The Business Behind Getting High
No one really knows how long marijuana has been smoked by humans, but one thing is for certain: marijuana has been smoked by all types of diverse people for many different reasons. Some smoke the plant for medical reasons, others just to relieve stress and be in a better attitude towards life. One problem that has always seemed prevalent with marijuana is the stereotype towards “potheads” or marijuana users. Marijuana smokers have always been associated with an unfashionable lifestyle that does not suit an average American citizen. They have been classified as “hippies” or “losers.” Law enforcement and political officials believe this “drug” is bad because there are so many criminal sanctions that take place for the procession of marijuana. They also say that marijuana is addictive and leads to long term health problems such as cancer; studies show however, that both of these accusations are untrue. The legalization of marijuana in the United States would drastically reduce crime rates and medical problems, and begin to make the country more stable and efficient through its positive uses.
People have smoked marijuana for thousands of years. Jack Herer states in his book “The Emperor Wears No Clothes” states the origin of the plant:
By the 27th Century B.C.E., the Chinese cultivated Ma (cannabis hemp) for fiber, medicine and herbal use. Three thousand seven hundred years later (circa 1000 A.D.), China called cannabis Tai-Ma, or great hemp, to differentiate it from the minor fiber plants, which were now grouped under the generic fiber term Ma. Their pictogram for true or great hemp is a large Man, indicating the strong relationship between man and hemp.
The Term Paper on Coffee Bean Marijuana Drug Hemp
... taxed just like cigarettes. Marijuana, also spelled Marihuana comes from the Indian hemp plant, cannabis sativa. It ... 73). Most people get red eyes when they smoke hemp, which is a sign of vascular dilation ... promise in the hemp plant. More research is required, but the current state of prohibition makes ... In recognition of the scope of the problem of international drug trafficking and the extended ...
The name “marijuana” comes from the Spanish name mariguana. Drug slang for this word includes but is not limited to Mary Jane, pot, bud, green, grass, reefer, weed, ghanja, and sometimes dope. There are many chemicals in this plant, but the one that causes the effects of marijuana is THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol. Tricia Ellis-Christensen states in her article “What is THC?” that when inhaled or ingested,
THC binds to specific receptors in the brain called cannabinoid receptors. In low doses, THC causes some pain reduction, may reduce aggression, stimulate appetite, and help reduce nausea. Higher doses may cause the “high” associated with marijuana, leading to altered perception of time and space, feelings of happiness, or feelings of fatigue.
The plant has many different affects. It has been proven to help in many different areas, such as problems sleeping, health problems, and relieving stress. There are, however, some negative effects of the plant such as social suicide, academic problems, and possibly behavioral issues, but in reality, it is the person’s decision to make the decisions he or she makes. Nothing in marijuana causes a person to fail a class or rob a bank; it is solely on the person.
Crime is an increasingly noticeable problem in America today. More and more people are turning to crime to solve their problems. Marijuana accounts for a huge majority of the arrests in America. African Americans and Hispanics account for over 50 percent of marijuana arrests. If marijuana is legalized it would improve the perception that the law is biased and prejudice against minorities. If legalized, people would not be arrested for possessing marijuana therefore, a large percent of the African American and Hispanic arrests would be gone, changing the idea that the law is “out to get” minorities. Since arrests for marijuana account for such a large percent of arrests, if legalized, arrests rates would be reduced. This would keep jails less crowded and make room for people who deserve to be there. It would also eventually help the economy because people would not have to pay fines for possession of marijuana. Legalizing marijuana would also give law enforcement officers more time to spend on trying to make arrests for more serious crimes such as sex offenders or more serious drug traffickers.
The Term Paper on Marijuana Should It Be Legalized And Is It Harmful
Title: SHOULD MARIJUANA BE LEGAL AND IS IT HARMFUL General Purpose: Speech to Persuade Specific Purpose: To get my audience to be pro on legalizing marijuana Thesis Statement: Marijuana isn't harmful and should be legalized Organizational Pattern: Cause and Effect To the AIDS or cancer patient, marijuana is the plant that fights nausea and appetite loss. To the nutritionist, its seed is second ...
Marijuana has been used for medical purposes since it was first inhaled or ingested. Some members of the Chinese culture, who are said to be the first to use this amazing plant, used it to help cure or help with many different health problems. Since then, it has been used by other cultures for the same or similar reasons. Until 1937, there were at least 27 medicines containing marijuana legally available in the United States. The Marijuana Tax Act of 1937 prohibited all use of marijuana, both medical and recreational. Robert Randall was arrested in 1975 for cultivating his own marijuana to treat his Glaucoma. He won his case by using the “medical necessity defense.” This forced the government to enable some patients to use marijuana to treat health conditions. Studies have shown that marijuana is a proven treatment for many conditions, such as, AIDS, hepatitis c, glaucoma, cancer, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, and chronic pain. Donald Abrams, MD, and Cheryl A. Jay, MD conducted a study to show the effects of cannabis on the neuropath on patients with HIV. They stated in their abstract “Smoked Cannabis Therapy for HIV-Related Painful Peripheral Neuropathy: Results of a Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial,” that
There is significant evidence that cannabinoids may be involved in the modulation of pain, especially of neuropathic origin. HIV-related painful peripheral neuropathy is a significant medical problem with unsatisfactory treatment options. Based on the effects of cannabinoids in preclinical models of neuropathic pain and anecdotal case reports, a controlled trial of smoked cannabis was conducted…
Thirteen of the 25 patients who were randomized to marijuana cigarettes reported greater than 30% reduction in pain during the intervention phase, compared with 6 of the 25 patients receiving placebo cigarettes…
The Essay on Why Marijuana Should Be Legalized
It is generally assumed that Marijuana is an evil drug that creates menaces of society and ruins the lives of poor innocent children. Some believe it to cause cancer, breathing problems, and make people do crazy and unnatural things while under the influence of the drug. Evidently there is a high degree of confusion and ignorance surrounding the drug and the true facts about it. This sort of sheep ...
Smoked marijuana is effective in reducing chronic ongoing neuropathic pain as well as acute pain in the experimental pain model. The magnitude of the response of the neuropathic pain is similar to what is seen with gabapentin, a widely used therapeutic intervention for HIV neuropathy.
If legalized, marijuana could also take the place of some prescription drugs, such as opiates or other pills, which are harmful to the body and easy to abuse. David Hadarn, MD and PhD, wrote in his document titled “Use of Cannabis Medicines in Clinical Practice” that
Scientists have known for many years that cannabinoids (the major active ingredients in cannabis medicines) are potent pain relievers, and that they act synergistically with opiates to increase the degree of pain relief. The addition of cannabis medicines to therapeutic regimens can reduce the need for opiates by 50 percent or more in many patients (while also reducing side effects such as constipation that opiates commonly produce).
Marijuana has proven to be a very productive medicine, and studies show that it is a safe alternative to opiates and other legal medicines.
If marijuana was legalized, the economy would increase rapidly and the government would spend less money each year. The government spends about $31.1 billion annually for the prohibitation of marijuana. If legalized, the government could begin selling and taxing marijuana, which would help boost the economy. This would also help the country’s debt because the money made from marijuana sales could be used to pay off debts. John Gettman, medical cannabis advocate and contributor to High Times magazine, states in his article for the “Cannabis Column” titled “#42,” that “Americans consume about 31 million pounds of marijuana every year at an estimated retail cost of $3,750.00 per pound. That adds up to an expenditure of $113 billion annually, all of it going to an illicit economy untaxed by the federal government.” (Gettman #42) The government also loses billions of dollars in crime expenses. Gettman states that “Marijuana arrests account for 5.54% of all arrests in the U.S. … As such, marijuana arrests account for $10.7 billion annually in criminal justice expenses.” (Gettman #42) These billions of dollars are being wasted prohibiting a plant that does nothing but good, when it could be spent on more important issues, such as, the National debt. All these expenses end up costing the United States $42 billion each year. That’s a lot of money to spend on a harmless plant!
The Term Paper on Marijuana Legalization Federal Government
... government to make medical marijuana available for anyone that has any illness that marijuana provides relief. California uses marijuana from seized or forfeited from drug ... laws legalizing marijuana; more states should view the benefits of what is said to be the "billion dollar ... Ohio State Medical Society on cannabis indica found new applications of medical marijuana. They discovered it could treat ...
Some people disagree that marijuana should be legal. They believe it will cause a downfall in society. If legalized, tobacco companies may take this as an opportunity to do what they did with tobacco. They could begin to put other dangerous chemicals in the plant that are harmful to humans in order to insure the people keep buying their products. It is believed that marijuana is a powerfully addictive drug that could lead to serious health risks in the future. Marijuana is also known as a “Gate-way Drug” or a drug that opens the door and exposes smokers to more serious and harmful drugs. However, this is due to the social structure in which pot smokers are associated with other drug users. This puts them at more risk to interact with these people and the drugs they do. Although some viewpoints lean towards keeping marijuana illegal, the legalization would drastically improve the country; not only medically and financially, but also will help people cope with everyday stress and the problems thrown at them. Marijuana should be decrimalized in American so the country can become more stable through its uses, and so the government can go after those posing a threat, rather than the casual smoker.
Eventually, America will be faced with the question of whether or not to legalize marijuana throughout the United States. Before listening to advocates against legalizing marijuana around the United States take a moment and factor in the advantages of making this plant legal. Think about the economy and what should be done to fix it, or what could be done to begin repairing it. Legalizing marijuana would make the majority of American citizens delighted and would most likely cause the people to change their way of doing things. Crime rates would drop, people could get help with medical problems from the use of a natural God made plant, the country would begin to become stabile, and it would put America on the right track to a new and improved economy. The use of this plant would put citizens in a good mood and help them get through their daily tasks. Although it is up to the individual to decide if legalizing marijuana is the right choice. As for me, I will be in the front of the line to make this plant legal when the time comes.
The Essay on Marijuana People Government Legalized
Legalization of Marijuana Research has been published in favor of legalizing marijuana. The legalization of marijuana is a political issue that has continued to surface for decades. There is countrywide support lobbying for reinstating the right to use this natural product. A large majority of this country's population refuses to accept the United States government's decision to prohibit citizens ...
Works Cited
Herer, Jack. The Emperor Wears No Clothes. 1998. Print.
Ellis-Christensen, Tricia. What is THC?. Wisegeek.com. 2003-2010. Web. November 21, 2010
Abrahms, Donald and Jay A., Cheryl. Smoked Cannabis Therapy for HIV-related Painful Peripheral Neuropathy: Results of a Randomized Placebo- Controlled Clinical Trial. Web. September 9-10, 2005.
Hadorn, David. Use of Cannabis Medicines in Clinical Practice. Davidhadorn.com. Web. July 17, 2003.
Gettman, John. Cannabis Column #42 – Marijuana Laws Cost Government $42 Billion Annually. Hightimesmagazine.com. Web. October 19, 2007
