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Simon Choi

Dr. Smith

ENG 101 B24O

The opinion of Marijuana during the 70s was much more definitive than it is today.

Approved by 27 states, recent medical studies, and its problem from using the most common

illicit drug in the world, is making us rethink about this matter. In general, this unexpressed

argument about Marijuana in this country is: should Marijuana maintain to be banned to the

people based on its health effects, medicinal importances, and how much it will cost the

country?

Why is this argument so important? Mentioned before, Marijuana is the most frequently

used illegal drug in the world, and with millions of people using it on a regular basis and almost

100 million that had ever used it in this country, the laws behind this drug hold a lot of

influence. It is because of this and the coming of new evidence, that the explanation behind

illegal drug is being re-considered scientifically, socially, and economically. Marijuana use as

both medicine and a recreational drug is being closely questioned in the other 27 states that

have Marijuana approved in some type of form. Many of those for medical purposes of course,

however the users can still, and do get placed into prison by federal law. Currently, 830,00

people a year are in trouble with the law that regards to Marijuana and the numbers seem to be

always increasing. Furthermore, the U.S invests about 30 billion dollars per year into the drug

war, half being dedicated to Marijuana. If we were to change the law, it has a huge impact in

America.

Marijuana comes from a Cannabis Sativa plant. It had been discovered around 2700 B.C in

China. Not only does the Cannabis Sativa plant produce Marijuana, but it also produces hemp,

which is a very useful cash crop that can produce several textile materials. Aside from hemp,

Marijuana was used in America during until 1937, when it was banned by 47 states as a result of
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people using it more than they should because thats when the 1920 amendment banned

alcohol. What triggers the buzz users feel from Marijuana is a result of its entry into the

bloodstream, and the combing of THC from Marijuana with brain receptors that may cause the

feelings of drowsiness, increased appetite, and other effects.

In 1965 President Johnson had passed the drug usage control amendment marking all

illicit drugs, but then in 1969 President Nixon declared a hard war on drugs and crime, giving

what would become the drug war we see today. In 1996, California became the first state to

legalize medical Marijuana, setting off an important trend through the country. Marijuana is

classified as a class 1 drug alongside Heroin, Cocaine, and Morphine, (this classification hasnt

been changed since the 1960s). It was first classified as a schedule I not being the fact that it

was recommended by the CSA (controlled substances act) task force to not place it in this class.

While certain states in the U.S now allow medical Marijuana use, the Federal Government holds

that their law overrules state law which leads users of the medical Marijuana to be prosecuted.

Certain ideas need to be understood in order for this information to be interpreted

properly. This debate covers the legalization for medical and/or recreational use of Marijuana.

This argument does not concern to the legalization of all illegal drugs. This argument is not

about Marijuana being healthy or good for anyone; however it is more focused towards its use in

the medical field and its health effects in comparison to already legal substances. A few terms

presented in the argument need to be understood. Marijuana is created when the leaves and

female flowers of the hemp plant are dried, and it is commonly used but not limited to use in

cigarette form. THC or Tetrahydrocannabinol is the primary intoxicant of marijuana. Aside from

the technical, there are a few legal terms as well. When the term decriminalization is used, what

is proposed is the elimination of criminal penalties for marijuana, meaning that in most cases

would be treated as a civil offense and maximum charges could be a fine of a few hundred

dollars. Decriminalization insures no prison time or creation of a criminal record. Marijuana

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legalization is simply the complete government authorization of the substance. The Drug War is

the resulting conflict between law enforcement and those who deal in illegal drugs.

There are three major topical issues in the argument over marijuana legalization. First, does

possess medical value? Second, is Marijuana harmful enough to remain illegal and how does it

compare to other legal illicit substances? And lastly, what is Marijuanas effect on our nation and

how would legalization change this?

Of the three issues related to the Marijuana legalization debate, Marijuana and its medical use

might be the most widely discussed of them all. Opponents of Medical Marijuana bring up many

significant arguments as to why it should not be condoned. The American Medical Association

in 2001 stated that Marijuana should remain a schedule 1 drug, primarily basing their decision

on the fact that they do not believe it has any medical value and that it has no accepted medical

use and possesses a high potential for abuse. The FDA has a specific process in which the

joint medical and scientific communities conduct certain procedures to determine whether

drugs can be considered safe and effective as medicine, and Marijuana has not been approved by

this process. The government also insists that Marijuana supporters are using the medical

Marijuana angle as a ploy to get the whole drug legalized for recreational use, a valid point that

definitely stirs up some question. Also, the countries that permit the drug to be used medicinally

have not produced conclusive research on Marijuanas applications in medicine.

Opponents also justify Marijuanas prohibition with the decision that if the FDA hasnt approved

it, it must be too dangerous to use. They also emphasize the fact that they believe that Marinol, a

synthetic form of THC, can be used as an alternative to Marijuana and makes the whole plant

unnecessary. After all, certain studies did show that smoking five joints of Marijuana a week

may be equivalent to smoking a full pack of cigarettes daily, in terms of the amount of cancer

causing chemical Marijuana contains.

Opponents against Marijuana legalization for all purposes believe that it is harmful to the users
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and therefore should remain illegal. One of the most famous points made by prohibitionists is

that Marijuana is a gateway drug and leads to harder drugs. They also argue that Marijuana

contains up to 25% of THC today, compared to a miniscule 3% in the 1960s. This clearly

indicates an increased potency in the intoxicating chemical. It has been scientifically proven that

THC is stored in body fat, so some believe that it is possible that regular smokers could have

enough stored in their system to be sedated at all times. There was a test conducted by a Dr.

Robert Heath on monkeys that revealed THC in Marijuana caused that serious brain damage.

Opponents also claim that long-term use has shown changes in the brain similar to those seen

from other drugs. Alterations in nerve cells have indicated an affect towards the subjects

motivation, which could possibly explain one of the commonly used arguments against

Marijuana. The risk of heart attack also quadruples during the first hour smoking, and blood

pressure also rises.

Prohibitionists contend that smokers become more susceptible to respiratory illnesses,

increased phlegm production, chest illnesses, lung infections and cancer of the head and neck.

These prohibitionists also state that Marijuana smoke has 50-70 percent more carcinogens than

tobacco smoke, making it possibly more harmful than cigarettes. They also claim that smoking

reduces the immune systems ability to fight disease. Another very important aspect of their

argument is that despite Marijuana not following the characteristics of a substance that causes

true addiction, there still has been signs of addictive potential for users. These include

irritability and sleeplessness among others.

One of the most overlooked issues in the legalization debate is the influence of Marijuana

prohibition to our economy. The opponents of legalization justify the costs of prohibition with

the main point that our society would be negatively affected if legalized. Firstly, they feel that if

legalized the danger of Marijuana will be misinterpreted by the public and would ultimately

increase the potential for abuse. They are also convinced that we would see a crime rate increase
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on a nation-wide scale if Marijuana was no longer prohibited and was allowed to the public.

Prohibitionists also insist that a drug market would still exist for miners, and that

decriminalization would increase the usage of the drug. If it will be allowed medically, they

believe it would also be accepted recreationally on false grounds.

In regards to Marijuana and its medical value, proponents of legalization believe that Marijuana

meets the FDA criteria as a substance in which the benefits outweigh its risk. This is considered

to be a guiding principle when the FDA makes a decision towards approving a substance for

medicinal use. Three different US government studies have shown that Marijuana may have

medical value. The most recent of these was a one million dollar study by the Institute of

Medicine. Many claim that Marinol, a synthetic form of THC, abolishes the need for Marijuana

to be used as medicine, but it has been shown that it is just not as effective as smoking.

Furthermore, there are other chemicals in Marijuana that help patients in ways that Marinol

cannot. Another problem with Marinol is that takes quite a long time to begin working, costs

more than Marijuana, and leaves the patient intoxicated for much too long of a time span (about

8-12 hours). Marinol is ingested in pill form, but many that use Marijuana to suppress nausea

and vomiting find that swallowing pills are counter-productive to this problem. This is due to

the fact that the pills get vomited out because they simply take too long to work, entirely

defeating the purpose of taking the medicine.

On top of this, proponents also argue that the US is becoming increasingly alone in Marijuana

persecution. Currently the Netherlands regulates Marijuana; and Belgium embraces it as

medicine and is also considering legalization for recreational use as well. New Zealand and

Australia are also following the trend and are considering it for medical use.

Proponents also argue the issue of whether Marijuana is in fact harmful, or more harmful than

the already illegal illicit substances such as alcohol or tobacco, quite fervently. They state that

there is not one documented record of anyone ever dying from Marijuana consumption, while
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the same cannot be said for alcohol and tobacco. They also argue that Marijuana should not be

classified as a schedule I drug alongside heroin and cocaine etc. because it is simply much more

mild and less harmful of a drug, even less harmful than alcohol and tobacco. Supporters also

emphasize that Marijuana does not damage the brain as many have claimed, it simply increases

the activity of the brain related to alpha waves, which is what causes the relaxed, meditative, and

creative states that make up the high feeling. Advocates of legalization claim that it is simply

untrue that Marijuana is more potent now than it was, enforcing the fact that poor storage in

evidence rooms during the 70s caused a decline in potency results on tests and that Marijuana is

the same now as it was in the 70s. Proponents also combat the claims that Marijuana impairs

memory by stating that the impairment only occurs while intoxicated, and that the studies

related to this were misleading people into believing that damage was permanent when in fact it

was temporary. Supporters admit that Marijuana contains 1,000 chemicals but negate those

claims with the example that coffee contains 800 chemicals that scientists consider to be volatile

and only 21 of the 800 have been tested on animals.

Proponents also justify Marijuanas harmlessness with the fact that it takes 40,000 times the

amount needed for intoxication in order for someone to die from Marijuana, while it only takes

4-10 times the amount for one to consume a lethal dose of alcohol. There was also a commercial

TV ad from the Partnership for a Drug-Free America that aired in the late 90s that was a flat

out lie. When researchers complained about the validity of the ad that demonstrated how

Marijuana flattens brain waves it got pulled from the air. Advocates of Marijuana legalization

also insist that most of the arguments held against marijuana are those in regards to respiratory

harm (comparable to cigarette smoking), and that they can be abolished by the many alternative

methods for Marijuana use which include vaporization, or the consumption of cannabis in

certain foods, to name a few.

Many recognize Marijuana prohibition as a large burden to our economy, and proponents of
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legalization state that this burden would be removed if Marijuana was legalized and regulated by

the government. According to many, America is waging a very expensive and seemingly

ineffective war on drugs that is costing our nation 30 billion a year. Half of this cost goes

towards the prohibition of Marijuana, so if legalized, Marijuana supporters deduce that we

would reduce the cost of the drug war by roughly 50 percent. Proponents of legalization also

emphasize that based on those statistics we would be spared 15 billion a year, which could be

used more constructively. The drug war causes 830,000 arrests a year for Marijuana related

charges, which is costly and is considered to be an unjust punishment by many.

Proponents and economists both purpose that our economy could benefit from legalization

(regulation), and commonly use Holland as an example. Holland earns 67.5 million a year from

Marijuana, most of which is locally grown, also providing hemp products that pump revenue

into their economy. If the Government regulated and taxed Marijuana, similar numbers could

be seen. Currently through taxation alone, tobacco and alcohol bring in 11.4 million annually to

the government, and Marijuana would be believed to show similar return.

Proponents also argue that Marijuana prohibition is a burden not only to our economy, but also

to our society, and that regulation of the substance could fix all of this. The arrests of 830,000

people a year ruin the lives for many, stamping them with criminal records that they forever

carry with them. Because Marijuana contributes to half of the drug war, if legalized half the drug

dealers would be out of work and as result our society can expect to see a 50% reduction in

crime related to the drug war. Proponents insist that regulated substances would actually cause

a decrease in use, as can be ascertained by the fact that only 4% of Hollands population uses

Marijuana, where 7% of our population is comprised of users. Not only does Holland have fewer

users than America, but since Marijuana has been legalized, the usage of hard drugs have

actually decreased amongst the people of the Dutch nation. And finally, studies are showing that

treatment is shown to be seven times more cost effective than criminal interjection for drug
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matters. It is these crucial points that drive the arguments of proponents.

To summarize this entire debate the underlying views of both the proponents and opponents of

these three issues involving the legalization of Marijuana must be restated. Opponents of the

first issue, whether Marijuana has medical value or not, believe that it simply possesses no

medical use and can be avoided with synthetic alternatives to the plant itself. They also believe

that there is not enough research disproving their theory in order for them to reconsider its

prohibition for medical use. Proponents, on the other hand, believe that there is conclusive

research made by several studies proving that Marijuana can help the ill. They also believe that

it meets the criteria necessary for it to be labeled as a medicine. Is Marijuana harmful enough

to remain legal and how does it compare to the two recreational substances alcohol and tobacco?

This is the second major issue, or question that needs to be answered. Opponents believe that

Marijuana possesses enough threat to humans that it should remain illegal, while the supporters

of legalization combat those claims with the presentation of more modern research and new

discoveries that jeopardize its current status as a harmful, illegal drug. The third issue in this

debate is, how would Marijuana legalization affect our nation? Opponents believed that society

would be affected negatively and see increased crime rate, and drug use among other things.

Proponents believed the opposite of this, using statistics and testimony to predict the positive

outcome of legalization.

Based on extensive researching and intense analysis of both sides of the argument, I believe

without a doubt that there is no reason to keep imprisoning those who use Marijuana in our

country. The fact is, that prohibitionists have an outdated ideology toward the matter, and what

they believe is either based on false evidence from inferior scientific studies, or simply the result

of nation-wide naivety that has rubbed off on them. As we progress and progress into the 21st

century it is becoming clearer and clearer that Marijuana is just-as-if-not less harmful than

alcohol and tobacco. The government funded studies and advertisements that reach the public
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eye is misleading and to blatant, more fictional than the comic strip on the back of the Daily

Star. I cannot say why the government insists on driving this propaganda machine forward or

turning the other cheek as more and more states by way of democracy decide to decriminalize

Marijuana, but I can only speculate that it is because of a few key political figures that reap

profits from the drug war and that half the DEA would have nothing to do. Science is proving

Marijuana to be quite harmless, and if you ask anyone that has broken what is possibly the most

ridiculous law of our time and has tried Marijuana, they would probably tell you that they agree.

We need to leave be the people that would rather choose to sit down after work and smoke a

joint than drink a bear. The drug war costs tens of billions, and is an absolutely cataclysmic

failure. If legalized, our indebted economy would be spared millions, innocents would no longer

be unjustly imprisoned, our crime would be reduced, and Marijuana would no longer be able to

be obtained by innocent adolescents, instead by adults who have the right to choose for

themselves whether they should use this nature-grown plant or not. Marijuana should be

legalized for all purposes and anyone that semi-educated or possesses half a brain would

probably agree with me. At the very least we need the poor, innocent patients, (most of which

whom are elderly and terminally ill), to be able to take the medicine that provides them any

amount of relief from both the physiological and psychological pain that they bear, without

having to worry about the risk of possibly being arrested or imprisoned alongside murderers,

rapists, and lunatics. These prohibitionist laws need to be changed before more people suffer

from the consequences of this insanity.