...The Benefit of Legalizing Marijuana Of all legal reformations that should be made, the legalization of marijuana is perhaps the most necessary. If legalized on a controlled basis, it could greatly benefit our country in a variety of ways. Clearly the most controversial topic is marijuana's benefit to the medical community. The economy would also be a beneficiary of marijuana's legalization through taxation and all the while crime rates would inevitably decrease throughout the country. While many citizens are opposed to the legalization of marijuana they are often misinformed and misguided. Marijuana is a drug that is overlooked and can be used in many positive ways. There are many people that oppose the idea of legalizing marijuana and their point of view can be justified, but marijuana can be used for other purposes than getting “high”. Although there are valid points to each side, ultimately, if legalized the benefits of legal marijuana could greatly outweigh the risk. It has been documented that marijuana can severely reduce some effects of cancer. Also, it is known that marijuana has prolonged the lives of people who were diagnosed as terminally ill. Many rely on the drug to ease their pain and suffering. Another useful benefit is its aide in reducing nausea in chemotherapy patients. Medicinal uses for cannabis date back to 2737 B.C. when the Chinese emperor and pharmacologist Shen Neng prescribed the drug for gout, malaria, beriberi, rheumatism, and memory problems...
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...Heading Heading Heading Title A lot of people in America perceive marijuana and people who use marijuana as something so horrible because of the way that the government portrays it, but most of those people who think this way fail to know the truth about marijuana. The fact of the matter is that the “dangers” of marijuana are over exaggerated and its classification is way out of proportion. Views about the use of cannabis have evolved over the decades. Cannabis has been around for centuries and legally used and distributed as a natural resource until it began to gain restrictions and regulations in the late 1800s and early 1900s soon leading to the illegalization of it in the 1930s with the Marijuana Tax Act of 1937 (Guither). In the eyes of many people, the reasons for the illegalization of growing and distributing the hemp plant are untrue or over exaggerated, and this paper will address why marijuana should be legalized in America. The reasons for why the government should take the action of legalizing the use of marijuana, or cannabis, are endless, but this paper focuses on the facts that cannabis has a multitude of known, positive uses, that legalizing it will take thousands and thousands of good people out of prisons, and that legalizing the use of marijuana could actually have economically positive effects on the country. Marijuana has been around long before it was known as a recreational drug in the early 1900s. The known uses of the hemp plant go back to as early...
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...Marijuana, also known as cannabis, is a form of the cannabis plant. In 1923, marijuana was added to the Confidential Restricted List as a prohibited drug in Canada. However, many Canadians believe that marijuana should be legalized because it can play a significant role in the medical industry. However, others hold the opposite attitude toward Marijuana legalization. This serious controversy has lasted for many decades. Canada’s neighbor, the U.S. government, has forbidden this drug since the early 1900s. However, this implementation didn’t produce a satisfactory result. (National Prevention Strategy, 2011) Marijuana should be legalized in Canada because its advantages outweigh the disadvantages. These advantages are likely to promote the Canadian economy, eliminate social issues and benefit the health of its residents. In terms of the economy, legalizing marijuana could conduct not only negative effects, but also positive effects. In the past decade, underground trade of marijuana has caused harm to Canada’s income. Werner Antweiler, the UBC professor, believes that the marijuana market is sizable. (2013) In B.C., the estimates show that Canadians consume at least 3 billion dollars in marijuana products annually. (Barmak, 2013) Other data from The International Journal of Drug Policy indicate that the retail value of marijuana consumption in B.C is between $443 million and $564 million. In addition, further estimates point out that marijuana legalization is likely to help the...
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...Critical Thinking Legalization of Marijuana There has not been one marijuana induced death reported to the U.S Center for Disease Control, yet every year approximately 79,000 deaths are reported for alcohol induced deaths. (CDC, 2010). Alcohol is clearly more dangerous then marijuana, yet marijuana is illegal in 27 states. There are several positive arguments about this controversial subject, which will be addressed in this essay. Legalizing marijuana in the United States would benefit citizens with certain medical conditions, stimulate the economy, and reduce drug related crimes. Even though marijuana is considered a Schedule I controlled substance, meaning it has no accepted medical use, it would still benefit many citizens in the United States with certain medical conditions if it were legalized. Currently 23 States have legalized the medical use of marijuana, as well as DC. (Carter, 2008). Using marijuana as a safe an effective treatment option for citizens who have cancer, AIDS, multiple sclerosis, glaucoma pain, epilepsy, and asthma provides benefits that cannot be found using anything else. (Carter, 2008).. It doesn’t have debilitating side effects and it gives a relaxing effect which lowers anxiety, reduces nausea and pain, and enlarges and relaxes the bronchial passage. It has been said that marijuana is psychologically addictive which is why it is so important to understand the medical benefits that marijuana offers. Any time something is used...
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...Medical Marijuana Marijuana legalization one of the most argued and discussed subjects worldwide. The topic is argued for it to be legal for medical uses, and recreationally. Opposing these arguments are the ideas that it’s a “high potential for abuse,” and it is harmful to those who ingest the drug. On the other hand, don’t a majority of prescriptions, drugs, and medicines that are legal, and are heavily used, all have a “high potential for abuse?” Medical marijuana being legalized for specific illnesses such as: epilepsy, crohn’s disease, and multiple sclerosis, will be life changing for those who suffer from those illnesses and diseases. This drug is the most widely used controlled substance in the world. Since marijuana has been illegal...
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...billion dollars? How could the nation get this much money in one year? The legalization of marijuana would bring such profit. Replacing “marijuana prohibition with a system of legal regulation would save approximately $7.7 billion in government expenditures of prohibition enforcement --$2.4billion at the federal level and $5.3 billion at the state and local level.” (Miron). The money generated from this could be used for so many needs of the nation. For example, one immediate use would be to help restore the foundation of bridges and roads. The United States economy is currently suffering and the simple act of legalizing marijuana would help stimulate the economy. This act also will help struggling citizens with life threatening conditions reduce their suffering. There are numerous benefits to legalizing marijuana including eliminating a portion of the wasteful War on Drugs, stimulating the United States economy, and helping many patients relieve their pain. In order to truly understand the benefits of the legalization of marijuana, it must be discussed why it was made illegal in the first place. In 1914, the Harrison Act “represented the first time drug use had ever been defined as a crime” (Goodwin 42). This law set the precedent for twenty-seven states to make marijuana illegal. There states made marijuana illegal because they mistrusted the incoming Mexican immigrants who brought marijuana with them. (Goodwin 42-43) Therefore, the laws were not enacted for safety or health reasons...
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...Vincent Piccoli Professor Melville EN 112 25 November 2014 The Legalization of Marijuana The legalization of Marijuana has gradually become one of the most talked about topics in the world today. It has been a fight between the government, the states, and the citizens of any country/countries around the world. From 12 percent in 1969, to 25 percent in 1995, to 36 percent by 2005 and hitting 48 percent in 2012, the demographic shift on this issue has been stunning. (Heuvel, Kartina Vanden) There are 23 states in the United States with some form of marijuana legalization. Whether it be the legalization of marijuana medically or recreationally, or some both. Legalizing marijuana has some very big advantages along with the pros and cons already. For most states, legalizing marijuana will benefit the economy greatly, marijuana is more harmless than many other drugs such as alcohol, tobacco, cocaine. There always is that chance it does not benefit the economy but the percentage of marijuana users throughout the world is increasing every year. (Heuval, Kartina Vanden) With all of this comes responsibility and with the right determination and structure, Marijuana should be legalized but with regulations. One positive effect the legalization of marijuana will have on society is the medical aspect of marijuana. So many people need and use medical marijuana to help treat themselves and take care of themselves. For some it is their only cure and for some it is more like...
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...Last Teacher Composition 1 16 November 2014 Legalization of Marijuana Marijuana is a very well-known drug that has been around for thousands of years. This drug is one of the most popular drugs in the world. Some of the most wealthy and prosperous people in the world use marijuana. There are reasons these people use marijuana but they still have to use it on the down low because it is still illegal in most states in the United States. Why is it still illegal? Marijuana is a very desirable and safe drug. If it were legal, it would benefit the United States economy by creating more jobs, more taxes for the government, and many other ways related to marijuana sales. “If cannabis was fully legalized it could generate $46 billion in revenue.” (Schneider 12). Marijuana is much safer than many other products similar to it. Alcohol, prescription drugs, and tobacco have all caused more death than marijuana. Marijuana can also benefit in saving lives. The drug can help cure many different diseases or illnesses such as aids, asthma, and psychological conditions. Marijuana should be legal for sale and use. The most significant reason marijuana should be legal concerns the economy. “A single states government could receive $2 billion every five years in marijuana sales.” (Kinsley 9). In Colorado marijuana is taxed 25 percent from retail producers which is great for the economy (“Controlled Substances Act”). If marijuana was legal then so many more jobs could be attained by people that...
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...Article Rebuttal Many people say that Marijuana should not be legal, not even for medical use. For decades there has been an ongoing debate about whether or not marijuana should be legalized for medical purposes and or for recreational use. This debate is now out in the open, and for the first time Americans are seriously considering legalizing marijuana throughout the United States. The controversy regarding marijuana is. The first and most important reason marijuana should be legalized is for medical purposes. In 1972, the US Congress officially placed marijuana in Schedule 1 of the Controlled Substance Act because they considered it to “have no excepted medical use” and carries a risk of addiction. However, recent studies have disproved this over and over again. Marijuana has been proven through countless clinical trials to alleviate symptoms of many chronic debilitating medical conditions including cancer, HIV/AIDS, fibromyalgia, post traumatic stress disorder, adrenal disease, inflammatory bowel disease and glaucoma.(1) The Council of Science and Public Health conducted a series of clinical trials and concluded that marijuana use significantly reduces neuropathic pain, improves appetite and caloric intake especially in patients with reduced muscle mass, and also relieves spasticity and severe pain in patients suffering from multiple sclerosis (MS). It is undeniable that marijuana has been used to treat a variety of severe medical conditions for centuries and has helped...
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...always looked down on marijuana because it is considered a drug. What people do not understand is it can be used for medicinal purposes. Marijuana is more than just a drug people sit on the couch and smoke. The medicinal use of marijuana is the act of smoking the substance as a pain reliever prescribed by the doctor. Several countries and some states in the United States have actually passed this plant with a forward thinking perspective. They are looking further down the road and recognizing the benefits of marijuana instead of looking down on it for being a drug. The legalization of marijuana has been effective in boosting the economy in places it has been legalized in, while also adding many jobs to those places and dropping the crime rates for the substance....
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...Marijuana, Good or Bad for the Economy. You decide. When some people think of marijuana, they think of the hippie guy and girl with the tight bellbottom jeans, the scarf tied around their forehead, the purple round sunglasses and holding up a piece sign while driving the VW van with the Grateful Dead stickers on the windows. Some think of marijuana as a relief to the pain and discomfort they are experiencing, others just like the effect of slowing down the animosity of life and relaxing. However, if we look at the big picture we can see that marijuana being legal could help the economy, be medically beneficial, is safer than alcohol, and it would help all walks of life in one way or another. The legalization of marijuana could be very economically beneficial according to a study done by an economics professor at Harvard University named Jeffery Miron. Professor Miron says the government would save about $7.7 billion a year by the policing and prosecution being cut if marijuana was legalized in the U.S. The study also states that if the taxing of tobacco and alcohol was similarly used on marijuana, another $6.2 billion would be attained. In 2008 another study was done. In Texas $46.1 million was spent by state prisons only supervising marijuana prosecuted inmates. In California marijuana enforcement was estimated to be over $146 million. Some prisons now are facing overcrowding. Think of the amount of money that would be saved and some of the space...
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...years. I specifically want my audience to focus on the comparison between alcohol and marijuana as far as, the government implementing marijuana into the economy as alcohol. In this case, marijuana would take on the same laws and restrictions as alcohol does as far as age limit and those matters. I want my audience to give their honest opinion about my topic and how they feel about the situation. The main aspect I want to hear from people when reading my paper is what is their feel on marijuana and why do that feel that way. I believe this is an important issue in today’s society and I would love to know how people feel towards the drug. I was able to implement comments and suggestion into this draft fairly well. The suggestions people gave me were very helpful and I found out they helped me with some grammar errors I had no idea were in my paper. Marijuana is a topic of significant public discourse in the United States, and while many are familiar with the discussions, it is not always easy to find the latest, research-based information on marijuana to answer to the common questions about its health effects, or the differences between Federal and state laws concerning the drug. The debate continues to be over whether or not marijuana is a harmful drug and whether or not the drug has effects on its users. I, myself use marijuana occasionally, and will continue to use marijuana whether it is legalized or not. When you look into the history and details of the drug, there...
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...Marijuana, subject that has been around since most were even born, yet still controversial to this very second. There are very passionate parties on both ends, some for it, and some against it. There are also positives and negatives to each. In a day and age where numbers are everything, it is “the” thing. This is a disclaimer: I am not writing about the legalization of weed. In fact, I am addressing the economic argument of if marijuana is the productive economic stimulus the United States has been looking for. Marijuana as of right now is an illegal banned substance in most states, yet without many documented negatives, is left out and unable to bring most state revenue departments hundreds of millions of dollars per year, further helping this country and keeping it out of another economic recession. In this argumentative piece, I am going to address if marijuana is actual an economic benefit in the states that do allow it, or if it is just a myth. Now we must first address the elephant in the room. There is a certain stigma with Marijuana. It has been said by many that the legalization of marijuana is not in hopes of revenue and economic gains, but instead our troubled generations excuse to legalize a substance that as of now is still widely illegal. It is important to note the now cultural norm marijuana’s widely gained. On the Expanded Academic ASAP Gale, Ventrell Marvin goes into depth on Colorado’s land mark experiment of Marijuana. The author of the scholarly source...
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...Legalizing Marijuana Kendall Joseph James York Sociology 120 September 18, 2011 Introduction In recent years there has definitely been an extremely unprecedented interest about whether or not marijuana along with its constituent compounds should be allowed to be used as medicine. There have been eight states since 1996 that have approved the medical use of marijuana. Although there are some people who simply dismiss the idea of medical marijuana as a subterfuge enabling liberalization, which they are afraid that there is a small chance that it will spread the plague of drug abuse. Having marijuana legalized could legitimate the drug as both safe and effective . Marijuana's industrial, medical, and recreational uses has definitely played an important role in regards to increasing its fame, there are even some presidential candidates that have even acknowledged the fact that they have even smoked marijuana before. Marijuana is an extremely safe drug simply because of its primary active ingredients THC along with other cannabinoids produce psychoactive effects and there is no fatal dose at all. However, there are other psychoactive drugs like alcohol, opiates, nicotine, and caffeine that can have fatal overdoses. This is why marijuana in its natural form is one of the safest, therapeutically active substance that is known to mankind. Although, there are some people who may feel morally violated in regards to legalizing marijuana and doing drugs may be a victimless...
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...Kountz i Outline Thesis statement: Many people argue that marijuana is a mind-altering, dangerous 22, and should remain illegal. This hasty generalization is not correct. Marijuana has many beneficial attributes,18 therefore28 it should be legalized. Marijuana used for health benefits. The applications of Marijuana. Marijuana as a stress reliever. Marijuana increase sick patients appetite. Medical marijuana can improve patients quality of life. Marijuana allows patients to maintain nutrition Marijuanas impact on the United States Economy. If marijuana is legalized it will help stimulate our economy. 1. Legal marijuana will make more business opportunities. 2. Legalizing marijuana will create new jobs. B. Legalizing marijuana would help decrease national debt. 1. Federal government can tax marijuana at a high rate. 2. The federal government can use marijuana tax to go against debt. III. America funds Mexican drug cartels. America pays top dollar for Mexican marijuana. Kountz ii Mexican drug cartels smuggle drugs across the border. American money funds Cartels. Cartels are violent Cartels kill many innocent people. B. America should legalize marijuana nation-wide. 1. Legalizing marijuana would help our economy and patients. 2. Legalizing marijuana will help stop Mexican drug cartels. Notes on outline. ...
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