Marijuana, a schedule one controlled substance, is defined as the dried buds and leaves grown on a cannabis plant. Twenty nine states allow medicinal use, followed by fifteen other states who are pending legislation in favor of the same intention. Some of the states that have already permitted its medical use are Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington, with more likely to follow. Recreational use is also legal in seven states. The law does not allow doctors to write a prescription for it, so they recommend its use. If a patient has a condition that can be treated with medical marijuana, that person is given a card that indicates that they are eligible to purchase cannabis at local dispensaries. There are variances in the support of the legalization, differing between younger and older voters who are more likely to be conservative regarding the subject. These people have been led to believe that medical marijuana is a gateway drug and a harmful substance. However, it has an abundance of notable health benefits such as stopping cancer cells from spreading and helping reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression. Before it became illegal in 1930, marijuana was widely used across the United States as medicine. It …show more content…
Despite its growing legalization across the nation, it is still considered to be a schedule one substance with the potential of abuse along with LSD and heroin. It’s advantages include being used to cure diseases and improve aspects of other conditions, a potential to boost the nation’s economy, the creation of hundreds of jobs for Americans, and a probable decrease in crime and violence related to the drug. Based on research, it seems that the detriments and harms associated with marijuana fall extremely short of the benefits and more states should ponder if it would become a valuable asset when
The Costs of Criminalization Over the last 18 years, 23 state governments have legalized marijuana, taxonomically known as cannabis sativa, for medicinal use. Voters in these states have declared that the federal government has scheduled marijuana inaccurately, in that cannabis has many medical uses. Medical professionals in these states prescribe marijuana as a treatment for ailments ranging from insomnia and muscle pain, to post traumatic stress and epilepsy. But recently, we have seen a shift in marijuana reformation movements throughout the country.
Many argue that marijuana may be the only thing that actually helps a patient (Mirman, 2014), while others argue that the legalization of marijuana and the drug's side effects will ultimately put the nation in danger.
The Legalization of Recreational Marijuana The use of Marijuana, whether used recreational or medically is a topic of great controversy in the United States. While there are many Americans who passionately support marijuana because of its claimed positive effects, overall benefits and cures for illnesses, there is another side whom strongly oppose its uses due to the many cons believed to be associated with the drug. Today, thousands of patients are able to use marijuana as an effective method of treatment for their ailments. Despite this though, 58 percent of the United States has currently implemented the opening of medical marijuana dispensaries, while 21 more states are yet to follow suite of this trend (CBS, 2014).
Medical marijuana is now being used to treat a long list of illnesses. Some of which include headaches, cancer, glaucoma, nerve pain, muscle spasms, epilepsy, AIDS, and Crohn’s disease. The drug is now legal in 23 states, the District of Columbia, and Guam. Those against the medical use of marijuana argue that it is dangerous, does not have FDA approval, and is unnecessary. They believe that the substance can become addictive, interfere with fertility, and harm essential body parts such as the brain and lungs.
All of our lives we have heard marijuana is bad for us, that it's the first step to drug addiction and life as a slacker, but it just isn't true! Over the last 75 years the Federal government has done everything it can to discredit a natural medicine that has been used throughout the world for centuries. Now, finally, the American people are beginning to learn the truth. The use of medical marijuana has been a controversial issue in the United States for many years. There has been a long standing debate whether marijuana should be made legal or what should the consequences be for illegal use.
The topic of legalization of marijuana has long been a divided topic within the United States. Right now in America the cannabis plant is slowly becoming more accepted and decriminalized. A recent nationwide survey has shown “slightly more than half of the citizens of the US, 54 percent, said the use of marijuana should be made legal across the country,” (Nick Gass). There are four states and Washington D.C. where marijuana is legal for both medical and recreational use. There are twenty-one other states that only have medical marijuana legalized, but there are many states that will have legalization of their state ballot for 2016.
In the United States, five states have already changed their laws to legalize a small portion of marijuana. These five states are Colorado, Washington, Oregon, Alaska and Washington, D.C. In the 2014 election, Alaska, Oregon and Washington, D.C., voted to legalize marijuana for adults. These three states felt the same way as Colorado and Washington, who legalized marijuana use in the 2012 election. On the other hand, there are four states that would approve marijuana use this year.
Seriously, there are many people out there that really depend on what medicinal marijuana is doing for patients from elderly to an infant. You can say to your hippie friend or your Mr. Pot Head friend, you’ve come a long way in obtaining legalization, but again not all states are legal, and marijuana is still a Schedule 1 drug according to the federal government. So please, do not make a mockery out of a medical card just so you can “smoke a doob bro” or “get out of a ticket” or ‘make some bank”. There are people out there that need medicinal marijuana to be more accessible than what it is currently. Medical marijuana is taking the pain away, reducing seizure in babies and children, it helps people all over the world medically in many ways.
With Medical Marijuana currently presented in 23 states, marijuana is beginning to grow its acceptance which has surfaced its way for the legalization of recreational marijuana. The United States Government has voted to outlaw refinement, dissemination and proprietorship of marijuana and makes it a Schedule 1 drug. Which a Schedule 1 drug describes as no medical value and a high potential for abuse. District of Columbia and Twenty-three states have now documented right to use of medical marijuana, and canvass methods to validate recreational marijuana have gained some tractions in addition.