The Legalization of Marijuana - Essay Example

"The Legalization of Marijuana" is an outstanding example of a paper on the addiction.
Marijuana is among the oldest natural drugs known to man. The debate over the legalization of the drug has flooded the media with opposing parties providing evidence to arguing their case. The marijuana debate can be argued politically, economically, and medically. Some politicians support the legalization of the drug to gain popularity in their states. Economists have argued that legalizing marijuana will have positive effects on the economy. The medical uses of marijuana will be used to argue the case for marijuana. Medical use of marijuana should be legalized to provide an alternative treatment for patients. 

Cancer is one of the ailments of the twenty-first century that doctors have not found a cure. Smoking marijuana has been blamed for lung cancer like cigarettes. There is no evidence that marijuana contains tobacco, which causes lung cancer. American Association for cancer research has proved that marijuana could be used to cure cancer (Sidney et al., 1997). Tests on the drug have reviled that marijuana causes a decline in tumor growth rate. Legalizing marijuana will increase life expectancy for those patients suffering from brain, lung, or breast cancer. 

Glaucoma is an eye disease that causes damage to the optic nerve and leads to blindness. Glaucoma surgery and eye drop medication are the recognized modes of treatment for glaucoma patients. The effect of Marijuana on patients suffering from glaucoma has reviled that the drug is effective (Cohen, 2009). Marijuana has fewer side effects compared to other drugs prescribed by doctors. Legalizing marijuana will reduce its cost significantly and make it a cheaper medication for glaucoma patients.  

Patients suffering from chronic ailments do not have the desire for food, which weakens their immune system. A side effect of marijuana is that it causes the user to have an increased appetite. Patients suffering from chronic ailments should be allowed to use marijuana to improve their appetitive. Patients with chronic ailments also suffer from symptoms such as diarrhea, queasiness, and abdominal pains. Marijuana can be used to counter the symptoms of chronic ailments. Legalizing marijuana will improve the quality of life enjoyed by a patient suffering from chronic ailments (Hollister, 2001). 

Alcohol and cigarettes are among the legal drugs allowed by most states. The two drugs have more side effects than marijuana. Legalizing marijuana and educating people about the effects of drugs would influence the number of people consuming alcohol and cigarettes to use safer marijuana. Legalizing marijuana would also affect the dependence on illegal drugs in the market. Illegal drugs have caused gang riots and violence that have resulted in the loss of life in many states. 

Migraines reduce the quality of life and productivity of many workers. Conventional treatments for migraines are expensive. Doctors in California have used marijuana to cure migraines effectively and in a short time compared to conventional medication (Hall & Degenhardt, 2003). Marijuana is also a cheaper cure for migraines compared to conventional drugs. Marijuana should be legalized to provide cheaper medication options to the people (Hall & Degenhardt, 2003).  

The benefits of marijuana outweigh its demerits. The use of marijuana in the field of medicine will improve healthcare compared to other drugs in the market. Legalizing and controlling the use of marijuana will regulate the marijuana market, which will earn the government revenue. The revenue earned can be used to fund the health budget. Legalizing marijuana will reduce the dependency of legal and illegal drugs that have greater health consequences.