...Marijuana Should NOT Be Legal in America All Americans have their ideas on legalizing marijuana, yet they need to make sure they have done substantial research using past experiences the American people have already experienced from using this drug; also they need to take a good look into what the actual outcomes are of smoking marijuana, before making a final decision on whether or not to legalize marijuana for medical purposes or any other reason. Americans will look at health and social issues as well as review money matters concerning legalizing marijuana and realize it is not right for the United States . First, Americans should know what marijuana actually is before they would even consider legalizing it. Marijuana, also known as pot, is a dried out weed that mixes the leaves, stems and even the flower of the cannabis, or the hemp plant and taken into the human body. It can be taken in by either smoking it or it taking it in with food. The main ingredient in marijuana is THC, which is short for delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (National Institute on Drug Abuse). THC is the most psychoactive compound found in marijuana (Taylor). “Marijuana is the most commonly abused illicit drug” (Wilbur, J). The ingredients in this plant are very dangerous and unhealthy for the human body. Now that Americans know what marijuana is, and some of the ingredients in it, they should consider the negative effect that marijuanahas in the health of the human body and...
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...Should Marijuana Be Legal? Student Name Institution Should Marijuana Be Legal? Marijuana is a drug extracted from cannabis sativa plant. It has several uses, which include smoking, fuel, and manufacturing of fiber. Smoking takes the lead in its uses and bears the identity of the plant. Large volumes of documented facts about this drug are in existence, but the legality of the drug remains arguable. In some countries such as America, the drug is illegal, while it is legalized in other countries such as Jamaica. Research has proven beyond any reasonable doubt that the spread and use of the drug among populations is deep-rooted even in countries where it is illegal. This stamps a question on the illegality of the drug and the effectiveness of its prohibition status. The beneficial documented facts about legalizing the drug critically surpass the benefits gained if it is prohibited. Everything in this world has two faces, the positive, and the negative. Individuals have personal freedom that is protected by the constitution of a given country. Prohibition of marijuana induces restrictions to the excise of this freedom by those who use it (Rosenthal, Kubby, & Newhart, 2003). The government has a right to withhold this freedom, only when its use interferes with or harms another individual. The use of marijuana has neither known direct interference effects to non-users nor does it harm the health of the user; this is unlike other legalized drugs such as alcohol...
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...become controversial. Legalizing marijuana is a controversial topic; however, there many positive arguments to support the idea of legalizing marijuana. First of all, it’s very expensive to keep marijuana illegal. According to Jeffrey Miron, a senior lecturer at Harvard University who studied about the impact of drug legalization, it cost the government almost about 20 billion dollars every year for keeping marijuana illegal. There is no good reason for marijuana not to be legal. From a philosophical point of view, people deserve the right to make choices for themselves. The government only has a right to limit those choices if people’s actions endanger someone else, but marijuana does not The current laws are doing more harm than good, legalizing marijuana would benefit the country in many ways. The government should not tell individuals what to do as long as they not harming others. From a philosophical point of view, individuals deserve the right to make choices for themselves. According to the philosopher Herbert Spencer, what equal freedom means is that: firstly people will have the responsibility for their own lives, rather than surrendering this responsibility to others (or pretending that they have given up responsibility, which is every bit as destructive), secondly since that will be true, fewer mistakes will be made, as people will be able to see directly the consequences of their mistakes, and be able to quickly correct them (Marijuana the Facts). So, according to Spencer...
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...When examining the prevalence of alcohol and marijuana it becomes apparently that alcohol use is more prevalent than marijuana use. This was evident with a recent study stating that 77% of 12th grade students having tried alcohol in past month, which is more than triple the marijuana use, with only 20% of students reported use in the same time period1. It is important to note, the reports that the low number of marijuana use can be contribute to the illegal nature of the drug. However, later in the report it states that the 58% of adolescence drinkers also have used marijuana1. The lifetime prevalence rate for marijuana is 49.7% among high school seniors, annual rate is 37.8% and the 30-day rate is 23.1 % 1. Meanwhile, the alcohol lifetime prevalence is 80%, with over 62 % reporting drunkenness1. Almost one fourth of the men and one eighth of the women used in another study between the ages of 18-25 used alcohol and marijuana in combination2. Prevalence of drinking and smoking marijuana is a concern because it introduces a bevy of toxins which may disrupt healthy brain development. These toxins can disrupt the activity in the hippocampus, a vital limbic system organ located within the brain's medial temporal lobe that regulates emotions and memory3. Aberrations in hippocampal asymmetry and left hippocampal volumes were studied by comparing adolescent alcohol users, both marijuana and alcohol users, and healthy controls using neuroimaging and neuropsychological data. The results...
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...apply to marijuana, since the individual who chooses to use marijuana does so according to his or her own free will, and the government also may have a right to limit individual actions if the actions pose a significant threat to the individual. But this argument does not logically apply to marijuana because marijuana is far less dangerous than some drugs that are legal, such as alcohol and tobacco. There for the most basic reason that marijuana should be legal is that there is no good reason for it not to be legal. Some often ask “why should marijuana be legalized?" but we should ask "Why should marijuana be illegal?" From an abstract point of view, we as individuals deserve the right to make choices for themselves. There is no logic why someone would be pushed to take legal drugs that are proven to sometimes be potentially worse for one’s body and mind. “Marijuana is far less subject to abuse than most drugs used to treat the same conditions. It is also less addicting. Dr. Lester Grinspoon, an associate professor at Harvard Medical School, says that “Marijuana is safer than most drugs used to treat the same problems.” Since there is no known case of lethal marijuana overdose, that would mean marijuana is safer than aspirin. According to John Marx, one thousand people a year die of aspirin overdose. The side effects of aspirin can also harm young children. The estimated ratio of lethal to effective dose is 40,000 to 1. The second major reason that marijuana should be legal is because...
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...Medical Marijuana Should Be Legal, the Benefits Outweigh the Risks Kathleen Shanks Professor Shultz Composition II - 56 March 15, 2015 The cry being heard throughout small-town America, “Medical marijuana should be legal, the benefits outweigh the risks!” Medical marijuana is a very touchy subject. Some people think it should stay illegal because of it being labeled as a non-beneficial street drug. Many states have already decided that the people of their state should have the benefits associated with the use of medical marijuana, Colorado, to name one, has worked it out so that there are laws regulating the growing, sales and consumption of this product. Other states are looking into the possibility of following suite with Colorado. There is a great amount of revenue to be made from growing and legal sales for medicinal use. They are also looking into the medical benefits to people with any number of illnesses. Some people claim that it is a “gateway” drug. Some claim it will ruin the economics of their town or county or even state, by not having the revenue created by those who break the law by selling, buying or using; if it is made legal. There are not enough people looking into the economic factor of being paid to grow so many plants per person being treated. After being a person who lost a loved one to cancer, it is easy to see where the use of medical marijuana could have helped that individual through what must have been the worst period of a life time. My father...
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...LEGALIZING MARIJUANA Legalizing marijuana in all states would benefit the country in many ways, such as Creating thousands of jobs, dealing a massive blow to drug cartels, which would suddenly reduce drug war ,provision of an enormous windfall for the government, which would bring in billions in taxes and save billions more on law enforcement (ending Prohibition played a big part in getting the U.S. out of the Great Depression),allow police, courts and prisons to focus their resources on dangerous criminals, rather than potheads and most importantly the clinical and medicinal aspect of Marijuana can not be over emphasized.,l There are many reasons supporting why marijuana should be legally and officially permitted.An important reason why marijuana should be legal is because marijuana is needed for many patients for medical benefits for their illnesses. Other people think that marijuana should be legal because it is their right of freedom. Other people think that by making marijuana legal, the economy of the country will grow, and they will receive a lot of money by putting more taxes on this kind of product. Marijuana should be legalized because of its medical benefit, the individuals, right of freedom, and increase of the economy by collecting taxes. Consequently, government should make marijuana legal and officially permitted. The first reason why all the states should make marijuana legal is because marijuana is used for medical benefits for many patients. Another...
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...of 12 had tried marijuana as of 1998, which is more than 25 percent of the national population. There are millions of regular pot smokers in America and millions more infrequent smokers. Smoking pot clearly has far fewer dangerous and hazardous effects on society than legal drugs such as alcohol. Liberty: people deserve freedom to use marijuana. The first and most basic reason that marijuana should be legal is that there is no good reason for it not to be legal. Some people ask 'why should marijuana be legalized?" but we should ask "Why should marijuana be illegal?" From a philosophical point of view, individuals deserve the right to make choices for themselves. The government only has a right to limit those choices if the individual's actions endanger someone else. This does not apply to marijuana, since the individual who chooses to use marijuana does so according to his or her own free will. The government also may have a right to limit individual actions if the actions pose a significant threat to the individual. But this argument does not logically apply to marijuana because marijuana is far less dangerous than some drugs which are legal, such as alcohol and tobacco. SUMMARY: Individuals deserve the right to decide whether or not they should use marijuana. The government should not tell individuals what to do as long as they do not harm others. Cost: keeping marijuana illegal is expensive. The second important reason that marijuana should be legal is that it would...
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...Hoffman ENGL 1301 2012, June 26th Marijuana Throughout the history of America, many controversial subjects have been discussed. Common citizens and politicians discuss the legalization of marijuana. Currently legal in fourteen states across America, the government legalized marijuana for medicinal purposes. Also, marijuana has been decriminalized in several states. Marijuana should be legal because it has medicinal purposes, keeping it illegal costs more money, and people have the freedom to put into their bodies as they please. Marijuana should be legal because its been proven to have medicinal purposes. Using marijuana for medicinal purposes has been a subject of controversy ever since the Supreme Court cleared its usage (Kravets). Marijuana functions as a medicine because it speeds up the metabolism which helps to stimulate appetite. Marijuana also causes a feeling of euphoria, which eliminates the feeling of pain in cancer and AIDS patients. Glaucoma, an eye cancer, allows patients to treat the disease with marijuana. Colorado and California are the most known medicinal marijuana states. These two states have decriminalized the substance, which means if an individual gets caught with marijuana under the legal amount, a simple fine gets issued. Peter McWilliams states, “Marijuana is the finest anti-nausea medication known to science, and our leaders have lied about this consistently. [Arresting people for] medical marijuana is the most hideous example of government...
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...In Virginia, a bill for medical marijuana is to be established on Tuesday by the Virginia house committee. However the bill was not passed, but if it had been passed medically prescribed marijuana can be used for medical purposes. However, many people believe marijuana is a gateway drug and can lead you to other harmful drugs. That is not the case because people have control over what they put into their bodies. Medical marijuana is legal in some states but it should also be legal in Virginia. Medical marijuana should be made legal in Virginia because it can help those with medical conditions, medical marijuana is a classified drug that has not caused a single death, and it can help those who are on chemotherapy. Medical marijuana can be used...
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...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 don’t...
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...Tutor Course: Date: Why Marijuana should be legalized Introduction Various governments have made numerous drugs illegal while others remain legal. Such drugs include cocaine, heroin, methane, marijuana, alcohol, bath salts or synthetic cathinone, hallucinogens, methamphetamine and many others. However, some are legal to use; the use of others are limited while others are illegal. For instance, alcohol is legal in most countries while its use is limited in others in terms of time one can use them and in terms of amounts that one can consume. Nonetheless, most of these drugs are illegal including cocaine, heroin, marijuana and many others. However, even though some drugs are termed as harmful, they should receive some considerations to legalize them due to numerous reasons. Particularly, marijuana should be legalized. Marijuana refers to the dried flowers, leaves, seeds and stems from the hemp plant. Scientifically referred to as Cannabis sativa, that contains the mind-altering (psychoactive) chemical, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), alongside other associated compounds. Commonly, it is utilized for its physiological and psychoactive effects that can elevate euphoria or mood, appetite, and relaxation. Discussion Over the past few decades, they have been serious discussion on whether to legalize marijuana or not. Many know the reasons as to why marijuana should not be legalized. Some of the reasons put forward for not legalizing marijuana are that it harmful to one's...
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...Marijuana is a drug that is constantly being talked about over all medias. There is a huge difference in beliefs when it comes to this topic, should it be legalized or not. If it’s legalized, what would change and what would the restrictions be? Would the country save more money? When you look at the positive sides of marijuana, there is more benefits than people realize. Nobody has ever overdosed from smoking weed, and in order to do so you would have to smoke 1,500 pounds in 15 minutes. (greenrushdaily, pg 1) There are more reasons marijuana should be legalized than people think. Such as impact on tax revenue. Colorado collected more than $135 million in taxes and fee on medical and recreational marijuana, sales in the state totaled over $996 million in 2015.(Investopedia, pg 1) Income and jobs is another great example. Jobs such as working at dispensaries or nurseries would create a lot more occupations in the states. A RCG economics and marijuana policy groups says that legalizing recreational marijuana would generate over $1.7 billion in labor income. (Investopedia, pg 1)...
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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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...Deontology and Utilitarianism of Marijuana Brandon What do you think of when you hear the term Weed or Marijuana? Most people probably think illegal drugs, drug dealers, and crime. But what most people don’t realize is that Marijuana might be able help with some of today’s most common problems. For an Aids patient Marijuana helps fight appetite loss and headaches. The Marijuana seed is a source of nutritional value, and is a great source for cooking oils and vitamins. Before it was illegalized Marijuana was one of the main sources of paper and clothing. Marijuana can produce four times more fiber per acre than most trees used today. If you do the math on that anyone can see that Marijuana has a great chance of reducing deforestation. The war on drugs has cost our country millions of dollars over the past decades. But not only does the drug problem still exist it has actually grown over the decades. Alcohol causes more accidents and deaths than Marijuana ever has but it is not illegal. Alcohol will never be illegalized because it has always been so relative to most of the world’s cultures, but that doesn’t make it right. Do you still think so negatively of the term Marijuana? This paper will look at the Deontology and Utilitarian views of Marijuana. The purpose of this paper is to examine the rights and wrongs of Marijuana, and whether or not it should be illegalized. Is marijuana really an introductory drug? Many people believe so. In fact I believe...
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