If you have been assigned a Why medical marijuana should be legal essay assignment, then you might probably be challenged as to what to write about. The topic is rather controversial, and so you need to be well aware of the points worth mentioning as well as the mode of ideas development. In this article, you will have a chance to look at the why medical marijuana should be legal essay sample so that you will be sure what it looks like. Check it out below:
Discussions and opinions regarding marijuana use have greatly changed over the recent years. Whereas in the 1970s, approximately 12% of people favored the usage of cannabis, nowadays more than 60 % are not against marijuana. The statistics has started to change since the 2000s. For the first time in history, the year 2013 signified the majority of cannabis supporters. It happened just a year after voters from Washington and Colorado contributed to the approval of cannabis legalization at least for adults. In contrast, the only possible option before was to use cannabis for medical purposes. More so, the year 2017 was the first time when marijuana usage was supported not only by the Democrats but also by the Republicans.
The medical use of marijuana is becoming more and more widespread all over the world. Both patients and doctors start to identify and accept its positive contribution to specific medical conditions. Nonetheless, there is a drastic difference, or even a so-called gap, between proponents and opponents of cannabis. It is an evident fact that cannabis remains illegal on the governmental level. Therefore, the controversy continues to grow and there is not much dramatic progress about the changes within this realm.
One of the common arguments put forward by opponents of cannabis legalization is that this process would lead to disorders in marijuana use, especially among minors. They are worried that marijuana could be commercialized as much as alcohol and that it would negatively impact the society. At the same time, some other people claim that there is no sufficient knowledge and evidence concerning any possible challenges that marijuana could lead to. As such, without this knowledge, it is hard to justify cannabis legalization.
However, the aforementioned arguments miss the most critical points. First, in practice, prohibition of marijuana usage cannot be enforced. Obviously, the black market is already too successful and prosperous to be tackled. The choice we are now faced with is not whether or not cannabis will appear in free access — it is rather about whether it will be legally produced and used. It is already widely used though it is still illegal. Second, since marijuana is easy to smuggle due to its compact size, any solution on a state level cannot be regarded as successful in the long run.
The higher the restrictions that the states impose, the more they will be flooded with illegally spread cannabis. Another issue that needs to be addressed is how to legalize cannabis. There is a difference in opinions which legalization to seek: for recreational or medical purposes. Some even reckon that marijuana should be legalized without any restrictions.
Free Custom Essay Example about Legalization of Marijuana.
The issue of marijuana legalization has been one of the social concerns for over a century. Since 1860, marijuana has been regarded as a drug, which, in turn, influenced the attempts of the government to regulate and restrict the production and sale of the addiction-inducing plant. Despite these perpetual endeavors, twenty-two states have passed the laws that allow the production and distribution of medical marijuana with Colorado and Washington allowing the consumption of marijuana with the recreational purpose. However, the proponents and opponents are still discussing the benefits and drawbacks of marijuana legalization.
The advocates of the idea prove that marijuana legalization will bring a number of benefits to people and economy. Firstly, the medical properties of marijuana may help many people. According to Barth Wilsey, MD, many people resort to medical marijuana as it relieves pain induced by medical conditions like headaches, cancer, glaucoma, or nerve pain. Secondly, the legalization of marijuana may decrease the crime rates. A recent study, which was reported by Robert Preidt, focused on the crime frequency in twenty states and Washington, D.C. after 2006. The findings showed that the rates of non-violent crimes committed before and after 2006 remained stable. However, the homicide and assault rates dropped. Thirdly, the legal status of marijuana may bring economic and financial benefits to individual states and the country as a whole. The prohibition of marijuana production and distribution entails the existence of black markets with high prices. The illegally-earned money is not charged with taxes. Therefore, the country loses a substantial amount of money. Apart from that, in 2008, the government spent 3 billion dollars for marijuana-related crime prevention instead of using it in other vital spheres. Therefore, many people tend to support the idea of marijuana legalization.
At the same time, the opponents of marijuana legalization draw attention to disadvantages entailed by the decriminalization of the drug. Firstly, many researches prove the addiction-inducing properties of marijuana. It is reported that one in 11 people gets addicted to marijuana. The number increases among people who start young, 1 in 6, and among long-term users, varying from 1 in 4 to 1 in 2. Moreover, the long-term users experience the addiction-induced symptoms when quitting the habit. Such symptoms include the increased irritability, decreased appetite, desire for the drug, sleeplessness, and anxiety. Secondly, the availability of the drug will increase the public costs for health and safety. The legalization of marijuana will increase the accessibility of the drug, thus influencing the growth of the drug users. The public costs, which are caused by accidents and health damage inflicted by marijuana use, will surpass the income from drug taxation. The same situation is observed now with alcohol and tobacco. Thirdly, the availability of marijuana will cause dire repercussion in children and adolescents. Teenagers that smoke marijuana are prone to expose themselves to addiction, schizophrenia and psychosis. Furthermore, marijuana smoking reduces IQ level in teenagers.
Therefore, the controversial position of marijuana legalization is still being discussed between the proponents and opponents of the idea. Both sides resort to the arguments excluding and ignoring the reasoning of the other party. Consequently, it is hard to resolve this complex issue taking into account only one side of the dispute. However, recent actions taken by some states regarding the marijuana legalization enactment prove that the positive and useful properties of marijuana can be employed within the society while restraining the dangerous and harmful consequences the drug may entail. Such actions of the state governments ensure the freedom of choice foreseen by the Constitution.
Benefits of Medical Marijuanas Essay: What Ideas Can Be Mentioned
- Decreases the usage of prescription drugs. According to the research and experiments, it has been already proven that cannabis has fewer side effects compared to prescription drugs. Patients who have been using marijuana instead of painkillers, felt better on the whole. When it comes to such opioids as oxycodone or morphine among others, they pose a risk of a patient getting used to them, especially if the dosage is misused. Meanwhile, when it comes to medical cannabis, overdose is next to impossible.
- Legalization has not led to an increase in marijuana use. Cannabis legalization opponents claim that that this could lead to overuse. However, with appropriate educational and regulatory methods, it can turn out to be vice versa. Evidence proves that, with legalization of marijuana, there has been observed a reduction in its use by teenagers. In some states, for example, Florida, the purpose of using cannabis is strictly monitored, i.e. it can be used for medical purposes only.
- Medical benefits of marijuana. It is a common misconception that marijuana has some drastic effects on a person’s health or well-being. On the contrary, the substance has already proved to be a great means of treating anorexia nervosa, AIDS, arthritis, and even some forms of cancer. It has also proved to be particularly useful for treating bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, depression, and insomnia among others.
On the whole, it is apparent from this Why medical marijuana should be legal essay, that the benefits of cannabis legalization prevail the drawbacks. They are particularly significant when it comes to carrying for a patient’s well-being and good health state. Nonetheless, it is an obvious fact that the topic of marijuana legalization has become a controversial one and different people have different opinions about it.
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