The Harmful Effects Of Legalizing Marijuana

The Harmful Effects of Legalizing Marijuana
Courtney Batts
Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana

The Harmful Effects of Legalizing Marijuana
The legality of marijuana has been the subject of debate and controversy for decades. Cannabis, another name for marijuana, is illegal to consume, use, possess, cultivate, transfer or trade in most countries. Marijuana is the most commonly abused illegal drug in the United States. It is a greenish brown mixture of dried leaves, stems, seeds, and flowers from the hemp plant. It has been used most commonly as a medicine, a food, a fiber and an intoxicant for thousands of years (“Why People,” 2010). Marijuana intoxication can cause distorted perceptions, impaired coordination, difficulty with thinking
THC rapidly passes from the lungs into the bloodstream, which carries the chemical to the brain and other organs throughout the body. This chemical can make people feel relaxed and can distract them from problems. The relaxed feeling, also known as a high, lasts only a few hours, but the drug remains in the body for days and can affect users even when they do not feel high. In addition to being the most commonly used illegal drug, marijuana is also the most controversial. While some people believe marijuana is a relatively harmless drug that should be legal for recreational and medical use, others argue that marijuana is a dangerous drug and should remain illegal. The federal government “classifies marijuana as a Schedule I drug, believing it to be dangerous and addictive with no medical value” (“Background to Controversy,” 2007, p. 11). According to the federal government Schedule I drugs have the highest potential for abuse with no medical use. Therefore, marijuana is currently illegal for any use, medical, or recreational. However, many Americans have used or tried marijuana at one point in their life, and some users believe it to be beneficial. In addition, ten states have laws allowing marijuana use as a medicine, despite the federal government’s prohibition of
They recently noted, “While there are no proven benefits to smoked marijuana use, there are many short- and long-term risks associated with marijuana use” (Barthwell, 2008, “Setting the Record Straight,” para. 3). Some evidence suggests that smoking marijuana may result in long-term impairment of the immune system, which is responsible for fighting infections. Marijuana can have negative effects on the body’s natural defenses, which leads to serious health consequences for users with weak immune systems. Furthermore, there are several reasons why marijuana is an unlikely candidate for medication. Including impaired short-term memory, slowed reaction time and impaired coordination, altered judgment and decision-making, increased heart rate, and altered moods (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2011). In addition marijuana is an unpurified plant, containing numerous chemicals that could have potential adverse effects when mixed with FDA approved