Free Essays on Legalizing Marijuana

Mainstream vs. Alternative Media; who do we believe? The Journal of Media Studies Writer Discussion of the legalization of marijuanabrings up two main issues, those who are pro- marijuana and those who are anti- marijuana. These issues have beencovered by both mainstream and alternative media, mainstream being pro, and alternative beinganti.Thesetwo factions have been arguing over this issue in the halls of justice for many years. Because most of theamericansociety is mainly exposed to only mainstream media, they are not aware of other factors of legalizingmarijuana that alternative media covers. The problem caused by this lack of exposure, is that the public may be deprived of the truth, and may be led to believe facts that are not true. Marijuana and Medicine Both pro and anti- marijuana groups have discussed whether or not marijuana can be used for medicinal purposes. Mainstream groups do not believe that there are any convincing reasons to make marijuana a treatment to sick patients. Their position is that marijuana can have harmful long-term effects. The Anti-Legalization Forum explains that some of these effects are: impairment of the immune system due to the inability of T-cells to battle off diseases, delaying puberty in both males and females, and unhealthy and smaller children born to women who used marijuana during pregnancy. The Drug Enforcement Administration believes that since marijuana is not accepted by any American health associations, there is no reason to legalize the drug. They think that the main reason why pro marijuana advocates use the medical use argument is because the uninformed public can be easily convinced to support the movement. Simply not enough evidence proves that marijuana can be used medically (Claim V). Unlike the D.E.A., lobbying groups such as the Cannabis Action Network and the Indiana Civil Liberties Union, believe that marijuana is a beneficial herb... Free Essays on Legalizing Marijuana Free Essays on Legalizing Marijuana One question that has haunted Americans for a long time is: â€Å" Should the use of marijuana be legalized?† Some say, â€Å"Yes†, while others say, â€Å"No†. Marijuana usage has many medical benefits. Legalizing the use of marijuana has many economical benefits and would also decrease the crime rate. Despite marijuana being illegal, the drug is still somewhat commonly used. Here we are years later after marijuana was made illegal, still without a satisfactory answer to the question. I think that legalizing the use of marijuana would have many medical benefits, economical benefits, and would decrease the incidence of crime. Most marijuana smokers are quick to mention that marijuana grows wild in the U.S. and that Native Americans used the weed for religious ceremonies, as a medicinal herb for various ailments and as a pre-battle smoke to calm the nerves and possibly provide added ferocity. Native Americans weren't concerned with the natural aspect at all and quickly found that marijuana could alleviate pain, stimulate the appetite and provide some small comfort in a harsh environment. They used it in their religious ceremonies to open passages to the spirit world. It was used in peace pipes along with tobacco as a means of sealing treaties with warring tribes. Hemp was an important crop for the early colonists as early as 1629 and remained so until Eli Whitney introduced the cotton gin. It was one of the first crops our forefathers produced and was used to produce paper, clothing and rope. It was so important in those early days of America that Virginia introduced legislation in 1762 that exacted penalties on farms that didn't produce it. George Washington was an early hemp farmer and made notes in his diary about the quality of the hemp . There is nothing to indicate that George Washington smoked marijuana but the myth is prevalent among marijuana advocates. In 1793 the invention of the cotton gin made the separation cott... Free Essays on Legalizing Marijuana Legalizing Marijuana Whether or not to legalize marijuana is a growing debate. Some people with certain medical conditions use marijuana for a painkiller. Other people who use this drug buy it illegally and use it because they say it makes them feel good. It is obvious that these people do not realize the effects that marijuana can have on their bodies. Supporters of legalizing marijuana say that it is a stress reliever and should be used for medication. They have also said that no one has ever died from smoking marijuana; and that the crime rate will drop, because it would be bought and sold legally instead of on the black market. Marijuana is a dangerous drug that affects a persons’ health. Those against this drug say it causes loss of memory and coordination, increased heart rate, and some say that it causes anxiety and lung cancer. I have heard that marijuana use causes some to use more serious drugs. If marijuana is legalized, it will be easy for teenagers to buy. Even if you have to be eighteen or twenty one, I am sure it wouldn’t be hard for a teen to find an adult willing to buy it for them. Also, if marijuana is legalized, more people will become addicted to the drug and crime rates will increase. Christians believe that the body is a â€Å"temple† and you should not put anything in your body that can hurt you. Although I personally have no experience with this drug, I feel that if a patient’s doctor recommends the drug for pain relief then it should be legal for them to use it. But I do not believe the drug should be legal for personal use.... Free Essays on Legalizing Marijuana The Legalization of Marijuana A question that has haunted society for many decades is: Should the use of marijuana be legalized? While some disagree, many agree and have several reasons to support their decision. Marijuana is a drug from the Indian hemp plant Cannabis sativa, it can be smoked or eaten for a hallucinogenic and relaxing effect. The supporters of legalizing marijuana believe there are enough positive reasons to overcome the negatives. Yes, many people consider marijuana to be a â€Å"gateway† to other more serious drugs but on the otherhand the same can be said about alcohol or even tobacco. If used responsibly marijuana is a safe drug that we can benefit from, whether it is for medical or economical reasons or to lower the rate of crime. Marijuana used responsibly is safer, less addicting than many legal drugs. Dr. Andrew Weil was part of the first team of researchers to perform a government authorized study into the effects of marijuana on humans. This team made its study in 1968. These researchers determined that marijuana could be used safely under medical supervision. In the twenty years since then, Dr. Weil has seen no information that would cause him to reconsider that conclusion. There is no question in his mind that marijuana is safe for use under appropriate medical supervision. (MAMA) The lethal dose to its effective dose of marijuana is about 40,000 to 1. In an average marijuana cigarette there is approximately .9 grams (MAMA). Theoretically a smoker would have to smoke about 1,500 pounds within 15 minutes for the drug to be lethal (MAMA). With these numbers it is obvious there has never been a case of an overdose of marijuana or a death directly connecting with the drug. Unfortunately the same cannot be said about the legalized substances of tobacco and alcohol. Every year about 45,000 Canadians die of complications from tobacco use (Stats Canada). In Canada drinking caused almost 2000 deaths... Free Essays on Legalizing Marijuana Marijuana is first and foremost a hazardous and illegal drug. It is not a drug that should be legalized.  Although marijuana can be used to aid the pain of glaucoma, cancer, AIDS and many other terminal illnesses, it is not a proven fact that it is beneficial and good for a person’s health (Hart 101).   Marijuana has proven to affect a person’s memory, judgment, perception, and body.  Marijuana cigarettes have often been compared to that of regular cigarettes and are classified as being poor for your health. Many advocates for the legalization of marijuana, or weed, believe that it is beneficial to a patient that is suffering from a painful and terminal illness (Hart 200). Marijuana can affect a person’s memory, judgment, and perception. This drug enables a person to function both mentally and physically. The inhalation of this drug immediately goes to the brain. By doing this it can interfere with ones normal functions, physical feelings, and emotions (Goodykoontz 15).  Some users get bad effects from the usage of this drug. They may suffer sudden feelings of anxiety and have paranoid thoughts. Because this drug can affect memory, users may forget things that they may have done or things they are supposed to do. Many people who smoke weed on a regular basis make stupid mistakes that could embarrass or hurt them or someone around them.  Many of them will lose interest in their looks or social status with friends and companions.  They will start declining in school cause their grades to drop.   Athletes who smoke marijuana have trouble keeping up with the sport. Their timing for specific skills is off, their movement may be slowed down and their coordination is lost (Goodykoontz 18).  A marijuana smoker is also unable to drive and function properly due to the loss of concentration and the ability to not react quickly. For example, a person who is high on marijuana may drive too slow or stop way before a stop sign because their al... Free Essays on Legalizing Marijuana Legalize Pot, marijuana, hash, joints, blunts, green trees, etc., the list goes on and on. Whatever you want to call it, marijuana is currently illegal in the United States. Whenever marijuana is brought up, it becomes the cause of much commotion and debating. Many people feel it is the gateway drug, and have heard of the negative side effects that are greatly overblown. Although many people feel that legalizing marijuana would increase the amount of drug use, I feel that it should be legalized. It will greatly reduce the amount of money spend on enforcement, and will increase our options for spending our tax dollars and lessen crime, and it will also be useful in treating certain medical conditions. Many people feel that legalization is unnecessary, and they fail to see the possible benefits of legalization. However, one possible benefit of legalization is that it will be profitable to the global economy. It will allow money that is spent on drug law enforcement to be spent on other programs. There have been escalating costs spent on the war against drugs and countless dollars spent on rehabilitation. Every year in the United States, ten billion dollars are spent on enforcing drugs alone. Drug violators accounted for forty percent of all criminals in federal prisons (Schwenk 73). In 1989, a Republican county executive of Mercer County, NJ estimated that it would cost approximately one billion dollars to build the jail space required to house all the drug users in Trenton alone (Schwenk 98). All of this money could be spent on things of greater importance. Drug violators are a major cause of extreme overcrowding in US prisons. We currently have close to one million inmates nationwide, and a high percentage of these prisoners are in because of drug related incidents. Since 1982, there has been about a 160% increase in inmate population. Most of this increase is attributed to drug violators, and sadly this number will only continue to ris... Free Essays on Legalizing Marijuana Mainstream vs. Alternative Media; who do we believe? The Journal of Media Studies Writer Discussion of the legalization of marijuanabrings up two main issues, those who are pro- marijuana and those who are anti- marijuana. These issues have beencovered by both mainstream and alternative media, mainstream being pro, and alternative beinganti.Thesetwo factions have been arguing over this issue in the halls of justice for many years. Because most of theamericansociety is mainly exposed to only mainstream media, they are not aware of other factors of legalizingmarijuana that alternative media covers. The problem caused by this lack of exposure, is that the public may be deprived of the truth, and may be led to believe facts that are not true. Marijuana and Medicine Both pro and anti- marijuana groups have discussed whether or not marijuana can be used for medicinal purposes. Mainstream groups do not believe that there are any convincing reasons to make marijuana a treatment to sick patients. Their position is that marijuana can have harmful long-term effects. The Anti-Legalization Forum explains that some of these effects are: impairment of the immune system due to the inability of T-cells to battle off diseases, delaying puberty in both males and females, and unhealthy and smaller children born to women who used marijuana during pregnancy. The Drug Enforcement Administration believes that since marijuana is not accepted by any American health associations, there is no reason to legalize the drug. They think that the main reason why pro marijuana advocates use the medical use argument is because the uninformed public can be easily convinced to support the movement. Simply not enough evidence proves that marijuana can be used medically (Claim V). Unlike the D.E.A., lobbying groups such as the Cannabis Action Network and the Indiana Civil Liberties Union, believe that marijuana is a beneficial herb...