Although marijuana does indeed have some harmful effects, it is no more harmful than legal substances like alcohol and tobacco. A research by the British Medical Association shows that nicotine is far more addictive than cannabis. In addition, the consumption of alcohol and the smoking of cigarettes cause more deaths per year than does the use of cannabis. The legalization of marijuana will remove an anomaly in the law whereby substances that are more dangerous than marijuana are legal whilst the possession and use of marijuana remains illegal. A Kaiser Permanente Center survey found that people who smoke marijuana-only on a daily basis have a 19% higher rate of respiratory complaints than non-smokers.
Dylan Kelley Rough Draft 11-15-10 Yes We Cannabis Should marijuana be legalized in the United States? Should people be punished for smoking a harmless natural plant? The legalization of marijuana is a topic that most Americans have a powerful say in. Some believe it should remain illegal because they believe it’s a “gateway” drug or because it causes violence. Others, like me, think that the government shouldn’t have the power to outlaw if it’s not harming or endangering others.
Many drug users are arrested for possession of Marijuana every day. It has been a problem that Marijuana is the most common drug that is used in the streets. Also numerous addicts are arrested for different drugs such as heroin or crack cocaine or many times, are under the influence of alcohol. Somehow, the issue on legalizing Marijuana is that anti Marijuana users think that if Marijuana is legalized, crime on the streets would be much higher. For instance, Pot heads (Marijuana users) get busted for minor crimes such as illegal possession of Marijuana.
Parliament Debate: Opposition to the Legalization of Marijuana I argue in opposition to the statement that Texas should legalize marijuana and reject the proposal that would change the status quo by recognizing smokable marijuana as an accepted drug. I argue this because marijuana is not a safe or healthy alternative to other drugs and has not been scientifically tested with the results that classify it as useful for medicinal purposes. (TAB) According to Mark Kraus, a physician in Waterbury, Connecticut, and a member of the board of directors of the American Society of Addiction Medicine, “smoked marijuana contains many of the same toxic or carcinogenic compounds that have been linked to lung cancer and emphysema” (Kraus). Kraus also states
While marijuana comes from the earth and is natural, man makes alcohol. Some would say the alcohol is worse for you because it is man made. On the other hand, moderate consumption of alcohol is associated with better health and greater longevity. Marijuana has also never been linked to cause lung cancer, unlike tobacco. So the question remains to how long marijuana will be illegal, or if it will ever be legalized.
Some people think that legalizing marijuana is the only choice left. (Legalizing Marijuana) Others who disagree say that making marijuana legal will create more drug addicts and drug related crimes. (Zive, 2010) The people that want to make marijuana legal say that there is no good reason for it not to be legal. (Why Marijuana Shouls be Legal) We should have the right to make choices for ourselves as long as we are not harming others with our choice. The use of marijuana is far less harmful than other
If the doctors is prescribing marijuana for the help of medical conditions and contrary to the fact that marijuana does not cause serious health problems such as cancer, birth defects during pregnancy, emphysema, liver damage like those caused by tobacco and alcohol than why continue to fight against it. Death from a marijuana overdose is impossible. In all of world history, there has never been a single human death attributed to a health problem caused by marijuana. (Legalization of
Marijuana; Not Just a Counter Culture For many people the choice to use drugs is an easy one; no, but for other people when it is a life or death situation, or their depression is great enough, they will do and try anything to help gain relief from pain. With the legalization of Marijuana, medical patients would have the ability to seek other ways of treatment via medicine. Also with the legalization of Marijuana the gateway theory would be proven false. Along with these two solid reasons why Marijuana should be legalized, the federal government would also reap astonishing amounts of revenue that could be used to pay off debts and pay into social security. Marijuana has been used for thousands of years, not always for the “high effect,” but
Moreover the occasional use of marijuana by the average user will not suffer any lasting physical or mental harm. Not to say marijuana is completely harmless. Like any substance that is abuse for long periods of time (years) can have a negative effect on good health. Conversely, as with other recreational (cocaine) drugs, there will be some individual who will suffer some adverse consequences such as psychotic thought or tendencies from immediate use (Iversen PHD., 2005). Certainly there are many people and groups that oppose the legalization of marijuana and many of them have valid points of view.
They say that marijuana is not as harmful as alcohol or tobacco products so why shouldn’t it be legal? One of the biggest things on people’s minds is the money that can be made from the growing and selling of marijuana and how much the government wastes each year trying to fight a losing battle on the war against marijuana.