...Composition 164 12 December 2013 Why Legalize Marijuana? A Complete Overview of the Benefits Marijuana, the most illegal drug consumed in the United States, “more than 18 million Americans consumed it” (White House, 2013). Furthermore, a recent study showed that 42% of Americans aged 12 and older had consumed the drug (White House, 2013). Nevertheless, why is marijuana illegal? And what would happen if it gets legalize. Marihuana can bring health, economics, and social benefits to our society. Thus is why Marijuana should be legal. At the beginning marijuana was introduced to United States by Mexican immigrants, who were working in farms and factories as laborers (Zimmer, Lynn). This new migration wave scared some of the conservatives groups in America, because of the cheap labor that Mexicans represented. Many of those Mexicans immigrants used to smoked marijuana, therefore, some people picked this as an excuse to ban it. It was not only banned because of its effects, it was criminalized to isolate and discriminate different races than the Caucasian. So, one of the main excuses to banned marijuana was fear towards Mexicans, Hispanics and other races. As we can see in a letter from the editor of the Alamosa Daily Courier, in south-central Colorado that was used as an official testimony for the Act that banned marijuana, “I wish I could show you what a small marihuana cigarette can do to one of our degenerate Spanish-speaking residents. That’s why our problem is so great; the greatest...
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...The legalization of marijuana is an ongoing debate with the government; to legalize or not to legalize that is the question on the governments mind. The judgment on wither marijuana should be legalized is on a legal yet political standpoint. There are many reasons why marijuana should be legalized and many reasons why it should not be legalized. Amongst the ongoing policy battles on drugs and the pleas of patients suffering from painful, debilitating diseases causes the government to debate on legalizing marijuana (“Marijuana: To Legalize or Not to Legalize? ,” 2010, para.3 ). There are individuals who suffer from painful medical illnesses who depend on the drug to help sleep, eat, and cope with the illness in which they are suffering from. The government can legalize marijuana due to medical purposes; however this can be a conflict because this makes the drug more accessible to drug dealers. Legalizing marijuana becomes a legal debate because where there is drugs there is crime. The increase in crime rate will be higher if marijuana should become legalized. Legalizing marijuana may not increase drug crime; however it will increase the rate of other criminal activities. Previous drug criminals who are accustom to trafficking the drug will be forced to look for work, and as they are not experienced they may result in other criminal activities such as extortion, robbery and kidnapping Rios (2012). Legalizing marijuana can be a benefit due to medical purposes, yet because of criminal...
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...Can the legalization of Marijuana benefit us? A Review of Literature Recently the legalization of marijuana has brought up many concerns. From economy stimulation to lessening drug related crimes, like the smuggling of Marijuana to the United States. According to recent news posts, several states are voting on the legalization of marijuana. Charles Stimson says "Marijuana should continue to stay illegal because it is a gateway drug, impairs bodily and mental functions and is related to increased violence." (Charles Stimson, 1) After that statement Charles continues to add a link containing "The Facts" but when you navigate to the link it isn't a valid link. So where exactly are "The Facts" you might ask? Charles later mentions that "Marijuana is not like a glass of wine, it doesn't have any known healthy properties." (Charles Stimson, 1) Throughout the entire article Charles continues to comment on negative properties of Marijuana without any proven facts or non-fiction data. Everything is bias and based on how he feels on the subject. He even dared to say that "30% of Americans that used marijuana for an entire month became dependent on the drug," (Charles Stimson, 2) without proof of how he got this number. Did the 30% fall from the sky, was it randomly generated, or just another bias opinion by Charles Stimson? 1. What are the benefits of the legalization of Marijuana? Marijuana is the most used drug in the United States. It is used for medicinal purposes...
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...Trent Anderson Hour 2 Should the Government Legalize Marijuana? The government should not legalize marijuana, because of the health concerns associated with marijuana. In the US alone there are twenty two million users of marijuana (video). Is this a viable reason to why the government should legalize marijuana? No, some people in this country say it should be legal because of the health benefits, but they aren’t looking at the side of where marijuana can cause major health problems/risks. According to the national institute on drug abuse marijuana can be believed to cause an increase in heart rate, this could put the smokers at a high risk for having a heart attack or stroke (Article 2). The biggest piece of the puzzle in which marijuana should not be legalized one of the biggest pieces of that is to which it can cause major health concerns. Though this drug has had some positive impacts in some situations it can still cause those other health conditions. As you’re smoking marijuana which contains carcinogen it can make you attracted to other things with carcinogen in them such are cigarettes (Article 2). Smoking cigarettes can put major tolls on your body such as developing lung cancer. Tell me, why should we legalize a drug that can make the same health risks as cigarettes? Cigarettes cost $250 billion dollars in health care every year; so why would we want to legalize something that makes that price rise? To smoke marijuana it can touch on the economic side as well....
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...Beyond Legalizing Marijuana for Medical Purpose Angel Padro Devry University Professor Natalie Reid English 112 February 23, 2011 In this time of day we still have people that are against legalizing marijuana, but now it brings up discussion about marijuana if United States should legalized marijuana for medical purpose. Now you have to ask yourself something, why is marijuana illegal in the first place? If the government wants to legalize it for medical purposes, why not completely legalize it. So the question is if prohibition is here to protect us, does the prohibition really work? Where in today’s studies there no proof that marijuana is harmful to the American people, so let take a closer look on why marijuana should be legalized in Untied States. Couple years now the discussion of legalizing marijuana is coming up a lot more nowadays. It’s showing that marijuana is actually more useful than people think. So the government is thinking about legalizing marijuana for medical purposes. That raises some red flags, because everybody thinks it so harmful, but that’s not the case. “Actually it’s a proven fact that marijuana does not kill brain cells, it actually stimulates the brain cells and helps them grow.” (The Union-Adam Scorgie 2011) “Also from today polls there are no record death from Marijuana.” (CNBC-2011) Let’s take a look at a poll taking by “The United States government National Institute on Drug Abuse, Bureau of Mortality Statistics: TOBACCO……….400...
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...com/od/legalandethicalissues/i/Is-It-A-Good-Idea-For-Marijuana-To-Be-Legalized_2.htm http://casac.org/legislation/shouldmarijuanabel/ http://hightimes.com/legal/ht_admin/1842 http://www.mjlegal.org/alctob.html http://www.saferchoice.org/content/view/24/53/ http://guyism.com/lifestyle/10-major-health-benefits-of-medical-marijuana.html http://norml.org/legal/item/war-against-marijuana-consumers http://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/Legalize-tax-marijuana-to-fill-budget-gap-1121668.php Why marijuana should be legalized? I. Expensive keeping marijuana illegal II. Drug dealers and violence reduces III. Marijuana vs. alcohol and tobacco IV. Marijuana has medical benefits References Brown, M. (2003). Legalize, Tax Marijuana to Fill Budget Gap. Retrieved from http://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/Legalize-tax-marijuana-to-fill-budget-gap-1121668.php. Hartney, E. (2011). Is It a Good Idea For Marijuana To Be Legalized? Retrieved from http://addictions.about.com/od/legalandethicalissues/i/Is-It-A-Good-Idea-For-Marijuana-To-Be-Legalized_2.htm. Marijuana Legalization Organization. (1999-2008). Marijuana vs. Alcohol and Tobacco. Retrieved from http://www.mjlegal.org/alctob.html. Marijuana Legalization Organization. (1999-2007). Why Should Marijuana Be Legal? Retrieved from http://www.mjlegal.org/. Marijuana Legalization Organization. (1999-2002). Why Should Marijuana Be Legal? Retrieved from http://www...
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...Should Marijuana Be Legalized? With the recent election season that has just gone by, this question has become more prevalent in society. In 2010 California became the first state to legalize marijuana only for medicinal use. In this election season, both Colorado and Washington state legalized marijuana for recreational use. Marijuana usage has been going on since ancient times and the fight to legalize it has grown steadily throughout United States History. There are two sides to every story – one side supports legalization and one side opposes it. Everyone has the right to their own opinion on this matter so I will let you decide after reading this. Marijuana has been used, according to ancient medical references, since about 2737 BC in China. In 1545 the Spanish brought marijuana to the New World. It was introduced to Jamestown around 1611 where it became a major commercial crop along with tobacco. Marijuana was listed in the United States Pharmacopeia from 1850 until 1942. It was prescribed for conditions ranging from labor pains to rheumatism. In the 1930s A campaign by the U.S. Federal Bureau of Narcotics portrayed marijuana as a powerful addicting substance and it would lead users into using harder drugs. In the 1950s it was an accessory of the beat generation; in the 1960s it was used by college students and hippies and it eventually became a symbol of rebellion against authority. When the Controlled Substances Act of 1970 was passed, marijuana was classified...
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...Legalizing Marijuana College Eng. Marijuana also known as Cannabis is one of the biggest drug in the U.S.A. and I believe it should be legalized because of certain reasons and examples that I have. First it’s a known fact that you can’t die from smoking weed A.K.A. Marijuana, second from experience and from other people, they said they haven’t heard people getting sick from smoking weed so it’s like helping you not getting you sick, the only thing that’s bad is the type of stuff u smoking out of, Last but not least I believe it would bring down crime rate in the U.S.A. I know for a fact that you cannot die from marijuana, the reason I say that is because I still haven’t heard a story or an article about somebody dying from smoking weed. Plus I know a lot of people that do smoke weed and they are perfectly fine. Even some people told me that smoking weed can help you out to a certain extinct; the reason why I say that is because I know that in hospital they give out weed to certain people that need it. Also it calms you down when you smoke marijuana so why not legalize it? This reason is the one that really made me say that marijuana is not bad for you because from experience and from other people I haven’t seen people or heard of people getting sick like that when they smoke marijuana I really don’t know the reason why, but I really need to get into that so I can find out because that is a good research question and project to do. My homeboy smoke marijuana all the time...
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...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....
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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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...Cesar Pazmino Sub: Critical Thinking Mid-term Exam Due: 11/3/2014 My argument: Marijuana is a dangerous substance. A dangerous substance should not be legalize. Therefore marijuana should not be legalize. 1. Deconstruct the Argument: a. Paraphrase the premises and conclusions in your own words: Premise 1: Marijuana is a dangerous substance. Premise 2: A dangerous substance should not be legalize. Conclusion: Therefore marijuana should not be legalize. b. Convert the argument structure into an equation structure, as done in class. The equation we used in class if A=B, B=C, Therefore A=C Marijuana = A Dangerous substance = B Should not be legalize = C Marijuana (A) = Dangerous substance (B) Dangerous substances (B) = should not be legalized (C) Marijuana (A) = should not be legalized (C) 2. Analyze the argument: a. This argument is a deductive argument because the premises are stated by facts rather than assumptions of uncertainty; key words such as “most likely” would make the argument an inductive argument. In a deductive argument the conclusion is directly reached through logical rules from the premises. Meanwhile, inductive is reached by generalizing the information of the premises. In my argument it states that marijuana is a dangerous substance and dangerous substance shouldn’t be legalize. These are direct statements that don’t give any generalization; leading to its conclusion. Each of these differences makes this argument be a deductive...
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...Legalize Marijuana “Why is marijuana against the law? It grows naturally upon our planet. Doesn’t the idea of making nature against the law seem to you a bit . . . unnatural?” -Bill Hicks. Marijuana is created from the dried leaves and female flowers of the hemp plant. The most active ingredient in marijuana is tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Marijuana is also known as pot, mary jane ,grass, loud, and weed, the drug has long been used as a sedative or analgesic; it was in use in China by the 3rd millennium BC and had reached Europe by AD 500. Today it is used worldwide, though it is generally illegal. Before making the decision to legalize marijuana one needs to consider both the pros and cons of the situation. Marijuana is a drug that should be legal , and available for sale in every state of the United States. Should the U.S. Government legalize marijuana or not? To begin, there are many types of drugs in the world that set risk to one’s life, among them marijuana has proven to aid many diseases and has no deaths reported. There is overwhelming evidence from experiments that show marijuana can relieve certain types of pain, nausea, vomiting and other symptoms caused by such illnesses as multiple sclerosis, cancer and AIDS or by the harsh drugs sometimes used to treat them. Indeed, marijuana is less toxic than many of the drugs that physicians prescribe every day. In contrast, many people take caution in using marijuana due to the lack of consistent repeatable scientific...
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...Walter Simpson. Why Legalize Marijuana Homepage. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.whylegalizemarijuana.com/ This article explains why you should legalize marijuana by using political references and examples. Walter Simpson touched on some important content regarding presidents using marijuana and even people who have a seat in the House of Representatives. He touches on a lot of points that I was trying to prove and Mr. Simpson also states that a recent Rasmussen poll revealed that 43% of Americans say that marijuana should be legalized, and 65% predict it will be legal in ten years. Gallop polls show that support for marijuana legalization has grown from 25% in 1995 to 46% in 2010. And last month Californians almost voted to legalize of marijuana use by adults in the Golden State, which basically states that we are getting closer to what it is we’re trying to accomplish. Diseases / Conditions - Medical Marijuana - ProCon.org. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org/view.subissues.php?issueID=000029 Diseases plague this earth on rapid levels and we could use all the help and remedies offered up. And that’s why this article is very important in my research; the article references the majority of the diseases that can be controlled and or capable of living with. Many people are against weed or marijuana in general because certain people have preached it so negatively. Weed helps in many different ways like for example: people with cancer that don’t have...
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...Medical Marijuana Medical Marijuana Eight out of the ten states that have made medical marijuana legal saw a teen usage of marijuana decrease from 1999 to 2006. I believe that if every state were to legalize medical marijuana, the recreational use of it would go down massively. Marijuana is good for you; it can relieve multiple pain symptoms. You can never have too much, so it is not harmful like alcohol. Marijuana has never caused a death when many legal products have caused millions of deaths each year. Our government wastes millions of dollars trying to keep marijuana out of the United States each year. If medical marijuana was legal, I believe the world would just be a better place. In 2003, Canada was the first country in the world to allow doctors to prescribe patients medical marijuana. There is only a small amount of evidence that marijuana is bad for you. Medical marijuana is not harmful in anyway, it cannot kill you. There are no significant health risks. Marijuana is proved to relieve pain from arthritis; it decreases anxiety, can control epileptic seizures, slows down Alzheimer’s disease, and eases the pain of multiple sclerosis. The first marijuana based prescription was called Sativex, it came out in the United Kingdom in summer 2010. If medical marijuana wasn’t available, many people would be somewhere, useless, suffering and lying in pain. Smoking marijuana has also been known for even stopping the spread of cancer. Marijuana can stimulate an appetite...
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...Why Not There is a huge argument in the United States on legalizing Marijuana. I will be discussing both sides of the argument against and for legalizing Marijuana. I think it is important to discuss both sides of legalizing marijuana, mostly because you need a variety of fact before you form your own opinion on legalizing Marijuana or to not legalize it. There are many good reason to legalize Marijuana; taxation, jobs, drug wars, , and crime rates dropping. When it comes to taxes it would help out or debt problems. “There is already a huge tax revenue from Tabaco products and alcohol. To legalize marijuana would just create another addition to the funds for the government.”(citation2) This country could use the extra help from this drug to get us out of this massive debt problem. If you had to think about the jobs this drug could produce if it were legalized. You would have farmers, processers, shipping, packaging, stores. When it comes to farming there are many helping hands around farms but opening up another field for marijuana there would require a lot more help opening up more jobs. For the processing side of things you need employees to go though and make sure the plants are good for selling. By this I mean cleaned clipped and bug free. Then they would have to give the marijuana to packaging. In packaging employees would have to make sure the right type of Marijuana is labeled correctly and has the right logo on it for that company. Now this part of the process...
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