Legalizing Marijuana
Weed, Pot, Mary Jane
Sabrina Davis
Gwen Stutler
Soc 120
July 27, 2013
It goes by weed, pot, Mary Jane but is better known as Marijuana. Marijuana is considering a schedule I drug. “The federal Controlled Substance ACT of 1970 classifies marijuana as a Scheduled I drug, meaning that is has a high potential for abuse and no acceptable medical use, and thus it prohibits the possession, use, purchase, sale and/or cultivation of marijuana.”(Weiss, 2013) For years it has been an ongoing debate as to whether it should be legal in United States. Some states like California and Arizona have already adopted the law and have made marijuana legal for medicinal use only. “In 16 states and the District of Columbia, So-called medical marijuana is now legal.”(2013) In states like Colorado and Washington they have legalized marijuana for recreational use as well as medicinal use. It is very common for people to roll a blunt of marijuana, just like they smoke cigarettes. I have never been a fan of either one. I do think that the choice lies upon the individual, and it is basically no different than drinking alcohol. It is up to the individual to use good judgment and be responsible while doing so. I think marijuana should be legalized in the United States for medicinal purposes and recreational purposes as well, but with certain stipulations. Many think of Marijuana as the gateway drug. “Some studies, though disputed, argue that marijuana is the gateway drug to more dangerous substance abuse.”(2013) I think marijuana is just as common as cigarette smoking and drinking alcohol. Many people abuse both alcohol and cigarettes, but they both are legal. Why is that? “But evidence that marijuana use is no worse, and by many measures socially less harmful, than legal “recreational” substances like nicotine and alcohol, has long been acknowledged even by many who still resist legalizing marijuana.”(2013) As adults we make a conscious decision to purchase alcohol at
Sabrina Davis
Gwen Stutler
Soc 120
July 27, 2013
It goes by weed, pot, Mary Jane but is better known as Marijuana. Marijuana is considering a schedule I drug. “The federal Controlled Substance ACT of 1970 classifies marijuana as a Scheduled I drug, meaning that is has a high potential for abuse and no acceptable medical use, and thus it prohibits the possession, use, purchase, sale and/or cultivation of marijuana.”(Weiss, 2013) For years it has been an ongoing debate as to whether it should be legal in United States. Some states like California and Arizona have already adopted the law and have made marijuana legal for medicinal use only. “In 16 states and the District of Columbia, So-called medical marijuana is now legal.”(2013) In states like Colorado and Washington they have legalized marijuana for recreational use as well as medicinal use. It is very common for people to roll a blunt of marijuana, just like they smoke cigarettes. I have never been a fan of either one. I do think that the choice lies upon the individual, and it is basically no different than drinking alcohol. It is up to the individual to use good judgment and be responsible while doing so. I think marijuana should be legalized in the United States for medicinal purposes and recreational purposes as well, but with certain stipulations. Many think of Marijuana as the gateway drug. “Some studies, though disputed, argue that marijuana is the gateway drug to more dangerous substance abuse.”(2013) I think marijuana is just as common as cigarette smoking and drinking alcohol. Many people abuse both alcohol and cigarettes, but they both are legal. Why is that? “But evidence that marijuana use is no worse, and by many measures socially less harmful, than legal “recreational” substances like nicotine and alcohol, has long been acknowledged even by many who still resist legalizing marijuana.”(2013) As adults we make a conscious decision to purchase alcohol at