Legalizing Misunderstood Drug: Marijuana's Bad Reputation - Essay Sample

Introduction

For a long time, marijuana has been a misunderstood drug. Many believe that cannabis is dangerous, but it can be safe and helpful. Why is the legalization of this misjudged drug being a problem for many people today? Marijuana's bad reputation results from the long-fought war on drugs by all administrations. There has been pervasive fear-mongering about how marijuana causes memory loss, hallucinations, a decline in IQ, relationship problems, joblessness etc. The panic has led many into thinking that marijuana can ruin a whole generation. Luckily, present conscious debates and proven scientific tests have confirmed some of marijuana's benefits. This paper details the reasons why legalizing marijuana will be in the best interest of North America.

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The first set of benefits is its medicinal capabilities. The most acclaimed power of marijuana is its ability to destroy certain types of cancer cells. Its components, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and Cannabidiol (CBD), slow down the growth and kill the cancer cells. Also, the cannabinoids contained in marijuana have been linked to relieving chronic pain. Use of marijuana has also been shown to improve one's lung capacity. Weight management, being a serious stigmatic issue, cannabis has been shown to have compounds that help in fat breakdown. Scientists believe that (THC) controls a person's gut microbiota, and this helps regulate appetite and calorie intake (Brenner, 2016).

Cannabis can also help in the prevention and management of diabetes. The antioxidant properties of THC help to lower arterial inflammation for people with diabetes. Furthermore, cannabis keeps blood vessels open, thus naturally balancing blood sugar levels while also lowering blood pressure. A 4-week CBD treatment can also help reduce the adversity of diabetic retinopathy, thus save a patient's eyesight. Further, marijuana has endocannabinoid components that help in regulating moods, thus easing depression. This relaxing effect of cannabis also shows promise for autistic children and people with epilepsy since it can calm seizures and lessen anxiety and paranoia.

Moreover, cannabis has been shown to help in healing broken bones by hastening the recovery process. Studies are also in progress to examine if marijuana can help veterans to improve from PTSD. The above benefits were proven in a 2008 ETH Zurich research (Brenner, 2016).

The drugs Adderall and Ritalin have for long been used to manage Attention Deficiency Disorder (ADD), but their safe is usually dubious. Cannabis has shown promise in labs to be a safer alternative in enhancing concentration and cognitive performance. Also, individuals with glaucoma can get some temporary relief by using marijuana since it eases the pressure exerted on eyeballs. Overall, cannabis anti-inflammatory effects can help in pain and fatigue management by patients who have multiple sclerosis, hepatitis C, inflammatory bowel disease, and Parkinson's disease. Lastly, cannabis can help lowers an individual's appetite for alcohol, thus helping in alcoholism management (Stanley, 2019).

The second set of benefits from marijuana is economical. Marijuana farming, as an economic activity, obviously will generate revenue; create employment ad keep the youth occupied. The United States has a cannabis market potential of $10.4 billion, and the word has a potential of $344 billion. The figures are expected to rise. Given prevailing law, marijuana exportation between states is illegal. Financial organizations are also prohibited from doing business with marijuana dealers. Legalization will ease the roadblocks, opening a whole new booming industry with considerable tax contribution to the country. In 2015, Colorado collected $135 million in tax from the sale of recreational and medicinal cannabis. A 2018 research by Colorado State University-Pueblo's Institute of Cannabis Research found out that taxes and fees from legal cannabis trade contributed averagely $68 million into the economy (Stanley, 2019).

Studies project that the marijuana industry could create approximately 1.2million jobs by 2025 with more than 1.6billion paid in wages and $70 million in tax revenue to the state. Marijuana legalization will also open fresh investment opportunities for entrepreneurs. Construction, logistics, construction, financial services, IT organizations would spring up, and the impact on the economy would be evident. Marijuana companies would freely participate in the stock exchange and partnerships with other institutions for further economic growth. Marijuana legalization will also save the state money. A report in 2013 by the American Civil Liberties Union disclosed that marijuana ban implementation costs the country roughly $3.5 billion per year, which would be significantly reduced if marijuana is legalized (Hajizadeh, 2016).

There are also recreational benefits of using marijuana. Since smoking loosens inhibitions, it aids in bonding among peers by allowing them to share their thoughts and feelings freely. It eases shyness and timidity, thus making a user more vocal, confident and outgoing. Combined with dopamine's feel-good sensation, the freeness temporarily stops negativity and allows users to see various perspectives of life. Because of this, marijuana can help unlock a person's creativity, making users more alert and imaginative and more receptive to new knowledge. The laxative effect also allows users to cope with stress. Cannabis also improves senses, thus enabling the user to enjoy food and music better (Burnham, 2011). Such harmonious and creative youth is what any state would desire.

The last set is the social benefits of marijuana. Its recreational and medicinal use legalization helped curb the flourishing black market. If marijuana gets legalized, producers will make more it, thus taming demand. The increased supply will shrink the profit margins. Reduced profits will reduce operations in the black market. Since the black market does not remit tax, this move will save the state money. Again, when the commodity becomes available in stores, there may be no need for a black market. Availing marijuana is stores will also mean that its consumption gets regulated and it is not sold to under-18s and abusers. A dead black market and a regulated legal selling of marijuana will reduce the adverse effects that its abuse causes (Hajizadeh, 2016).

The benefits of marijuana are copious. It alleviates pain, makes people happier and freer, generates revenue for the government and creates employment. But, like any other drug- when abused-the results are disastrous. A person may lose memory, become disorderly, develop depression or get addicted. These severe consequences make the benefits of marijuana easy to bypass. But it is still clear that the benefits of responsible usage outweigh the demerits. Thus, instead of a blanket ban on marijuana production and usage, the government needs to legalize it, but develop measures to deal with abusers and addicts.

References

Brenner, J. (2016). Changes need to be made to make research more feasible on scheduled drugs for recreational purposes as well. American Journal of Bioethics, 16(4), 58-60. https://doi-org.lopes.idm.oclc.org/10.1080/15265161.2016.1145286

Burnham, A. (2011). Benefits of legalizing marijuana. Place of publication not identified: Grin Verlag Ohg.

Hajizadeh, M. (2016). Legalizing and regulating marijuana in Canada: Review of potential economic, social, and health impacts. International Journal of Health Policy and Management, (8), 453. https://doi-org.lopes.idm.oclc.org/10.15171/ijhpm.2016.63

Stanley, C. (2019). Marijuana: Legalization and sin taxes: opinions of U.S. accountants. Annual International Conference on Accounting & Finance, 62-73. https://doi-org.lopes.idm.oclc.org/10.5176/2251-1997_AF19.252