Medical Marijuana Legalization and Controversy
Medical Marijuana Legalization and Controversy
Emily Gilbert
COM/170
February 15, 2013
Dr. Mary Morriss
University of Phoenix
Medical Marijuana Legalization and Controversy
Legalization of Marijuana has become a controversy in the United States. Medical marijuana has many benefits although recreational marijuana cannot yet be controlled. Many important medical improvements will be gained when marijuana is legal. There will be a time, within the near future, when it is legal federally. Today there are many states in the United States that have legalized marijuana for medical use. There are two states, as of November 2012, which legalized marijuana for recreational use. The federal government still states that marijuana, to be grown or used in any form, is illegal and will be prosecuted. It is our duty to become well informed and change laws which will help us all. Marijuana comes from the hemp plant Cannabis sativa. It is the most commonly used illegal drug in the U.S. About 4% of American adults smoke pot at least once a year while 1% abuse pot, and one in 300 have a pot addiction. Marijuana can be ingested through food, smoke, or brewed into a tea. According to the government studies, as many as 30% of today’s teenagers are smoking marijuana. Marijuana use is rarely seriously harmful, but it has important medical effects. THC, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol is the active ingredient in marijuana and with different strains it has significantly different strengths. With the hydroponic growing, marijuana has been refined into different strains which produce different effects. These are used accordingly for the range of medical conditions patients have. According to Web MD, the signs of using marijuana include: rapid heart rate, increased blood pressure, increased rate of breathing, red eyes, dry mouth, increased appetite, or “the munchies,” and slowed reaction time. These effects are reduced after three or four hours. However, marijuana hangs around
Emily Gilbert
COM/170
February 15, 2013
Dr. Mary Morriss
University of Phoenix
Medical Marijuana Legalization and Controversy
Legalization of Marijuana has become a controversy in the United States. Medical marijuana has many benefits although recreational marijuana cannot yet be controlled. Many important medical improvements will be gained when marijuana is legal. There will be a time, within the near future, when it is legal federally. Today there are many states in the United States that have legalized marijuana for medical use. There are two states, as of November 2012, which legalized marijuana for recreational use. The federal government still states that marijuana, to be grown or used in any form, is illegal and will be prosecuted. It is our duty to become well informed and change laws which will help us all. Marijuana comes from the hemp plant Cannabis sativa. It is the most commonly used illegal drug in the U.S. About 4% of American adults smoke pot at least once a year while 1% abuse pot, and one in 300 have a pot addiction. Marijuana can be ingested through food, smoke, or brewed into a tea. According to the government studies, as many as 30% of today’s teenagers are smoking marijuana. Marijuana use is rarely seriously harmful, but it has important medical effects. THC, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol is the active ingredient in marijuana and with different strains it has significantly different strengths. With the hydroponic growing, marijuana has been refined into different strains which produce different effects. These are used accordingly for the range of medical conditions patients have. According to Web MD, the signs of using marijuana include: rapid heart rate, increased blood pressure, increased rate of breathing, red eyes, dry mouth, increased appetite, or “the munchies,” and slowed reaction time. These effects are reduced after three or four hours. However, marijuana hangs around
References: About Marijuana. (2011). Retrieved from http://norml.org/marijuana DrugFacts: Marijuana. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/marijuana Drug Facts: Understanding Drug Abuse and Addiction. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.drugabuse.gov Medical Marijuana. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID Medical Marijuana - An Overview. (n.d.). Retrieved from http;//criminal.findlaw.com/criminal-charges/medical-marijuana Marijuana use and its effects. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.webmd.com