Marijuana
Rachel Neverdal
Professor Otoo
English 091
26 January 2015
Marijuana: The Gateway to A Better Life There has been much debate on whether or not marijuana should be legalized in the United States. Marijuana has been used for centuries in numerous cultures for various reasons. The Romans and Greeks used it for its medicinal properties and the Scythians and Indians used in their spiritual ceremonies. Even the Persian founder of Sufism, who struggled with depression until discovering the plant, requested in his death, “to be buried amid cannabis leaves so his spirit may walk in the shade of the plant that gave him much joy in his lifetime” (Medical-Marijuanna-Mentor.com). However, if marijuana has been embraced by diverse faiths and civilizations, why is marijuana such a controversial subject now? In America’s inception marijuana was used to generate vast government money by our founding fathers; George Washington and Thomas Jefferson both grew hemp on Mount Vernon. But in 1932, the Uniform State Narcotic Act gave legislative control of marijuana from the federal government to the states, thus prohibiting the use of marijuana (The Free Dictionary). Nevertheless, numerous studies have shown the benefits of marijuana outweigh its negative effects. Therefore, the stigma should be lifted so that the people of the United States can enjoy the benefits of marijuana. The legalization of marijuana in the U.S. would lower crime, stimulate the economy, and provide medical relief. First of all, the legalization of marijuana would lower the crime rate in the United States by creating a safe environment for its users. If marijuana is taken off the street, and out of the hands of the dealers, the crimes associated with these types of dealings would also be taken off the street. It would put marijuana into a legal market where it could be controlled by the proper authorities. “By providing legal supplies of currently illegal drugs the price will fall, leading to a
Professor Otoo
English 091
26 January 2015
Marijuana: The Gateway to A Better Life There has been much debate on whether or not marijuana should be legalized in the United States. Marijuana has been used for centuries in numerous cultures for various reasons. The Romans and Greeks used it for its medicinal properties and the Scythians and Indians used in their spiritual ceremonies. Even the Persian founder of Sufism, who struggled with depression until discovering the plant, requested in his death, “to be buried amid cannabis leaves so his spirit may walk in the shade of the plant that gave him much joy in his lifetime” (Medical-Marijuanna-Mentor.com). However, if marijuana has been embraced by diverse faiths and civilizations, why is marijuana such a controversial subject now? In America’s inception marijuana was used to generate vast government money by our founding fathers; George Washington and Thomas Jefferson both grew hemp on Mount Vernon. But in 1932, the Uniform State Narcotic Act gave legislative control of marijuana from the federal government to the states, thus prohibiting the use of marijuana (The Free Dictionary). Nevertheless, numerous studies have shown the benefits of marijuana outweigh its negative effects. Therefore, the stigma should be lifted so that the people of the United States can enjoy the benefits of marijuana. The legalization of marijuana in the U.S. would lower crime, stimulate the economy, and provide medical relief. First of all, the legalization of marijuana would lower the crime rate in the United States by creating a safe environment for its users. If marijuana is taken off the street, and out of the hands of the dealers, the crimes associated with these types of dealings would also be taken off the street. It would put marijuana into a legal market where it could be controlled by the proper authorities. “By providing legal supplies of currently illegal drugs the price will fall, leading to a
Cited: "1920s Prohibition." 1920 's Prohibition. N.p., 2012. Web. 26 Jan. 2015. Berman, Jillian. "Pot Legalization Could Save U.S. $13.7 Billion Per Year, 300 Economists Say." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 28 Aug. 2012. Web. 26 Jan. Medicine, Nov. 2008. Web. 27 Jan. 2015. Web. 27 Jan. 2015. N.p., 2014. Web. 24 Jan. 2015.