Legalize Marijuana
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Dated as far back as 1619, America has made it legal to use, sell and grow cannabis [marijuana]. It was not until 1937 that marijuana became illegal through the Marijuana Tax Act, “which criminalized possession of marijuana nationwide,” (Mill 13). What happened between those hundreds of years that our country found it dangerous to possess or use marijuana? There have been numerous studies into the reasoning of making cannabis legal again. These findings show and prove that cannabis is safe and beneficial for many reasons, even saving a life. Even high power figures, like, “police and prosecutors, judges and politicians, and hundreds of others who quietly agree that the criminalization of marijuana is costly, foolish, and destructive,” should say enough to make cannabis legal (Nadelmann 125). There is not enough evidence to prove that marijuana should remain illegal. The positive affects from marijuana out weigh the negative. Marijuana is safe, inexpensive even when used as a medicine, and it is versatile.
Marijuana used as a medicine can help: “control glaucoma, to suppress the nausea induced by anti-cancer drugs, to relieve the pain of multiple sclerosis, and to stimulate the appetites of those with AIDS,” and are of the most common benefits of smoking marijuana (Economist 94). And although it is not a, “miracle drug,” it does alleviate a lot of pain for many who are sick and suffering (Bayer 8). Marijuana is a versatile drug, as mentioned above with just a few common examples of how marijuana is beneficial. In the 1990’s a scientific poll was conducted by a survey research firm for the Drug Policy Foundation, an organization working for the reform of drug laws, and found that eighty-four percent thought that medical marijuana was a good idea and 47 percent said it was a very good idea (Bakalar 255).
So the first common medical use for marijuana is: cancer chemotherapy. “Chemotherapy is one of the most important cancer treatments developed in the past several decades,” which should say enough that this is doing enough good already (23). But, “chemotherapeutic agents are among the most powerful and toxic chemicals used in medicine. In attacking cancer cells, they also kill healthy body cells, producing extremely unpleasant and dangerous side effects,” and this is where the action of smoking marijuana is beneficiary to being symptom free (23). In a “personal encounter” with one of the authors, a Dr. Frei’s patient reveals how he is benefiting from smoking. A young man had leukemia and was becoming more resistant to cancer chemotherapy due to his given tolerance of nausea and vomiting and he, “revealed that he had been smoking marihuana twenty minutes before each session; it prevented all vomiting and even the slightest hint of nausea.” (25). Three doctors even stated that, “At times, these side effects can be more distressing and debilitating than the cancer itself,” referring to the effects of chemotherapy (Bayer 31).
The second most common medical use for marijuana is in treating glaucoma. There are useful affects of smoking marijuana from this, “disorder that results from an imbalance of pressure within the eye,” (Bakalar 45). The positive effects from marijuana were only discovered accidentally during an experiment at UCLA. The experiment was trying to show that “cannabis dilated the pupils,” (47). In the poll done by the Drug Policy Foundation, it was found that 69 percent of those polled thought doctors should be allowed to prescribe marihuana for glaucoma (255). It has been said by two professionals that, “Marihuana reduced intraocular pressure for an average of four to five hours, with вЂ?no indications of any deleterious effects … on visual function or ocular structure,” which only further argues that marijuana has an adequate amount of positive connotations than negative (47). But if two reasons are not saying enough, than lets move on to how marijuana helps with multiple sclerosis.
Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disorder, which is when the body’s immune system attacks its own cells and tissues. It is reported, by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society that, “an estimated one-third of a million Americans live with MS and nearly 200 new cases are diagnosed each week,” and symptoms, “include blurred vision, slurred speech, loss of bladder and bowel control, problems with sexual function, generalized weakness and severe depression,” (Bayer 68). Patients of this disease claim that marijuana relieves them and helps them avoid the dangerous side effects of commonly prescribed prescriptions of MS patients. “They claim that marijuana is especially helpful in reducing their painful muscle spasms and tremors, and in regaining their muscle coordination and control,” (47). That should be enough proof, yet again; that marijuana has such positive effects that there is no reason it should be illegal.
AIDS stands for, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome. When AIDS is present in the body, the immune system is attacking blood cells. The medicine given to help with treatment of AIDS has severe side effects including loss of appetite. Marijuana is an appetite stimulant and this can be especially useful for AIDS patients. Doctors say, “Marijuana has helped many patients prolong their lives by enabling them to cope with some of the difficult symptoms and treatments associated with AIDS, and by helping them maintain their body weight,” and if marijuana was legal, patients and friends and family of those patients would not have to worry about getting in trouble for possessing or using the drug (56).
Those opposing legalization of cannabis use the reason that it kills people. This is a false statement. Marijuana has never been reported for the reasoning behind someone’s death, including overdoses. Marijuana, like any other drug, impairs your ability to think clearly. Which is why getting behind the wheel of a vehicle is dangerous if any drugs are present inside the body. But being naДЇve and saying people would not drive would not help, so a study was conducted. This study “indicated that effects of marihuana on actual driving performance were small,” (Bakalar 237). On average, when