Legalizing Recreational Marijuana

One of the most well designed studies on marijuana and intelligence, released in 2012, found that persistent, heavy use of marijuana by adolescents reduces IQ by as much as eight points, when tested well into adulthood. Other studies have found that marijuana use is linked with dropping out of school, and subsequent unemployment, social welfare dependence, and a lower self-reported quality of life than non-marijuana abusing people. According to the U.S. National Survey on Drug Use and Health, youth with poor academic results were more than four times as likely to have used marijuana in the past year as youth with an average of higher grades. This is consistent with an exhaustive meta-analysis examining forty-eight different studies by Macleod and colleagues, published by Lancet, who found that marijuana use is consistently associated with reduced grades and a reduced chance of graduating from school. In addition, studies have linked employee marijuana use with “increased absences, tardiness, accidents, workers’ compensation claims, and job turnover.” (Oakes et al,

Let me begin by warning you, this is an extremely controversial topic. Legalizing recreational marijuana should be a top priority for the state of Florida. When put on a scale the benefits outweigh the cons. For one, the crime rate in our state will lower. Secondly, many people cannot afford prescription drugs, recreational marijuana can be used for various ailments and its health benefits exceed expectation. To add, recreational marijuana is taxable! Therefore, it is money that can be put into our communities. Recreational marijuana as intimidating as some may think, can actually benefit our community in many ways.

In chapter 3, the book Botany of Desire, the author Michael Pollan describes the relationship between humans and Marijuana and the history of its industry. People have started to use it since the Neolithic Age. Although the road of development is kind of tough (being forbade in some countries), marijuana is still one of the most popular things not only in America but also in many other places. According to Pollan, he used to grown a few in his yard, and these were almost found by a local policeman. Probably at that time, there were a lot of people like Pollan, growing some marijuana secretly to satisfied their desires.

In the “Marijuana: A Continuing Concern for Pediatricians” article the author points out the fact that marijuana is in fact “an addictive, mind-altering drug capable of inducing dependency” (Marijuana: A Continuing Concern). After some research this statement has been clearly supported. According to the author of “Marijuana: Breaking Down the Buzz” being under the influence of the drug has led to very poor decisions. Some of the poor decisions teenagers make while being under the influence include; people not completing high school, having failing grades if they are still in school, and doing reckless things while behind the wheel of a vehicle. However, the poor decisions that adults make while using the drug differs from teenagers. Adults

As the war on drugs continue the status of marijuana use in the United States remains to plague the minds of the people. Opposing parties have enumerated their reasons.

Although it is legal in twenty-six states and the District of Columbia currently have laws legalizing marijuana in some form it needs to be legal in all states. Marijuana can help treat different health issues such as posttraumatic disease, Crohn’s disease, and multiple sclerosis (19 Primary Pros and Cons of Legalizing Weed). The use of medical marijuana should be a federal whereas recreational use should be up to the states. Marijuana can also be used for cancer. The marijuana would help cope with the pain and nausea that comes with chemotherapy. It will also help with the cancer patient’s food intake and the neuropathic pain that comes with cancer treatment. It isn’t fair that someone is not being offered the best care available. Marijuana could better the lives of many ill people (Marijuana and Cancer). I think the use of marijuana will also drop patient’s hospital bills because pain pills will no longer need to be used as often. Marijuana would be huge for the medical field if

Although there is a chance for addiction, medical marijuana should be legalized in all states because it has accumulating health benefits, is administering relief to pain, and is less threatening than most opioids and

Marijuana should remain illegal in the United States, and states that have passed laws to make it legal should reverse those laws. Marijuana is addictive and a gateway drug. Legalizing marijuana will make it generally more available to the public, which will also make it more likely to be used by young adults and children that are not old enough to make smart decisions regarding drug

Some areas in the United States face higher rates of crime and drug abuse. This contributes to the prevalence of health disparities within different communities. In order to eliminate or decrease the distinct difference between areas that are at higher health risks than others one must begin to understand why they exist.

More positive results can aspire from its legalization and restricting it raises many challenges. From a business standpoint, it is not cost effective to keep it illegal and legalizing marijuana can bring revenue for the government. The amount of money the U.S. spends on criminalizing marijuana users can be used to target the real criminals. Marijuana is not like the other drugs and its use for recreational purposes should be allowed. Marijuana continues to offer us remedies for many ailments and it should not be treated as a drug, rather a medicine or for the pursuit of happiness. It is the time for marijuana to be deregulated by the United

Proponents of marijuana argue that there are numerous medical benefits and that the drug is not more harmful than tobacco or alcohol. On the other hand, opponents argue that marijuana is too dangerous; its legalization would increase the chances of the drug falling into the hands of teens and that marijuana use often progresses to the use of more dangerous drugs like heroin and cocaine. In the past decade, a number of movements to legalize the use of marijuana has been gaining momentum. According to the 2016 Gallup survey, a record high 60% of Americans say that marijuana should be legalized and this figure marks a 9% increase compared to 2014. Support for legalizing marijuana was 31% in 2000, 50% in 2016 before reaching 60% last year. This shows that despite government efforts to eliminate its use, marijuana is becoming more popular. It is clear that

Marijuana is an illegal drug in the United States of America, but why is marijuana illegal? Is it not safe? Is it addictive? Will it have a negative effect on society? The medical community is split on this issue; several studies that have been conducted on the effects of marijuana in the adult brain have been inconclusive. The National Institute of Drug Abuse states, “Many people who use marijuana long term . . . may begin to have symptoms such as grouchiness, sleepiness, decreased appetite, anxiety, and cravings.” Harvard Health publishing: Harvard Medical School stated:

Teenagers who smoke weed are more likely to move on to harder drugs, and it prevents their mind from developing properly. In a study by Lancet Psychiatry, it was reported that teenagers who smoked marijuana daily were 60 percent less likely to graduate from high school than students who did not use. In

Marijuana legalization, for whatever reason, has been a topic of heated debate for years now. Different people express different opinions about why or why not it should be legalized for recreational use. The American FDA categorizes marijuana as a Schedule I drug meaning that its benefits are not guaranteed as many people claim. Although the drug has been said to contain medical benefits, the reality is that further research on how and when to use it is needed. Different states have legalized the use of Marijuana for medical reasons. Today the demands are changing in different states. In States such as Colorado and Washington, marijuana has been legalized for recreational use. This move raised several questions as far as decriminalization of marijuana is concerned. Besides portraying the US in a bad light, legalization of marijuana for recreation increases the risk of developing mental problems, increases government expenditure on public health, jeopardizes the future of children, and is a gateway to other dangerous drugs.

Sources Used: Margolis, Robert. "Legalizing Marijuana Would Harm Teens." Legalizing Drugs, edited by Stuart A. Kallen, Greenhaven Press, 2006. At Issue. Opposing Viewpoints in Context, link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/EJ3010018222/OVIC?u=nysl_sc_btbsls&xid=c693987e. Accessed 2 Feb. 2017. Originally published as "Marijuana Harmless? Hardly," Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 30 Dec. 2002.