Legalization of Marijuana in the United States - 729 Words

Introduction Marijuana use should be legalized throughout the United States. Marijuana legalization is becoming a highly popular argument among the country. Marijuana has been used for a very long time throughout the country for many medical uses. Starting in the 1900’s marijuana as well as other drugs such as cocaine and opium were not considered drugs and were in fact very commonly used. Not much later in 1914 the U.S. made cocaine illegal for non-medical purposes, 56 years later in 1970 cocaine was classified as a schedule II substance. The U.S. was very strict about the cannabis laws starting around the 1980’s. Then beginning in the early 2000’s scientists started discovering the medical benefits the marijuana has on people that are sick. Marijuana was used to treat many people with cancer and also people suffering from depression. Shortly after these studies were released the argument for medical marijuana began to grow throughout the United States. The government did not want any kind of marijuana becoming legal but by being able to overrule the government laws marijuana was legalized for medical use only in Ca lifornia in 1996. This was a huge step in the marijuana industry and a few other states such as Colorado and Arizona had also allowed medical marijuana shortly after. There are now 21 states in the United States that have legalized medical marijuana. Many people do not understand the medical benefits marijuana has. People who use marijuana recreationally useShow MoreRelatedThe Legalization Of Marijuana And The United States1709 Words   |  7 PagesThe Legalization of Cannabis The legalization of Cannabis in the United States is an extremely hot topic in the current media. Currently, 23 states and D.C. have laws to legalize use of Cannabis (NORML). Cannabis is also known as marijuana, dope, pot, grass, weed, head, Maryjane, doobie, bud, ganja, hashish, hash, bhang (Cannabis). Cannabis is now the third most popular recreational drug in America, this is behind alcohol and tobacco. It has been used by 100 million Americans (Cannabis). SinceRead MoreThe Legalization of Marijuana in the United States900 Words   |  4 PagesMarijuana is illegal in 48 of the 50 states, but the drug will most likely be legal in the near future. The heated debate on whether the â€Å"illicit drug† should be legalized in all 50 states keeps resurfacing. The most popular recreational drug in the United States today is marijuana. The formal name for marijuana is Cannabis but it also goes by a number of other street names including bud, grass, weed, reefer, ganja, hemp, and herb. â€Å"In 2011, more than 18 million Americans aged 12 and older reportedRead MoreLegalization Of Marijuana For The United States1416 Words   |  6 Pages The use of recreational marijuana is illegal in the United States. Although cannabinoids--the active compounds in marijuana may have the potential to help manage certain symptoms. Researchers around the world, including some in the United States, are continuing to explore the potential of the marijuana drug in use to help patients who benefit from the drug. According to our class notes, marijuana and Tabaco contain almost the same amount of chemical’s at over 500. The side effects include healthRead More Pro Legalization of Marijuana in the United States Essay1689 Words   |  7 Pagestoday, it seems as if the legalization of marijuana is being set on the back burner of legislation. There are so many opinions, sides, and overall arguments for and against it that many vote seeking politicians and policy makers have put up a strong resistance to this issue. In this paper I will illustrate the reasons why I think marijuana should indeed be legalized and also the arguments from p eople who disagree and feel that it should stay an illegal drug. Marijuana has been around for centuriesRead MoreLegalization Of Marijuana And The United States For Recreational Use1287 Words   |  6 Pagesregular users of marijuana, this paper will argue that marijuana should remain illegal in the United States for recreational use. Arguments for the legalization of marijuana and arguments against the legalization of the drug will be discussed throughout the paper. It will address the biological effects of the drug on the human body, the current laws in place and the effects it has on children, adolescents and adults. The National Institute on Drug Abuse, (NIH), refers to marijuana as the â€Å"dried leavesRead MoreShould Marijuana Be Legalized?922 Words   |  4 Pagesfor smoking marijuana? Do you know someone that is in jail for possession of marijuana? This is an issue that has become prevalent in recent years. The whole country along with its citizen is divided on legalization of marijuana. ? How marijuana became illegal is by a tax act. The citizens that desired to consume marijuana had to pay a marijuana tax act. Most people didn’t pay the tax act and that led to prison time and hefty fines. A drug prohibition was initiated and targeting marijuana. AnslingerRead MoreShould Marijuana Be Legalized?971 Words   |  4 Pagesanalysts from all over the United States have predicted that we spend $20 billion dollars a year to fight a senseless war on marijuana. According to the United Nation over 94 million people in the United States have admitted to using marijuana at least once. This n umber is not shocking, because marijuana is a safe and harmless drug. Marijuana is used for several different medical purposes. It is also healthier than already legalized drugs. The prohibition on marijuana is failing, there is no validRead MoreThe 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 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 on Legalization of Marijuana610 Words   |  3 PagesLegalization of Marijuana One debate that keeps coming up time and again is the topic of the legalization of marijuana. Marijuana is the most widely used illegal drug. Nearly one in three teenagers have at least tried marijuana by the time they graduate high school. It is also gets the most publicity for its legalization. Over thirty pro-legalization organizations have been displayed on the Internet alone. The legalization of marijuana , although popular by todays drug culture, would be a