Marijuana

Essay # 23746

Medical and Health > Drugs
Medical and Health > Public Health Issues
Psychology > Alcohol and Drugs

Marijuana

A paper which calls for the legalization of marijuana for medicinal purposes.

1,939 words () | 15 sources | MLA | 2002 United States

Paper Summary:

For over five thousand years, citizens of countries throughout the world have found marijuana to be beneficial for various conditions. Many are of the opinion that the legalization of marijuana is crucial to those who live with terrible diseases. This paper shows however, that since the U.S. has made marijuana an illegal substance, millions of Americans are deprived of the opportunity of using marijuana for medical purposes. The paper argues that to deny a sick person the medical benefits of marijuana is unethical. The paper shows that although some people feel that the legalization of marijuana could cause people to believe its use (or abuse) is normal or acceptable behavior, it doesn't seem to have any adverse side effects that are considerably worse than those of tobacco or alcohol.

From the Paper:

"Marijuana is derived from the flowers and dried leaves of the cannabis plant, which at varied potencies contains the non-narcotic chemical called Tetrahydrocannabinol, also known as THC. The different strengths of this herb produce various physical effects, ranging from a tranquilizer to a stimulant. Preceding to the 1930s, when marijuana was believed to be a problem it was a legal substance for over one hundred and thirty years. (Grinspoon) The potential unsafe effects of marijuana usage became public knowledge when Harry J. Anslinger, the commissioner of the Federal Bureau of Narcotic wrote the book Marijuana Assassin of Youth. Anslinger's book gave examples of Mexican and Negro criminals, as well as young boys of other races, who, while under the influence of marijuana, became serial killers. Some of the serious adverse side effects Anslinger mentioned included premature cancer, hostility, depression, coordination and perceptional reproductive disabilities, memory loss, and impairment to both the respiratory system and the immune system."