Wr-121
2:00 p.m.
Rise with Red Eyes Marijuana has been unjustly criticized for the past century. In the 1950s, the U.S. Congress was advised that marijuana incited, “many of our most sadistic, terrible, crimes… such as sex slayings” (Manderson 1). I myself have chosen to experiment with this allegedly vicious substance and have never had any deliberation of committing anything resembling a “sex slaying”. Possibly a slaying of a 1-pound bag of Doritos and a 12 pack of grape soda, hardly something I would categorize as “sadistic”. Nonetheless our government still refuses to acknowledge the undeniable benefits of marijuana. James Masin, the head of the United States Public Health Service, said that we should not give AIDS patients marijuana to help with their debilitating symptoms because, crazed by the high, they would be much more likely to engage in unsafe sex (Manderson 2). This quote is not only frivolous; it also holds no medical evidence to support such an outlandish claim. There has been no reputable scientific study that suggests marijuana causes it’s users to become sex-crazed maniacs that will do anything to pleasure their id personality. I was under the assumption that our government was in a position of power to create laws and regulations for the benefit of the country based on non-biased facts. I was obviously mistaken. Marijuana can be used in many functional and valuable ways. Thirteen states have legalized the use of medicinal marijuana. A vast majority of the scientific community has come to the consensus that marijuana does in fact hold medicinal benefits for certain ailments. Also, marijuana is not a lethal drug and is safer than alcohol. It is an established scientific fact that marijuana is not toxic to humans; marijuana overdoses are nearly impossible, and marijuana is not nearly as addictive as alcohol or tobacco. It is unfair and unjust to treat marijuana users more harshly under the false pretence that it is addictive and has the potential to cause an overdose. If our government allows the legal distributions of known toxic substances with no medical benefits, i.e. tobacco and alcohol, then why would it criminalize a potentially harmless plant with proven medicinal characteristics? Furthermore our government has unjustly criticized marijuana for the majority of the 20th century. The dangers of marijuana have been distorted and taken out of context. There is no justifiable argument that can be made to keep marijuana illegal. These are the reasons why marijuana should legalized. Medical marijuana can be extremely beneficial in a multitude of ways. Among these reasons are: the amelioration of nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy and AIDS. Also the stimulation of hunger, this alleviates a condition referred to as “wasting syndrome”, a condition characterized by atrophy of lean body mass and involuntary weight loss of more than 10% of normal body weight (Physiological 1). It also has shown to lower intraocular eye pressure, this is significant for the treatment of glaucoma, a disease in which the optic nerve is damaged, leading to progressive irreversible loss of vision (Physiological 1). Marijuana has also been a major contributor to the field of pain management. THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) the main psychoactive in marijuana has proven to be a natural painkiller. The innate analgesic qualities it emits when ingested, vaporized or smoked has made it a popular alternative to addictive prescription drugs. But why does marijuana do these things to our body? What is it about cannabis that allows are body to react in such a way? Allyn Howlett answered this question in 1988 with the discovery of cannabinoid receptors. We now know that cannabis consists of around 60 cannabinoids, or chemicals that are unique to the cannabis plant (Manderson 6). These cannabinoids perform a specific function within a newly discovered cannabinoid system that acts alongside the cardiovascular system, endocrine system, lymphatic system, reproductive system, and all the other systems in our body, in order to help regulate the metabolic processes needed to survive (Melamede 1). The system consists only of cannabinoids and what are known as CB receptors. When CB receptors are in the presence of cannabinoids, they bind together and send a signal to the brain telling it to perform a certain action, or to feel a certain way. After all of these fascinating discoveries, it is shocking to think that our government still refuses to believe that cannabis has no remedial qualities. Despite remarkable evidence proving marijuana’s medicinal benefits, the federal government still continues it’s futile attempt with the “War on Drugs”. Hundreds of thousands of deaths occur each year due to perfectly legal substances. Last year cigarettes alone killed an estimated 435,00 thousand people in the United States, and alcohol killed over 85,000. These are the number one and three causes of death annually in the United States. The estimated number of deaths caused by marijuana last year was zero (Kirby 1). That’s right, zero people were killed from marijuana last year. In fact there has never been a recorded death directly linked to its use. This is yet another undeniable reason why marijuana should be legalized. If our government allows the distribution of substances known to kill over 500,000 people annually, why would it ban a proven medicinal substance that has never killed a person in the history of its existence? The irony is extremely painful to say the least. It is now generally accepted that "...except for the harms associated with smoking, the adverse effects of marijuana use are within the range of effects tolerated for other medications" (Drug Science 1). This is to say that the adverse affects of marijuana are no more harmful than any drug prescribed by your doctor. As they say the proof is in the pudding. It is hard to think of reasons why marijuana is still illegal. There are many arguments supporting the status quo of keeping marijuana illegal. A popular case for marijuana to remain illegal is its potency. Some people claim that the high potency of today’s cannabis hinders its users to a greater probability of becoming addicted to the substance. In 1970 the average THC content of a cannabis bud was 1.5%, compared to the potency of today’s sinsemilla at an astounding 8 to 25% (Meserve 1). Unequivocally, marijuana is a much stronger substance than it was during the era of Woodstock. Another reason that these naysayer’s preach for the continued criminalization of cannabis is that it has a greater potential to cause harm to the lungs than tobacco products. They say that marijuana users are at a much higher risk of developing lung cancer, bronchitis and emphysema. Some also claim that marijuana offenders are not punished severely enough and that marijuana law violators are rarely persecuted for their crime against the federal government. This lenient treatment in turn is responsible for marijuana’s continued availability and use. The fact that marijuana’s potency has increased is no secret. Naturally, over the course of time, marijuana cultivators have found ways to produce the best quality cannabis that can be grown. But to claim that higher potency cannabis creates a greater risk of addiction is preposterous. Not only has there never been a study to support the assertion that marijuana is addictive, there has never been a study that has shown that higher THC content correlates to a greater risk of addiction. In addition smoking marijuana in moderation poses minimal danger to the lungs. Like tobacco smoke, marijuana smoke contains a number of irritants and carcinogens. But marijuana users typically smoke much less often than tobacco smokers. Over time marijuana users tend to inhale much less smoke. As a result, the risk of serious lung damage is lower. There have been no reports of lung cancer related solely to marijuana. In a study conducted by the American Thoracic Society in 2006, the test subjects that smoked marijuana were found to not have any greater risk of lung cancer than there control group that didn’t smoke marijuana (Physiological 1). Unlike heavy tobacco smokers, heavy marijuana smokers exhibit no obstruction of the lung's small airway. Furthermore, the myth that marijuana offenders aren’t severely persecuted can be quickly discounted. In 2001 approximately 720,000 people were arrested for the possession of marijuana (United 1). Nearly 60,000 people are incarcerated every year for marijuana related offenses (United 1). Under the laws of fifteen states, a potential offender can receive a life sentence for a non-violent marijuana related crime, while in the state of California the average sentence for a convicted killer is 3.3 years (United 1). The prohibition of marijuana is based on a slew of lies and misinformation. The justification of marijuana’s illegality requires distortions of the truth and selective use of scientific studies. The dangers of marijuana use have been exaggerated for almost a century and the modern scientific record does not support the reefer madness predictions of the past. Many claims of marijuana's threat are based on old 20th century prejudices that originated in a time when science was uncertain of how marijuana produced its characteristic effects. Since the cannabinoid receptor system was discovered in the late 1980s these frenzied concerns about marijuana's danger have not been confirmed with modern research. Yet still the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) has chosen to categorize the drug as a schedule-one substance, alongside heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, LSD and other various opiates. Times are changing and many argue that the federal drug policy set in place by the Controlled Substances Act of 1970 (CSA) should change according to this new information. The act says that all controlled substances fit into a schedule of one through five, where schedule one includes substances with the highest drug-like properties, and schedule five includes substances with the least drug-like properties (DEA 1). The DEA assigns substances to these schedules based upon the analysis of three main criteria: the drug’s potential for abuse, the presence of a currently accepted medical use of the substance, and the amount of safety that can be ensured when using the drug under medical supervision (DEA 1). In the case of cannabis, the federal government argues for a schedule one classification because it has a high potential for abuse, no accepted medical treatment within the United States, and no accepted safety under the supervision of a medical professional (DEA 1). In fact there has never been a definitive study that has shown marijuana to be mentally or physically addictive, like heroin or methamphetamine. So that argument has to be withdrawn. And if cannabis doesn’t have an accepted medical use within the United States then why have thirteen states legalized its use under the recommendation of a licensed physician? With these facts in place there is no reputable excuse for marijuana to be classified as a schedule-one substance. A federal declassification of marijuana is the only sensible solution to this controversial issue. The current classification of cannabis is unjustified and illogical because accredited research suggests there are currently accepted medical uses for marijuana in the United States, it is a safe nontoxic substance, and its current classification as a schedule-one drug is irrational and groundless. The DEA's Administrative Law Judge, Francis Young concluded: "In strict medical terms marijuana is far safer than many foods we commonly consume. For example, eating 10 raw potatoes can result in a toxic response. By comparison, it is physically impossible to eat enough marijuana to induce death. Marijuana in its natural form is one of the safest therapeutically active substances known to man. By any measure of rational analysis marijuana can be safely used within the supervised routine of medical care" (Marijuana 1). If the presiding Administrative Law Judge of the DEA suggests that marijuana is one of the safest substances known to man, than it should without a shadow of a doubt be legal to all citizens of the United States. We have discovered that marijuana can be used in a multitude of ways helping to alleviate symptoms of chronic pain, cancer, AIDS, and multiple sclerosis. The scientific community has embraced marijuana as a legitimate medicine; however, the federal government has refused to do the same. The only rational solution is to legalize it!

Works Cited

Brian , Kirby. "Reasons Why Marijuana Should be Legalized". Associated Content. 06 June.2010.

"DEA, Title 21, Section 812." United States Department of Justice. 03 June 2010 .

Manderson, Desomond. "FORMALISM AND NARRATIVE IN LAW AND MEDICINE: THE DEBATE OVER MEDICAL MARIJUANA USE." Journal of Drug Issues 29 (19

"Marijuana". Get the Facts: Drug War Facts. June 5 2010 .

Melamede, Robert. "Cannabis and Cannabinoids." Family Council on Drug Awareness. 01 June 2010 .

Meserve, Jeanne. "Marijuana Potency Surpasses 10 Percent". CNN. June 5 2010 .

"Physiological Effects of Cannabis Consumption." Whitman College. 29 May 2010 .

United States Department of Justice. 30 May 2010 .