Opposing views

     Although legalizing marijuana for recreational use is an ethically logical idea, many people still oppose such a thing. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, "Research clearly demonstrates that marijuana has the potential to cause problems in daily life or make a person's existing problems worse" (NIDA 7). However, one can make the same argument for the already legal alcohol which is clearly far more dangerous and much worse than marijuana. Heidi Stevenson states that "researchers did brain scans on adolescents before and after an 18-month period during which they used alcohol or marijuana, abstained, or consumed them minimally. Those who drank five or more alcoholic drinks two or more times per week lost white matter brain tissue, which is required for memory, attention, and decision-making". She then goes on to explain that "no changes in brain scans could be found in teens who used marijuana as much as nine times a week. Not even the heaviest users suffered any brain damage" (Stevenson 6). This is significant. If a substance (alcohol) can impair a person in such a way and still remain legal while marijuana which is far less harmful remains illegal, then what exactly is meant by the word legal?

     Marijuana users are treated as criminals while alcohol users are considered socially acceptable. According to Stephen Webster ,"755,000 people were arrested in 2011 for marijuana possession" (Webster 2). Now these people who were arrested have unnecessary blemishes on the record. In my personal life, many of my friends have been arrested for marijuana use and/or possession. They will now have a harder time getting quality jobs and getting into certain schools. If marijuana were legal these kind of insignificant things would not tremendously affect one's life.

     Prohibition was tried on alcohol (1920-1933) and failed miserably. The citizens did not agree with the government's decision on keeping alcohol illegal. The citizens had/have a demand for alcohol and the government respected it, the same needs to happen for marijuana. Marijuana needs to be made legal for recreational use so that the law enforcement can focus more attention to actual criminal acts that threaten society in America.

"DrugFacts: Marijuana." drugabuse.gov. National Institute on Drug Abuse, Dec. 2012. Web. 14 Apr. 2013. http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/marijuana

 

Stevenson, Heidi. "Alcohol Kills Brain Cells, But Marijuana Doesn’t." gaia-health.com. N.p., 27 Dec. 2012. Web. 14 Apr. 2013. http://gaia-health.com/gaia-blog/2012-12-27/marijuana-does-not-harm-brains-but-alcohol-does/

 

Webster, Stephen C. ""America’s 2011 drug war tally: One marijuana arrest every 42 seconds."." The Raw Story (2012). Web. 14 Apr. 2013. http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/10/29/americas-2011-drug-war-tally-one-marijuana-arrest-every-42-seconds

Debunking the falsehoods of doobies

    As it was stated before, "Despite more than 70 years of federal marijuana prohibition, Americans’ consumption of and demand for cannabis is here to stay. It is time for state lawmakers to acknowledge this reality" (Armentano). America has a clear and present demand for marijuana, to deny this fact one would have to be in a state of denial. The American government has been giving marijuana the cold-shoulder for decades based on the myths that marijuana is a gateway drug and the myth that it kills brain cells.

    In 1974, the Heath/Tulane study claimed to pump 30 marijuana joints a day into the lungs of monkeys. After 90 days the monkeys began to die. Brain damage was determined after counting the dead brain cells of the monkeys that have been subjected to marijuana and monkeys that were not. They claimed marijuana killed the monkey's brain cells. However, it was later discovered that the test was not administered in the manner in was supposed to be given in. Dr. Heath and Dr. Tulane were actually pumping 63 marijuana joints into the monkeys for 5 minute intervals for 3 months. Inturn it was found that the monkeys were being suffocated and were losing brain cells from suffocation, not marijuana smoke. Poor monkeys.

     "because underage smoking and alcohol use typically precede marijuana use, marijuana is not the most common, and is rarely the first, “gateway” to illicit drug use. There is no conclusive evidence that the drug effects of marijuana are causally linked to the subsequent abuse of other illicit drugs" (Szalavitz7), marijuana strangely developed this "gateway drug" myth. Alcohol and tobacco tremendously effect the human body in very negative ways. So much so that one can die from excessive or prolonged use of the two substances (alcohol and tobacco).

     The United States will not implode when marijuana is made legal for citizens to use with caution and responsibility. The saying that "only time will tell" runs positive on the side of marijuana. I have shown facts that debunk the myths associated with marijuana that have been grinded and conditioned into our psyche as true facts. Hate it or love it, marijuana is not nearly as bad or insidious as the government and certain interest groups would like to have you think.

 

Armentano, Paul, NORML Deputy Director Maryland, Lawmakers To Debate Marijuana Legalization Bill Tomorrow March 18, 2013

Gieringer, Ph.D, Dale. "Marijuana Health Mythology." norml.org. N.p., June 1994. Web. 9 Apr. 2013. http://norml.org/library/health-reports/item/norml-s-marijuana-health-mythology#12

 

 The Truth About The Study That Says Marijuana Kills Brain Cells http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g66BYWeufFc

Szalavitz, Maia. "Marijuana as a Gateway Drug: The Myth That Will Not Die." time.com. N.p., 29 Oct. 2010. Web. 9 Apr. 2013. http://healthland.time.com/2010/10/29/marijuna-as-a-gateway-drug-the-myth-that-will-not-die/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ethical view

     From the ethical and standpoint marijuana should not be as big of a concern as it is. In the United States, The states of Washingto and Colorado have made marijuana for recreational use and/or medical use legal. A reporter from the Canadian press reports that "people are kind of getting over the social stigma of it, and they're jumping into it" (Drews 6), however, the issues between the federal government and state government are still apparent. "The ballot initiatives behind the business boom were approved in Washington State and Colorado Nov. 6, 2012, and allow adults over the age of 21 to posses up to 28 grams of marijuana" (Drews8), the citizens have voted for the legalization of marijuana in those two states, so it needs to be respected by the people in government. There is a plethora of other things for the government to worry about such as war, diseases, and violence, marijuana does not belong in the same category as these. Marijuana will have a big impact on the economy as well, for in Washington Garden stores such as Pacific Northwest Garden Supply and Green Planet Wholesale Ltd., claim that the stores have quadrupled sales since the legalization of marijuana. It creates businesses which inturn will generate numerous job opportunities.

    The citizens have a demand for marijuana as clear as day and in our so called "government of the people, by the people, for the people"(Lincoln 3), the people are the true decision makers in the United States and there votes need to be respected by the government. The governments big nose keeps nudging its way into the liberties and freedoms of American citizens from the Patriot Act to the NDAA and it just keeps on trumping through into issues that it does not need to be involved in, such as gay marriage and marijuana use. Lincoln also felt very strongly that "A house divided against itself cannot stand" (Lincoln 6), the government must not forget that citizens have a voice in the United States and that voice, once heard, needs to be respected.

     It is completely unethical for the federal government to pretend itself more important and more inclined to know what is best for the individual citizen than the citizens themselves. Citizens do their duties, pay taxes, and follow the laws, so it is imperative that they are acknowledged and respected for their hard work and dedication to their roles as United States citizens. Citizens are the soldiers in war, the police, the fire fighters, the doctors, the teachers, and the students. Marijuana is an issue blown out of proportion that does not need to be as demonized as it is. Citizens demand marijuana and have voted for its legalization, so give it to them.

 

Drews., Kevin "Business booms thanks to marijuana legalization in two U.S. states." Globe & Mail [Toronto, Canada] 2 Apr. 2013: A8. Global Issues In Context. Web. 4 Apr. 2013.

Document URL
http://find.galegroup.com.libproxy.howardcc.edu/gic/infomark.do?&source=gale&idigest=c145c8640b56a7316602bf3be787cd86&prodId=GIC&userGroupName=colu91149&tabID=T004&docId=CJ324495465&type=retrieve&contentSet=IAC-Documents&version=1.0

 

Lincoln, Abraham. "The Gettysburg Address." http://www.abrahamlincolnonline.org. Ed. Roy P. Basler. Abraham Lincoln Association., 19 Nov. 1863. Web. 6 Apr. 2013. http://www.abrahamlincolnonline.org/lincoln/speeches/gettysburg.htm

Lincoln, Abraham. "House Divided Speech." http://www.abrahamlincolnonline.org. Ed. Roy P. Basler. Abraham Lincoln Association., 16 June 1858. Web. 6 Apr. 2013. http://www.abrahamlincolnonline.org/lincoln/speeches/house.htm

 

Marijuana Facts

   "The toxicity levels of cannabis compounds are estimated at 40,000, meaning that a subject would have to ingest 40,000 times the regular dose to induce death" (Toxicity 1), which means ”a smoker would theoretically have to consume nearly 1,500 pounds of marijuana within about fifteen minutes to induce a lethal response” (Toxicity 1). Thus it is virtually impossible to overdose on marijuana, and as I have stated before, there has not been one single reported case of anyone dying from smoking marijuana, "the consumption of marijuana -- regardless of quantity or potency -- cannot induce a fatal overdose" (Armetano 12).

     Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the main psychoactive ingredient in marijuana. Studies have shown that THC has previously unknown benefits which has helped people with illnesses and cancer. It can also be very therapeutical. "The earliest records of medicinal marijuana use have been traced back to China in 2737 BC, and evidence of its therapeutic use can be found throughout world cultures" (Mathre3).  Ancient cultures used marijuana in rituals which were celebrated by whole communities. "After studying all the evidence, the judge in DPF v. DEA #92-1179 and ACT v. DEA #92-1168 found marijuana to be 'one of the safest therapeutically active substances known to man' " (Mathre 5). Marijuana is safe to use recreationally.

 

 Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)

 







      It is clearly preposterous for lawmakers to make the use of marijuana a crime. Politicians are supposed to act in strict regard with what the public opinion is. In Colorado, it is now "legal for adults 21 years of age and older to use, possess, and cultivate limited amounts of marijuana under state law" (Marijuana Policy Project 2). Lawmakers decided to let citizens vote on marijuana legalization in the past 2012 election and the vote came out to be in favor for the legalization of marijuana. Hopefully Maryland will have the same type of vote in 2016, as well as the same outcome.

 

    In conclusion, marijuana should not immediately be looked down upon because of previous assumptions. One should learn to respect the herb that nature has given to us. In Colorado citizens have a clear demand that lawmakers respected and let the citizens of the state vote on marijuana's legality. Upon further indulgence in the knowledge of marijuana one will gradually shift their previous assumptons on the subject and realize that marijuana is not as bad as it was once thought to be.

 

"Toxicity." cannabismd.net/toxicity. Lifevine Media, 26 July 2008. Web. 27 Mar.2013.     

http://www.cannabismd.net/toxicity/

 

Armentano, Paul. "Recent Research on Medical Marijuana." NORML.org. NORML | NORML Foundation, 14 Mar. 2012. Web. 27 Mar. 2013. http://norml.org/component/zoo/category/recent-research-on-medical-marijuana

 

Mathre, MSN RN CARN, Mary L. "The Medicinal Use of Marijuana." Mary Lynn Mathre, MSN RN CARN . UKCIA, June 1993. Web. 27 Mar. 2013. http://www.ukcia.org/medical/medicinaluseofmarijuana.php

"Amendment 64 Implementation Task Force issues recommendations ." mpp.org. Marijuana Policy Project, 8 Mar. 2013. Web. 27 Mar. 2013. http://www.mpp.org/states/colorado/

Chill out

      Marijuana for recreational use needs to be made legal. The truth about marijuana is coming to the light more and more everyday. The movie  "Reefer Madness" (1936) was a ridiculous way of demonizing the wonderful plant which has done virtually no harm to anyone. Can we just make it legal and get it over with? I mean come on, if alcohol and ciggarettes are "legal" then why isn't marijuana? According to The American Cancer Society, since 2002 50 million people have died from the use of tobacco and "If trends continue, one billion people will die from tobacco use and exposure during the 21st century, or roughly one person every six seconds"(Castillo 3). The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) reports that in the United States 25,692 have died from alcohol induced deaths, not including accidents and homicides in 2012. Another 15,990 people have died that same year from alcoholic liver disease. How many people has the evil marijuana killed? 1 million? 10 million? A billion? Actually, there has not been one single reported case of somebody dying from smoking marijuana.

      As far as I have noticed, school systems and many government officials will have you believe that marijuana is as bad as crack cocaine and heorine, but I am noticing a shift in many people's awareness towards this so called "evil-plant" and people are waking up to the true and false facts about marijuana everyday. "Despite more than 70 years of federal marijuana prohibition, Americans’ consumption of and demand for cannabis is here to stay. It is time for state lawmakers to acknowledge this reality" (Armentano). The lawmakers need to pull their heads out of their butts and face the reality of this marijuana being illegal situation. Fore once they pull their already tiny narrowly-minded noggins out of their pompously tight butts and clear away the fecal matter which has stringently worked its way through their corneas all the way through to their optic nerves which inturn has further hindered their obviously flawed ability to reason, they will come to realize that people like to smoke weed and they can not stop them from doing so.

      People should not be deprived of their freedom for recreationally using this wonderful plant. About 755,000 people were arrested in 2011 for marijuana possession, that means "that marijuana users were arrested last year at a rate of one every 42 seconds" (Webster 2). Some folks like to drink a beer when they get off of work, some like to smoke a ciggarette when their day is done, and others would simply like to smoke a joint when they get off of work without having to worry about having their freedom stripped away from them because a guy in a suit says its not okay. Life is short, toke up. I do not mean live only for the sole purpose of smoking marijuana, but a few hits of a joint every now and then will not kill you. Neither will a couple bong rips. Thus this wonderful plant and people's clear and present demand for it, deserve much more appreciation and respect than they currently receive.


Armentano, Paul, NORML Deputy Director Maryland, Lawmakers To Debate Marijuana Legalization Bill Tomorrow March 18, 2013

Castillo, Michelle. "Tobacco use claimed 6 million lives in 2011, report shows." CBSnews . Web. 25 Mar. 2013. http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504763_162-57401584-10391704/tobacco-use-claimed-6-million-lives-in-2011-report-shows/.

 

http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/alcohol.htm

 

Webster, Stephen C. "America’s 2011 drug war tally: One marijuana arrest every 42 seconds." The Raw Story 29 Oct. 2012. Web. 25 Mar. 2013. http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/10/29/americas-2011-drug-war-tally-one-marijuana-arrest-every-42-seconds/