On the other hand, marijuana is still perceived as an addictive substance under the Controlled Substances Act of 1970. It has been historically linked as a gateway drug to more serious substance abuse such as meth, heroin, or cocaine. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration says that marijuana is the most widely used and abused illicit drug in the nation among both youth and adults; in fact 42% of high school seniors have tried it. The National Center on Addiction found that rates for marijuana use and dependence for minors has increased 482% between 1992 and 2006 while, at the same time there was a 54% decrease in rates of all other substances combined. The issue most worrisome is the use of marijuana for young people, since 62% of all users began before they were 18. According to NIDA research, marijuana use predominantely affects the prefrontal cortex, the last area of the brain to develop and the area not fully matured in adolescene often disrupting brain functions that are critical to motivation, memory, learning, judgement and behavior control, as well as poor academic performance (Arguments Against).
Most recently, two U.S. states legalized marijuana for recreational use -- Washington and Colorado. This is quite a conundrum, however, since the recreational use of the substance is still Federally illegal. At least 20 states allow the use of marijuana for medical reasons, and a growing number of mainstream Americans are urging the support of legalizing it. A recent poll, in fact, noted that over 51% of those surveyed favored legalization. They key, however, is how to have legalized marijuana in a State, but not Federally -- does this then mean that anyone caught legally selling a product can still be arrested on a Federal crime? Or that if someone is using marijuana in private, the
Logically, when one weighs the benefits vs. The negatives, from a utilitarian point-of-view (classical utilitarianism holds that the best decision for a society is what is best for the greatest number), marijuana should be legalized for medical purposes. It is a natural substance, it has fewer side effects than most pharmaceuticals, it is less expensive to produce than traditional pharmaceuticals, and now, smoking is unnecessary -- it can be vaporized. Control of the substance would still be governmental, making the quality and potency greater (no cutting the product, no unauthorized chemicals used in production, etc.). The distribution would be through licensed agencies, much like liquor in many states. And sure, there might be a few abuses, just as there are with alcohol. but, the benefits for people who need something that will work for their issue and still allow them to live a fulfilling life, all the while allowing them the personal freedom to decide which substance they will use to control their pain, discomfort, nausea, or medication conditions, far outweigh the negatives. After all, how could humanity have been wrong for 10,000 years?
Works Cited
"Arguments Against Marijuana Legalization and/or Decriminalization from a Prevention
Standpoint." CADCA2008.
"Colorado Becomes Second U.S. State to Legalize Marijuana." (December 2012). the
Telegraph.< http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica / usa/9736261/Colorado-becomes-second-U.S.-state-to-legalise-marijuana.html>
"DEA Speaks Out Against Legislation." (January 2011). U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.
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Guither, P. "Why is Marijuana Illegal?" (January 2011). Drug WarRant.com. .
Iverson, L. The Science of Marijuana. New York: Oxford University Press, 2000. Print.
Marijuana users are accustomed to consuming the substance even with the fact that they risk greatly from the act. "Few people claim that they would change the amount they used if marijuana were legalized (Johnston, Bachman, & O'Malley, 1981). A poll of 1,400 adults found that over 80% claimed that they would not try the drug even if it were legal (Dennis, 1990)" (Earleywine 232). Numerous people who have
Legalize Marijuana Legalizing marijuana In this era of spiraling medical costs, if there is a product that has never caused any deaths, has proven benefits, and is inexpensive, it should not only be legal, but should be aggressively pursued by governmental agencies to aid in the health care crisis. Would you be interested in a substance that could alleviate nausea and vomiting for most cancer and chemotherapy patients? How about a way
Legalize Marijuana Now! Today, the United States enjoys the dubious distinction of incarcerating more of its citizens than any other industrialized nation on earth. Perhaps even more troubling still, the majority of these citizens have been imprisoned for nonviolent crimes involving drugs, with marijuana being one of the most prominently drugs. Furthermore, these issues have assumed new importance and relevance in recent years. As the country continues to struggle to recover
There is much more to the issue and how it is addressed than that (Seamon, 2007). These states are: Alaska California Colorado Hawaii Maine Maryland Michigan Montana Nevada New Mexico Oregon Rhode Island Vermont Washington (Seamon, 2007) Criticisms of Decriminalization Gateway Drug The war on drugs has been in the news for some time now, and marijuana has been included in that war. It continues to be listed as important in the speeches of many politicians, and it continues to be at the forefront of a
Marijuana Legalization Marijuana, also known as marihuana, is a drug that is taken from Cannabis sativa, a hemp plant. It is one of the most frequently used and popular drugs in the world along with caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol. The United States of America is one of the world's leading producers of marijuana where it is generally smoked and is also referred to as weed or reefer by the citizens ("marijuana"). Marijuana
Increases in any of these demographics is negatively correlated with polls in favor of partially legalizing marijuana use and possession, with the researcher's observations allowing some more detailed examination of the possible reasons, as well (Myers, 2011). Marijuana's association with violent crime and with a lax work ethic causes it to be more feared y Protestants and in communities with large minority populations, and individuals over the age of
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