Marijuana Editorial

Legalization of Marijuana

Many people in America think Marijuana should not be legalized, which is fraudulent. Those people say stuff like “Cannabis smoking is likely to weaken the immune system” (British Lung Foundation, 2002), without avid research and without weighing in the pros of marijuana. This is a big controversy, and it should not be any more. There are many more outstanding benefits about legalizing marijuana, than there are negative effects; for example,  “...traffic fatalities decrease between eight and 11 percent in states where marijuana is legal, the first year after legalization” (Pursell).Marijuana has many more medical benefits than it does defects, and should be completely legalized in the United States.

There are many different cliques of people that oppose the use of marijuana, and for many different reasons. It is in my belief that they are occasionally correct, but to what extent? Yes, marijuana has negative effects, but so does standing in front of the microwave! If used correctly, like legal marijuana is, it is a “cancer curing” miracle medicine. Not a drug, a medicine. According to cancer patient Roger Chalmers, “...marijuana is truly the only thing that has really helped me…” (Nickell). Marijuana is controversial for a reason, and that is completely understandable. The problem with people that oppose this miracle substance, is that they do not look at the whole picture and all the facts.

Medical marijuana is medical for a reason, because of its numerous, miracle like, benefits! Its benefits go further than in just the individual users themselves. For example, as of November 2013, the national regulated/medical marijuana market was worth a staggering $1.53 billion dollars (Stuart). This is just the start of the many economic benefits of this plant! Another statistic that you can sink your teeth into is that in the first 2 months of 2014, Colorado alone reaped a $6.17 million benefit from the taxation of this brilliant god given medicine (Stuart)! Yes marijuana has a few miniscule cons, but take off your sunglasses and realize that these statistic and accounts, are real, and the market for marijuana also is.

Marijuana has been overlooked since it was first made illegal with the Marijuana Tax Act of 1937. This plant is not a drug, but a medicine. This is not a “think of the glass half full” type of thing, but rather a fact that this is a medicine. Marijuana is advantageous in many ways that we cannot even contemplate, and will not be able to until we fully legalize medical marijuana. Negative viewpoints on this topic does not matter in the least bit, because this is a miraculous plant that could be a superior, dominant, and life changing item in the lives of many.

To bring it all together, this is a life changing medicine. I cannot even begin to try and put my finger on all the pros of this plant, because there are simply too many. The great Dr. Sanjay Gupta once said on the topic of marijuana that “The science is there. This isn’t anecdotal” (Dr. Sanjay). This meaning that this is not just an opinion, but a hard fact, and who is going to argue with facts from a renowned doctor?

Works Cited

"Dr. Sanjay Gupta's Top 10 Quotes On Marijuana." Leaf Science. Leaf Science, 26 Sept. 2013. Web. 13 Dec. 2014.

Nickell, Joe. "Cancer Patient's Message: Medical Marijuana Really Does Help." Missoulian.com. N.p., 09 Apr. 2011. Web. 14 Dec. 2014.

Pursell, Robert. "Studies Claim Medical Marijuana May Reduce Suicide Rates,Traffic Fatalities." PBS. PBS, 02 Feb. 2014. Web. 11 Dec. 2014.

Stuart, Hunter. "If You Support Legal Marijuana, Memorize These 13 Stats."The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 19 Apr. 2014. Web. 14 Dec. 2014.

"Top 10 Pros and Cons - Medical Marijuana - ProCon.org." ProConorg Headlines. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Dec. 2014.