Many Americans question themselves if marijuana should be legalized. It is illegal in the U.S and other countries. Marijuana is a dried up Hemp plant which grows flowers and leaves. Even though the plant is more potent than before, it has been around since 1960. The younger generation believes it should be legalized. What is the difference of getting drunk and smoking marijuana? Many people believe they can get a card to smoke it legally. (Professor Miron, Jeffrey)

Marijuana was first discovered in India. The British decided to go get it and bring it back to their society to use it for medical purposes. It was the cannabis that cannot be smoked which is called hemp. There were many clothes made from hemp in the 1700’s. The first two draft papers of the U.S. Constitution were printed on hemp paper. “Riley, Ryan. >”. 2011. 8 Oct 2011”

            Hemp plants even grew on George Washington’s plantation. In Virginia it was a law and it was required to grow hemp on your land and it was used for many things. In 1800 fifty percent of any prescribed meds had been made from cannabis. Babies were given hemp to calm them down. The Mexicans were the first to use marijuana recreationally and it began to spread. (Riley, Ryan)

In 1970 the hippies used to smoke marijuana a lot. During that time Reagan’s team decided to conduct to research on marijuana. They believed the proved marijuana kills brain cells. It also caused people to increase aggressiveness and it was the new gateway drug. “Riley, Ryan”. 2011. 8 Oct 2011”

The facts they did not tell us are they tested marijuana on monkeys. They put fitted mask on when they gave the monkeys sixty three Columbian joints in five minutes. Their brain cells were killed because of asphyxiation. In 1980 was when they released the study and ho it was conducted.

Many users who use hard core drugs like, meth, MDMA, and cocaine have all used marijuana at some point in their life. Every dealer started with marijuana now deals hard drugs. There is eighty percent of people who use marijuana will not use hard core drugs. The DEA no longer considers marijuana the gateway drug. They consider tobacco to be the new gateway drug. (Professor Miron, Jeffrey)

There is no real study of increased aggressiveness. Many people who have an increased aggressiveness from marijuana are usually under the influence of alcohol. Being under the influence of alcohol there was one violent incident throughout eighty years of hemp fest in B.C. There has been a recent study of marijuana reducing aggressiveness not increasing it.

Addiction

Marijuana does not have any physical withdrawals like hard core drugs do. People have been using marijuana throughout history. More than 5,000 years ago. The Aztecs were the first recorded culture using marijuana.

Canada has 1 out of 10 homes in the B.C. having a grow op. The B.C.’s largest cash crop is the United States. It is worth more than the weight of gold. Many drug lords are afraid for it being legalized. They will lose out on a lot of drug money if it does. They will lose out and not get the profits of selling it anymore. The U.S. will make sixteen to forty four billions of dollars off taxes. (Riley, Ryan)

In today’s society many people believe that marijuana use is only for criminals and high school dropouts. There has been statistics that show otherwise. The DEA conducted a survey in 2008. It showed that by the time they are in the 12^th grade, 43% of the population have used marijuana during school.  In 2010 ten million people have used marijuana at some point in their life.

You always wonder where the cases of lung cancer from smoking marijuana. Do they have any memory loss? Cigarettes have two thirds less the amount of tar than marijuana. Joints will hit 60% less than cigarettes; there have been studies that marijuana kills cancer cells. It has been found and proven since the early 2004’s.

Dangers of Marijuana Use

Today there is a widespread paranoia that the use of Marijuana is an activity solely for criminals and high school dropouts. However the statistics indicate otherwise. A survey conducted to high school students by the DEA in 2008 found that by 12th grade 43% of the population had used Marijuana for at least a month. To put that in perspective, in 2000 the US population was 281 million people. Let’s assume about 30 million are students. By 2010 at least 10 million will have used Marijuana at some point. So where are all the cases of lung cancer from smoking? The memory loss? Here are some facts.

 Lung Cancer

 A Joint has 2 thirds the amount of tar a cigarette does.

 It is hit 60% less.

 Recent studies as early as 2004 have found that the smoking of Marijuana actually kills cancer cells.

 Memory Loss

 Next to no long term studies have been done

 One of the few referenced in Buzzed(used and abused drugs from alcohol to ecstasy) stated that daily users who started at age 16 and were in their 40’s, smoked 4 joints a day had no memory loss, users who started at age 12 and smoked 8 joints a day scored only slightly less.

Hormonal Effects For men almost exclusively

Slightly reduced sex drive

 Sperm swim slower

 No permanent effects.

Workload on the Heart

When you Smoke Marijuana your heart rate increases slightly, akin to what it would be for a short jog. Your heart is less efficient so it must work harder; this lasts about an hour at most. Having looked at these negative effects I personally see none that jump out at me. But if it’s a schedule one drug that means that somebody must have died overdosing. It wouldn’t make sense otherwise; here are the death counts for tobacco, alcohol, and Marijuana.

 Tobacco

 400,000 deaths a year in the US

 Alcohol

160,000 deaths a year, alcohol poisoning only.

Marijuana

 Throughout over 5000 years of use, no recorded deaths.

On the Science side it has been hypothesized that you would have to smoke 15,000 joints in 5 minutes to overdose on Marijuana, and then death would be from asphyxiation.

The Science behind Marijuana

In the 1980’s the discovery of THC showed the world what made you high. It is a variation of a chemical already in your brain. Yes, you have a form of Cannabis in your brain; it controls hunger, pain response, when to tell a cell to die (why it can stop cancer) and a host of other responsibilities. Due to the high amount of processed foods in our diet today this level of Cannabis has dropped which some scientists have linked to the rising rate of cancer patients, this theory however is untested. So what happens when you smoke? The smoke moves into your lungs where the THC then moves into your bloodstream, from there it spreads out in all directions heading all over your body and more directly into your brain. “Professor Miron, Jeffrey.  2005. 3 Jun 2005”.

            How can Cannabis move so effectively throughout our bodies? Simply because our body is designed to receive it, of all the “drugs” this is the only one where the body develops receptors. You read correctly, your entire body harbors THC receptors; they exist in your brain, in your major organs, throughout your bloodstream. When you take MDMA it dumps all the serotonin stored up in your brain directly into your bloodstream, so the following days are often depressing ones. The same is true of Heroin, Cocaine, Meth, and many others. Marijuana is the only drug that introduces a new chemical your brain receives, through the receptors. This creates euphoria, the feeling of being high.

During this time your brain perceives things in a different light. Users have reported Color Changes, Increased Amount of focus, Time Slows, Attention to detail, Difference in perception. The actual high takes about 20 minutes to take hold after the initial intake, and will last an hour to in the most extreme cases 3 hours. During this time if you have smoked a large amount of Cannabis before (studies indicate that can mean more than or equal to 6 joints a day (Buzzed)) then you will not be able to create new memories during the high, or you will only remember certain parts. This only happens to the most extreme cases of heavy use however. “Knoller, Mark. 2011. 3 Jan 2011”

In today’s day and age there has been much speculation on the issue of whether or not the underground drug marijuana should be legalized. Whilst critics of this drug state a solid argument against it, this drug can be used for medical use and occasional enjoyment by responsible adults. Unfortunately this does not matter when a vast majority is frequently consuming copious amounts of pot and collecting profit from the cultivation and manufacturing of illegal dope. Another concerning issue is the rapidly growing trend in irresponsible marijuana usage in teens and young adults who not only abuse this substance, but are damaging their undeveloped brains at a rapid pace. The truth, however sad it is, is that the complete legalization of marijuana in our consumerism based society would be disastrous, as the majority of the population in Canada and the rest of North America due to the fact that most people are chiefly concerned with only their own pleasure and satisfaction. “Knoller, Mark. 2011. 3 Jan 2011”

Despite the fact that the drug marijuana has a reputation as a “soft drug” in fact the truth is that it every bit as harmful as every other type. Pot becomes even more damaging when smoked in combination with tobacco or cigarettes which make the Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol go to your brain in a rush. The combination is called a “rocker” which with continued use will cause drastic weight loss and serious lung damage, worse if possible from the usual one or the other. Marihuana while not being addicting, is a habitual drug meaning that it builds usage habits. 

“Professor Miron, Jeffrey.  2005. 3 Jun 2005”.

Legalizing marijuana is one main topic in America. The surveys conducted on substance abuse shows 95 million people use marijuana. When it comes to medical potential there are many reasons for wanting to know understand the science of it. Some people believe marijuana can improve the quality of life for having aids cancers, or many other life threating diseases

When they continue the debate about legalizing marijuana they should look at all the fact. It is helping patients cope with pain they endure during having such medical issues. It cannot be any worse than alcohol. The patients cannot get addicted to marijuana it is a habit not an addiction. The patients only have a certain amount of life to live. Let them live some kind of pain free. “Professor Miron, Jeffrey.  2005. 3 Jun 2005”.

                                                                    References

web.PBworks   H, T. “Legalization of Marijuana: The Time Has Come”.

Knoller, Mark. 2011. 3 Jan 2011.  “National Debt Tops $14 Trillion: <http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20027090-503544.html>”.

Professor Miron, Jeffrey.  2005. 3 Jun 2005. “Budgetary Implications of Marijuana: Prohibition in the United States <http://www.prohibitioncosts.org/endorses.html>”.

Riley, Ryan. >”. 2011. 8 Oct 2011 “Legalization of Marijuana: <http:///www.legalizationof