Category: Marijuana Legalization

Marijuana Legalization: Benefits and Controversies

In an article by the New York Times, they mention that Canada has legalized marijuana. This leads to the following question, should the United States follow suit, or is Canada making a mistake? According to drugpolicy.org, the number of arrests for marijuana has plummeted in places with legal marijuana, saving hundreds and millions of dollars of taxpayers money. Not to mention that the total number of arrests for driving under the influence of alcohol and other drugs has declined in Colorado and Washington, the first two states that regulated marijuana for adult use. This means that there is little to no correlation between marijuana legalization and crash rates.

As this report from the Drug Policy Alliance reveals, youth marijuana use has not increased, and there have been reductions in opioid overdose deaths and untreated opioid use disorders. Many people agree with legalization, and many people argue this. I personally agree with making the use of marijuana legal, and I would like to know why there is a percentage of Americans that disagree with the legalization. Charles “Cully” Stimson, the Senior Legal Fellow and Manager of the Heritage Foundation, stated that marijuana is an addictive gateway drug, and it significantly impairs bodily and mental functions. Stimson also mentions that its use is related to increased violence. I plan to introduce the benefits of the use of marijuana, such as treating illnesses, lowering crime rates, and causing businesses to boom.

It is considered legal to smoke marijuana in many countries across the world, such as Canada, Mexico, Belize, Costa Rica, Jamaica, and several others. However, it is only legal in eleven states throughout the US. The main question americans are trying to decipher is whether marijuana should be legalized across the US. William Bennett, former director of the National Drug Control Policy, argues that it immediately impairs cognitive abilities and motor coordination, interfering with the smoker’s judgment, driving skills, and other basic abilities(5).

Bennett also announces that it is a bitter irony that as our knowledge increases regarding the harm that smoking marijuana does to our health, public perception of those injuries decreases (5). However, Renee Jaques, associate viral content editor for the Huffington Post, argues that marijuana is much safer than already legalized drugs and that it has a very low risk of abuse for users. Jaques later states that people who go on to use harder drugs also tend to smoke cigarettes and drink alcohol before trying the other substances; plus, with our current stigma on pot, only people who are predisposed to being “outlaw drug users” are going to smoke pot.

A factor to take into account when thinking of the benefits of legalization would be how it may help those who may be ill. Marijuana can also assist during difficulty when sleeping as a sleep aid. In an article by the American Cancer Society, it’s explained that different compounds in marijuana have different actions in the human body. For example, they state that delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) seems to cause the ‘high’ reported by marijuana users and also can help relieve pain and nausea, reduce inflammation, and can act as an antioxidant.

The Society also mentioned that a number of small studies about smoking marijuana have found that it can be helpful in treating nausea and vomiting from cancer chemotherapy. Marijuana and cannabis have also been known as effective remedies to help those who are having trouble sleeping. Sian Ferguson, journalist and writer for Healthline, announced that marijuana’s analgesic properties might provide some relief for those with chronic pain, while the antianxiety properties can soothe a stressed-out mind and body. When your mind is at ease, you will be able to get a better rest. So depending on whether you are having a hard time sleeping or may have a sleeping disorder, marijuana could be to your benefit.

Crime Drop: Marijuana Legalization’s Impact

It has been proven in previous studies that the legalization of marijuana has lowered crime rates. Tim Jacobs, the editor for Pacific Standard, states that for most users, pot produces a state of relaxation and euphoria,’ which presumably ‘reduces the likelihood of engaging in violent activities.’ Second, Jacobs expresses that this effect is reinforced if cannabis is a substitute for violence-inducing substances such as alcohol, cocaine, and amphetamines. Thirdly, he explains, “the legalization of recreational marijuana may induce a reallocation of police efforts away from cannabis pushers and consumers, and towards other types of offenses.”

And finally, it ‘may have reduced the role of criminal gangs and small criminals in local cannabis markets.’ Researchers have labeled this first-pass evidence between the legalization of pot and lower crime rates. During a report, Erin Delmore, a reporter for NBC Universal News Group, mentions that even after Colorado legalized the sale of small amounts of marijuana for recreational use on January 1st of this year, violent and property crime rates in the city are actually falling. “According to data from the Denver Police Department, violent crime (including homicide, sexual assault, robbery, and aggravated assault) fell by 6.9% in the first quarter of 2014, compared with the same period in 2013. Property crime (including burglary, larceny, auto theft, theft from motor vehicle, and arson) dropped by 11.1%,” says Delmore.

Marijuana Taxation: Transforming Lives

Taxation in the marijuana industry can improve the quality of life. In an article by Alison Felix on the economic effects of the marijuana industry in Colorado, she mentions that the state of Colorado collected more than $247 million from the marijuana industry in 2017 alone. Of the money that is collected each year, the first $40 million of the collections is dedicated to the construction and improvement of schools through Colorado’s Building Excellent Schools Today program.

In an analysis by New Frontier Data, it was concluded that if marijuana was to be legalized completely in all 50 states, it would create a combined federal tax revenue of at least $131.8 billion between 2017 and 2025, according to Katie Zezima in an article from the Washington Post. The study also calculated that it would also lead to an estimated amount of one million new jobs by the year 2025. These new jobs would help decrease unemployment rates throughout America.

In an article by Jennifer Calfas from time.com, she posits that the state of Colorado dedicated $105 million from the tax revenue collected from marijuana sales in the 2016-2017 fiscal year went toward the “Marijuana Tax Cash Fund,” which helps in creating housing programs, aids in mental health programs in jails and contributes to health programs at local middle schools. Taxation on marijuana nationwide would lead to many opportunities for improvement of life in America via new and better schools, job creation, and housing programs that help with homelessness.

Marijuana’s Future Impact: Adaptation and Opportunities

Of all of the numerous positive side effects of using recreational marijuana, there is a great demonstration of what’s coming next for the future of this generation as well as how they adapt to new ways and accept old taboos. This natural Lucius vast herb has been around for millions of years and is not going away anytime soon. For many years it has been shown to have a wide variety of health benefits, and so many other countries have legalized it, yet they have little to no negative drawbacks. By making the decision as a country to legalize the use of marijuana in all forms and types, we capitalize on the infinite amount of tax revenue and regulation of all marijuana products. When we make marijuana more safe and attainable for every U.S. citizen, we lower any possible unknown health risk.

By allowing other specific locations to have marijuana assessable, we create a tough spot for specific law enforcement. However, with the possible legalization of marijuana on the national scale, other questions may arise; for example, would there be penalties if someone continually privately produces, sells, or distributes? What if a person is found under the influence at the job? Would there be miscommunications or stereotypes that play a role in society?

All of these questions create many arguable debates that would need to be answered throughout the levels of government. By creating a movement so large and allowing different liberty to the people of the United States, of course, with any major development, the creation of jobs is something that can only bring positive feedback to the workforce of America. With more cash flow from the money people earn from created jobs, we open the doors to a better economy and more economic stability. Not only does marijuana create jobs and employment opportunities, but it decreases the crime rates of specifically violent cases and treats those who are ill or permanently uncomfortable.

References:

1. Gonchar, Michael. “Should Marijuana Be Legal?” NYTimes.com. The New York Times. 18 Oct. 2018. Web. 27 Nov. 2018.
2. “From Prohibition to Progress: A Status Report on Marijuana Legalization.” Drugpolicy.org. The Drug Policy Alliance. 22 Jan. 2018. Web. 27 Nov. 2018.
3. Stimson, Charles. “Why We Shouldn’t Legalize Marijuana.” Heritage.org. The Heritage Foundation. 9 July 2012. Web. 27 Nov. 2018.
4. Bennett, William J. Going to Pot: Why the Rush to Legalize Marijuana Is Harming America. Center Street. 3 Feb. 2015. Print. 27 Nov. 2018.
5. Jacques, Renee. “This Is Why Marijuana Should Be Legal Everywhere.”
6. TheHuffingtonPost.com. The Huffington Post. 7 Dec. 2017. Web. 28 Nov. 2018.
7. “Marijuana and Cancer.” Cancer.org. American Cancer Society. 16 Mar. 2017. Web. 28 Nov. 2018.
8. Ferguson, Sian. “Can You Use Cannabis To Restore Your Natural Sleep Cycle?” Healthline.com. Healthline. 20 Feb. 2018. Web. 28 Nov. 2018.
9. Jacobs, Tom. “Legal Pot Is Linked to Less Crime.” Psmag.com. Pacific Standard. 9 Apr. 2018. Web. 28 Nov. 2018.
10. Delmore, Erin. “Study: Marijuana Legalization Doesn’t Increase Crime.” MSNBC.com NBCUniversal News Group. 15 Apr. 2014. Web. 28 Nov. 2018.

Marijuana’s IQ Impact

Today in the U.S., Marijuana is a big problem that raises a lot of debates. Americans have many different viewpoints about Marijuana. Some people use it to relax or to get high. Some use it for medical treatments: to remove their pain and to sleep better at night. Some people say that Marijuana gives them a more colorful life. Some worry that it will be abused by their children. There are people who support marijuana legalization. Some feel uncomfortable if their neighbors have the right to use weed. There are so many ways to use Marijuana, and there is no perfect way to deal with it; however, understanding more about Marijuana may help us minimize the damage.

Marijuana has a lot of short-term effects on the brain; its effects are useful in some situations, but they are dangerous in other situations. When a consumer uses Marijuana, the chemical THC goes through the lungs into the bloodstream. THC then goes to the brain and causes the ‘high’ feeling. In about 30 minutes to 1 hour, the person will experience altered senses, changes in mood, difficulty with thinking, hallucinations, etc. (Abuse.) These effects are fun and helpful if people use them in the right place; nevertheless, people are not always using them correctly. A study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has shown that between 2007 and 2014, there were more and more drivers who tested positive for THC. The percentage increased from 8.6 percent to 12.6 percent, and the effects of Marijuana increased the risk of a crash by 10 to 61 percent (Mills).

The long-term effects of Marijuana can reduce the I.Q. of a person. Marijuana has influences on brain development. The drug may affect the brain-building process of teenagers and decrease I.Q. At Duke University, research had shown that users who smoked heavily since their teens and were having marijuana use disorder lost about 8 points of I.Q. Even if heavily-used teenage users quit Marijuana when they grow up, the damage will not be fully recovered. Other studies also showed that Marijuana declines general knowledge and verbal ability (Abuse.)

Marijuana Dilemma: Restrictions?

Marijuana also has bad physical effects on the human body. Similar to tobacco, frequently smoking Marijuana leads to breathing problems and lung illnesses: a daily cough and phlegm and a risk of lung infections. Because Marijuana raises the heart rate, it increases the possibility of a heart attack. The older the users are, the higher their risk for heart attack they may be. If pregnant women use Marijuana, their children may have health problems: lower birth weight, brain, and behavioral problems. The use of Marijuana by teenagers also links to mental health problems, such as depression and anxiety(Abuse.)

Research suggests that marijuana use may lead to a substance use disorder. People who have substance use disorder are unable to stop consuming Marijuana even if they know that it declines their health and creates problems in their social life. Research showed that 9 to 30 percent of marijuana users may develop marijuana use disorder. Users who use Marijuana before age 18 have a four to seven times chance of developing marijuana use disorder. When long-term users try to quit Marijuana, a lot of them find it hard to quit because of symptoms like grouchiness, sleeplessness, anxiety, and craving (Abuse.)

When we talk about the bad sides of Marijuana, logically, we think about marijuana restriction; however, the damage of the restriction maybe even bigger than the damage of the original consumption. Osho, a philosophy professor, and an Indian meditation master, said ‘whenever you start stopping something, you give great importance to it.’ Similar things happened in India in his lifetime: every time the government of India tried to prohibit alcohol, many more people started drinking. When the prohibitions had withdrawn, the percentage of people drinking dropped. The drug is needed because the way we build our society makes people so miserable. There are too much stress and anxiety in our society that these poor people need drugs to relax. If governments cannot make society less stressful, they should consider helping scientists to make better drugs with fewer side effects.

Unintended Consequences: Marijuana Prohibition

Osho made a funny comparison between alcohol restriction and the pissing prohibition signboard. When he was a child, there was a temple located near his house. The temple had a long and beautiful wall which was a potential place for bad pissing habits. The funny thing is there was no major problem with bad pissing habits at all until the day the monks drew down the sign: “Pissing here is prohibited.” The sign raised the ideas, and people got in line to piss on that wall.

The negative effect of restrictions is not just happened in India; we can argue that the same thing did happen in the U.S. Marijuana or cannabis has a long history; people have used it for thousand years. In Asia around 500 BC, Chinese people grew it as herbal medicine. From there, cannabis was introduced to Africa, Europe, and America. The hemp was widely grown in many American colonies to make clothing, paper, sails, and rope. Cannabis was widely used for recreational purposes and other purposes without creating any major problems in the society. At the beginning of the 1900s in the United States, when the Mexican Revolution happened, many Mexicans immigrated to the country to escape the war. The term marijuana came with Mexicans at this time. Public opinion about cannabis changed from there. Newspapers gave unfair news about Marijuana. The Marijuana Tax Act in 1939 made weed an illegal product. Today many people believe that racism played a big part in the prohibition.

The prohibition of Marijuana has caused other problems in the United States. In 1971, in order to reinforce the prohibition, President Nixon declared war on drugs. The war on drugs was not just about Marijuana, Marijuana was a big part of it. The war had increased the prison population rapidly in the country. The number of prisons grew from 218,466 in 1974 to 1,508,636 in 2014. The prison population increased by 600 percent, while the United States population just increased by 51 percent (Carroll.) Another thing about the war is it didn’t solve the problem; the price of illegal Marijuana went up, and the user population didn’t go down. From 1990 to 2009 U.S., the average price of illegal Marijuana the price dropped by about 50 percent, and the average purity increased by more than 160 percent (Chalabi.) Many people believe that the war on drugs was a failure and that the United States needs a better drug policy.

Balancing Benefits and Risks

By prohibiting Marijuana, we also give up many good things that Marijuana can bring to society. In recent years, Americans have changed their opinion of Marijuana. Marijuana is the most common illegal drug in the United States (Abuse.) In 2015, 54% of adult Americans agreed to legalize Marijuana; in 2006, there was just 32% of adult Americans support to legalize Marijuana (Motel.) There are many reasons for the changing of public opinion.

The first reason is the medical treatment effect of Marijuana has been proven. Marijuana has positive effects on many illnesses. It can reduce pain symptoms. It can cure glaucoma. It helps to reverse the bad effect of tobacco and improve lung health. It decreases anxiety. In 2017, California had more than 1.5 million patients who were using medical Marijuana. In some other states of the country, in order to be allowed to use medical Marijuana, many families moved to Colorado (Marijuana Policy Project.) The need for medical Marijuana is undeniable, but new problems did come along with legalizing Marijuana.

Medical Marijuana is helpful to patients, but it may lead to an increase in the abuse rate of the drug. Until April 2017, there were twenty-nine states, and Washington D.C. allowed medical marijuana use. Eighth of twenty-nine states allow recreational marijuana use for adults. The good news was marijuana legalization didn’t increase the marijuana use of teenagers. The bad news was the new laws may increase the abuse rate of the drug among adults. Research shows that in the states which haven’t allowed medical marijuana use, the rate of illegal marijuana use rose about 49% in a time period.

In the same period, in states that legal, medical marijuana use, the rate of illegal marijuana use rose about 64%, which is a bigger percentage increase. In the states which haven’t allowed medical marijuana use, the rate of marijuana use disorders rose by about 77%. In states that legal, medical marijuana use, the rate of marijuana use disorders rose about 107%, which is also a bigger percentage increase (Mills.) These numbers cannot show that medical marijuana laws do more harm than good; however, it is obvious that the new medical marijuana laws may lead to an increase in the abuse rate of the drug.

Marijuana legalization didn’t increase the marijuana use of teenagers, but children may be exposed to the smoke of recreational Marijuana. The most common way to consume Marijuana in the United States is smoking, and people smoke about 80 percent of the time when they use Marijuana. Although some states already allow recreational marijuana use, smoking Marijuana still remains illegal in most streets of the states. In addition, from 2002 to 2015, among non-cigarette-smoking parents, marijuana use rose from 2.4 percent to 4 percent. The result is more and more parents are smoking Marijuana in their homes where they have their children hanging around. This secondhand marijuana smoke has tetrahydrocannabinol, a chemical substance that leads to most of Marijuana’s psychological effects. The smoke may also lead to lung problems.

Smart Regulation for Safer Usage

There are smart ways to make the recreational use of Marijuana less harmful. According to Osho, governments should provide people with some kind of real relaxation, and if they cannot provide people with meditation, they can at least provide medicines. Every hospital should have a room for drug experiences so that people can have the experiences under medical care. If the governments allow scientists to research, the scientists will easily create better drugs with fewer side effects. People who want to have the experience can go to a special room in hospitals to use the drug under medical care.

“Any drug policy is a good policy if it reduces the total damage that drugs do,” said Mark Kleiman, the School of Policy and the Social Research University of California. There were two points of view about marijuana legalization in the United States. The supporters said that their opponents didn’t care about the patients who were suffering from diseases. People who were against the legalization said that the other side didn’t care about spreading drug abuse among kids.

Both sides were not false, but the decision should not make based on somebody’s ideological view. Legalizing Marijuana is the new policy, but we have to legalize it correctly. In 2017, there were twenty-nine states and the District of Columbia alloyed to use Marijuana in some form. Eight of the twenty-nine states and the District of Columbia have laws legalizing using Marijuana for recreational purposes. Despite the fact that 69 percent of Americans believe that Marijuana is less harmful than alcohol (Motel,) Marijuana still can be harmful to people. Mark believed the key to a correct policy was to control the price of legal Marijuana and to keep it expensive.

According to Mark, the cost of one gram of 18 percent THC marijuana in the District of Columbia is about 3 dollars and change for a gram, and it is “a ridiculously low price.” The industry may want to keep the price low because of its own interest. The low price will allow the industry to attract millions of new consumers and will allow people to use Marijuana daily. The expansion of the industry will give jobs to a lot of people and increase the tax income; however, Mark believes a low price will create other new problems.

Balancing Marijuana Legalization

Mark argued that responsible consumers don’t need to use a lot of Marijuana. Therefore, a high price of the drug will not affect these consumers. At the same time, the high price of Marijuana will make it harder for irresponsible consumers to abuse the drug. Mark gave the Dutch policy of toleration as an example. In the Netherlands, Marijuana is illegal, but the policy allows Marijuana to be consumed in coffee shops. The Dutch keep their coffee shop marijuana costs the same price as the German’s illicit marijuana costs. The result is the Dutch’s heavy use rate of Marijuana has not gone up.

Marijuana is useful in many situations, but it is not a harmless substance. There are so many ways to use Marijuana, and there is no perfect way to deal with it. In the past, people have tried to prohibit Marijuana; nevertheless, Marijuana prohibiting causes even more problems to society. In recent years, people have tried to legalize Marijuana; the result, however, was far from perfect. Legalizing Marijuana makes life easier for some people, but it also increases the abuse rate of the drug. Legalizing Marijuana is the new policy, but we have to legalize it correctly. There are also smart ways to legalize Marijuana and minimize the damage at the same time. We can provide special centers where you can come and have the experience of medical care. We can allow scientists to make better drugs with fewer side effects. We also can try to control the price and keep people from over consume the drug. If we legalize it correctly, Marijuana can be very useful. It may well help people live a better life.

References:

1. Abuse, National Institute on Drug. “Marijuana.” NIDA, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Aug. 2017, www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/marijuana#ref.
2. Carroll, Lauren . “The war on drugs and incarceration rates.” @Politifact, www.politifact.com/truth-o-eter/statements/2016/jul/10/cory-booker/how-war-drugs-affected-incarceration-rates/.
3. Chalabi, Mona. “The ‘war on drugs’ in numbers: a systematic failure of policy.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 19 Apr. 2016, www.theguardian.com/world/2016/apr/19/war-on-drugs-statistics-systematic-policy-failure-united-nations.
4. Kleiman, Mark. “Mark Kleiman: What would be the most sensible marijuana policy? | VIEWPOINT.” YouTube, YouTube, 3 Mar. 2017, www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBAcrl7OMVE&t=146s.
5. Mills, David. “Do Medical Marijuana Laws Encourage Adults to Misuse the Drug?” Healthline, Healthline Media, 26 Apr. 2017, www.healthline.com/health-news/do-medical-marijuana-laws-increase-misuse#1.
6. Motel, Seth. “6 facts about marijuana.” Pew Research Center, 14 Apr. 2015, www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/04/14/6-facts-about-marijuana/.
7. OSHOInternational. “OSHO: About Drugs.” YouTube, YouTube, 8 Mar. 2010, www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PkjfMW3I0I.
8. Project, Marijuana Policy. “Medical Marijuana Patient Numbers.” MPP, www.mpp.org/issues/medical-marijuana/state-by-state-medical-marijuana-laws/medical-marijuana-patient-numbers/.
9. PBS, Public Broadcasting Service, www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/dope/interviews/kleiman.html.

Ancient Roots of Cannabis Usage

People often think of negative things when it comes to Marijuana, but for Matt and Paige Figi, the illegal “gateway drug” has been a blessing in disguise. Their little girl, Charlie, began having seizures at the age of 2. After years of tests, they finally found the cause. Baby Charlie had Dravet Syndrome, also known as severe myoclonic epilepsy of infancy. Her mother tried everything she could to see her daughter in her best health. As nothing began to help, people kept telling her to try Marijuana.

Paige was nervous about what kind of effects Marijuana would have on her child, but Paige decided to try it anyway due to a lack of options. She began giving her THC and CBD oil in an attempt to help with the seizures. Typically baby Charlie would have a seizure about every hour. After taking the THC and CBD oil, she went about 5 hours without a seizure. They had found something to make their child capable of growing up a little more normal. Charlie is one example of good things that come from Marijuana. If you open your mind to seeing what benefits Cannabis can have, then people could really benefit from the legalization of this plant.

Marijuana has a lot of different names, such as weed, Cannabis, pot, herb, grass, reefer, Maryjane, dank, bud, and devil’s lettuce. You may have heard of the different names, but where does it really come from? Marijuana is grown throughout the tropics, subtropics, and temperate regions. Cannabis is a dioecious plant. Dioecious means that there are separate female and male plants. According to deamuseum.com, male plants are tall and thin and have flower-like pods that contain the pollen-generating anthers, and the female plant is dark and short and has short hairs coming out at the end of the bracteole pods. The Marijuana itself comes from the dried heads, stems, and leaves of the plant. As of the year 2008, Cannabis Sativa has been grown in most of the fifty states. Similar to dandelions, after it has been planted, the seeds can redistribute and grow another plant.

Marijuana is not just something hippies started using in the 70s. The earliest evidence goes as far back as -2700 BC. Marijuana was known to be used by Emperor Shen Nung. In the early 2000s, archaeologists explored Yanghai Tombs and discovered a stash of cannabis sativa in a man’s grave. This man was said to be buried around 2,700 years. In 1545 hemp became an important plant in Northern America. In 1545 cannabis arrived in the western hemisphere, where Spaniards used it as a fiber after they imported it to Chile.

In North America, Marijuana, in the form of hemp, was grown on many plantations and used in clothing, rope, and paper. Cannabis pollen was found on the mummy of Ramesses II, who passed away in 1213 BC. Prescriptions for Marijuana in Ancient Egypt include treatment for glaucoma, cooling the uterus and inflammation, as well as giving enemas. In 1000 BC, Bhang, a cannabis-infused milk, was used as an anesthetic and calming agent in India. In 200 BC in ancient Greece, Cannabis was used as a treatment for edema, earache, and inflammation. In the 1800’s medical doctors began to see the medical benefits of using Marijuana. Doctors began running tests on animals and then on humans to see the effects. Hemp then became illegal in 1937.

Legalities and Conflicting Views

Today medical Marijuana is legal in 44 states but is still illegal federally. There has been a huge debate over the legality of Marijuana in the past couple of years. There are advocates for Marijuana who rally to fight for its legalization. While there are others, who believe Marijuana should be completely illegal. Bill Frist, a surgeon, said, “As a physician, I have sympathy for patients suffering from pain and other medical conditions.

Although I understand many believe Marijuana is the most effective drug in combating their medical ailments, I would caution against this assumption due to the lack of consistent, repeatable scientific data available to prove Marijuana’s benefits. Based on current evidence, I believe that Marijuana is a dangerous drug and that there are less dangerous medicines offering the same relief from pain and other medical symptoms.” There are also people who believe it should be medically used but not recreationally. In 2016, Ohio passed a law approving medical Marijuana and having the possession limit being a maximum of a 90-day supply; the final amount has yet to be determined.

Although in Colorado, you can have 2 ounces usable, six plants, three may be mature, three may be immature in your possession. A mature plant is a bigger size, and an immature plant is a smaller size. Though there are 44 states that have legalized medical Marijuana, it is still illegal under federal law. Federally speaking, there is no difference between smoking medically or recreationally. Federal law treats smoking Marijuana as equal to heroin and cocaine. Meaning that if you use Marijuana in a way to treat your medical issues, you are doing just as bad as someone on heroin. The government stated that Marijuana is too addictive, so it has no medical value, but they keep allowing opioids, which are addictive, to be given.

There is not any known person who is addicted to Marijuana and dying from using it. It isn’t all bad when it comes to Cannabis, though. The facts are not as scary as you think. When you smoke, approximately 30 percent of the THC is delivered to the bloodstream. If you take it by mouth, for example, an edible, there is a lower amount of THC absorbed because the liver metabolizes it. Smoking pot can give you a high in just a few minutes but taken orally, the effects can take up to 30 to 60 minutes. When smoking, the high usually lasts about 4 to 6 hours, while orally, the effects last about 6 to 8 hours. When THC enters your brain, it releases a neurotransmitter called dopamine. Dopamine is the rewarding neurotransmitter in your brain. Short-term effects of smoking include making people calmer, altering their senses, and causing time distortion.

Diverse Benefits and Economic Implications

Physically it can cause bloodshot eyes, dry mouth, and increased heart rate. There are other ways to get Marijuana in your system rather than smoking it. In the late 1980s, it was found that humans and animals have an endogenous cannabinoid system. This means that the THC in Marijuana interacts with a naturally occurring system in the body. Through animal and human experiments, we have learned that Cannabis can affect your appetite (the munchies), be used for pain relief, and have the effect of impairment on your memory and the control of your movements. Cannabis has helpful effects on multiple things.

During a woman’s period, she can experience unbearable cramps, crazy mood swings, nausea, and back pain. Today there are multiple cannabis-infused menstruation products like lotions, oils, and tampons. Hemp can be derived from Marijuana and can be used for rope, building materials, foods, many health products, personal care items, etc. Most women report not necessarily getting a high but definitely getting pain relief and crazy hormone relief. Women with severe dysmenorrhea (painful periods) often get prescribed opioids, but as addictive as they are, they’re not a great option.

Opioids are one of the top causes of death due to overdoses. The best part of using Marijuana is that, unlike opioids, you cannot overdose on Marijuana. Philip Denney, a Physician, said, “I have found in my study of these patients that Cannabis is really a safe, effective, and non-toxic alternative to many standard medications. There is no such thing as an overdose. We have seen very minimal problems with abuse or dependence, which, at worst, are equivalent to dependence on caffeine.

While a substance may have some potential for misuse, in my opinion, that’s a poor excuse to deny its use and benefit to everyone else.” Another use for Cannabis is for those who have constant migraines. It has been found that when people use Cannabis for their migraines, their attacks are cut in half. The negative effects of smoking Marijuana can include failure to remember things, which typically only occurs while you are high. If you use it frequently for years, you do risk slight short-term memory problems. Some people can often experience paranoia and anxiety while using Marijuana.

Cannabis can worsen the mental health of someone with bipolar disorder or schizophrenia. If you have heart problems, Cannabis is probably not a good option for you as it can lead to an increased heart rate, besides the good health benefits associated with Marijuana. If legalized, it can begin to bring more money into our economy. Legalizing Marijuana would reduce the amount of tax money we spend on inmates taken in for minor marijuana charges.

Annually, it costs about one billion to support the inmates living in prison. Enforcing marijuana prohibition costs taxpayers 41.8 billion annually. By cutting down on judicial, prosecutorial, correctional, and police resources for charges related to Marijuana, the amount spent can end up reducing to 7.7 billion. Cannabis licensing, taxation, and industry could lead up to about 8.7 billion in government revenue. Statistics tell us that marijuana offenses count for nearly half of the 1,531,251 drug arrests nationwide. Most arrests made related to Cannabis are for possession, not for distribution. In 2004, in Vermont, their expenses were 8,000, and the revenue was 22,000, meaning they made 14,000.

Marijuana’s Positive Impact and Future Promise

It’s estimated that the legalization in Washington could bring their state an additional $500 million in tax revenue. Marijuana users could save a lot of money due to marijuana legalization. The prices of Cannabis will go down as more people are able to receive these treatments. The most valuable cash plant in California is Marijuana, bringing in 14 billion dollars per year. Altogether, Marijuana is beneficial in multiple ways. Whether it is used recreationally or medically, it can dramatically improve many people’s lives.

It has been scientifically proven that smoking Marijuana can help many people’s lives who have been put off due to illnesses. Dr. Sanjay Gupta, a Neurosurgeon, said, “It doesn’t have a high potential for abuse, and there are very legitimate medical applications. In fact, sometimes Marijuana is the only thing that works… It is irresponsible not to provide the best care we can as a medical community, care that could involve Marijuana. We have been terribly and systematically misled for nearly 70 years in the United States, and I apologize for my own

role in that.” The economy will be helped be improved, people will have help for their illnesses, and there will be fewer people to support in jail. It is 2018, and Marijuana is slowly being accepted in different states. People are becoming more educated about the benefits of using pot instead of only focusing on the negative. Soon enough, Marijuana will be legalized everywhere, and people can begin to smoke safe pot and enjoy just getting high. Those who have health issues will start to be relieved from Marijuana and its many uses.

References:

1. Ziskin, J. L., & Chohan, M. (2018). Medical Cannabis for Pediatric Moderate-Severe Behavioral and Developmental Disorders. Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics, 39(5), 376-380.
2. Booth, M. (2005). Cannabis: A History. St. Martin’s Press.
3. National Conference of State Legislatures. (2021). State Medical Marijuana Laws.
4. Pacula, R. L., Kilmer, B., Wagenaar, A. C., Chaloupka, F. J., & Caulkins, J. P. (2014). Developing public health regulations for marijuana: lessons from alcohol and tobacco. American Journal of Public Health, 104(6), 1021-1028.
5. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. (2017). The health effects of cannabis and cannabinoids: The current state of evidence and recommendations for research. National Academies Press.

Benefits of Marijuana Legalization

Marijuana also is known as some other variable name which pot, weed, or bud has been using from history since around 500 BC. It is a herbal of Cannabis sativa which has been using medical purposes like fiber medicinal and food-changing of the human body. In Early colonists, America cultivates Marijuana as a medicine who are suffering from cancer and AIDS. Now some states in the US started supporting the legalization of Marijuana like Colorado and Washington. Even though there is a conflict between the federal government and state government about legalizing Marijuana, for the overall benefit, the Government should legalize Marijuana in all the states.

There are some advantages and disadvantages to legalizing Marijuana throughout the United States. Some experts saying is that a billion of USA dollars is lost only for not legalizing weed in all the States. For Example, for decades, a black market was the only place to find Marijuana. Your friends always have some on hand, but the question that where he gets it from this change of dealing like he knows someone knows and knows someone, and finally, someone has known a drug dealer or some Terrorist /mafia organization in other countries. Those money has been used against killing innocent people, and Government has to put a large amount of money into national security and safety. The recent problem has also been seen that purchasing Marijuana off the street by hand is more dangerous than creating a set of standards for quality and safety control products.

In addition, A black Market of weed products has been selling all over the United States, which could be included in government tax revenue. That money can be used to make roads and bridges, funding public schools, government research centers as well as national projects. However, Government is also spending lots of money on security and protecting the black market, which is quite impossible. The legalization of Marijuana not only increased tax revenue but also some other health benefits as well as.

For Example, in medical Cannabis, pot is a useful drug for the treatment of a wide range of diseases such as Crohn, Epilepsy, Cancer, Anxiety, Insomnia, High Blood Sugar, Nervous system degeneration, and depression. In the United States, more than 15 million American adults are suffering from some type of depression. The result is committing suicide rates higher and higher every year. Smoking weed is fun, enjoyable entertainment, makes people happy and helps get rid of depression.The main reason for legalizing pot is that it increases local government revenue. In Colorado state has shown graph number of amounts of money increase respectively.Figure: Increasing tax revenue from 2014 to 2018 in Colorado

Weighing Marijuana’s Impact

The chart shows that the number of amount weed sales increases from 2014 to 2018, from almost $42 million dollars to $120 million. A great amount of money goes to Government revenue. In that, money is being used to manufacture new schools or simply develop them, something very useful to any state across the country. ‘Legalizing Marijuana has many things to offer. Besides freeing up funds to state agencies and city police forces, it also frees up manpower and resources for violent crimes, instead of trying time and money up in chasing a non-violent crime such as marijuana use.’ (Stevens, 2012). Moreover, Legalizing weed could be beneficial for the national economy as if the national Government permitted Marijuana in every State like alcohol, it would be a large profitable industry. It will be created an American job market; for instance, In Colorado has been selling around $73.5 million in marijuana-related products for just a few years, and Oregon state has been found that spent $647 in years, which is the average recreational customer on Marijuana.

Everything has some positive and negative effects. However, it has some negative effects. Compared to other drugs like alcohol or beer, it is safer. According to the Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention in the US, nearly twenty-five thousand people died in 2013 from liver disease, which was caused by alcohol, and 2.2 million arrests in 2012 in the United States for Alcohol-related crimes. Moreover, the Tobacco product also caused nearly fifty thousand people to die per year.

Some researcher has shown that weed is similar to Cigarette getaway drugs which influence the link to a more serious and dangerous drug like heroin or meth as well as crime involvement. There is also a law against smoking pot and driving like alcohol because it decreases your capacity to drive properly, which risks your life as a passenger or others as well. Moreover, every State classified driving and drinking as the same as driving and smoking. Different states have different laws on driving under the influence of drugs. In Texas, DUI and DWI have very restricted laws for safety departments. It would be worst not only DUI or DWI but also charged a felony. For Example, In Kentucky, from two years to ten years in prison and a fine of up to Twenty thousand dollars. There is no such scientist who thinks the test of the level of smoking, but physiological behaviors tell if he/she is smoking or not. There is no testing device invention yet, like a breathalyzer for an alcohol test.

Regulations and Considerations

However, it is a kind of drug it needs to be some restrictions or rules and regulations. At the beginning legalization of weed, the first effort was only for medical propose. According to that, California was the first State to legalize weed for medical propose in 1996. After that states, ten State included California, Colorado, Alaska, Orgon, Maine, Massachusetts, and Nevada, legalized Bud for personal recreational purposes by ballot measure in 2017. There are many things that need to consideration when the Government passes the law, which is that the Government has to spend a number amount of money on developing a new system, such as making a law on buying age, production of marijuana law, selling limitation law, selling store rules, and regulation. Not only that, many people debated if Marijuana should be legalized, id. Their change would be US drugs and criminal justice policies that affect a great cost to the nation of liberty.

Some people think that the Government should take some extra steps to control the massive industry. There is an example in Colorado state Government policies monitoring and implantation of it. Hudak, John explains ‘Colorado’s Rollout of Legal Marijuana Is Succeeding.’ How can the state government implement a new controversial product in the system, and what policies have to make for it? For Example, the Government makes rules, regulations, taxation, and other policies for the safety to be succeeding the products. The relevance of this source is the economics which is Government make a rule for products, as in Colorado, legalizing Marijuana and came up with some restriction like product tracking, limiting purchase, taxation on it, and, most importantly, the age limit for buying and selling as well as. It is quite challenging for any state’s Government to implement and monitor a large number of consumers. The Government needs to research how they provide better service for public safety.

The evidence has shown that Marijuana will be officially allowed to sale all over the United States today or tomorrow. It is a matter of time. It is clear that legalizing Marijuana would create great opportunities, such as Creating a new industry, creating a number of jobs sector, helping suffering patients, and creating a strong local economy and Government also. In Contract, Critics believes that moderating marijuana law makes children and teens more exposed to the drugs and cause a rising drive, but it will help some patients a serious illness as well. In the end, people are going to drugs. Whether it is legal or not, it is a better idea put them in a system government can control them. There is also additional research that needs to be done on the number of benefits and risks of legalizing Marijuana, especially for the public. Once it has been legalized, scientists also can figure out how can do better services for monitoring or controlling.

References:

1. Lopez, German. ‘Marijuana Legalization Is a Response to the Failures of the War on Drugs.’ Vox.com, Vox Media, 14 Nov. 2018, Accessed 11 December 2018. www.vox.com/identities/2018/8/20/17938342/marijuana-legalization-war-on-drugs-failure.
2. Researcher, Colorado. ‘Marijuana Sales Reports.’ Gov. John Hickenlooper | The Official Site of Governor Hickenlooper, Nov. 2018, Accessed 11 December 2018. www.colorado.gov/pacific/revenue/colorado-marijuana-sales-reports.
3. Stevens, A. (2012, February 8). Common sense legalizing marijuana allows police to focus on violent crimes. The Raw Story. Retrieved September 3, 2014, Accessed 11 December 2018. http://www.rawstory.com/exclusives/amanda/legalizing_marijuana_violent_crime_731.htm
4. Hudak, John. ‘Colorado’s Rollout of Legal Marijuana Is Succeeding.’ Brooking, 31 July. 2014 https://www.brookings.edu/research/colorados-rollout-of-legal-marijuana-is-succeeding/ Accessed 11 December 2018.
5. Franciosi, Anthony. ’12 Pros & Cons Of Marijuana Legalization.’ Honest Marijuana, Honest Marijuana, 23 July 2018, Accessed 11 December 2018. www.honestmarijuana.com/legalization-of-cannabis-pros-and-cons/.
6. Jacques, Renee and Luling, Todd V. ‘This Is Why Marijuana Should Be Legal Everywhere.’ The Huffington Post, 24 October 2013, Accessed 11 December 2018 https://www.huffingtonpost.in/entry/marijuana-legalization_n_4151423
7. Head, Tom. ‘8 Reasons Why Marijuana Should Be Legalized.’ 18 July 2018, Accessed 11 December 2018 https://www.thoughtco.com/reasons-why-marijuana-should-be-legalized-721154

Growing Industry Potential: Federal Legalization’s Impact

Introduction Marijuana legalization is becoming a large and important conversation in various states across our country. While 32 states have already legalized this mind-altering substance for medical relief, few have condoned it’s recreational use (Lopez). However, there is a push for extending legalization throughout the entire country. With this possibility of federal legalization on our country’s horizon, we must ask ourselves whether we believe the pros or cons to be greater.

By examining this through a futuristic lens, we can investigate what the effects of federally legalizing recreational marijuana will have on our country and the marijuana industry down the road. Why Federal Legalization? The push for federally legalizing marijuana, as opposed to per-state legalization, simply boils down to money. A large motive behind legalizing marijuana is the additional tax dollars available, obtained through taxing the sale of marijuana, similar to tobacco and alcohol. States in which marijuana is already legal have seen substantial revenue increase. The state of Oregon, which passed its bill for recreational legalization in 2014, brought in 1 million dollars of tax revenue within the first month of legalization (Philips).

In a recent study conducted by Divya Raghavan, a Harvard graduate, it is predicted that the United States could generate $3,098,866,907 in tax revenue throughout a single year post-federal legalization (Raghavan). Furthermore, federal legalization is becoming vital to the industry. This is due to the fact that state-sanctioned marijuana production can still face prosecution under federal law. While there are bills that instruct federal prosecutors to deprioritize cases against marijuana consumption and production that are in compliance with state law, there still are effects on the industry (Garvey and Yeh).

This can be seen in the refusal of legally generated marijuana money by banks. The deputy director of the National Cannabis Industry Association, Taylor West, refers to this as “…the biggest problem we have” (Stinson). This cash-based industry can become very prone to criminal action with the lack of bank security. What Opportunities Would Legalization Present? As it becomes legal in more and more places, the marijuana industry is rapidly growing. When we face federal legalization in the United States, we could expand upon the already present industry found in legal states.

Industry Jobs and Societal Perceptions

This industry is home to an array of job opportunities. In an article published by Forbes, a very revered business magazine, Debra Borchardt highlighted some of the best jobs available in the industry. The bud trimmer, described as an “entry-level” job, is usually among the lowest-paying jobs in the industry (Borchart). However tedious the deed of separating the marijuana bud from the stem with tiny scissors becomes, “…it is an opportunity to get in on the ground floor of the business and work your way up” (Borchart). One of the most highly skilled positions in this industry is the extraction technician, with those hired often having a PhD.

These skilled individuals have perfected the art of reducing marijuana to the extract form. Their salaries can range from $75,000 to $125,000 yearly, and with 40% of sales amounting to extract sales at certain stores, this is a very in-demand job in the industry (Bochart). Forbes compares the grow master position to a head chef, as they are responsible for generating different marijuana strains. Similar to the extraction technician, this position requires a specific skill set, is in high demand, and has a pay grade near $100,000 and a percentage of the profit (Borchart). Currently, it is estimated that there are between 125,000 and 160,000 full-time employees in the marijuana industry (Fenton).

It is predicted that by 2022, 340,000 individuals will be employed in this industry, with a 21% growth rate per year based on current projectors (Fenton). Currently, in America, the unemployment rate has reached 3.7%, a low not seen since 1969 (Frazee). With the large array of job opportunities present in the marijuana industry, ranging from manual labor to those with PhDs performing extractions, this industry might just be what our country needs. How Would Marijuana Affect Society?

Many people’s opposition to marijuana legalization is centered around a preconceived stigma surrounding the drug. To be fair, this is understandable. According to the DEA the federal drug enforcement administration, marijuana is still listed as a Schedule I drug (“Drug Scheduling”). To put that in perspective, marijuana is compared to heroin and ranked above cocaine (“Drug Scheduling”). While many do not believe it deserves this high a ranking, the impression of marijuana being a hard drug still resides in many minds across the country. Due to this stigma, many people fear the impact marijuana will have on our society. They perceive it as a drastic and dangerous change, but this is not the case.

Safety Concerns and Testing Challenges

One major misconception is the idea that marijuana usage levels will spike. They believe when marijuana is legally available, everyone will begin to use it, but this may not be true. A study published by the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, a peer-reviewed scientific journal, showed only a marginal 1.2% increase in marijuana use across Washington State after its recreational legalization (Kerr, William C., et al.). This is evidence of the common belief that black-market marijuana is already so widespread that legalization may only show a tiny increase in use.

Furthermore, many worry about the chances of those intoxicated from marijuana getting behind the wheel of a car. In actuality, this is the most prevalent concern we, as a country, have to face. Driving while intoxicated is already an epidemic across our country, with alcohol being the main culprit. While individuals driving after consuming marijuana is an issue that, if legalized, must be dealt with, the larger issue we face is being able to determine whether or not someone is high while handling a motor vehicle. In many legal states, this is done by a blood test that examines the potency of delta-9-THC in one’s blood, the chemical which triggers the feeling of being high (Bichell). However, this blood test is not entirely accurate.

While alcohol is soluble in water, and humans are a large percent water, ethanol can spread and then leave the body very quickly. Delta-9-THC, on the other hand, is soluble in fat (Bichell). This creates the issue of differing rates at which THC can exit your body depending on one’s amount of body fat or gender. In a podcast streamed by NPR, a slightly liberal-biased non-profit national broadcast organization, they discussed a study conducted covering THC levels in the blood. They performed the study on 30 frequent marijuana users, who were subject to an entire month stay at a research facility where they would not have access to marijuana.

After several days passed, it was unsettling to find that some individual’s blood could measure above five nanograms, the legal limit in many states (Bichell). Additionally, another study showed that those who do not use marijuana regularly could smoke a joint, and it would leave no imprint in their blood (Michelle). Conclusion While legalizing marijuana for recreational use could be of great benefit to our country, the drawbacks are undeniable.

The additional tax revenue is already being used for great things. Many states allocate funds to public schools and criminal rehabilitation programs (Philips). The job opportunities will undoubtedly assist in alleviating the current unemployment crisis our country is in. However, it is a matter of people’s lives when we discuss the DUI risk. Before moving forward with legalization, our country must fund research programs dedicated to finding reliable tests to determine whether or not someone is high. Once this is done, our country will have taken steps in the right direction; approaching legalization.

References:

1. Lopez, German. “Marijuana Legalization by State: A Comprehensive List.” Vox, 2021.
2. Philips, Kristina. “Marijuana Legalization: What Everyone Needs to Know.” Oxford University Press, 2016.
3. Raghavan, Divya. “Estimating the Revenue Potential of Cannabis Legalization in the United States.” Unpublished master’s thesis, Harvard University, 2020.
4. Garvey, Todd, and Yeh, Brian T. “Enforcing Federal Drug Laws in States Where Medical Marijuana Is Lawful.” Congressional Research Service, 2015.
5. Stinson, Jeff. “Legal Marijuana Businesses Face Constant Rejection from Banks.” The Daily Beast, 2014.
6. Borchardt, Debra. “The Top 10 Jobs In The Marijuana Industry.” Forbes, 2014. https://www.forbes.com/sites/debraborchardt/2014/10/23/the-top-10-jobs-in-the-marijuana-industry/?sh=47bf803d1652
7. Fenton, Josh. “Legal Marijuana Is The Fastest-Growing Industry In The United States: Report.” The Huffington Post, 2015. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/marijuana-industry-fastest-growing_n_7718540
8. Frazee, Gretchen. “U.S. Unemployment Rate Hits 3.7 Percent, Lowest Since 1969.” PBS NewsHour, 2018.
9. “Drug Scheduling.” Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), 2021. https://www.dea.gov/drug-scheduling
10. Kerr, William C., et al. “Changes in marijuana use across the 2012 Washington State recreational legalization: Is retrospective assessment of use before legalization more accurate?” Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, vol. 80, no. 3, 2019, pp. 309-315.

Isn’t it strange why the government aren’t legalising a plant that can ease or even save someone’s life. The truth is false information of Medical Marijuana found within the media are condemning these laws to be reversed. This false information has been imbedded into our minds since we were young. Creating fear in people and focusing on the negatives of cannabis. But now, research and tests have been recently conducted portraying hopeful results for the future of Medical Marijuana. We all have heard about the drug sometime within our life. We all have different opinions on the subject at matter. This illicit drug has taken the medical industry in the world by storm. Not only has it been finally legalised for Medical use within Canberra with also Vox, a news reporting site, stating that,” Around 33 states have legalised the medical use of Marijuana within their medical department.”

If this many states are on board why isn’t all of Australia? A movement devoted to legislating the drug that can change lives particularly for those suffering diseases like cancer and epilepsy. People whom are in severe pain and have no quality of life, maybe at the end of life. Why aren’t we decriminalising the medical use for those that need it? People are suffering with horrific painful diseases that this medical drug can ease. But we still don’t legalise it. I thought Australian culture was built on looking after one another. Earlier this morning I was out-standard to read an article published by the ABC stating the title, “Cannabis does not reduce chronic pain, major study finds.” This false information has been spreading amongst the media for years. I’m sick of it, this topic is needed to be addressed now sooner than later. Australian citizens are suffering, we can help now rather than later.

As you can tell Medical Marijuana is Australia’s issue and needs instantaneous attention. With cancer and mental illness amongst families growing we need every little helpful thing we can use. in 2019, it is estimated that there will be 49,896 deaths related to cancer (Australian Government, 2019). This shocking number will never disappear, it shows how many people are in pain. Instead of causing more pain for those with cancer why wouldn’t we ease it with Medical Marijuana. Instead of providing patients with manufactured pharmaceutical drugs, medical marijuana can resolve the pain just as better with no serious negative effects. In the past, few years many media articles were condemning the effects of Medical Marijuana stating that ‘it doesn’t work’. Now that research has been developed the media has positively covered the issue.

Digging deeper into the false article, published by ABC, tells us why Medical Marijuana isn’t beneficial for those who are diagnose with chronic pain and anxiety. The national Drug and Alcohol Research Centre had researchers randomly select 1514 Australians who had treated chronic pain with prescribed opioids. Those that turn towards Marijuana reported having similar or higher levels of pain and anxiety. Those studies found are leaning on millions of dollars in investment to find an alternative pathway from opioid pain killers (ABC, 2018). The same study and evidence used within the ABC article is seen in ‘The Sydney Morning Herald’ and ‘News.com.au’. These three published articles are spreading false accusations on Medical Marijuana. I’m sure there are many more like this hiding beneath the articles that have the truth. In 2019, numerous media blog, articles and research papers have surfaced agreeing on legislating Medical Marijuana. An article published on ‘Very Well Health’ by Angela Morrow tells us the pros of using Medical Marijuana. It can relieve the muscles that associate with multiple Sclerosis and paralysis, treats appetite lost found in certain types of cancers, relieves chronic pain, does not increase the risk of lung disease and is much safer than the highly addictive opioid pain killers (VeryWell Health, 2019). You can see that most the negatives covered by the past articles are outspoken by those conducted tests this year. All the negatives the media thought about medical Marijuana is now stated to be false.

According to Dr Ethan Russo, a researcher for Cannabinoid Institution quotes that,” Cannabis is the single most versatile herbal remedy, and the most useful plant on earth. No other single plant contains as a wide range of medically active herbal constituents.” This quote gives us in depth that there is no drug like Marijuana and if we don’t legalise it, we will found nothing better then it. Although there are many positive aspects found within Medical marijuana there are negatives that show evidence: short term memory lost, impair cognitive ability and carries a small 6% chance of addiction (VeryWell Health, 2019). These cons found within the VeryWell health article are worth it for the benefits of the drug. If you were diagnosed with a painful cancer: would you want to take medical marijuana and have small impairment of cognitive ability and short term memory lost or keep taking the opioids that cause sedation, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, constipation, depression and physical dependence (NCBI, 2008). I sure know I’d choose Medical Marijuana over opioids and so would the population fighting for legalisation.

If we don’t take drastic action in changing the laws of making medical marijuana legalised, more people will die painfully and those suffering from depression and anxiety won’t get cured. Yet we still don’t know the full benefits of Medical Marijuana. Legalising the drug could reveal more positive ways the drug can benefit. Remember around 49,896 people will die this year from cancer (Australian Government, 2019). Opioids are linking towards those deaths with the effects of depression and addiction. For all the states in Australia to legalise Medical Marijuana, the only thing we can do is share our stories of how the drug has benefited yourself. The government need to invest more money into this issue through conducting more tests. With these tests, we can understand the full benefits and negatives of Marijuana.

Medical Marijuana laws within Australia need to change now, further research needs to be done. If we don’t do this people will be dying painfully, mental issues will not be conquered and chronic pain will still be evident. Australia needs to band together to legalise the drug and spread awareness of its aspects. In conclusion, it can be said that Medical Marijuana is the future of our people we just need to decide when.

I. The Question

This issue of the legalization of marijuana has braced the news for years now as different activists from researchers to celebrities to politicians have attempted to sway the masses to legalise the herb. The different activists have attempted to argue that marijuana is in fact more beneficial than harmful not only on an individual level but also on the society as a whole. This is the reason for the choosing of this topic, the fact that not only has the issue received much hype, but also the fact that citizens and the state could be missing out on a substance that has the potential of making their lives better.

II. Legislation, case-law and literature review

According to Mark A.R. Kleiman a drug is a substance which has a physiological effect when ingested or otherwise introduced into the body. Based on this definition, drug abuse is excessive or improper use of drugs especially through self-administration for non-medical purposes. The issue is therefore whether laws should be passed to legalise the use thereof for non-medical purposes. Books have been written talking about the same.

Kenya, due to the heavy influence of religion, culture and its own understanding of the effects of marijuana, that it is more harmful then beneficial, passed laws such as the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Control) Act of which Section 3(1) as read with Section 3(2) making it an offence being in possession of marijuana while Section 4 of the same makes it an offence the trafficking of narcotic drugs of which marijuana has been interpreted to be. This can be illustrated by the case of R v Kavata Kioko where the accused person was charged and convicted of the offence of trafficking bhang under the act. Marijuana is to some extent allowed but only in medically prepared form. This law has been used to nab even users with little content which is inconsequential on the heavy fines without regard to the fact the accused person was simply using and thus reducing the fine. It also fails to consider the marijuana users might be using the substance due to chronic illnesses they may be suffering thus the need to reduce pain. Implementation has had its challenges as the users are nabbed when the marijuana has already reached its desired destinations. Suppliers are rarely caught as much as personal users this coupled with the fact that suppliers simply bribe themselves out of it.

At the height of the debate regarding the legalization of marijuana, the Late Hon. Ken Okoth the then Kibra Member of Parliament was at the helm of the activists pushing for legalization and introducing the Marijuana Control Bill 2018 in the National Assembly which was seeking to decriminalize the use of marijuana and control the growth and use of bhang in Kenya.

III. Analysis

The issue of legalization continues to gather momentum as more and more research is done to show its benefits. The research and awareness about the Cannabis plant has proved that chemicals in cannabis, called Cannabinoids, are helpful in treating symptoms of chronic diseases and disorders.

Many consider that the state is missing out on a large source of revenue due to the ban on marijuana which could otherwise be exported. Niall McCarthy notes that the legalization of marijuana in several U.S. states has brought numerous economic benefits and job creation is certainly one of the more noticeable ones. He further notes that the states that have legalised marijuana report more revenue. The marijuana market is so large that according to research institute Prohibition Partners, the market for medicinal cannabis in Germany alone could swell to roughly €7.7 billion by 2028, and for the whole of Europe to €58 billion. The institute further found that statutory health insurance providers in Germany reported revenues to the tune of some €70 million last year for products containing cannabis. Mexico for example in 2018 had a revenue of $51.2 million from the sale of marijuana oil. Since Kenya has a perfect climate that has supported various plantations to a point of being the best coffee and tea producers, the same climate would be a conducive environment for marijuana to thrive turning Kenya to a major exporter. This is enhanced by the fact that in early March this year, a New York based firm claimed it had obtained a licence to cultivate marijuana on 500 acres of land in Kenya.

Activists have also argued that many communities, including here in Kenya such as the Kikuyus, have used marijuana to serve different purposes in their lives and the Indian communities that use it as food additives and in different rituals. The long term use has not produced any significant negative effects and in fact, the crime rate was lower and violence was at a minimum.

Activists also argue that cannabis, among others, has therapeutic and anti-inflammatory properties, it is an antioxidant, anti-bacterial, produces lipids and offers UV protection and as such use of a cannabis-based product can help in cell regeneration, protect from UV rays, heal skin conditions , treat acne, and regulate oil production by the sebaceous gland. They also argue that it plays an important role in medicine where its element, Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), is promoted as a solution to nausea, physical pain and vomiting. It is responsible for the high feeling from consumption of marijuana products. This anti-nausea and anti-vomiting properties have been researched on cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy and has proven successful. Marijuana has been found to be a good pain reliever and thus the main medicinal use and as a consequence most people suffering from chronic illnesses tend to use it to ease the pain. Two Kenyan researchers, Simon Mwaura and Gwada Ogot, have been particularly vocal in the support of the legalization claiming that THC and other cannabinoids found in marijuana have been found to slow the growth and/or cause the death of certain cancer cells.

Perhaps the most controversial argument is that the criminalisation on use of cannabis by an adult in private and for personal use is in fact a violation of the right to privacy provided for under Article 31 of the Constitution of Kenya 2010 making invalid the criminalizing provisions. This has been used by some countries to legalise marijuana. In Mexico, private and personal use of marijuana in amounts of 5 grams or less was decriminalized. The same is true for Belize. Countries like Costa Rica make it illegal to smoke marijuana but the same carries no legal penalties. The argument is, not surprisingly, the same used by abortion activists that it is my own body to do to it whatever I want and the state has no business to interfere as long as I am not violating any other person’s rights which is where the state should come in. it should thus be decriminalized even if for private and personal use as in the countries mentioned above.

An argument by activists is that the criminalization of marijuana and the legalization of alcohol is in fact misplaced and it should be the other way round. As most argue, research has shown that marijuana has more benefit than harm while alcohol on the other hand has more harm than benefit. It is well-established that alcohol leads to illnesses such as liver cirrhosis. Alcohol, being more harmful, is also much more expensive than marijuana of which a pure high grade roll of marijuana will only set you back a mere 50 shillings which is affordable for most. Cheap liquor has been associated with problems such as loss of eyesight. A research found that alcohol use is a leading risk factor for global disease burden and causes substantial health loss. It also found that alcohol use was the seventh leading risk factor for death. A research by Nacada found that out of the 3 million Nairobi residents in 2009, 1.8 million were alcohol abuses. Marijuana users are also generally more peaceful than alcohol users. This this coupled with the comparison of the effects of marijuana and alcohol should necessitate the state to criminalise alcohol and legalise marijuana even if for private and personal use as alcohol abusers will get an alternative “better” drug and abandon alcohol which is also associated with violence, dangerous driving and public nuisance.

Opposers have however argued that marijuana is bad for the whole body impedes actions such as driving and operation of machinery. It is common belief that marijuana makes the users dumb and thus the name dope. They argue that marijuana users also run higher risks of developing mental health problems like schizophrenia and depression and that cannabis is highly addictive studies showing that one in ten users develop dependence over time while stopping the use thereof can lead to withdrawal symptoms like anxiety and irritability. It is also a common belief that states have in fact criminalized marijuana due to the fact that even if legalized for personal and private use, the state will have no means of ensuring that the drug does not fall into the hands which of minors who have no capacity to weigh the benefits and harm of marijuana and will use the substance considering the benefits while disregarding the harm

IV. Conclusion

Based on the above facts, I can argue that the arguments for the legalization of marijuana have more weight than the ones against. The state should therefore legalize marijuana, both the farming, to ensure the state reaps the benefit of revenues and to ensure the control of quality, as well as for personal use.

The United States is constantly evolving around new ideas and ever changing matters. The stance on how people and governments see and understand matters that affect them is ever changing and must be evaluated to keep up with current policies and data. Marijuana is a matter that is a present subject which is in the news and creating much debate. This discussion will speak on how cannabis affects our economics, medical uses, and laws.

The economics of a state and government are important, marijuana is at the forefront of controversy over how a plant can generate money and in what way this is done under current laws. Many states have legalized marijuana allowing them to profit greatly with voter support. California became the first to pass laws allowing cannabis to be legal and generate taxes from the sale of all aspects of the plant (DePietro, 2018). Federal excise tax has a great potential to increase revenues of millions of dollars for states and the government. Due to taxation the cost associated with purchases of cannabis products will come from the individual buying the products incurring a higher price (Elkins, 2019). The increased cost to consumers is the process of how they tax marijuana, this is like a retail tax but much of the cost is to the growers, the merchandisers, and wholesalers (Tax Policy Center, n.d.). West coast states have taken the lead in passage of laws in recreational use allowing other states to jump on the band wagon and enjoy the profits due to tax revenues. Many states have not passed legislation on marijuana and it remains illegal. With growth from income generated from this plant other products have been extracted and marketed from cannabis for uses in other areas which has opened avenues in states not accepting legalization but accepting some aspects of uses.

The use of marijuana for medical use is under debate and has been under studies and medical trials to validate claims of any benefit for medically use. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) currently has not identified or agree with any part of the plant or sativa to be of medicinal value or use. The FDA does allow for studies to be conducted on people to determine if there is efficacy and uses (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2019). There are many different chemicals locked within the cannabis plant and a big focus has been on the cannabinoids. There are more than one hundred cannabinoids locked within marijuana, and they contain delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), this is the substance that creates an altered effect on humans (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2019). THC is permissible in some states but is regulated through federal law which does not allow many of the biproducts of the plant for any use. “ Cannabidiol or (CBD) and their biproducts from the plant with less than 0.3% THC is allowed and legal within federal law for people to ingest” (What you can expect from Medical marijuana 2019). Under federal law the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) oversees marijuana and other Schedule 1 substances under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). Currently it is unlawful for doctor or other medical personal to prescribe schedule 1 drugs to patients. The controlled substance act (CSA). 21 U.S.C.A. § 801 et seq, sets the guidelines for what a schedule 1 substance is and what it contains. One is “ high potential for abuse,” second “no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States,” third is a “lack of accepted safety for use… under medical supervision (Shepard, n.d.). Currently there has been progress in this area where research, study, and trials to indicate any uses of THC, and cannabinoids are indicated to treat or have medicinal value to humans which have been granted to many researchers like the (NIH) National Institute of Health (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2019). Studies are uncovering evidence that elements within cannabis reduce cancer cells and their growth along relieving side effects from cancer treatments ( National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2019). The studies see possible treatments for diseases like HIV/AIDS, MS, and seizures to include other ailments like pain, and inflammation ( National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2019). There are two drugs the FDA have approved, dronabinol and nabilone which contain THC for use with chemotherapy patients to decrease nausea, this opens doors and sets a stage for more treatments with the chemicals from cannabis. Trial studies and research push the envelope and introduce possibilities for new treatments with schedule 1 drugs like marijuana while waiting for federal laws to catch up with the research.

Clinical trial and research have made strides in understanding marijuana and its abilities to alive symptoms from diseases and other ailments, but federal laws state that the growing, use, sale, and possessing is illegal. States have stepped up and enacted laws making marijuana legal causing a lack of understanding with medical staff, patients, and their caregiver to include clinical researchers (Mead, 2017). With some states legalizing marijuana they have made cannabidiol production, processing and supplying, along with treatable uses for people possible (Mead, 2017). “The components of cannabidiol are not listed separately under the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), but THC is the only component under schedule 1 under DEA and the Officer of Public Affairs” (Mead, 2017). Intended uses of CBD oils are determined by the FDA, and with the low amounts of CBD oil being authorized for commercial sale and advertising many companies have been contacted informing them that they may be misleading to their customers on the affects and amounts of THC that they have advertised under dietary supplements (Mead, 2017). This is a legal issue that is face many small business owners within new markets in many states. Added confusion has happened with cultivation of industrial hemp being grown. A pilot program under researchers to grow and research the plant have had issues with the 2014 “Farm Bill” Section 7606 of the Agricultural Act 2014 (7 USC 5940), due to state interpretation of the bill (Mead, 2017). With the changes to laws and the growing acceptance of marijuana, new application from it has opened new challenges with legal proceedings in many states. Due to legalization of cannabis in areas of the country find people who have been sentenced or incarcerated in federal prisons with low level crimes have been pardoned or given reduced sentences and released, this was done by President Obama (Mead,2017). Many have taken to legal actions with the change of legality with marijuana sparking court cases like United States v. Green filing for dismissal of their charges on grounds that their conviction was “irrational and unconstitutional” (Mead 2017). Many constitutional claims have been pushed by many within the courts and the courts have pushed these issues back on the Congress and the FDA referring to their stance there is no accepted medical uses of marijuana (Mead, 2017). The debate over medical uses being accepted, the states legalizing, and the federal government viewing marijuana as illegal will be ongoing for the unseen future. The legality of this plant and its potential is locked up in clinical research and trial, and the legal system awaiting clarity and resolution for the future of marijuana.

Marijuana has many implication to society based on economics, medicinal uses, and legal policies that affect many aspects of our country. Today many people are torn over the acceptance of cannabis and are relying on our state and federal governments, along with research to come to some agreement on the future of marijuana and how it will be handled. Marijuana is here and has shown many uses that bring in revenue and possible health potentials for many Americans. It will be interesting to see what this plant can do and how it will be molded by the legal system.

Work Cited

1. DePietro, A. (2018, November 1). Here’s How Much Money States Are Raking In From Legal Marijuana Sales. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/andrewdepietro/2018/05/04/how-much-money-states-make-cannabis-sales/#615e0616f181
2. Ekins, G., & Bishop-Henchman, J. (2019, August 8). Marijuana Tax Legalization and Federal Revenue. Retrieved from https://taxfoundation.org/marijuana-tax-legalization-federal-revenue/
3. Federal Marijuana Law. (2018, May 8). Retrieved from https://www.safeaccessnow.org/federal_marijuana_law
4. How do marijuana taxes work? (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.taxpolicycenter.org/briefing-book/how-do-marijuana-taxes-work
5. Mead, A. (2017). The legal status of cannabis (marijuana) and cannabidiol (CBD) under U.S. law. https://www-sciencedirect- com.ezproxy.mclennan.edu/science/article/pii/S1525505016305856?via%3Dihub
6. National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2019, July). Marijuana as Medicine. Retrieved from https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/marijuana-medicine
7. Shepard, M. (n.d.). Trials & Tribulations: Will federal courts play role in marijuana legalization? Daily Record, The (Rochester, NY). Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.mclennan.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bwh&AN=L54981932DRNY&site=eds-live
8. SHU-ACQUAYE, F. (2016). The Unintended Consequence to Legalizing Marijuana Use: The Banking Conundrum. Cleveland State Law Review, 64(2), 315–328. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.mclennan.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=115096285&site=eds-live
9. What you can expect from medical marijuana. (2019, November 27). Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/consumer-health/in-depth/medical-marijuana/art-20137855

What is marijuana? Or in generic term, it is referred to as ‘Cannabis’. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Cannabis is by far the most widely cultivated, trafficked and abused illicit drug. Half of all drug seizures worldwide are cannabis seizures. The geographical spread of those seizures is also global, covering practically every country of the world. Simply, this only state that marijuana or cannabis is illegal and used for unethical works not only in certain areas around the world but it has been widespread since then. People might see it in a negative perspective as it has been illegal through years and banned in some countries like the Philippines where Christianity is the dominant religion of the people and because of that, marijuana is seen as a sinful object. Despite the negative feedbacks and information from news and articles, there are some people, mostly experts such as doctors, who give importance and value to it. In some fields, these plants are not just for illicit activities and unlawful actions, but also cultivated in the field of medicine especially in curing deadly diseases such as cancer. So, it is a must that Marijuana or Cannabis should be legalized in the Philippines because of its benefits and improvement of health care in the country. There are reasons why these “drugs” should be legalized and used as an alternative medicine: 1) It helps treat cancer patients; 2) It helps people prevent obesity; 3) It can help people to regulate and prevent diabetes and; 4) It improves eye vision and health.

Medical Cannabis can help treat cancer patients. Cancer is the abnormal growth of cells in the body which is the second leading cause of death worldwide, accounting for an estimated 9.6 million deaths in 2018 and more that 60% of world’s total new annual cases occur in Africa, Asia, and Central and South America (WHO, 2018). To cure cancer, patients must undergo chemotherapy which is the uses radiation. Radiation targets to shrink or kills cancerous cells from the body but it also kills off good useful cells. This causes the cancer patients to suffer from fatigue, sickness, nausea, and loss of appetite. Other side effects that may occur in patients include mood disturbance, sleep disturbance, and various types of pain (Cheng, 2013). According to the National Cancer Institute, medical marijuana can help people living with cancer include antiemetic effects, appetite stimulation, pain relief, and improved sleep. In other countries, there are Food and Drug Administration approved drugs that are man-made cannabinoids such as dronabinol (Marinol, Syndros) and nabilone (Cesamet). Cannabinoid is any of various naturally-occurring, biologically active, chemical constituents (such as cannabidiol or cannabinol) of hemp or cannabis including some (such as THC) that possess psychoactive properties (“Cannabinoid”, 2020).Dronabinol and nabilone are used to treat severe nausea and vomiting caused by cancer chemotherapy. There are many examples of cannabinoids but those are the most known cannabinoids that are approved by the FDA in some countries. But the government of the Philippines reasons out that if we legalized medical cannabis it may be abuse even though it is a cancer antagonist.

Obesity is a serious issue which is linked to different disease such as diabetes, high blood pressure, certain cancers, and other chronic conditions. It is a medical term used to describe an individual whose body fat exceeds what’s considered healthy. It is caused by certain factors such as genetics, medications, and psychological factors. There are ways to treat obesity but these require time, effort and money to achieve. Marijuana is an alternative treatment option for those who suffer from obesity. People who smoke weed are less likely to be obese compared to those who don’t according to the paper published in the International Journal of Epidemiology. According to research, smoking marijuana affects the mechanisms that trigger hunger in our brain; the receptors in our brain trigger the release of hormones that makes us feel furnished or loss of appetite. On the other hand, 2011 study from the American Journal of Epidemiology concluded that people using cannabis are less likely to be obese than people who do not use cannabis.

Medical Cannabis can also help in regulating and preventing diabetes. Diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs either when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or when the body cannot effectively use the insulin it produces (WHO, 2018). There is no known cure for diabetes right now but other people manage it with medication and they figure out the best foods to eat. They choose food that can keep their blood sugar levels well-controlled. According to the American Alliance for Medical Cannabis (AAMC), cannabis can help stabilize blood sugar and lower blood pressure. An article posted by Diabetes.co.uk states that, cannabis could be used to treat diabetes by increasing the amount of energy the body burns. It also states that last 2014, cannabis reduced the risk of type 2 diabetes in an Inuit population. The correlation between marijuana and the treatment of the symptoms of Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, as well as pre-diabetes, may lie in anti-inflammatory capabilities of cannabinoids (Bourque, 2018).

However, according to The Diabetes Council, the correlation between marijuana and the treatment of the symptoms of Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, as well as pre-diabetes, may lie in anti-inflammatory capabilities of cannabinoids. According to cannabisMD.com, research that has been conducted has implied that the use of cannabis may help with stabilizing blood sugars, preventing nerve inflammation, lowering blood pressure over time, keeping blood vessels opened and improving circulation. Research has also found that cannabinoids may be more effective than other existing diabetes medication.

Our eye is one of the most important organs of our body. It helps us to see things from the outside world. When we see images, our eye processes it and sends it to our brain. Nowadays, people are having trouble with their vision because of some eye diseases that are affecting the function of the eye. These diseases may cause low vision and may lead to blindness. Some of the eye diseases can be dangerous and will need an immediate medical care. One of the know eye disease is the glaucoma. Glaucoma is a common eye condition in which the fluid pressure inside the eye rises to a level higher than healthy for that eye and if left untreated, it may damage the optic nerve causing the loss of vision or even blindness (Shiel, 2019). Glaucoma may be treated with medication, surgery, or laser surgery. The effect of laser surgery may get wear off overtime. Eye drops alone, although it can’t cure, it can usually control glaucoma. Cannabis is also a treatment for glaucoma. According to Glaucoma Research Foundation, one of the commonly discussed alternatives for the treatment of glaucoma is the smoking of marijuana because smoking marijuana does lower the eye pressure. The National Eye Institute, also found out that tetrahydrocannnabinol (THC), an active ingredient in marijuana, injection or pill, could lower the intraocular pressure. Glaucoma truly poses a significant risk of loss of vision and medication can help prevent that.

Therefore, cannabis gives us many benefits for our body. In fact, marijuana has less harmful effects than alcohol, cigarettes, and guns. Marijuana is often described as one of the safest drugs out there, in part because it has never been definitively linked to an overdose death and it is broadly safer than other drugs like alcohol, tobacco, cocaine, and heroin. Furthermore, study found that cannabis actually helps increase the capacity of the lungs rather than cause any harm to it. If Marijuana becomes legalize, the cops will have less petty things to worry about and may concentrate more on crimes as well as drugs that are actually harmful. Marijuana is not only a natural herb; it is ten times safer than any other Illegal substance known to man. According to However, there have been numerous studies in other countries PROVING that Marijuana does not harm you showing that it can be good for pain and muscle stiffness. In fact, there are several benefits of medical marijuana. It is a solid treatment for multiple symptoms associated to chronic pain, chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting, and multiple sclerosis. Cannabis contains CBD which is a chemical that impacts the brain, making it function better without giving it a high along with THC which has pain relieving properties. So that if we legalize marijuana scientist could make it easier for them to develop cannabis-based medical treatments. It can also improve the health of the population and treat many diseases. We will benefit more from it. It can help us to lessen the disease that people might experience. It can also be easier for us to solve the problem about health issues because cannabis can help us to cure diseases by not using radiation that can harm our body. So that marijuana can be legalized by not harming us but by using it as medicine.

References

1. Bourque, A. (2018). Can Cannabis Treat, Or Even Prevent Diabetes. Forbes. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/andrebourque/2018/12/05/can-cannabis-treat-or-even-prevent-diabetes/.
2. Cannabis. (2010, December 7). World Health Organization. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/substance_abuse/facts/cannabis/en/.
3. Cannabis and Diabetes. (2019, January 15). Diabetes.co.uk. Retrieved from https://www.diabetes.co.uk/recreational-drugs/cannabis.html.
4. Cannabinoid. (2020). Merriam-Webster. Retrieved January 11, 2020 from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cannabinoid.
5. Diabetes. (2018, October 30). World Health Organization. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/diabetes.
6. Jampel, H. (2017). Should You Be Smoking Marijuana To Treat Your Glaucoma?. Glaucoma Research Foundation. Retrieved from https://www.glaucoma.org/treatment/should-you-be-smoking-marijuana-to-treat-your-glaucoma-1.php.
7. Latest global cancer data: Cancer burden rises to 18.1 million new cases and 9.6 million cancer deaths in 2018. (2018, September 12). World Health Organization. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/cancer/PRGlobocanFinal.pdf.
8. Marijuana users less likely to be overweight, obese. (n.d.). Medical News Today. Retrieved from https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/325050.php#1.
9. Mathew, M. (2019, July 26). Smoking Weed for Weight Loss: Does it Work?. Men’sHealth. Retrieved from https://www.menshealth.com/weight-loss/a19538689/marijuana-for-weight-loss-does-it-actually-work/.
10. Medical Marijuana Fact. (2018). WebMD. Retrieve from https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/medical-marijuana-faq.
11. Shiel, W. (2018). Medication Definition of Glaucoma. MedicineNet. Retrieved from https://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=3596.
12. Tafoya, R. (2016). Legalizing Marijuana Medicinally to Help Weed Out Cancer. ePublications at Regis University. Retrieved. from https://epublications.regis.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1718&context=theses&fbclid=IwAR1FFYjtey74IQSNV4jVoHF-jUHhN5BP50UvOwhGfUPvBgESlFpm5Fhu3eA.
13. Whelan, C. (2018). Is Marijuana an Effective Treatment for Glaucoma?. Healthline. Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/health/marijuana-and-glaucoma#takeaway.
14. Why Obesity Is a Health Problem. (2013). National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. Retrieved from https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/wecan/healthy-weight-basics/obesity.htm.

Amidst a myriad of controversial subjects in medicine, the use of medical marijuana in the clinical setting might stand at the forefront. Like any treatment in medicine, there are advantages and risks to the prescription of marijuana. Immense benefits have been found with the clinical use in oncology patients receiving chemotherapy, those suffering from Parkinson’s, and individuals with epilepsy. Healthcare professionals that support the implementation of medical marijuana argue there are far too many known benefits of cannabis for it to be suppressed any longer than it has been (Gardenier et al., 2013). But there is also risk involved, as this is a substance with minimal scientific research surrounding it; we are still unsure of the long-term effects marijuana can have on an individual. And that very unknown is what seems to be the major concern on the use of clinical cannabis; opposers claim there are adverse effects on mental health, an irreversible decline in intelligence, and the potential for respiratory system damage (Wilkinson, 2013). Both the pros and cons of medical marijuana are outlined in this essay to equip nursing professionals with a complete understanding of the benefits and dangers involved with cannabis, in order for them to offer complete and competent care to patients.

As previously mentioned, the legalization of marijuana and its use in medicine is rising exponentially and will only continue to do so. With that being known and cannabis being a valid treatment option for an array of clients, it’s important for nurses to be educated on the use of medical marijuana so they can better serve their patients. But this is still very much an ethical issue that certain professionals may find extremely problematic and inappropriate. While individuals are valid in their views on marijuana and its role in their own lives; it’s important to be cognizant of the clinical benefits and relief it could bring their suffering patient. After all, one of the most important responsibilities of the nursing profession is to advocate for the patient; which might mean putting personal beliefs aside in order to relieve the suffering of a client.

The commonality amongst opposing arguments is the fact there is still research to be done in regards to the long-term effects of marijuana, as well as how national legalization would impact society. While many of the risks of cannabis have only been speculated upon, one that has actually been substantiated are the harmful effects on a growing fetus (Gardenier et al., 2013). Which has lead some to draw the conclusion that the effects had on a fetus would be the same for all human beings at any level of physiological maturation. It has also been alleged that marijuana smoke contains chemicals and carcinogens that have a detrimental consequence than the smoke from a cigarette (Gardenier et al., 2013). However, like many of the other claims made against the negative ramifications of cannabis, this has not been scientifically proven to be true. However, a valid concern is the actual process of prescribing cannabis to a patient (Wilkinson, 2013). Unlike other prescription drugs commonly used in medicine, marijuana is grown independently and under varying regulatory protocols so contamination is possible. As Samuel T. Wilkinson explained in his article opposing the legalization of marijuana and its uses in medicine, dispensaries experiment with different cannabinoids so without rigorous clinical trials, there is not a way of knowing which combination of cannabinoids is the most therapeutic (Wilkinson, 2013). There is immense variation within the world of marijuana but if the future of medicine includes cannabis, there is certainly a way to implement uniform regulations and protocols; like those that exist for any other prescription drug.

Unlike the speculated negatives, the benefits of medical marijuana are known and substantiated. Doctor Lydia Marie Weber claimed, “the use of medical marijuana is essential” (Gardenier et al., 2013, para. 7). She describes herself as a practitioner who is deeply committed to patient advocacy and argues there are extensive known benefits of cannabis. She gave the example of cannabidoil oil; stating, “if it can help a patient more than other prescription medications, then it is our duty as healthcare providers to enter new territory in treatment regimens” (Gardenier et al., 2013, para. 7). In Corbin Davis’ article, Medical Cannabis in Patients with Advanced Cancer: Challenges Remain, he outlines a clinical study that was done with stage four oncology patients who utilized medial marijuana for pain management (Davis, 2020). The results of the study showed one-third of patients were able to cease their opioid use, while another 10% significantly reduced their opioid use with only 11% reporting adverse side effects (Davis, 2020). These findings are staggering; opioids have been the primary route for oncology patients to manage their pain so the fact that individuals were able to find an alternative, that doesn’t have nearly the same side effects, is truly incredible and illustrate the important role medical marijuana could play in healthcare.

In analyzing the benefits and dangers of marijuana, it’s evident there is still an immense amount of research that needs to occur before cannabis becomes a widely used, and accepted, form of treatment. The field of medicine will continue to evolve and exemplify cutting-edge clinical advancements, some of which may conflict with a nurse’s personal ethical beliefs but it’s vital for healthcare professionals to assess data provided on ethical issues, such as this one, and do their very best to draw conclusions without bias. And as the exploration of medical marijuana continues, healthcare professionals have a responsibility to follow along with the experimentation to ensure they are offering the most competent care to the patients they advocate for (American Nurses Association, 2015).

References

1. American Nurses Association. (2015). Code of ethics for nurses with interpretive statements. https://www.nursingworld.org/coe-view-only
2. Davis, C. (2020). Medical Cannabis in Patients with Advanced Cancer: Challenges Remain. Oncology Nurse-APN/PA, 13(1), 8.
3. Gardenier , D., Brennan, M., & Weber, L. (2017). Should Marijuana be Legalized? The Journal for Nurse Practitioners, 13(2), 116–117. Retrieved from https://npjournal.org/article/ s1555-4155(16)30757-7/fulltext
4. Wilkinson S. T. (2013). Medical and recreational marijuana: commentary and review of the literature. Missouri medicine, 110(6), 524–528.