Did you hear about the kid who overdosed on marijuana? Neither did I. Many people are against the discussion about legalizing marijuana. With only four states making it legal for recreational use, the rest are either still fighting to make it illegal or trying to keep it legal. Those who oppose it say cannabis is addictive as it has been linked to narcotics such as heroin, has no accepted medical benefit, and is associated with unsavory lifestyles. In debates there’s always some stupid reason we make up to bolster our point of view.
Yes, cannabis may become addictive for some, but people can also become addicted to eating yet that doesn’t mean you make them stop eating. Tobacco and alcohol can also be addictive but they are not banned for the general public.
If alcohol and cigarettes were banned, it would be much more of a hassle on fighting against its legalization along with marijuana. Criticizing and criminalizing some drugs while approving others without rational reasoning is irrational and deceptive.
It is not that marijuana is a drug that leads people to doing other harmful drugs, but that it is being sold in a place where other harmful drugs are also for sale.
If marijuana is legalized, it will be sold in safer locations. They also won’t have to worry about any of the cannabis being laced with other drugs. The legalizations would also increase tax revenue for the states.
Billions are being spent to stop adults from using marijuana while food stamps and other social programs are being cut. Prison unions, private prisons corporations, alcohol and beer companies and pharmaceutical corporations are just some of the type of companies and corporations that are all against the idea of marijuana becoming legal. Pharmaceutical companies are the second biggest opponent next to police unions to keep marijuana illegal.
Not only will the growth of marijuana help states economically, but it will also help medically as some states have already taken action in. Many who are against legalizing marijuana say the drug has no purpose and that it harms more than helps
But with all the drugs that are used medically, what drug doesn’t have side effects? Many prescription drugs are being abused.
Yet those pills, many of which are harmful to your body and cause liver disease, are still around today. Those who support its legalization claim it has medical benefits including helping treat glaucoma, controlling epileptic seizures, decreasing the spread of cancer cells, reducing anxiety and nausea after chemotherapy, and stimulating appetite.
The side effects of marijuana are either not fully proven or not as harmful as other drugs that are legal today.
If that’s not enough to sway you, people also say those who smoke pot have unfashionable lifestyles. Marijuana has always been linked as a drug for hippies and losers and many today still think that is true. Although the stereotype may be accurate for some, not all people who smoke marijuana are hippies or losers.
There are many successful people who have smoked marijuana or still smoke it to this day. Former U.S. Vice President Al Gore even said that he’s tried it before. “I smoked pot in college, and in the Army.” People hear the word marijuana and think “illegal.” It has been illegal for so long it is hard for some to comprehend that it may be beneficial. The only thing we can tell people is to be open minded enough to realize that just because they do not like it does not mean other people should be banned from using it.