The Legalization of Marijuana in the United States and the Positive Effects it produces for the United States
Brandie N. Krantz
Ashford University
ENG 122: English Composition
Instructor Imani Muhammad
December 1st 2014

The Legalization of Marijuana in the United States and the Positive Effects it produces for the United States
Marijuana should be legalized in the US because it would aid in alleviating symptoms of certain medical conditions, reduce the cost of manpower associated with prosecuting these crimes and create job, which would stimulate the economy for positive growth.
Marijuana for Medical use
National Academy of Science’s Institute of Medicine have shown that marijuana can help curb pain, nausea, AID-related weight loss and increase appetite. Studies have shown that patients who were using marijuana report easing of symptoms from a variety of conditions including MS, glaucoma and rheumatoid arthritis. Researchers also found that the active components found in cannabinoids may treat symptoms from Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and Epilepsy.
In the journal “AIDS Care” (2007; 19(2): 295-301) it shows that with the use of marijuana there are positive effects for people living with AIDS/HIV. This study shows that people living with AIDS/HIV chose to administer marijuana to help with nausea. (Braitstein et al., 2001; Fairfield et al., 1998; Furler et al., 2004; Prentiss et al., 2004) “Marijuana and oral THC can also stimulate the appetite and have been associated with significant increases in weight in people with cancer”. (Guzman, 2003; Walsh et al., 2003) The same has also been observed in PLWHA (Abrams et al., 2003; Beal et al., 1995; Prentiss etal., 2004), sometimes with a 25-35% increase in food intake”. (Haney, 2002) Then you have the therapeutic benefits found from the use of marijuana. “Relaxation is a benefit reported in the context of both therapeutic and recreational uses of
Marijuana by PLWHA. This can include better sleep (Furleret al., 2004), relief from anxiety (Prentiss et al., 2004) and perceptions that marijuana effectively reduces stress (Prestage et al., 2001).
Marijuana has many positive effects on many diseases but when we look closely at just one disease like AIDS/HIV is shows that their quality of life is better with the use of marijuana. From the therapeutic reason like; helping you to sleep, reducing stress and relief of anxiety. Then we have the use for medical reasons such as; helping to reduce pain, nausea and helping with the anorexia, by increasing food intake by 25-35%.

There is always going to be the opposed argument that there are alternative medications that can also help with the side effects of living with HIV/AIDS that will have the same effect as marijuana. That is true there are many synthetic drugs that are prescribed daily to patients. So let us look at the side effects of some of the synthetic drugs prescribed VS marijuana. Again we will continue to look at AIDS/HIV, some of the synthetic drugs that are prescribed to patients living with AID/HIV for nausea are; Ondansetron (Zofran), Granisetron (Kytril), Dolasetron (Anzemet) and Dexamethason (Decadron). Side effects of Zofran: include diarrhea, headache, fever, lightheadedness, dizziness, drowsiness, constipation, rash, blurred vision and muscle spasm. Side effects of Kytril are fast or pounding heartbeats; fever, body aches, flu symptoms; or. Easy bruising or bleeding; unusual weakness. Side effects of Anzemet are, mild headache, tired feeling, mild dizziness, diarrhea, constipation, upset stomach, loss of appetite, chills, shivering, numbness or tingly feeling, fever, sweating, rash; or joint or muscle pain. Side effects of Decadron may include GI symptoms (nausea, vomiting), headache, acne or skin rash, increased hair growth, irregular menstrual periods, easy bruising, and anxiety, or depression. Then you have marijuana the proved side effects are dizziness, temporary blurred vision, decreased short-term memory, dry mouth, impaired perception and motor skills and red eyes. You can be the judge of which side effects you would prefer to risk. Let us also take a quick glance and the effect of THC (Tetrahydocannabinol) and epilepsy. The CBD that comes from the marijuana plant has shown that it can decrease the epileptic attacks by up to 100%. Liquid non-psychoactive form of marijuana was found to reduce seizures for children with Dravet’s syndrome, a rare form of childhood epilepsy (Melville, 2013). A little girl named Charlotte Figi whom is diagnosed with Draver’s syndrome; used to have seizures 5-10 per day. After 3 months using the liquid non-psychoactive form of marijuana, her seizures decreased by 50%. Today Charlotte is completely off all medication besides her daily dosage of CBD is now to 1-2 seizures every 6 months. Charlotte can now live a normal life with the help of marijuana and its positive effects. The strand of marijuana is now named after her “Charlotte’s Web”. There is another little boy with Dravet’s syndrome “Since he was just a few months old, 10-year-old Zaki Jackson has suffered from a rare form of epilepsy that, at its worst, causes him to have thousands of seizures a day. The seizures, which his mother describes as a “full body electrocution,” render him unable to talk or walk, and sometimes cause him to stop breathing (Schwartz, 2014)”. Zaki is one of the 180 successful results of children being treated in Colorado on the strand Charlotte’s web. In the year that Zaki began treatment, he has been seizure-free (Schwartz, 2014). Government & Taxations Benefits
With the concentration on governmental spending to enforce marijuana laws, if marijuana was legalized the US could be saving up to 2 billion to 10 billion of tax payers money on law enforcement alone. “Government reports indicate that the nation’s marijuana laws cost tax payers $41.8 billion annually”. (Gettman, J. (2007). Lost taxes and other costs of marijuana laws. Bulletin of Cannabis Reform, 4, 25). “Government reports from the Office of National Drug
Control Policy, the Library of Congress, and other sources indicate that the supply of marijuana in the United States is 14,349 metric tons, or 31.1 million pounds. Various price indexes from public and private sources produce a retail price of $7.87/gr or $3,570/lbs., setting the overall retail value of the illicit marijuana market at $113 billion”. (Gettman, J. (2007). Lost taxes and other costs of marijuana laws. Bulletin of Cannabis Reform, 4, 25). That is 113 billion that the
US could be taxing and using those tax dollars to help boost the economy. This could be money put towards our school, roads, job and many other areas that are needing funding for improvement. Then you have the $48.1 billion that we are saving in tax dollars. Legalization would restore the capital flow in the illegal marijuana market to legitimate and taxable economic channels. Yes I know marijuana is bad for your health; smoking it can cause cancer like smoking at substance. You do not have to “smoke” marijuana for the benefits from the plant. Like stated above they are creating liquid non-psychoactive forms for adults and children. There are also edible’s that can be produced which will also give the same effects as “smoking” the plant. Marijuana also impairs judgment and makes people act recklessly. Well In that case, we must also support banning alcohol, right? Because alcohol impairs judgment and causes people to act recklessly. Drunk driving alone kills around 10,000 people every year.

Conclusion
So this brings us to the question that is asked from many people…Should marijuana be legalized in the US. From the evidence that I have shown you I would feel that you would answer yes. From the medical uses I have shared like the therapeutic help for the sick, helping from nausea for cancer and AIDS patients, to alleviating sever epilepsy attacks like the little girl Charlotte that I talked about earlier. You also have the tax revenue benefits that can help our country to do positive things. If you still answer no, then you must be opposed to alcohol, cigarettes, fast food products and anything that is a risk to your health. I say this because all those are legal in the US yet kill thousand every day. If things like fast food helping obesity is legal or cigarettes that kill millions even second hand smoke kills and alcohol that kills 10,000 people every month. Marijuana has so many positive aspects from hemp to the medical purposes. I feel marijuana should be legalized and we should be able to benefit from it in many ways.

Reference Page

Fogarty, A., Rawstorne, P., Prestage, G., Crawford, J., Grierson, J., & Kippax, S. (2007).
Gettman, J. (2007). Lost taxes and other costs of marijuana laws. Bulletin of Cannabis Reform, 4, 25
Marijuana as therapy for people living with HIV/AIDS: social and health aspects. AIDSCare, 19(2), 295-301.
Rollins, J.A. (2014). Pot for Tots: Children and Medical Marijuana. Pediatric Nursin, 40(2), 59-60