...Marijuana be Legalized By: Susan Cooper Starting in the 1600’s the hemp plant was grow as a trade good. It was used for rope and fabric though out the 18th and 19th centuries. In the mid 1800’s they started using part of the plant to make cannabis and use it for medical use. With this new drug on the market the department of agriculture wanted to place regulations on it. After all the testing they did on the drug they considered it to be poison. In the early 1900’s states had to label it as such and show all ingredients in it. A few states started to require prescriptions for the sale of the drug. In 1938 the Federal Pure Food, Drug, and Cosmetics Act of 1938 was passed. This law set strict standards for prescription, non-prescription drugs and also food. This made the drug cannabis or marijuana a dangerous and illegal drug. This is still the law we have in affect as of today. Lately a lot of people are up in arms about the law and some believe it should be changed. Some believe that there are more benefits to marijuana if it was legal. The Cons: People believe marijuana should remain and always be illegal. Just like any drug marijuana is addictive according to Dr. Drew Pinsky. He said “It would be malpractice to say that cannabis isn't addictive. Anybody who's experienced it, actually been addicted to it, knows how profound that addiction is. The difficult thing about marijuana addiction is some people, even though they're addicted can do fine with it for many years before...
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...marijuana once in their lifetime. Today I am going to give you information about medical marijuana. There are four main points to touch on. First, What is marijuana and how does it affect humans? Second, What is the history on marijuana? Third, When and why did marijuana become illegal? Fourth and finally, I will speak about the states legalizing and the medical purposes of it. Using these four points, I am going to attempt to inform you about marijuana and the movement to legalize it. What is marijuana? How does it affect humans? According to University of Washington, Alcohol and Drug Abuse Institution, Cannabis is derived from the cannabis plant (cannabis sativa). Marijuana is made from dried flowers and leaves of the cannabis plant. It is the least potent of all the cannabis products and is usually smoked. It grows wild in many of the tropical and temperate areas of the world. It can be grown in almost any climate, and is increasingly cultivated by means of indoor hydroponic technology. There are main active ingredients in cannabis is called delta-9 tetrahydro-cannabinol, commonly known as THC and Cannabidiol commonly known as CBD. This is the part of the plant that gives the "high." There’s a wide range of THC potency between cannabis products. When THC reaches the brain, it stimulates the CB1 and CB2 receptors. It induces relaxation and a feeling of euphoria. It also typically heightens the senses and relieves pain. [At http://adai.uw.edu/marijuana/factsheets/whatiscannabis.htm...
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...Legalization of Marijuana The plant cannabis sativa, better known as marijuana or hemp, has been used by many in different ways. It has been grown to provide food for villages and towns, and used for cloths, sails on early ships and most commonly rope. Many famous writings were written on hemp paper such as The Bible and a draft of the U.S. Constitution (Cronin, 1993). For many years people have smoked marijuana for recreational purposes. Although it was illegal to possess, smokers may still have partaken in the ritual of getting high, stoned, bombed, blitzed are only some of the terms that are used. Many will claim that marijuana is not a bad drug and many will say it is. In this argument we will identify that if it is true to fact or is it just a ploy by the government to keep it illegal. The use for medical purposes has also come to scrutiny as well. The majority of Americans choose the same issues as the most threatening to the nation. Invariably among these one will see “drugs” as a major concern of most Americans. There is speculation that this is due to a perceived association between drugs and crime (Inciardi, 1999). A good deal of the argument over government policy towards drugs centers on the least unhealthy and most socially accepted of the illegal drugs, marijuana. Marijuana, scientifically known as Tetra-hydro-cannabinol (THC), belongs to its own group among other legal and illegal drugs. It is neither a narcotic, such as heroin, nor a stimulant, such...
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...Can you believe this is issue number 4? Again another ‘edible report.’ This one I’m digging into ‘cannabis infused medicinal chocolate.’ Yummy! As it should be. Word is not everyone gets it right. Good news, for the company Dixie Elixirs (and Edibles) sure has. Matter of fact I didn’t taste anything but well-made chocolate. Oh, and peppermint. Good for the tummy, which rhythms with ‘yummy, and something every medical marijuana licensed person, who are certainly not dummies, would be interested in. At least I was. Right off the bat, I knew that this edible was stronger than what I had previously done. I looked real forward to trying it out, but at the same time wanted to keep safe. Fact is, the THC level found in this delicious dark chocolate...
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...Tavarrea Jones October 12, 2014 POL 201 Professor Garcia Federal Government VS States on Cannabis Law Conflict The Federal Government’s Law against Marijuana and the State’s recent law decriminalizing marijuana has been a controversy for a short while now. Marijuana is made by taking dry leaves and flowers from a hemp plant. Marijuana has been around for years. The first recorded use of it was in 7000 B.C. The ancient Chinese, Greeks, Egyptians and other countries used the plant as a medical herb. Marijuana was first outlawed by the states starting in 1913. In 1937 the marihuana tax act of 1937 was passed by the federal government. The Marihuana Tax Act (“Act”) is a U.S. federal law that imposed tax on the sale of cannabis, hemp, or marijuana. The Act did not itself criminalize the possession or usage of hemp, marijuana, or cannabis. But included penalty and enforcement provisions to which marijuana, cannabis, or hemp handlers were subject. Violation of these procedures could result in a fine of up to $2000 and five years' imprisonment. (US Legal). In 1970 the controlled substance act was passed. Marijuana was one of the drugs banned as a schedule I drug. All drugs in the United States go through the DEA and the FDA to be classified and put into a schedule. There are five schedules. Schedule I are the highly addictive drugs and schedule v are not highly addictive. By marijuana being put into the schedule I it means that The DEA and the FDA do not believe...
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...Decriminalization of Marijuana. Marijuana is a drug that comes in many forms and strains. The decriminalization of marijuana could have outstanding effects on our country. Decriminalization is to make something no longer a criminal act but was marijuana always illegal. The benefits of decriminalization are double to triple the negatives of decriminalization. Four groups of people would be hurt by this. You may be wondering can this be regulated by government. The answer may shock you but California already has it well regulated. I believe it best we decriminalize it when the time is right and some states are already seeing that the time is right. We can’t talk about why something needs to be decriminalized without first discussing why it was criminalized in the first...
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...Legalization would be a beautiful thing. Why Marijuana Should Be Legal On Thursday, 24TH of Oct 2013 The Huffington Post reported that a Gallop poll released on Tuesday showed that Americans for the first time in history, are more in favor of legalizing marijuana than criminalizing it with 58 percent in favor of allowing the plant to be legal. 2013 has been a changing mark in the success of legalizing marijuana. Two States passed a law decriminalizing the drug. Both Colorado and Washington passed laws to decriminalize the drug. Which is my first reason in many why marijuana should be legal? * Marijuana should be legal for so many reasons more than it should stay illegal. I will start with the fact that no one has ever died from an overdose of marijuana. We have millions of people dying of cancer and other various diseases due to legal prescription drugs, alcohol and cigarettes. In 2010, 38,329 people died from drug overdoses. Prescription drugs make up sixty percent of that. In that same year, 25,692 people died from causes related to alcohol. People cause way more harm to themselves and to others on these items than on marijuana Alleviation of a lot of medical ailments is the greatest reason for usage and legalization of marijuana. Medical marijuana is a pain saving miracle to a lot of people today in the world. A Discovery Health Article, reports marijuana has been extremely successful in relieving nausea and vomiting as a side...
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...Legalization Should Happen and Here’s Why BCOM/275 June 7th, 2015 Professor Esquivel Legalization Should Happen and Here’s Why I’m choosing to rebuttal the CNBC article on “Why we should not legalize marijuana”. A poll reveals that for the first time in history, Americans are more in favor of legalizing marijuana than criminalizing it. 2013 has marked a successful year for marijuana legalization, with Colorado and Washington both passing laws to decriminalize the drug. Now, fifty-eight percent of Americans are in favor allowing the plant to be legal. With the majority of Americans agreeing that marijuana should be legalized, those who are still on the fence about the natural plant should possibly reconsider their feelings. Around forty percent of Americans have already admitted to using marijuana. Ever since marijuana has been known to mankind, not one single account of death from overdose has been recorded. On the other hand, in 2010, 38,329 people died from drug overdoses and alcohol abuse. Contrary to popular belief, marijuana is not as addicting as one may think. Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN's Chief Medical Correspondent, recently wrote in his essay, "Why I Changed My Mind About Weed," that we have been "systematically misled" on marijuana. He reports that marijuana leads to dependence in around 9-10 percent of adult users. Cocaine hooks about 20 percent of its users, and heroin gets 25 percent of its users addicted. The worst culprit is tobacco, with 30 percent of its...
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....“ Legalizations of Marijuana While being interview by a reporter from the New York Times Obama was quoted as saying (Seelye, 2006) “When I was a kid, I inhaled, that was the point.” As referring to when he was a young man that he had inhaled marijuana. And he became the Presidential of the United Stated. In many ways, it’s the way that some people in society has demonized the use of marijuana it, (Scheer, 1999) Eight million American have tried marijuana and report have shown that there is no proclivity to move on to harder drugs. This accorded to an 18 month study commissioned by the federal drug czar Barry R McCaffrey. We will look at the several economy impacts of decriminalizing or legalizations of marijuana. (Brown 2003) One why to assist the farmer's domestically grown marijuana is the second largest cash crop in the United States, behind only corn. The above references are from people that have no finance gain in the legalization of marijuana and the other one is the Presidential and he would not lie. (Schlosser 1998) States According to the detail of the show the numbers of people in Jail for marijuana arrest are one in every six. There are more people now in prison for marijuana offenses than for violent offenses. There are 1.1 million inmates in American prisons. And if 1 in every 6 is held because of marijuana arrests that make it about 180.000 in jail. And certainly, at a time when there's a shortage of prison space and when murderers are serving on average...
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...Engl 100A Legalization There are a multitude of various illegal drugs used every single day in the United States. The most common illegal drug used is marijuana. Marijuana, also known as cannabis, is a drug derived from dried leaves and buds from the cannabis plant. This drug can be classified as a hallucinogen, stimulant, or a depressant. Marijuana is a very beneficial drug used for recreational, and medicinal purposes. Cannabis should be legalized and decriminalized for a various amount of reasons, which include: economic, medicinal, and religious reasons. Cannabis is a drug of many names, the most common a person might hear are weed, pot, ganja, and mary jane. Marijuana’s first recorded use as a medicinal drug was in China in 2737 B.C. Until the early 1940s, marijuana was was easily obtained at the local general store or pharmacy. The Marijuana Tax Act of 1937 severely restricted Marijuana as a recreational and a medicinal drug. The Controlled Substances Act of 1970 made it illegal to possess, use, buy, sell, or cultivate marijuana. Only a year later, President Nixon enacted the “War on Drugs” policy. However in 1996, California was the first U.S. state to legally allow medical marijuana to pain-suffering patients. Today, 13 U.S. states currently have laws in place which allow regulated medical marijuana use. Marijuana is very similar to alcohol when talking about how the United States government treats it. Alcohol was legal in the early 1900s until...
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...opposing views. With the economy being in the state that it is, we need to utilize all available resources and set aside personal emotion regarding “smoking weed”. While some support decriminalization, there are many reasons why other individuals, including the government, do not. From a utilitarian point view, legalizing marijuana will produce the greatest good for the greatest number of people affected by the choice (Mosser, 2010, sect. 1.7) Misleading perception and harmful effects influence the decision of marijuana remaining illegal. But, the best way to control its use is to legalize it for its positive effects on the environment, medical uses, and revenue it generates for the government; therefore, producing the best results for the greatest number of people. Marijuana is the third most popular recreational drug in America following alcohol and tobacco. It is most commonly smoked out of a pipe, or rolled like a cigarette. The active ingredient in marijuana that causes the “high” followed by smoking it is delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol or THC for short. This is the most common perception of individuals who encounter the drug but what is failed to be considered are its environmental advantages. Like marijuana, hemp is another form of the Cannabis plant. It is often confused with marijuana because of its similar leaf shape but contains miniscule amounts of THC. Hemp could play an important role in solutions considering concerns for our eco-system. Hemp can be used in the...
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...be legal. By taking action, marijuana can be decriminalized and proven to be more helpful than harmful. The idea that people should stay away from cannabis is a common argument, but cannabis actually has medical purposes that can delay the effects of cancer, used for glaucoma, and also pain relief. While those who argue that marijuana should be legal and that it can help the economy and public health, there are those who oppose it and feel that it should remain illegal so that the upcoming generation should abstain from the use of marijuana and drug abuse. People argue that the use of marijuana is dangerous and harmful to the body, while actually it might be more helpful than one may presume. The top two most popular drugs in America are Tobacco and Alcohol, combined both of those drugs tally up to nearly half a million deaths per year throughout America. Marijuana on the other hand has never caused death by smoking too much weed because it is actually a toxic free drug and is mostly natural. By legalizing pot, it can lead to improve public health, lower crime rates, and help the economy. First, Marijuana was first historically used thousands of years ago by an Emperor known as Shen Nung. He invented this new form of medicine of medicinal herb that treated pain relief, malaria, and rheumatism which was composed of cannabis (Stack). Within the 1700’s, the American medical journals promoted the use of marijuana to treat inflamed skin,...
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...and Washington became the first states to legalized the sale and possession of cannabis for recreational use since the Marijuana Tax Act of 1937. Oregon was the first state to decriminalize cannabis reducing the penalty to a $100 fine if getting caught with weed. Decriminalization is happening across the US and medical marijuana is becoming more and more legal in the United States today. 29 states have legalized marijuana medically in the US and 9 have it legalized recreationally. (Medical Marijuana, top page) Federal law makes the use of marijuana illegal for all purposes. It creates three branches: legislative, executive and judicial and that’s why it is legal in some states. Even though it is legal recreationally in some states, the FBI could legally get you in trouble if the caught you smoking it. Police officers are unlikely to spend their limited time and resources arresting people that are selling or smoking weed when it is legal under state law. Medical marijuana can be used to relieve pain for users. Its beneficial for people with migraines, OCD, ADHD, ADD, and can even prevent alzheimer’s. Unlike prescribed drugs, alcohol, and cigarettes, marijuana is not proven addictive. I believe that the liberal view is the best because we are testing out marijuana being legalized and see how we adapt to it as a country. Not only can it be used medically, it can help economically. Regulating cannabis would bring money into the state and potentially the nation. Medical marijuana...
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...legalization of pot nation wide is eminent, and in the near future. I believe that pot should be legalized because of its helpful medicinal purposes, the governments inability to stop this movement, and the incredible potential weed has to help state and national economies. The use of marijuana dates back 2737 B.C and has been used in civilizations for different purposes ever since then. Some ancient societies such as the Chinese used the herb for medicinal purposes to treat gout, malaria, and even absent mindedness. Other places such as India, the drug was used strictly for recreational purposes. Marijuana was first introduced to the United Sates in Jamestown in 1611 and instantly became a prominent cash crop. Many historians believe that cannabis really started to catch on in the United States during the 1920s, due to the absence of alcohol during the prohibition era. In the 1930s however, The Federal Bureau of Narcotics began portraying the drug as powerful, addicting, and dangerous. Marijuana propaganda began to spread and the general view of the people slowly...
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...marijuana can be an extremely controversial topic because several people have strong beliefs concerning why it should not be legalized, while a significant amount of people have stronger arguments, as to why it should be legalized. When it comes to looking at the ethical standpoint of legalizing marijuana, everyone has a different interpretation as to why marijuana should or should not be legalized. This is because everyone’s sense of morals and values differ. Legalizing marijuana for medicinal and recreational use would be beneficial for large amounts of people for many reasons. The theory of utilitarianism implies that the proper course of action should be the one, which benefits the greatest number of people. Many aspects of legalizing marijuana should be considered when determining if the benefits outweigh the risks. Several states have passed laws, which govern the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes. In fact, over twenty states, as well as the District of Columbia have enacted laws that govern the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes only. The increasing number of physicians implying that they would use marijuana medicinally for their patients shows that there are many benefits, which could derive from using the substance. A study conducted by American herbalist showed, “79.5 percent of professional members stated that were there not legal prohibitions they would use cannabis clinically” (Romm & Romm, 2010, p. 25)....
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