Legalization of Marijuana

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that the website published by the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP) supports the medical use of marijuana; however, the American government website, which states the White House Drug Policy opposes the issue. The author points out that the MMP website states that for thousands of years, marijuana has been used to treat a wide variety of ailments and cites evidence that marijuana is one of the safest therapeutically active substances known; however, the White House-sponsored site supports the government position of outlaw this use except in very rare cases because they feel that marijuana presents health problems. The paper states that, although it is difficult to determine whether marijuana will be approved for medical use at the federal level in the near future, several states, including California, already do allow marijuana for medical use and several other states initiatives are underway; MPP relates that a states' rights policy toward medical marijuana is likely to pass in Congress, not necessarily because of clear scientific evidence but because of the Constitutional law regarding states' rights.

From the Paper:

"A third marijuana-related topic discussed on both the White House and the MPP websites is the gateway effect. The MPP cites numerous evidence that "There is no evidence that marijuana serves as a stepping stone on the basis of its particular physiological effect," and "instead, the legal status of marijuana makes it a gateway drug." In fact, the White House admits that "a direct cause and effect relationship between marijuana use and subsequent use of other drugs is hard to prove." At the same time, the White House tries to convince readers that adults who were early marijuana users were more likely to have used cocaine, heroine, and other drugs. Both websites offer a balanced viewpoint on the gateway drug issue, but the MPP makes a more convincing argument."

More papers on Legalization of Marijuana:

• Argumentative Essay # 5035 : "Legalization of Marijuana and its Medical Uses"
• Persuasive Essay # 115824 : "The Legalization of Marijuana"
• Argumentative Essay # 123773 : "Reasons Against the Legalization of Marijuana"
• Argumentative Essay # 131436 : "Flaws in the Legalization of Marijuana"

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