The Debate Over Marijuana Legalization

Drug addiction is something societies all over the world rarely accept. People who say, “A glass of beer after a long work day keeps me relaxed and ready for the next day of work” sounds normal. However a phrase just like the previous one, “A shot of heroin after a long work day keeps me relaxed and ready for the next day of work” will sound not so normal and suspicious, will it not? The Internet is full of controversial studies, either claiming that marijuana is bliss and should be legalized everywhere, or stating directly the opposite. And although total legalization might have not only pros but also cons, there are reasons to believe that in medicine this drug can be used rather effectively.

There are a number of drugs that societies cognize “bad”, which are cigarettes, alcohol, and marijuana. Marijuana is illegal in many countries, but compared to other drugs, its parts that can have a positive effect such as the fact that it is not only a relaxing, but also a recreational drug, and that in some cases, it can be used for medicinal purposes. Barth Wilsey, a pain medicine specialist at the University of California Davis Medical Center say that “Pain is the main reason people ask for prescription of marijuana.” The types of pains can vary from headaches to diseases such as cancer or a nerve pain. The Internet is full of controversial studies, either claiming that marijuana is bliss and should be legalized everywhere, or stating directly the opposite. And although total legalization might have not only pros but also cons, there are reasons to believe that in medicine this drug can be used rather effectively.

The society’s point of view of the idea of legalizing marijuana has been changing recently, and they have started to realise the positive effects marijuana have. In a CBS News poll, it shows that nowadays the support towards legalizing marijuana is higher than it has been before including women that have been going against marijuana in the previous years. 65% of Americans citizens that has been asked, think that marijuana is less dangerous than other drugs including cigarettes. 61% think that the use of marijuana should be legal, which is a increase in this opinion from the year before and the highest percentage in this poll. Out of the 61%, 81% of them prefer the medical use of marijuana. And only 23 percent think legalizing marijuana leads to an increase violent crime. In the case of abusing the use of marijuana, 69% think that it should be treated as not a criminal offense, but an addiction. Barth Wilsey, a pain medicine specialist at the University of California Davis Medical Center say that “Pain is the main reason people ask for prescription of marijuana.” The types of pains can vary from headaches to diseases such as cancer or a nerve pain.

I feel that marijuana should be legalized in all the states in America for both recreational and medical purposes. Here are some major facts that help support my claim. Firstly, Cannabis has been used for over 10,000 years and not one single death has EVER been recorded. It is not addictive and is actually far less addictive than caffeine. Secondly, Marijuana cures and prevents Alzheimer and Glaucoma, helps relieve stress, anxiety, depression, slows down tumor growth, and helps relieve pain for chemo/radiation therapy patients as well. Thirdly, If marijuana gets legalized, it can be taxed which would produce billions of dollars annually in profit which in turn would help our nation get America out of debt. It also does not lead to or cause lung cancer.

If marijuana keeps on being illegal, there will certainly be people who will protest to the fact that they can’t use them for medical purposes such as cures for Alzheimer’s and Glaucoma and also helping to relieve stress, anxiety, depression and also recreational purposes.

If marijuana keeps on being illegal people won’t be able to use them to cure themselves and have them for medical purposes and because of that, people and protest to legalize marijuana. To prevent that I think marijuana should be legalized in every single state in America and should be used for medical and recreational purposes and treat marijuana as a normal piece of treatment for curing things and also treat them as normal caffeine such as coffee.Drug consumption is always connected to the risk of developing an addiction. Even such “harmless” and legalized drugs as alcohol and tobacco annually cause millions of deaths worldwide.

However, in the case of marijuana, there might be exceptions—given that it is prescribed for medicinal purposes, and under the control of a doctor. This drug can ease pain, help seriously ill people alleviate or eliminate their symptoms, and can even become an alternative to traditional opiate painkillers. Therefore, under certain conditions and regulations, marijuana can be used as a recreational drug.Thanks for listening.