Legalization of Marijuana
... The opinion in our country on the subject of marijuana use has always been a sensitive issue, open to debate and sparking many controversial questions and moral issues. ... How does marijuana affect the body? Does marijuana create a desire to try more intoxicating substances? Are the resistance society places on the use of marijuana costing the taxpayers more than it’s worth? What is the reasoning behind our decision to generally view marijuana as a bad substance worthy of resistance? Marijuana is not a threat to our society, other than opinions that have been generalized into our cultural beliefs of right and wrong. ... Cigarettes, alcohol, and various other stimulants should be of more concern than marijuana. Supporters of the legalization of marijuana have valid arguments and cannot be ignored forever. The first issue to be confronted is that of the effects of marijuana on the body. The physiological effects of marijuana on the body are not very strong. ... There is no documented case of a death caused by marijuana overdose. ... All of the other effects that could be related to marijuana use are inconsistent so cannot be directly linked to the substance. There is no evidence that marijuana is habit forming or that users suffer from withdrawal symptoms. ... Marijuana can in high doses cause hallucinations. ... Using driving, as an argument against legalization of marijuana is not a valid case. If marijuana was legalized it would still be likely that it would be illegal to drive under the influence. The problem is not the marijuana itself, but rather in the abuse of it by the user. ... Neglect on the part of people, and over generalizations by authors and lawmakers sometimes leads to the belief that marijuana is a gateway to other harder drugs. The fact that marijuana has medical value should be an indicator that it is not a lethal substance. The brain even produces that specifically to react in a positive way to THC (the substance that gets you high in marijuana). ... It seems that our country has a long-standing tradition of wanting to prosecute marijuana users.