Everyday patients are visiting their doctors in a desperate search for help with their problems, some physical and some psychological. Far too often in today’s troubled society a doctor is quick to hand their patient a prescription for a powerful and potentially harmful substance. The prescriptions could include drugs such as benzodiazepines for psychological problems and epilepsy, or opioids for pain. Both of those substances can have substantially dangerous and adverse effects and could lead to addiction and even death. Marijuana is a much safer and more naturally occurring substance that can be used for all of the previously listed purposes. The federal ban on medical marijuana should be lifted so that patients can have access in all states in the US.
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. Since 2012, the electorate in 3 states and Washington DC have decided that marijuana should also be legalized for use as a recreational drug, to be sold, regulated, and taxed in a manner similar
An issue that is hotly debated in today 's world is if marijuana should be legalized in the United States or not. Evidence collected from the state points to the fact that marijuana should not be legalized. First and foremost, marijuana should not be legalized because it is a gateway drug, which means that it leads users to other dangerous drugs. Furthermore, minors could get their hands on marijuana, leading to it disrupting their brain growth. Finally, marijuana would increase safety issues for the state, because it affects the way people 's CNS(central nervous systems) works.
The legalization of Marijuana has become a prominent and controversial debate in the society. Various practical and moral arguments have helped to put in perspective the issues surrounding the legalization and decriminalization of marijuana. “Those for ratification have debated for the medicinal purposes, employment, and prospective tax revenue, and crime decrease, failure of the existing prohibition laws and the burden of offenders in our state prison as the stirring factors to validate the drug.” Conversely, certification of marijuana may clue to calamitous effects on our society. The concerns over negative effects on physical and mental health,
One of the biggest and most strenuous problems our society faces today is the use and abuse of narcotics. Not only is this an epidemic, but it is one of the hardest things to prevent and regulate. The data shows that not only does drug use result in crime, but a staggering 17% of all state prisoners admitted to committing their crime to obtain drugs. You can see why this is a huge issue in today’s society. Not only are people stealing from their own family members in order to feed their addiction, but they are also wasting tax payer’s money by constantly sitting in prison for committing said crimes. This is a serious epidemic that we need to control, although it may be hard, we can start by increasing
During the 1940’s marijuana was seen by the United States in a negative light and Americans believed it offered no positive impact to American society. Since this time America has slowly changed its view by legalizing marijuana for medicinal use in very few states. The full transition began, however, once the following states Washington, Colorado, California, and Oregon legalized the use of marijuana for medicinal and recreational use. The legalization of marijuana has caused the United States to see the positive effects through marijuana’s medical benefits, lower incarceration rate, and an influx of revenue for the government.
Baron first introduces cannabis with its early frequent use for medicinal purpose. However, driven by political and social factors rather than scientific factors, this plant has shifted its status from legal to illegal during past decades. Still, Baron points out the fact that cannabis used in medicinal field shows its efficiency in treating a multitude of diseases, especially chronic pain disorders including headache. Students in particular should find this article useful for summarizing the early history of marijuana and answering the question how it became illegal. The political movements mentioned provide social perspective to explain the illegal status of cannabis with details. The historical facts in this article add credibility to
The Simple Possession of Small Quantities Of Marijuana Decriminalization Amendment Act of 2013’s enactment suggests that enough is enough. Per Townes (2015), “between 2001 and 2010, arrests for marijuana possession increased by 61.5 percent. The number of marijuana arrests in D.C. in 2010, 5,393, surpassed those in Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and Miami-Dade counties in 2010. And in 87 percent of cases involving marijuana arrests, charges for separate crimes were not made.” Marijuana is considered the third most frequently used recreational drug in America and is thought, “to be no more harmful or addictive than alcohol or tobacco” (Fois, 2013; NORML, n.d.). Said statistics suggest that decriminalizing the use of marijuana
In American society, the use of marijuana, whether it’s medical or recreational, is a highly discussed topic. There are arguments for and against both recreational and medical marijuana. Between the arguments of safety and practicality, the truth about this drug has gotten mixed around and changed. Although it is believed that marijuana would only negatively affect our society, the use should be federally legalized, at least medically, in all 50 states because it has a very low risk when it comes to an individuals health, would improve the economy, and aid medical advances.
While growing up, everyone is constantly told how drugs are bad for you, over and over again and nobody ever seems to question it. They just listen to their parents, teachers, or whoever is their superior. The majority of drugs are, in fact, bad for you. However, marijuana has never been proven to be harmful to the body. Shockingly enough, there has never been a single recorded death caused by use of or an overdose of the drug. The effects of marijuana on the body and whether it should be legalized or not is in high debate, and has been for as long as the drug has existed. In today's society marijuana is constantly brought up in all the medias mainstream sources like social media, TV and movies, and music. Time and time again the drug has been proven to be beneficial in a number of ways, including health, economy, and crime. The legalization of marijuana will greatly impact American society in a positive way. Many people would be very unhappy about its legalization due to a number of reasons, but the recreational use of the drug could be limited to users only being able
The controversy of legalizing marijuana is pertinent in many aspects of modern society, and has far reaching implications that one might not realize upon shallow inspection of the issue. There are many subjects that cause this issue to garner attention, such as freedom, health, justice, and economics. The spotlight has created activists on both sides of the argument; However, all oppositional assertions are flawed or not substantiated. The prohibition of marijuana has been a futile effort guided by misinformation and nefarious interests. Marijuana has been researched more extensively and used more heavily than many currently available pharmaceuticals; It is known to not only be less harmful than alcohol, but also an effective medicine for seizures and anorexia. The benefits of ending prohibition are pervasive and already well documented by previous eras.
Marijuana is a frequently misunderstood drug. Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit substance in the United States. Many assume that smoking marijuana can be hazardous, but little do the people know about the benefits it has to offer. Marijuana is a naturally grown plant that has been known to help those sick with cancer, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injuries, mental and physical illnesses, and many more. In the article, “Medical Marijuana: Opposing Viewpoints Online Collection 2015” written by an anonymous author, the author mentions that the legalization of medical marijuana would give patients the free right to ease their pain in the own comfort of their home. The author of the article is persuasive because the readers will find
Recently the legality and criminalization of drugs, specifically cannabis has been greatly debated in the United States of America. Cannabis is a flowering plant that originates in Central Asia and the Indian Subcontinent and has been used for centuries for hemp fibre in certain papers, medicinal purposes and recreational use (ElSohly). The recreational use of cannabis also known as marijuana was deemed illegal more recently in the United States’ history since 1937. In the articles, “Harmful Effects of Marijuana Use Are Exaggerated” by Paul Armentano, “Colorado and Marijuana Legalization One Year Later: What Has Changed?” by Art Way and “Marijuana Is Far Less Toxic Than Alcohol or Cocaine” by Robert Gable, the authors argue in favor of the
Lately, the topic of marijuana legalization in the United States has been tremendously debated by government officials and marijuana users throughout the country. The Marijuana Tax Act of 1937 banned the use and sale of marijuana in the United States (ElSohly). Marijuana should continue to be illegal because of its toxic smoke, use as a gateway drug, and damaging effects on the developing brains of our youth. I personally believe marijuana should remain illegal in the United States for the benefit of our children, our society and our nation.
According to the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA), marijuana is proven to be the most commonly used drug in the United States. Despite this known fact, the drug is legal for recreational uses in only nine states. The legalization of recreational marijuana is a controversial topic that has been debated by the government countless of times weighing its benefits versus its risks.