PSY 320 Marijuana Legalization

Marijuana Legalization

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Marijuana legalization

It is a plant that is loved and hated in equal measure. Its lovers don’t want to leave it, and claim its immeasurable value is what keeps them glued to the herb, while its haters think that it is responsible for many social vices in the community. Subsequently, It has spurred a lot of controversy and debates in the U.S, where whether to legalize or not to legalize marijuana in the United States.

Marijuana is a drug prepared from the cannabis plant, and used mainly for mental-related problems. It is often used for benefits such as high moods, and relaxation, calming down and other physical and mental effects (Earleywine, 2002). Any use, possession, trading, cultivation, and transporting of any sort of marijuana in the U.S is illegal under the federal law, although any state is free to legalize the use of marijuana for medical or recreational treatment, but they must put in place a regulation system that will oversee its use. This is because individual states and their laws don’t have to conform to the state federal standards. State proposals that includes the illegalizing marijuana have met with mixed success. Currently, the states of Colorado, Alaska, Washington, and Oregon have legalized both the medical and recreational uses of cannabis, as well as the Maine’s cities of South Portland and Portland, which have fully legalized cannabis. While other states have legalized marijuana partly or fully, the drug remains fully prohibited in 22 states.

Those that advocate for the illegalization of cannabis largely cite its profound addictive nature. They claim that anyone who has used marijuana has possibly been addicted to it in some way. Some claim that it is highly toxic, more that cigarettes, and that regular users contract devastating lung problems and also temporary sterility. Mostly, these are the reasons proponents of the “illegalize marijuana” come with to try and show us how evil it is.

They have however been found to be selective in their thinking, in even allowing the first reason they gave to cross their minds. It’s quite insane that so many things are addictive to the human brain and the whole human system, but they only pick on marijuana, to the extent of wanting to have it remain illegal. Substances like caffeine and coffee are as well highly addictive, but no one has ever been heard marching with pluck cards to have it banned. Studies have indicated that the medical importance and uses of marijuana by far outweighs the side effects. It is true that pot can mess your memory and fine motor skills, but it should be noted that this is only the misuse and overuse of marijuana. Medical marijuana helps relieve pain and can be used in the treatment of glaucoma, help reduce epileptic seizures as well as improve the lung health, according to some recent researches. As a pro-marijuana campaigner, I see an inconsistency of the side of the law in any state that prohibits recreational marijuana. I ask, if cigarette smoking, shisha and alcohol are legal, then why not Cannabis? Are not all for recreation? Don’t they all have side effects when misused? I dare say that Marijuana is not less of a killer than cigarettes and alcohol, since dozens of deaths reported everyday are attributed to cigarettes and alcohol.

I mean well for the country, by having this stance. As it is with everything else, everything should be used in moderation. Marijuana is not an exception, and so is alcohol. It should be regulated, and not banned, its medical benefits exploited, and not disregarded as a substance that is inherently bad, while in real sense, the use thereof is what matters.

References

Earleywine, M. (2002). Understanding marijuana: A new look at the scientific evidence. Oxford:

Oxford University Press.