Marijuana Reform Essay - 1610 Words

The decriminalization of marijuana is an incredibly controversial topic in the United States. Conservative views deem the drug dangerous and debilitating, while reformers suggest that legalizing the plant would have an enormous positive impact on the economy. While others, the terminally ill, wish for the plant to be legal so it can be offered as a less toxic and sometimes more effective alternative to harsh prescription drugs. an overwhelming wealth of facts that state the benefits marijuana can have medically. It’s not hard to believe that marijuana is the 3rd most popular recreational drug in America and Government polls say some 25 million Americans have smoked the plant in the past year. The purpose of this speech is not to persuade†¦show more content†¦Studies have even shown THC to have anti- tumoral properties. And even if you have not, there is an overwhelming wealth of facts all over the internet and even in news papers. Both the American Cancer society and the American Medical Association support research trials to assess cannabis’s medical potential. Millions of Americans diagnosed with incurable and fatal diseases are using marijuana to help ease their suffering. There are still others that aren’t able to get help though because their state forbids it, or they are too afraid of being caught by the federal government. Although I admit that there are a lot of loop holes in this argument, I feel that I need to tell everyone how far less dangerous marijuana is than already legal substances such as alcohol or tobacco. Around 50,000 people die each year from alcohol poisoning. Similarly, more than 400,000 deaths each year are attributed to tobacco smoking. Someone would have to smoke over 1400 pounds of marijuana in less than 15 minutes to kill themselves - which, needless to say, is impossible. Everyone knows the detrimental effects smoking tobacco can have on the human body. And, although fun, the consumption of alcohol doesn’t really have any benefits either. Tobacco use leads most commonly to diseases affecting the heart and lungs. A person that smokes puts themselves at major risks for about a zillion deadly diseases including cancer and emphysema. Alcohol is seen as an allShow MoreRelatedThe Green Need For The Fight For Marijuana Reform1425 Words   |  6 Pagessizeable tax revenues from legalizing marijuana. The fight for marijuana reform has been an ongoing battle, and every time this matter is argued, those voting against marijuana have triumphed. A report on PBS.org titled â€Å"Busted – America’s war of Marijuana† states that since 1937 attempts to criminalize marijuana began to emerge, starting with the Marihuana Tax Act of 1937. This act required an excise tax to be paid in order to have legal possession of marijuana. Eventually, this act was replaced byRead More Legalize It: The Necessity For Marijuana Law Reform Essay1335 Words   |  6 Pages Legalize It: The Necessity For Marijuana Law Reform When I think about social issues that should be discussed more often than they are, I think about the topic of legalization of marijuana. As a person that has consumed marijuana both in legal settings, and illegal settings, I can say that the title â€Å"illegal drug† should not apply to cannabis. The reason that I believe this is because I do not feel that marijuana is a threat to my personal safety, nor is it a threat to the safetyRead MoreMarijuana Madness, A Cry For Reform !894 Words   |  4 PagesMarijuana Madness, a cry for reform! In 2015 twenty states had legalized marijuana, of those states two had legalized recreational use, but without a unified decision by congress many may encounter the chaos that some states currently are. The first recorded reference to a cannabis product and its psychoactive effects dates from 2737 BC, in the writings of the Chinese emperor Shen Nung who was considered to be the father of Chinese medicine. It is unclear exactly how Cannabis got to the New WorldRead MoreEssay on We Must Reform Marijuana Laws773 Words   |  4 Pages70 million Americans have smoked marijuana at some time in their lives. 18 million have smoked marijuana within the last year, and ten million are regular smokers. Almost all of the people arrested for marijuana are arrested for possession. And because of harsh federal and state penalties, these people may be sentenced to lengthy jail terms. This is an abuse of drug laws in a great nation. The marijuana laws need to be reformed, and the war against marijuana rethought. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;OneRead MoreWe Need To Reform Laws Regarding Marijuana Essay710 Words   |  3 Pagesnot having to deal with the pain? Sure you would, however, this would only be possible by the use of a drug called marijuana. Cancer patients smoke marijuana to dispel the nausea and vomiting they get from chemotherapy and to alleviate pre-treatment anxiety. The drug was first recorded as a medicine in Chinese pharmacopoeia in 2727BC (CNN Interactive). An AIDS patient might use marijuana to improve their appetite, while it also reduces the muscle pain cause by Multiple Sclerosis. It is also helpfulRead MoreShould Marijuana Be Legalized? Essay1587 Words   |  7 Pages Legalization of Marijuana Marijuana is not a recent discovery, but the mysteries surrounding the controversial topic in question remains to be disputed since its prohibition. Classified as an illegal substance, cannabis has been restricted in Canada and around the world. Marijuana is a complex drug and its contradictory claims of medical purposes, and harmful destruction, fuel the debate on whether or not the legal constraints of consuming marijuana should be reconsidered. In consideration of academicRead MoreThe Drug Enforcement Agency Defines A Schedule 1 Substance909 Words   |  4 Pages On August 14, 1970, the Assistant Secretary of Health, Dr. Roger O. Egeberg wrote a letter recommending the plant, marijuana, be classified as a schedule 1 substance, he succeeded and it has remained that way for nearly 45 years. The Drug enforcement agency defines a schedule 1 substance as â€Å"drugs with no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse. Schedule I drugs are the most dangerous drugs of all the drug schedules with potentially severe psychological or physical dependenceRead MoreShould Marijuana Be Legalized?1579 Words   |  7 PagesLegalize Marijuana Marijuana consumption has become a very prominent sub-culture within the United States with users including virtually everyone from teenagers to the elderly people. Some individuals use it because they enjoy the feeling they get from smoking or eating it, whereas others use it for medical reasons. Marijuana is starting to become decriminalized in most states, with Colorado and Washington having already made it legal for recreational use. Moreover, a handful of states throughoutRead MoreThe Millennial Marijuana Movement : When Millennials Rule : The Reshaping Of America Essay2238 Words   |  9 PagesThe Millennial Marijuana Movement When Millennials Rule: The Reshaping of America, is a book by David and Jack Cahn that goes in depth on pressing issues in America such as gun control, abortion, and even marijuana. They touch on college debt as well as environmental protection and equality. They are brilliant young men that do a great job of pointing out the millennial standpoint on these various views and do well describing what millennials can do about these issues. A key point in this book isRead MoreCultural Attitudes Regarding Social Policy1874 Words   |  8 Pagesexamining the progression of its laws. The laws governing marijuana have varied widely throughout the history of the United States. Tracking the path of laws regarding marijuana is a demonstrable example of social change; those laws having gone from one extreme to the other and back. There has been a fundamental change in cultural attitude regarding the legalization of marijuana. Examples of this shift can be seen by examining the history of marijua na before it was illegal, why the laws changed to make