Discuss the issue of legalization of marijuana - Essay Example

Legalization of Marijuana Larry Reddick Jr. HUS-30 Spring March 12, Legalization of Marijuana Medical Uses Before its prohibition in 1937,marijuana was a common drug in the medical field. It was proven to be useful when it came to dealing with intense pain, especially in relation to cancer, AIDS, neurological disorders, and autoimmune diseases. Marijuana has the ability to relieve nausea associated with chemotherapy, increase appetite in people experiencing significant weight loss, and reduce pain and inflammation (Merino 27).

However, the use of marijuana for medical purposes has come under fire because it is believed that medical marijuana will simply be misused by the people who hold prescriptions for the drug. Marijuana has always been a controversial drug, but it has become even more so since individual states have petitioned for its legalization for medical purposes. Though the long-term goal is to legalize the drug for recreational purposes, the short-term goal is to get it approved for medical uses. Some states, such as California, have opened up medical marijuana dispensaries, which allow people with prescriptions to obtain their drugs.

They were able to be approved for medical marijuana because they provided proof that it is the only drug that can ease nausea and chronic pain. Doctors, scientists, and government officials alike believe that as long as the drug is being used for its intended purpose, then it should be legalized as a medical drug. Unfortunately, not all patients are using marijuana as directed. Since quite a few patients are able to grow their own medical marijuana, some have abused the system and have sold marijuana to be used as a recreational drug.

While marijuana has shown its usefulness in helping some of the sickest patients, they are not helping society by making an illegal and controversial drug more readily available to the public. Recreational Uses On the other side of the coin in regard to marijuana is legalization for recreational purposes. Many individuals from a variety of backgrounds have tried to compare marijuana with alcohol and cigarettes, attempting to convince those in power that marijuana is no worse than these other vices.

Indeed, people have proven that marijuana is actually the lesser of the three evils (Regan 109). As such, it is believed that as long as marijuana is treated and regulated like alcohol and cigarettes, then there should be no reason for the drug to remain illegal. One of the assumed perks of legalized marijuana for recreational purposes is that drug-related crime will significantly decrease. This is due to the belief that if marijuana is legal, people will not have to go to extremes to obtain it.

Individuals will not have to rely on thievery or murder to get their fix since the drug will be readily available. There will be no need for drug cartels to regulate the drug, which will further decrease crime. Finally, another perk is that marijuana sales can help bring the economy out of its recession as the marijuana industry can bring in billions of dollars to our financially starved society. On the other side of the argument is that marijuana is addicting and can lead to other drug use. While there is some documentation stating that marijuana is the lesser addictive and dangerous drug, there is no direct evidence that goes against this claim (Ruschmann 29).

Governments do not want to legalize marijuana if it can lead to the use of illegal and more dangerous drugs. Until the actual downfalls of marijuana for recreational purposes have been understood, the drug does not stand a chance of being legalized on a nationwide basis. Works CitedMerino, Noel. Medical Marijuana. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2011. Print.Regan, Trish. Joint Ventures: Inside Americas Almost Legal Marijuana Industry. Hoboken, N.J.: John Wiley & Sons, Incorporated, 2011. Print.Ruschmann, Paul.

Legalizing Marijuana. 2nd ed. New York: Chelsea House, 2011. Print.