...seen someone you love suffer from continuous, agonizing pain, you want to help them. You would do anything for them. But what if you can’t? Medical marijuana can alleviate the painful symptoms of many chronic diseases, injuries, or disorders. All US states should legalize medical marijuana. With government oversight, the drug could save lives and manage diseases. Currently, there is major controversy whether or not to legalize medical marijuana. Many people cannot trust users consuming the drug without abusing it. A study found that among marijuana users in California ages sixteen to twenty-five, marijuana use did not increase after legalization in 1996 (Cerdá, Magdalena). This proves that we can trust adolescents with handling the legalization of marijuana seriously. Another reason people oppose the legalization is because of the health effects the drug has on those using the medication. According to, "Everything You Wanted to Know about Medical Marijuana, but Were Too Afraid to Ask," the only confirmed long-term effect of marijuana use by adults is chronic bronchitis. This shows that there are only minor effects that adults may suffer from...
Words: 458 - Pages: 2
...Legalization of marijuana A large topic of argument in today’s society is the legalization of marijuana from state to state. A growing trend of marijuana legalization started when it was first allowed to be used for medical purposes in california in 1996. Marijuana has been classified as an illegal substance since the passing of the Marijuana tax act of 1937 and is considered by many to be a gateway drug along with alcohol and tobacco products. A brief history From the 1600’s to the 1890’s the production of hemp(cannabis) was encouraged by the government for use as a material to make rope, sails, and other items that were made from plant fibers. In 1906 the pure food and drug act required and distributors who sold hemp based medicine to be labeled. From the 1930’s and up there has been a “fear” of marijuana because it had been linked to violent crimes; in order to make this common product...
Words: 487 - Pages: 2
...As people agree with legalizing marijuana in the United States. Many people strongly believe that marijuana should not be legalized due to many reasons. During the Mexican revolution, Mexican immigrants brought with them their culture and some of their customs. One of the top customs was marijuana which the scientific name for the plant is cannabis; however, years pass by and some states legalized marijuana in America. Two of the first states that legalized it was California and Colorado; however, California only legalized medical marijuana while on the other hand Colorado legalized it to the public. Firstly, marijuana first originated in Central Asia in 1900’s right after the Mexican revolutions. Secondly, in 1937 the United States came up...
Words: 1153 - Pages: 5
...Advantages of Legalizing Marijuana Marijuana use is on the rise, especially among teenagers and young adults. With the recent laws passed in eight states about legalizing medical marijuana , many stand divided when it comes to this never ending debate, but I firmly believe that this miracle working drug should be legalized throughout the United States. Marijuana is by far the most commonly used illegal drug. Statistics show that over 70 million Americans have tried Marijuana and over 20 million smoked it last year. So it is safe to assume that although marijuana use may decrease in the years to come, as did Heroin and LSD, it is here to stay. Colorado, Nevada, Alaska, California, Hawaii, Maine, Oregon & Washington have already passed laws allowing the use of medical Marijuana. In the fall of 1996, California voters approved the medical marijuana initiative (proposition 215). The act is entitled The Compassionate Use Act of 1996 and its purpose is to give Californians the right to possess and grow marijuana for medical purposes, where the medical use is deemed appropriate and has been recommended by a doctor who has determined the person's health would benefit from the use of marijuana in the treatment of Cancer, anorexia, AIDS, chronic pain, spasticity, glaucoma, arthritis, migraines, or any other illness for which marijuana provides relief. Nothing in the act permits persons using marijuana for medical purposes to engage in conduct that endangers others, allows distribution...
Words: 994 - Pages: 4
...The issue of legal marijuana use whether it be medicinal or recreational, is nearly impossible to avoid. Every year more and more states are voting for and passing their right to tax and regulate cannabis. Montana has a unique story when it comes medical marijuana. In 2004 voters legalized the use of medical marijuana by a 62 percent referendum vote. By 2011 Montana witnessed a seismic shift in marijuana law, commonly known as Senate Bill 423, or SB423, this bill made it much harder and less appealing for patients to participate in the program, and has made it extremely difficulty for providers to legally grow and cultivate for their patients. There has been some recent relief for medical marijuana businesses thanks to a strike down of a few key portions in the 2011 restrictions. Montana’s current medical marijuana laws are still in danger of being made stricter or...
Words: 669 - Pages: 3
...fight the war on Marijuana. Marijuana has been a hot topic lately, and the debates really been heating up. The main question is how much would our country benefit from the legalization of recreational marijuana? Our citizens and political leaders have a chance to cash in on one of the biggest cash crops in existence today. Legalizing marijuana for recreational use has the potential to be very lucrative and beneficial to our country and society. To fully understand the debate on legalizing marijuana, you must know what marijuana is and how it came to be outlawed in the U.S. in the first place. Marijuana is a plant that produces flowers or buds that can be smoked to produce...
Words: 3380 - Pages: 14
...Marijuana. When we hear that word we think of crime, criminals, smoke and the negative thoughts surrounded by this drug. What we don't think of is the positive things around it. It can stop seizures, it's been shown to stop cancer, it can ease pain and it's been proven to treat glaucoma, one of the leading causes of blindness. Its one of the most widely used drugs today and if the government did choose to legalize the crime rate would decrease, it would lead to access for medical marijuana and safer use of it, and the government would also greatly benefit off of it. Marijuana is illegal in Canada and many people think it should get legalized. Currently there has been some stand by the government to legalize the recreational use of marijuana but no political moves have been made yet. One main reason we should legalize marijuana is it will decrease the crime rate dramatically. It will stop current and future marijuana users to not get a criminal record and get charged and it will also stop funding to organized crime groups and gangs.Selling marijuana is where drug dealers make most if not all of there money and with that money they go on to use it for crimes, such as buying guns from illegal sellers,...
Words: 653 - Pages: 3
...One of the most controversial and widely-discussed topics in the culture of today is marijuana and its medicinal and recreational use, along with the pros and cons associated with it. Currently, the states of Colorado, Oregon, Alaska, and Washington, along with the District of Columbia have made the recreational use of marijuana legal. There are, however, some laws regarding things such as possession of plants, public consumption, and whether or not you can give or receive it as a gift. First up is the state of Colorado. Amendment 64 went into effect in late 2012, making the sale and use of marijuana for recreational purposes legal. Adult residents of Colorado 21 and over can possess, use, and/or purchase up to 1 ounce of marijuana at a time. Adult non-residents may purchase up to ¼ ounce at a time. It is illegal to give marijuana to minors, and there are no exceptions to this law. Marijuana can only be consumed personally and privately. It may be shared, as long as you are inside a place of residence. If staying in a hotel, you may consume...
Words: 1029 - Pages: 5
...Check Is the use of heroin, crystal meth or cannabis legal? No. Are these drugs still circulated and used in our society? Yes: “40 per cent of Canadians having used it (marijuana) at least once in their lifetime. [1]” The war against illegal drugs has been a long and vigorous battle. Rather than fighting the use of cannabis head on, our government should approach this in a different manner. Canada should legalize marijuana use because this allows the government to regulate the distribution and quality of the cannabis. Marijuana should be legalized because the overall distributed quality of the drug can be controlled more efficiently. Buying ‘weed’ from the street can lead to low-quailty marijuana consumption. Most drug dealers pay more attention to profits rather than quality. In some cases, Marijuana bought illegally is ‘laced’ with chemicals: “ the act of adding one or more substances to another” [3]. This allows dealers to...
Words: 523 - Pages: 3
...Marijuana is the most frequently used illegal drug in the United States. There is a huge debate on whether marijuana should be legal or not and many people have substantial view points for both sides of this topic. Although marijuana can be used for medicinal purposes, many proponents of this subject say it can be a harmful substance that can not only cause short term but also long term harm. Marijuana is such a controversial topic in today’s society that it really needs to be discussed. There are many different theories and misconceptions as to whether marijuana should be legalized or not and it is something that should be examined, researched and discussed more closely. There are many unwavering reasons why marijuana should be legalized. Unfortunately, these truths are under heavy criticism due to the stereotypical view of what people view as the “pot smoker.” This infers to someone who is lazy, lackluster,...
Words: 767 - Pages: 4
...The debate over the legalization of marijuana has done its rounds through the federal legislature for decades. Two years after Colorado and Washington State became the first states to legalize the sale of marijuana, the conflict rears its head yet again in the national debate. The anti-drug coalition has had its time in the limelight, as it now seems that the pro-legalization groups have achieved success in the past few years. America is known for being the “land of freedom”; therefore, granting the right to legally possess and use marijuana advocates the freedom that America is so well known for. However, with so much room for abuse, this “right” is more of a test on how well the nation’s residents can control themselves. Along with the legalization of marijuana use, guidelines and punishments must be heightened to remind Americans that actions always come with consequences....
Words: 662 - Pages: 3
...A major controversial issue in the United States today is the debate over medical marijuana. Currently, the medical use of marijuana is legal in twenty-three states and Washington D.C. The federal government and the majority of states believe legalizing marijuana is simply too dangerous. Despite the many benefits medical marijuana offers severely ill patients, opposers believe legalization will eventually lead to recreational use. Protestants against marijuana argue the benefits have not yet been proven and could potentially be dangerous. According to How Is Colorado Doing Since Marijuana Legalization, some say it helps the economy and brings jobs while others say it creates more crime and puts kids at risk (1). However, many testimonials from patients and their loved ones provide evidence that medical marijuana has been nothing short of a miracle for them. Because of the benefits marijuana offers, legalization laws should be passed in all fifty states for the sole purpose of medical use; severely ill patients who could receive benefits are being deprived because of the possibility that the drug would lead to recreational use, increased...
Words: 1294 - Pages: 6
...keeps on investing money in order to stimulate the economy, which is deep in debt, it appears to ignore easier solutions. Easier solutions like legalizing marijuana, which might seem outrageous to the average propaganda brainwashed American, but when you look at the real facts, the consequences are not that desperate compared to the benefits, and the current economical situation. Seems to me that legalizing that “devils weed” might just be the best way to climb out of this crisis. To give you some background info on this drug, were going to start from the beginning. During the 1900’s, the popularity of marijuana grew outrageously in the U.S., causing a lot people to try this new drug, and people loved it. Seeing how popular the drug was becoming, the government took action to try to minimize use of this drug, thinking it will cause harm to the citizens, or as another theory goes, they saw the vast uses of marijuana as medicine, and in order to keep the pharmaceutical companies running, they illegalized it so they could instead sell us man made drugs...
Words: 656 - Pages: 3
...Phil Murphy, New Jersey’s Governor, campaigned with a promise to legalize marijuana within his first 100 days in office. He stated in his inaugural address “a stronger and fairer New Jersey embraces comprehensive criminal justice reform — including a process to legalize marijuana”. There is currently legislation to legalize recreational marijuana being debated in the state senate. This bill would permit people that are over 21 to have possession of one ounce or less of marijuana for personal use. It would be regulated and taxed similarly to alcohol. Recreational marijuana has already been legalized in 10 states, and has been legalized for medical use in 39 states. This was initiated by the debate about whether marijuana should be legal....
Words: 642 - Pages: 3
...Marijuana Drug use is a common habit among teens and adults. With the drug use rising, especially with marijuana, the crime rates and dropout rates are rising as well. Jails across the country are filling up with addicts and marijuana users. Streets are rich with dropout stoners and “gangsters”. Marijuana, or its scientific name cannabis, is a leaf plant that is commonly referred to as hemp or weed. It is crushed and rolled within a thin paper to form a joint. It can then be smoked, to produce a dreamlike state of hallucination. This raises the question, should marijuana be legal? Marijuana, compared to other drugs, is mild and has minimal side effects. Marijuana also has health benefits. These factors present many questions, including:...
Words: 1687 - Pages: 7
