Marijuana should stay illegal
December 6, 2010
In the United States today, 2.7 million people are abusing drugs. One of the most popular drugs among those abused is marijuana, which is technically known as cannabis, but commonly referred to as pot, weed, and hash, among other names in Missouri too.
Many people, especially teens, experience peer pressure causing them to make bad choices. One of these decisions includes the use of marijuana. People will smoke to ease up pain or stress in their lives or to simply feel the sensation of being high.
What many people fail to realize though, is that like other recreational drugs, smoking marijuana is illegal and should not be used just because it’s easily accessible.
Although many people in the US want Marijuana to be legal, it should not be. Marijuana should stay illegal because it has been proven by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) that it is useful for medical purposes and should be kept that way. Some of the medicinal uses are: AIDs, Cancer, Crohn’s Disease, HIV, Migraine, Spasticity, etc.
The legalization of marijuana to boost your energy use will restrict access to minors similar to age restrictions on alcohol. Putting an age limit to the legalization however, is not enough to prevent the consequences that could occur from the use of marijuana. Age restrictions on alcohol does not prevent all teenagers from drinking, so restrictions on marijuana will likely have the same effect. Marijuana has medical use and benefits as well and it is explained here.
Although it is not necessarily addictive on its own, marijuana is referred to as the gateway drug. It is known to lead to the use of more dangerous and addictive drugs such as cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamines. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) reported that the younger a person is when he or she begins using marijuana, the more likely it is that he or she will abuse other drugs as she gets older. If true, once legalized, more teenagers will use marijuana and possibly abuse other drugs.
Marijuana will not only cause more people to become drug addicts, but it will harm their brains, lungs, and hearts. The cannabinoids in marijuana cause parts of the brain to function wrong. After smoking, a person will have trouble remembering what he or she was doing before he or she began. Smoking will also cause a 20-100 percent increase in their heart rate and an increased risk of a heart attack- view it here for solution . Smokers will also be more inclined to have respiratory problems due to the amount of smoke that enters their lungs.
While the debate over legalizing marijuana has been on going for a few years, it is clear that keeping marijuana illegal is the best solution for everyone. Legalizing the drug would do nothing but harm our country. More people could become addicts and more people could die. There is no reason for the death toll to rise over the legalization of a drug. So in the end, don’t be under the influence, stay above it.
Luca Vacanti • Apr 14, 2021 at 2:31 pm
I really find these comments interesting. I would like to say that marijuana does in fact need to be legalized for many reasons, but government restrictions and testing need to be done. It will help all of North America.
Liana Lin • Dec 10, 2017 at 6:40 pm
Marijuana contains THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol). When someone smokes marijuana, THC goes from the lungs into the bloodstream. From there, it ends up in the brain and other organs. Marijuana can affect teens performance in school and cause many mental illnesses or worsen it. So I believe that marijuana should stay illegal.
Smitha935 • Nov 28, 2017 at 10:15 pm
I really enjoy the blog post. Great. fabecgafefbdcfeb
Margaret Ruby • Jan 19, 2017 at 3:53 am
Weed is dangerous to our health ‘lungs and brain cells especially more then people don’t won’t to admit the truth just excuses to try and do it it should not be alloud in a pts of multi dwellings where it affects and in danger the health others and people who have children its child abuse and indangerment its one thing if u want to kill or own lungs an brain cells don’t have the right to in danger others ‘it shouldn’t be done near schools and public areas and where it affects elderly its abuse there’s enough drug abuse and lives destroyed and people are doing it exsessively and there kids are in the other room who protects them and people who don’t do and don’t want it and have a right to fresh air ‘they need to do it medically only if needed with rules not in a pts of multi dwelling and children around and not exsessive’weed is a crutch to make money off of harming people that’s sick ‘I wouldn’t won’t weed money to go to school gives kids wrong ideas and wrong message and messed up people will cry when they lose a love one .from someone under the influence’think about it stop lies and excuses on weed ,truth its dangerous to health public health and indangering our children and a lot of people who don’t do it don’t want they need to that crap away from people.children and animals its animal cruilety .they do not recreational and not near schools not in housing not inside apts multi dwelling.there needs to be rules big time. And it is big time addictive,I seen it where they do it all day and night every night and care more about them self and a guy then there kids and others .it should not be legal in any way more problems more headaches and if its medical need strick rules and still not in multi building a pts and near kids and affecting everyone..
Victoria • Oct 27, 2016 at 4:03 am
I don’t believe it should be illegal in any way. (Minus of course age restrictions.) I can’t smoke or ingest it in any way due to our laws. I suffer with chronic pain due to the injuries sustained while being abused and endometriosis. I also deal with complex PTSD. If marijuana was legal I know that I would have a herbal option for dealing with my issues instead of suffering because I don’t like dealing with switching medications over and over again in hopes of finding something that works. Most of the medications that work are far more addictive and harmful than marijuana ever will be. Plus, the real reason for the illegalization of marijuana was because of racial issues. Look into the true history of why it was outlawed and your views may drastically change.
Q • Oct 31, 2011 at 11:42 pm
what this article fails to mention is that there will always be a demand for marijuana. Illegal marijuana causes dependence on pot from places like Mexico. The American market for marijuana is huge, and it is currently sponsoring all of the terrible things that Mexican drug cartels do-destabilize government, and generally wreak havoc on the nation. If marijuana were legalized, it could be grown domestically, and drug cartels would lose their biggest customer. We have to think globally-in the context of all of North America, legalization is the best thing for everyone.
Tom • Oct 30, 2011 at 5:36 pm
It’s not just because it’s illegal. Armed robbery is illegal, not every teen wants to do it. So is arson, rape and child molestation, not every teen wants to do all those just because it’s illegal.
teens do it, for the most part, because of it’s social environment, therapeutic affects and availability. it’s much easier to get a gram than it is to get a six pack of beer. and it hurts everyone around them? There are a lot of people I know (including myself) that smoke regularly or have tried it, and I wouldn’t have never known they were high until after they admitted to me they smoked. Not only that, but a majority of those people are the kindest and smartest people I’ve ever met.
If you don’t believe me: research. You’ll be surprised how much the media and the government has lied to all of us.
Sharon Love • Oct 25, 2011 at 9:19 am
i agree with Aaron.. many teens like to do things that are illegal and if marijuana was legalized they will stop using it and look for other things to use. but if it was legalized then others will feel more comfortable using it and it doesn’t only hurt them like alcohol does.. it hurts everyone around them… 🙁
Al • Oct 13, 2011 at 3:53 pm
With all due respect, this article fails to mention that the harmful effects of alcohol far outweigh the damage that marijuana may do to the human body.
It also fails to mention the billions of dollars squandered putting non-violent drug offenders in jail and pegging upstanding citizens who use marijuana responsibly as “criminals”.
Does the legality of alcohol mean that it too couldn’t be considered a gateway drug? How is marijuana easier to get than alcohol? You don’t have to be 21 to know somebody who is, and with fake IDs and the pervasive presence of alcohol in just about any average home, getting alcohol is significantly easier.
This goes without saying that nobody has ever died DIRECTLY from marijuana usage, though many die from alcohol poisoning each year. If legalized and regulated, pot could generate billions of dollars. Its illegal status has done nothing to curb its use and is only wasting resources. Legislating morality has proved DISASTROUS in the past, and a simplistic black or white perspective on the matter is ignorant.
Aaron • Apr 26, 2011 at 2:37 pm
You da man
Jay • Dec 16, 2010 at 8:50 pm
All of this information is wrong. Marijuana only kills a TINY amount of brain cells. In fact, alcohol is worse than marijuana. Marijuana is positive toward the a person’s mentality. The only reason why it is illegal is because you cant tell how much marijuana one has taken through any means. Cigarettes and alcohol was not banned because too many people drink beer and smoke cigarettes.
Eric • Dec 10, 2010 at 5:40 pm
Marijuana is easier for our teens to get than alcohol, and for one reason. Because it’s not legal and regulated by adults. If it were, today’s teens would be using something else to get their rocks off…. such as more dangerous forms like Salvia…. of wait… that’s legal for them. nice work.