Arguments Against Legalization of Marijuana

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that marijuana, which is a Schedule 1 drug in the U.S. government, has a high potential for abuse, induces dangerous side effects and is not currently accepted for medicinal use, is not only a hallucinogen but also acts as both a depressant and a stimulant. The author points out that the marked increase in drug use after the legalization of drugs in the Netherlands supports the theory that marijuana is a gateway drug, which leads to harder drug use. The paper states that supply reduction through law enforcement and programs, which address why teenagers turn to marijuana, are effective ways to reduce the demand for drugs.

From the Paper:

"Long-term use of marijuana causes serious damage to physical and mental health. For example, smoking three to five joints is equal to about smoking approximately twenty cigarettes, and the marijuana smoke leaves three times more tar on a person's lungs. Therefore, daily marijuana-only smokers have a nineteen percent higher rate of respiratory complaints than non-smokers. Because marijuana degrades short-term memory, concentration, judgment, and coordination at complex tasks including driving, daily pot users have a thirty percent higher risk of injuries from accidents."

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