrea Jones October 12, 2014 POL 201 Professor Garcia Federal Government VS States on Cannabis Law Conflict The Federal Government’s Law against Marijuana and the State’s recent law decriminalizing marijuana has been a controversy for a short while now. Marijuana is made by taking dry leaves and flowers from a hemp plant. Marijuana has been around for years. The first recorded use of it was in 7000 B.C. The ancient Chinese, Greeks, Egyptians and other countries used the plant as a medical herb. Marijuana was first outlawed by the states starting in 1913. In 1937 the marihuana tax act of 1937 was passed by the federal government. The Marihuana Tax Act (“Act”) is a U.S. federal law that imposed tax on the sale of cannabis, hemp, or marijuana. The Act did not itself criminalize the possession or usage of hemp, marijuana, or cannabis. But included penalty and enforcement provisions to which marijuana, cannabis, or hemp handlers were subject. Violation of these procedures could result in a fine of up to $2000 and five years' imprisonment. (US Legal). In 1970 the controlled substance act was passed. Marijuana was one of the drugs banned as a schedule I drug. All drugs in the United States go through the DEA and the FDA to be classified and put into a schedule. There are five schedules. Schedule I are the highly addictive drugs and schedule v are not highly addictive. By marijuana being put into the schedule I it means that The DEA and the FDA do not believe...
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...they came from the NORML website. The endnotes are on that website if you would like to look. Meghan Wyandt Marijuana: Decriminalization for Medical Use Outline 1. Introduction a. "Penalties against drug use should not be more damaging to an individual than the use of the drug itself. Nowhere is this more clear than in the laws against the possession of marijuana in private for personal use." -President Jimmy Carter: Message to Congress, August 2, 1977 i. Marijuana has been illegal in the United States since 1937. 2. Paragraph one: Present the Problem b. What is the problem? ii. Legal prescription drugs do not always offer relief to patients dealing with serious illnesses. Natural Cannabis has been proven in many clinical studies to offer relief from nausea, tremors, and chronic pain in sufferers. However, the Federal government completely prohibits the use of marijuana in the United States, for sale or for personal use, including medicinal relief. c. What caused it? iii. The criminalization of marijuana came about after its recognition as an intoxicant in the 1920s and 1930s. During this time, exaggerated accounts of violent crimes allegedly committed by immigrants intoxicated by marijuana became popularized by tabloid newspapers and the newly formed Federal Bureau of Narcotics. Congress approved the "Marihuana Tax Act of 1937" based almost entirely on this propaganda and misinformation. d. Who is...
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...Say Yes to Marijuana Marijuana has been a big controversy over the last couple of years. There are many arguments towards it, many people say that it should be legal since it has shown no bad effects on people, while others say it has shown bad effects on people and should be legal. There have been many accounts of people saying that marijuana has helped them with pain when dealing with a severe disease such as cancer, seizures, chrons disease and even muscle spasms. Many have come out to say that marijuana has helped them with gaining back there appetite. While many people would say that marijuana should stay illegal, marijuana should be legal for medical reasons. Marijuana is a drug that comes from the plant cannabis sativa. Many use it because it gives them heighten perception, relaxation, and put them in a good mood. Some people also use it because it gives them an appetite and can help with the pain from chemo therapy. Recently a man from Australia was arrested for giving his 2 year old dying daughter cannabis oil. The daughter was suffering from late stage cancer. When he gave his daughter the cannabis oil he began to see that his daughter was getting and appetite and had started eating again. The man was...
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