The Pros And Cons Of Marijuana Legalization - 1442 Words

Of the many social issues that plague American society, the issue over the legalization of Marijuana remains as one of the most controversial topics. Marijuana, also known as Cannabis is the most widely used illicit drug in the United States. According to national surveys conducted by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), â€Å"marijuana use rose from 4.1 percent to 9.5 percent of the U.S. adult population in the past decade.† The increase of Marijuana use created an ongoing debate over whether it should be federally legalized or not. Supporters of marijuana legalization emphasize the benefit of marijuana as a treatment option for some life-threatening illness and claims that legalizing the drug will boost the economy†¦show more content†¦For example, a student that intakes marijuana will have a hard time focusing in school, leading them to perform poorly in their classes. Also, people that drive under the influence of marijuana can have a hi gher risk of being involved in an accident because of their senses being impaired by THC. Temporary negative effects under the Influence of marijuana are not the only thing opponents want to address when appealing to their supporters. They also argue that continued use of marijuana has detrimental effects on human development and can permanently damage one’s physical and mental health even when they are not under the influence. Since most marijuana users are young adults, the effects of THC will be damaging to the development of their brain. Research shows that â€Å"adults who smoked marijuana regularly during adolescence have impaired neural connectivity (fewer fibers) in specific brain regions† (Volkow et al., 3). An impairment in development due to marijuana use is an issue because it affects one’s ability to function in the long run. Impaired neural networks can lead to disorders especially ones associated with marijuana use. A recent study was conducted on 1, 253 first-year college students at a public university inShow MoreRelatedThe Pros And Cons Of Marijuana Legalization1226 Words   |  5 PagesWhat is Marijuana? According to Dictionary.com, Marijuana is, â€Å"a preparation made from the dried flower clusters and leaves of the cannabis plant, usually smoked or eaten to induce euphoria†(marijuana). Marijuana, also known as â€Å"Mary Jane†, is drawn out to be an extremely horrible, life-ruining drug. Children learn that marijuana is a â€Å"gateway† drug and that it only does harm. Though it can be quite addictive, Marijuana is safer than commonly used drugs like Tobacco and could possibly be moreRead MoreThe Pros And Cons Of Legalization Of Marijuana715 Words   |  3 PagesMarijuana legalization is a controversial subject with many different problems and solutions. Marijuana has benefits and disadvantages to using it (and many viewpoints on said pros and cons) so one person cannot be the only authority on the subject. Marijuana could possibly be used as a medicine, and although legalizing marijuana could have some benefits, the action could have serious repercussions. The legalization of medical marijuana could have positive benefits to the United States governmentRead MorePros And Cons Of Legalization Of Marijuana784 Words   |  4 Pages According to the English Oxford Living Dictionaries (2017), marijuana is â€Å"Cannabis, especially as smocked or consumed as a psychoactive (mind-altering) drug.† Although marijuana is illegal by the federal law, 29 states have legalized the use of medical marijuana, and in 8 states anyone over the age of 21 can buy marijuana (Nathan, D. L., Clark, H. W., Elders, J, 2017, p. 1746). Many Americans tend to experiment with drugs when put in a certain social event, but rarely abuse drugs or become a drugRead MoreMarijuana: For Better or For Worse?1740 Words   |  7 PagesMarijuana is a harmful drug and should not be legalized. Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug used in the United States. It is a plant that grows from the ground however, it contains many harmful toxins. There are many pros and cons for the legalization of marijuana although there are more cons than there are pros; one being that children are the ones who abuse marijuana the most. Surprisingly, against other beliefs, marijuana smoking actually does impair the user’s ability to drive aRead MoreEssay about Should Marijuana be Legalized?968 Words   |  4 PagesShould marijuana be legalized for recreational or medical use? This is a debate that has been happening for quite some time and this is not just a debate that is happening among people. There are many that have taken sides including medical personal and government officials. Currently in the United States there are two states in which recreational use of marijuana is legal; Colorado and Washington. There are three states currently that have pending legislation to legalize recreational use; CaliforniaRead MoreLegalizing Marijuana For Recreational Use1362 Words   |  6 Pageslegalize marijuana for recreational use. Similar to the age li mitation set for buying and consuming alcohol and smoking of tobacco products, Colorado has set the age limit for recreational use for adults who are at least twenty-one years of age and over to use an ounce of this drug. According to the drugabuse.gov website, the drug marijuana is defined as a greenish-gray mixture of the dried, shredded leaves and flowers of Cannabis sativa—the hemp plant. After two years of legalizing marijuana, ColoradoRead MoreMarijuana: Drug or Cure? Essay1191 Words   |  5 Pageshappens to be over the legalization of Marijuana. As of 1970 with the passing of The Controlled Substances Act the Federal Government officially classified marijuana as a schedule 1 drug with no real accepted medicinal use at the time (History of Marijuana). As the capabilities of science have progressed over time more and more scientific challenges have bombarded this decision so that more tangible research can be garnered from this plant. The earliest known mention of m arijuana as a recreationalRead MoreShould Marijuana Be Legalized? Essay1372 Words   |  6 PagesLegalization of Weed Growing up, everyone is told that, â€Å"Drugs are bad for you,† time and time again. Now as a kid you don’t really understand the reasoning behind it, but you listen to your authority figure regardless. I remember being told this my entire life and even to this very day. But as I got older I realized that people would still use drugs even though it’s illegal. I could never understand why someone would go against the law and jeopardize their life just to use drugs? The drug thatRead MoreEssay Astonishing Statistics of Marijuana Use in Minors1539 Words   |  7 Pagesmillion Americans ages 12 and over have reported to using marijuana at least once within the previous year. That number alone is an astonishing statistic on marijuana users. Although marijuana has been a drug with increasing popularity especially throughout the past couple of years due to the legalization in some states. In November of 2012 history was made when Washington and Colorado both lega lized marijuana for recreational use. Although marijuana is considered to be a Schedule 1 drug, which means itRead MoreShould Marijuana Be Legalized?1224 Words   |  5 PagesLegalizing Marijuana Many different web pages and read over the information that they provided and this is what is found. The debit for this topic is all over the place some say we should some say we should not legalize marijuana. The three main topics that will going to go more into depth with are the medical benefits, monetary benefits and the renewable benefits. But first, let a bit about marijuana, so other names for it is weed, herb, pot, grass, bud, ganja, Mary Jane to name a few. Marijuana can be