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Marijuana for Recreational Use

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Marijuana for Recreational Use
“Marijuana for Recreational Use”

By Joyce Cameron, Southern New Hampshire University
2012

Abstract

What is a Weed? A plant whose virtues have yet to be discovered. – Ralph Waldo Emerson. Weed the People: From Founding Fiber to Forbidden Fruit.
It is the author’s intent to explain why marijuana should be legalized and no longer considered deviant behavior.
This paper will show that the United States of America is moving, ever so slowly, in this direction. First with allowing the use of medical marijuana in 14 states and many other states are reducing the severity of punishment for possession of marijuana and now two states have passed laws allowing marijuana to legally consume for recreational purposes.

Marijuana has been a controversial issue on our society for many years. Although there have been many negative claims regarding its effects on the human body people are learning the truths. Although due to many years of stereotyping people who smoke pot some would rather believe the untruths. There is a skewed perception of what a pot smoker looks like. Such as how they are portrayed in the movie, Reefer Madness. Pot smokers were automatically considered addicts that eventually turned to criminal activities or they took part in some sort of deviant behavior.
It was after this movie that Regan began a “War on Drugs” in 1960’s which may have helped to brand pot smokers as delinquents or deviants. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0028346/
Although we make think so, using marijuana for medicinal purposes is not new. The United States began understanding the benefits of the medical properties in marijuana in the 1800’s. Later there were many papers written by physicians on how marijuana can be used to alleviate a number of medical disorders, ailments such as pain relief, glaucoma and nausea to name a few. It is also a strong appetite stimulant. Recently this has been proven most beneficial for people who have diseases that suppress the appetite



References: http://cannabisnews.com/news/14/thread14829.shtml Accessed on June 5, 2010 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_crops http://www.wmur.com/news/national/Pot-advocates-hope-to-rise-from-prohibition/-/9857926/17619956/-/13figx9/-/index.html?absolute=true http://norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=5441#f2 Accessed on June 5, 2010

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