The Good, the Bad and Marijuana - Research Paper Example

The Good, the Bad and Marijuana A plant that originated in Central Asia was disseminated to different countries across the globe. It has been cultivated into several varieties before Swedish botanist Linnaeus classified it into just a single variety in 1735. This was given the scientific name Cannabis sativa. It is more commonly known in Europe as Cannabis however in Northern America it is widely known as Marijuana (Iversen, 5-7). It has been cultivated into many species around the globe. Due to the addicting effect after abusive use of the plant, there has been reports as to how deadly cannabis is. After such revelation, cannabis plant is not being noted anymore as the medicinal plant but a prohibited drug. Mass media during the 1930s-1940s categorized the cannabis plant as a “killer drug” which opposes the purpose of the plant’s development almost a century back (Iversen, vi-vii). The use of cannabis was first published in a Chinese compilation of herbal medicines which dated way back 2800 B.C. It has been stated that the plant can cure several ailments from the simplest form of menstrual problems to the more serious diseases like malaria which was considered as a life-threatening disease in earlier times. It also has been stated that cannabis is a form of pain killer to people who have gone surgery or who are experiencing extreme pain. It was not only in China that has used cannabis as a form of medication during earlier times. The cannabis-based medications were also being used in India and other Arab countries. These medications are in the forms of analgesics and cures for stomach and lung ailments. Migraine was also being cured by cannabis (Iversen, 122). In Europe, cannabis was noted to be a healing plant by several herbalists from William Turner to Nicholas Culpepper who promoted that a suspension of decoction of the plant’s seed aids to ease stomach disorders. The same concoction can also help stop the bleeding from open wounds. It was mid the 19th century when the curing effect of the cannabis plant gone on its way to the Western world (Iversen, 123). It was only in the late 1960s when it was discovered by Raphael Mehoulam that the active ingredient for cannabis was delta-1-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). It can be considered as a medical breakthrough by drug companies who were looking for an alternative for THC which would boost the calming effect however would not be psychoactive. Further studies were made though in the United Kingdom and in the United States as negative effects of cannabis are being discovered. The public were warned as to what may be the good and the bad effects of the plant in people. It was not just the public who were made aware of such effects, the law-making bodies’ attention were also caught as tis may result into an addictive and law-breaking drug (Iversen, v-vi). Currently, there are 16 states and Washington DC who have medically legalized the usage of marijuana (ProCon.Org). However, the amount of marijuana to be used is still being regulated to avoid any abuse that may occur as to the soothing effect that it has. There have been continuous protests and appeals to legalize the medical use of cannabis in other states however it is still on the process either in court or in the House of Representatives (Macdonald). The Illicit International Political Economy (IIPE) bridges the states and the international illegal markets. They act to check and study the trades that are going on between states and/or countries worldwide with regards to illegal movement of legal products to avoid additional charges or tax. IIPE also checks on the status on the illegal movement of illegal or banned merchandises that are avoiding state prohibitions. They have listed that Mexico as the biggest producer and delivery transaction point in the USA. Morocco is their counterpart in Europe. Marijuana has been part of the “underworld” or the “black market” as it has been pronounced to be an illegal narcotic worldwide (Andreas, 642-43). The terms “underworld” and “black market” are used to pertain the so-called economy of wither illegally transmitted merchandise or illegally manufactured products. They are considered as the section of the society that involves in and exist for the illegal vices and crimes (TheFreeDictionary.Com). Marijuana has been the considered as the biggest cash produce in 2009 in California and perhaps the other states that have legalized “medicinal marijuana.” Even if this is the case, the state of California still declined provisions to legalize the use of marijuana for recreation. Proposition 19 was rejected by state voting as it would have allowed residents 21 years old and above to be able to use, manufacture and produce marijuana. Though it would have boosted the tax collection for the state, it would be a threat to the health of people. It was a risk people would not take just to better an economy that is on verge of failing (Vekshin). An assumption of $5.5 billion income tax would be generated if marijuana would be legalized. The legalization of the drug would also eliminate the estimated $300 million being used to fight the illegal usage of it. Coming into terms, marijuana is the next cash producing crop statewide next to corn. If it will be legalize, it will follow the liquor system. Additional tax could be put on the product such as excise tax on tobacco and liquors. In total, if marijuana would be legalized, countrywide tax would have a $23 billion increase per annum. It can fund social and housing projects or any programs which need attention to further boost people’s way of living (Brown). Tell Your Children was a 1936 movie which is also known as Reefer Madness. It was a story of how teens are prone into being lured by drug pushers to use prohibited drugs. At least in this movie, it was the use of cannabis or marijuana. Though there are critics who consider that the story was overly dramatized, in recent times drug abuse can lead to any crimes from the most petty to the most brutal. One can usually be characterized as under the influence if they are not acting their usual selves. This movie just justifies what the mass media perception about what cannabis was all about during the 1930s. The question remains as to why the movie was made in a storyline that makes the plant the antagonist. If people would just open their minds, everything that has been taken in abuse would have a negative effect on their body. It just so happened that the substance presence in the cannabis plant is more intoxicating compare to others (Cronin). Could it be said that one of the reasons why people see it that way is because of such sensationalism? The intention why the movie was produced was to educate parents with regards to the abusive usage of cannabis. It is not the only prohibited drug in the market however it is the one which can be easily obtained, especially in the drug world. What is with this herbal plant that makes it such fuzz if people would get hooked to it since it is not the only prohibited drug that is circulating? There is cocaine and ecstasy, so what’s so special with marijuana that even if it has a medical advantage amongst the other drugs it is still the one having so many issues growing around it through the ages (Cronin). It is not just the movies that this herb has influenced. It has also invaded the arts. The most evident aspect of the arts that is influenced by marijuana is music. According to Ernest Abel, a cannabis historian, “It was in these bordellos, where music provided the background and not the primary focus of attention, that marihuana became an integral part of the jazz era.” So what is the difference between its effect and alcohol’s effect? Abel further stated that with those 2 being compared, alcohol makes the musician some sort of “dull and incapacitated.” Marijuana could be termed as the Energizer battery running the battery (Cronin). The lists of musicians who were under the influence of marijuana go a long way. It started from the jazz era to the rock and roll era. It even has a nationalist leader on the side. This plant has a list of popular names under its influence as they play their music to the public. Maybe that is what making marijuana such a big name among the prohibited drugs list. It is not just the general public who can have it but also those who are on the public’s eyes (Cronin). As Bob Marley puts it in an interview conducted by Stephen Davis, “System do not agree with herb because herb make ya too solid. Y'see, when ya smoke herb ya conscience come right in front of ya. Ya see it? So the devil see ya not guan fe do fool thing again. Yes, Rasta! Herb is the healing of the nation." He is a believer of what the cannabis is doing for him. The interview went public. A lot of people look after him. This opinion would go either way. People who have heard of it can either agree with Marley’s statement and follow his footsteps or they can learn from it and realize what the negative effect it would give once a person would have more than what they should (Cronin). But it was not just the Reggae/Rasta genre that is being “high.” The Rock and Roll scene also had their share of marijuana. In the 60s, Bob Dylan did not just play the music. He also smoked the “pot.” Then member of The Beatles, John Lennon stated that their song Help was about the band getting high day in and day out. As a result of this addiction, the band members were literally incommunicable. Paul McCartney said that all the lyrics that pertained to the drug, slangs and street names of the herb, it was all intentional. There is no hidden meaning. It seemed that they were even proud as to what they are into even it was not doing them any good physically (Cronin). Big names in the music industry have smoked pot. How can it get any bigger? James Marshall Hendrix was under the influence when he played in no other than Woodstock. Eric Clapton did not just revived Marley’s song but he also followed Marley’s footstep, towards marijuana that is. Marijuana is the thing before the 1970s. It was kicked off the scene by cocaine (Cronin). Stories go on and on as to what they have experience being under the influence. Besides the fact that the user of marijuana becomes an energizer bunny, artists claim that it has helped them to focus more on their craft. Studies have been made as to how marijuana affects a person physically. The reverberations of smoking the herb include passiveness, a dull phase of consciousness and a point where a person becomes unreflecting. If a person would repeatedly use the herb in shorter periods, the said effects would be felt longer (Lund University Hospital, 4). Cannabis has evolved from a medicinal herb into a prohibited narcotic. It is not just the regular public who has experienced its effects but also those who are called artists. For these people, when they are in a stage of acute intoxication from the herb, they experience several sensations which are: 1) a feeling of being more calm and relaxed, 2) improves your social sensitivity, 3) enhances your sexual experiences, 4) enables you to cope better with difficult situations or persons, 5) serves to improve or enhance self-awareness, 6) increases your understanding of you and others, and 7) gives you more insight and tolerance about what is going on around you (Lund University Hospital, 3-4). However, these are not experienced forever. There would come a point in a person’s use that they would feel the total opposites of the effects they had when they were just starting to use it. The effects stated above would be completely turned around in the long run of substance abuse (NewDirectionsProgram.Com). These effects benefits musicians the most. Especially when they create their art and when they perform. There have been a lot of terms for this drug. These terms are usually inculcated into song lyrics and most of the times the public just do not mind these terms as they are looking for the essence of the song itself. Modern culture barely sees the health benefits of this medicinal herb anymore. It is more known to be one of the prohibited narcotics around the world that people should avoid. It depends on the geographical aspect as to whether cannabis would be considered as an herbal medicine or a prohibited narcotic. As the technology advances, the cultivation of this plant has evolved. Just like any drug, its development comes closer to a very concentrated that it may be considered lethal at a very small amount. From the 1% of toxicity the plant had from its origin until the 1960s to the up to an increase of an unimaginative 1000% in present days. It is what makes it a scarier drug that the public has access to (NewDirectionsProgram.Com). However, even if there have been studies about the amount of toxicity the plant has, its medicinal effects are needed by patients who have serious ailments. An example would be patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). The breakthroughs that the plant may have in the medical industry are still being considered besides the fact it can be lethal when taken incorrectly and unsupervised (Iversen, 131). Debates have been made as to whether cannabis would be legalized or prohibited. In the 20th century, it is only the negative effects of these herbal plants have been focused on. The positive effects have been overshadowed by undesirable outcomes of popular people who have abused the substance. It is a very powerful plant which can be the answer for those ailments left to be uncured by modern medicine. However, the medical scene is not focusing its attention to the plant’s attributes as it may give a negative outlook towards the developer of the cure who used cannabis as a basis (Macdonald). Before the studies of cannabis were conducted, the herbal plant was considered as a homeopathic medicine. This type of medicines does not have any scientific justifications. It is just like a myth. If a person uses a certain medicine, it will be believed that that plant can cure such ailments. It would be more of a mind over matter theory. Homeopathic medicines have what is said to be a placebo effect on people (Iversen, 133-4). Unlike now that studies are being conducted to prove the smallest thing, not all ailments can be cured by this medicinal plant. So could this be the reason why it is still illegal? The cannabis plant has a very powerful content that can save lives when properly used. However, when the dosage of it is abused to achieve a longer effect, it can be lethal. It is not like paracetamol that can just be bought over the counter. Its effects can ease a person even after he underwent a chemotherapy which is very excruciating. Debates would go and on as to whether it can truly cure ailments. As of now, patients who need the drug to give them relief in the stage that they are need to re-locate to the 16 states or in Washington DC and get a written prescription from their physician so that they can get the proper dose that they would need (Iversen, 136-44). A quote from Reefer Madness (Tell Your Children) that should always be put in mind by the public was when Jimmy told Jack that he was red-hot. Jack answered him, “Better be careful how you drive, or the first thing you know you'll be ice cold.” Being high does not necessary means that one should be under the influence of any drug. One can be high when they are happy, high when they are inspired, high when they are free (IMBD.Com). Teens or young adults should not waste their time on prohibited drugs just to get a feeling of acceptance or belonging. This could be the reason why the movie was aimed to be showed to parents and not to the students. Parents should be a good example to their children in achieving their goals without any pressure. Parents should accept their children the way they are. No child is better than the other. Humans are created equally so everybody should be accepted for who they are. Nobody needs to prove anything to be a part of the society (Cronin). Artists need not be under the influence when they create their masterpieces. Those who were under the influence in the earlier eras of music, whatever genre they may be, share their stories and how they fought the addiction. There are a lot of masterpieces, whether it is in the written or performed arts, which were produced by merely inspiration of the natural world. Natural high is what they have and not an artificial one which can eventually cause a person’s life (Cronin). Something that people need to bear in mind always is that never abuse any creations. Everything that we see in this planet has its purposes. Let us keep it that way. Let its purpose not be altered by mere human satisfaction to achieve temporary nirvana. Art products that have been created by artists under the influence are already a part of the culture. It should not be boycotted or be vanished. Yet it should be a source of inspiration as to what is needed to be done without sparing a life. It is not just cannabis that has taken lives of musicians and other artists. Too many talents have been wasted just because of addiction (Cronin). Let the initial effects of these prohibited narcotics blind people as to what it truly is. When John Lennon said that he only saw one aspect of cannabis in his life and that is how it influenced his music, he was blinded. Thankfully, they realized what was wrong and were able to write “Help!” It is not just a song but it is also a statement. The first thing that a person who is beginning or is already addicted to such substance is to accept that there is something wrong. When they acknowledge within them that there is, they would need help. How the public accepted the song of The Beatles should be the way it should accept people who have acknowledge their mistakes and would want to seek help. The people should be there to help these abusers are their families. They are the nearest ones and should hear the slightest cry for help (Cronin). Let no more life be spared by drug abuse. As the character of Dr. Carroll put it in the movie, “Failing this, the next tragedy may be that of your daughter's... or your son's... or yours... or yours...” (IMBD.Com). Works Cited: Andreas, Peter. “Illicit International Political Economy: the Clandestine Side of Globalization.” Review of International Political Economy 11:3. August 2004. Brown, Maureen. Legalize, Tax Marijuana to Fill Budget Gap. 13 August 2003. Retrieved 13 December 2011. . Cronin, Russel. The History of Music and Marijuana (Part One). CannabisCulture.Com. 7 September 2004. Retrieved 11 December 2011. . Cronin, Russel. The History of Music and Marijuana (Part Two). CannabisCulture.Com. 20 January 2005. Retrieved 11 December 2011. . Iversen, Leslie. The Science of Marijuana. New York, New York: Oxford University Press. 2000. Kupferschmidt, David. Illicit Political Finance and State Capture. Sweden: International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance. 21 August 2009. Long, John. Drugs and the 'Beats': The Role of Drugs in the Lives and Writings of Kerouac, Burroughs and Ginsberg. College Station, Texas: VirtualBookworm.Com. 2005. Lund University Hospital. A Guide to Quitting Marijuana and Hashish. Lund, Sweden. 2006. Macdonald, Angela. Protests, Public Turnout, and Passionate Testimony: Public Hearing on HB 1284 Had It All. Examiner.Com. 8 March 2010. Retrieved 10 December 2011. . NewDirectionsProgram.Com. Marijuana. Retrieved 10 December 2011. . ProCon.Org. 16 Legal Medical Marijuana States and DC. Santa Monica, CA. retrieved 10 December 2011. . Tell Your Children (Reefer Madness). Dir. Louis J. Gasnier. Perf. Dorothy Short, Kenneth Craig, Lillian Miles. George A. Hirliman Productions. 1936. IMBD.Com. . “Underworld.” TheFreeDictionary.Com. Farlex. 2011. Vekshin, Alison. California Rejects Legal Marijuana as Washington Defeats Income Tax Plan. Bloomberg. Retrieved 13 December 2011. < http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-11-03/california-rejects-legalizing-marijuana-as-washington-defeats-income-tax.html>. Read More