Pros and Cons of Marijuana - 863 Words

The legalization of marijuana has been a highly debated topic for many of years. Since the first president to the most recent, our nation’s leaders have consumed the plant known as weed. With such influential figures openly using this drug why is it so frowned upon? Marijuana is considered a gateway drug, a menace to society, and mentally harmful to its consumers. For some people weed brings a sense of anxiety, dizziness, or unsettling feeling. Like alcohol, tobacco or any other drug, those chemicals may not respond well with their body. For other people marijuana brings joy, a sense of relief, and takes the edge off of every day stress. For those who are associated with cannabis, purposes usually range from a relaxant, or cash crop, to†¦show more content†¦Countless trees would be allowed to remain standing for oxygen production and carbon sequestration, which would reduce global warming. With the legalization of marijuana we could start to once again uses and create these materials through hemp. George Washington and Thomas Jefferson both grew hemp. In fact at one point every farmer was required to designate a percent of their crops to growing hemp. Ben Franklin owned a mill that made hemp paper; and Jefferson drafted the Declaration of Independence on hemp paper (Conrad, Frazier). Hemp can be used for a number of things and is good for the environment, but the part of the plant that gets people â€Å"high† is THC. This is interesting because delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol or THC pills have been approved by the FDA and have been on the market since 1985 (Dubner para.5). So if the only part of the plant that is abused for recreational use is legal for you to purchase what the government is so worried about? Of course health concerns could not be the answer, or tobacco would be illegal as well. To discover this answer we must first dive deeper into the context. One function of government is to protect citizens from harm, whether it is from foreign enemies or from internal causes such as poisonous food or contaminated water. Similarly, the ban on marijuana protects citizens from the dangers of drug consumption, as well as potentiallyShow MoreRelatedThe Pros And Cons Of Marijuana Legalization1226 Words   |  5 PagesWhat is Marijuana? According to Dictionary.com, Marijuana is, â€Å"a preparation made from the dried flower clusters and leaves of the cannabis plant, usually smoked or eaten to induce euphoria†(marijuana). Marijuana, also known as â€Å"Mary Jane†, is drawn out to be an extremely horrible, life-ruining drug. Children learn that marijuana is a â€Å"gateway† drug and that it only does harm. Though it can be quite addictive, Marijuana is safer than commonly used drugs like Tobacco and could possibly be moreRead MorePros and Cons of Legalizing Marijuana2690 Words   |  11 Pages Marijuana Angela Stackhouse 05/07/09 Marijuana The uses of marijuana amongst teenagers has increased over the years making it the most accessible drug in America as well as one the most beneficial due to its medical uses. According to the article of Marijuana Use Among Youths Is a Serious Problem, written by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University (CASA) (2004), stated that the uses of marijuana has impacted the youth in many ways due to the unknown factorsRead MorePros And Cons Of Legalization Of Marijuana784 Words   |  4 Pages According to the English Oxford Living Dictionaries (2017), marijuana is â€Å"Cannabis, especially as smocked or consumed as a psychoactive (mind-altering) drug.† Although marijuana is illegal by the federal law, 29 states have legalized the use of medical marijuana, and in 8 states anyone over the age of 21 can buy marijuana (Nathan, D. L., Clark, H. W., Elders, J, 2017, p. 1746). Many Americans tend to experiment with drugs when put in a certain social ev ent, but rarely abuse drugs or become a drugRead MoreThe Pros And Cons Of Legalization Of Marijuana715 Words   |  3 PagesMarijuana legalization is a controversial subject with many different problems and solutions. Marijuana has benefits and disadvantages to using it (and many viewpoints on said pros and cons) so one person cannot be the only authority on the subject. Marijuana could possibly be used as a medicine, and although legalizing marijuana could have some benefits, the action could have serious repercussions. The legalization of medical marijuana could have positive benefits to the United States governmentRead MoreEssay on Pros and Cons of Legalizing Marijuana1880 Words   |  8 PagesPros and Cons Of Legalizing Marijuana Marijuana is a very common street and recreational drug that comes from the marijuana plant. The plant that produces marijuana, as is well known, is the hemp plant cannabis sativa. The pharmacologically active ingredient in marijuana is tetra-hydro-cannabinol. Marijuana is used to heighten perception, affect mood and relax. It is estimated that about thirty percent of adults in the U.S. use marijuana. Many people think marijuana is harmless. It is not.Read MoreEssay on Legalizing Marijuana: Pros and Cons1599 Words   |  7 PagesIn 2007, $42 billion was spent on the marijuana prohibition. That is more money than the war on drugs spent on all types of drugs three years before when $40 billion was spent all together. Why is our government focusing on a drug that can be called merely harmless to those who use it? Why is this drug getting more money spent on it than drugs that are highly addictive and life threatening? Marijuana is not as dangerous as people may want it to seem. Marijuana is a product of the Cannabis staviaRead MoreThe Pros And Cons Of Marijuana Legalization1442 Words   |  6 Pagesof Marijuana remains as one of the most controversial topics. Marijuana, also known as Cannabis is the most widely used illicit drug in the United States. According to national surveys conducted by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), â€Å"marijuana use rose from 4.1 percent to 9.5 percent of the U.S. adult population in the past decade.† The increase of Marijuana use created an ongoing debate over whether it should be federally legalized or not. Supporters of marijuana legalizationRead MorePros and Cons of Legalising Marijuana1126 Words   |  5 Pagestheory that cannabis is a ‘gateway drug’ also arises. Despite the current marijuana laws, medical research has shown a variety of therapeutic benefits that arise from the use of cannabis. (Gowling et al. 1998, p. 446)) Revealed that ‘Over the years, cannabis has been claimed to increase appetite, relax the muscle, improve mood, relieve anxiety and combat pain and nausea’. As a result of these advantages, medical marijuana advocates support and has pushed for the legalisation of cannabis. HoweverRead MoreThe Pros and Cons of Medical Marijuana Essay1201 Words   |  5 Pages Marijuana is the third most popular recreational drug in America (behind only alcohol and tobacco), and has been used by nearly 100 million Americans. According to government surveys, some 25 million Americans have smoked marijuana in the past year, and more than 14 million do so regularly despite harsh laws against its use. Our public policies should reflect this reality, not deny it.(keith stroepe). Marijuana should be legalized for medical use across the country. Marijuana has been usedRead MoreEssay on Pros and Cons of Legalizing Marijuana557 Words   |  3 Pageslegalization of marijuana is a very debatable subject, some people think it is bad and should be illegal, and some people think it is good in some ways if used properly. It should be legal because it has few negative effects, it serves other purposes than getting people stoned, and it is better than other drugs. Many advocates say â€Å" Marijuana is a common drug used by many people.†(Sandra) A lot of people think marijuana has numerous amounts of negative effects on the body. Marijuana helps the body