Legalizing Marijuana

Legalizing Marijuana

The argument on the confirmation of the consumption of marijuana has been the main issue of discussion carried out in different organizations in the US. This is because of its medicinal values and its use in both the paper and clothing manufacturing industries. The other reason as to why marijuana should be legalized is the fact that the government can earn revenue through taxation of the dealers of marijuana. Legalization of marijuana should be put into consideration in spite of the efforts that organizations put claiming that marijuana is a harmful drug that should not be legalized (Joffe & Yancy, 2004). Their main argument is that marijuana can lead to an increase in the level of crime and the consumption of hard drugs by the marijuana addicts.

The American Medical Association made an effort in the argument for the medical benefits that marijuana can extend to the whole world. This organization argued that marijuana had fewer effects on the persons who consumed it as compared to people who took alcohol and cigarettes. They added that it was even safer than most of the drugs prescribed to patients. Marijuana can be the safest therapeutically energetic substance known, since it is in its natural form. In addition, marijuana can be used securely in a directed schedule of medical care (Logoreci, 2010). The AMA organization further argued that marijuana had to be legalized as other harmful substances such as alcohol and cigarettes are legal. These substances are legalized regardless of the deaths they are causing to many people all over the world.

When marijuana is compared to alcohol and cigarettes, which are legal, it is proved as being safer. This is because alcohol leads to unconsciousness while cigarettes may even result into untimely deaths. Despite the fact that these effects are as a result of over consumption, taking marijuana in surplus does not have any such effects to the people other than having them sleep. The philosophical activist for the use of marijuana as medicine was Dr. Lester Grinspoon. He established that the only effects that marijuana had were caused by the smoke, which contained more tar and carbon dioxide than what was in tobacco. In spite of all these, the heaviest marijuana addicts take less than what the people who smoke cigarettes do.

Dr. Lester also established that marijuana was used to alleviate queasiness by the cancer patients undergoing painful chemotherapy. He also said that marijuana was also used by people who suffered from AIDS and multiple sclerosis. It also proved to be effective in the treatment of glaucoma since it reduced the heaviness that is exerted on eyes. The legalization of marijuana can be very effective in saving the lives of the people who suffer from cancer (International Debate Education Association, 2010). This is because Dr, Lester established that marijuana could be used to relieve nausea in people undergoing chemotherapy. For instance, my family, and specifically my mother who is suffering from cancer, could be saved if marijuana was legalized today. This is because the pain that she experiences during her chemotherapy could be relieved using marijuana.

In the past, I have lost my family members to cancer. This was mainly because of the negligence that the government has in the legalization of marijuana. If the government supported the AMA, I am quite sure that my late uncle and my father-in-law could be alive today. Currently, I support the AMA organization in their fight for the legalization of marijuana. This is because; I cannot stand the pain that my mother is experiencing today as a cancer victim. If marijuana was legalized today, other than lessening the pain that my mother is exposed to, the use of marijuana can save her life and save me with my family from the pain we suffer in losing our family members. If different organizations acted immediately, the impact of the legalization of marijuana would be positive. This is because of the relief that people with illnesses would get as marijuana has its own medicinal values. People who undergo chemotherapy will also be relieved in the fact that they would feel less nausea and depressed persons would be relieved from stress.

Legalization of marijuana not only relieves people suffering from different illnesses but it will also benefit the government. This is because the government would make millions of dollars through the taxes it would impose on industries that would be manufacturing and distributing marijuana. These industries would also be beneficial to the members of the society, as the implementation of the industrial world would create thousands of jobs for the economy. The benefits of legalizing marijuana are also felt by the cloth and the paper making industries (Joffe & Yancy, 2004). This is because it would save the South American forests from destruction. Marijuana should be legalized as many doctors have proved that no deaths have occurred as a result of marijuana consumption unlike the many deaths caused by alcohol consumption and the untimely deaths that are as a result of cigarette smoking.

The AMA organization argues that marijuana should be legalized if the government can afford to legalize alcohol and tobacco consumption that prove to be more harmful than the consumption of marijuana. The AMA organization receives opposition from other organizations as they fight for the legalization of marijuana that has medicinal value. Such organizations like the paper manufacturing industries have been known to have selfish interests. In spite of all these oppositions, the fact remains to be that marijuana has the possibility of being the most useful products worldwide (Logoreci, 2010).The US is known to have made use of lots of money when fighting against the use of drugs in the state. If the government legalized marijuana today, it could earn a lot of money from taxation since people who consume marijuana are used to purchasing it at higher price which are as a result of buying and selling it illegally.

The legalization of marijuana would result into its reduction in the market prices and eventually result into higher profit margins. This is because in spite of the reduced prices, the number of people who consume this product would go up increasing the sales of marijuana. Eventually, an industry could come up formed out of the hemp-based products. Generally, it can be said that the government would make an enormous amount of money through taxation which could be used in other major issues such as in fighting other hard drugs and in settling the national arrears. Recreational consumption of marijuana would not lead to the upsurge of crime as it is argued by most people. This is evident from the fact that the levels of crime in Amsterdam are lower than that in the United States in spite of legalizing the consumption of marijuana.

In conclusion, the government of the United States should approve the consumption of marijuana. This is because it can be beneficial to the society as it has medicinal values. In this legalization, its use as medicine should be the main factor that should be put into consideration as it can be used as an additive when undertaking chemotherapy. In my case, I strongly support the legalization of marijuana as I have experienced so much pain from the death of my family members. At the moment, I am suffering a great deal from the state that my mother is in as she is suffering from cancer. It is clear that if the United States legalized the use of marijuana today, my mother would be saved from the pain she suffers when undergoing chemotherapy, which is form of her treatment for cancer. Consequently, undertaking this action by the government would eventually save the life of my mother and save us as her family from losing her. Finally, I strongly support the legalization of marijuana in the United States as it has more positive effects than the negative effects.

 

Works Cited

International Debate Education Association, “Debate: Legalization of Marijuana Should Marijuana be legalized?” Debatepedia (2010): <http://debatepedia.idebate.org/en/index.php/Debate:Marijuana,_Legalization_of> Web. April 14, 2010.

Logoreci, Susan, “Marijuana Legalization Eligible for November Vote in California,” Global shift. (2010): <http://www.globalshift.org/2010/03/marijuana-legalization-eligible-for-november-vote-in-california/> Web. April 14, 2010.

Joffe, Alain, Samuel Yancy and The Committee on Substance Abuse and Committee on Adolescence, “Legalization of Marijuana: Potential Impact on Youth”, American Academy of Pediatrics (2004). Web. <http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/113/6/e632> April 14, 2010.