Dangers Of Legalizing Marijuana In The United States Of America (Research Paper Sample)

Dangers of Legalizing Marijuana in the United States of America by Name: Institution: Dangers of Legalizing Marijuana in the United States of America Introduction: States in the United States of America are in a race to legalize marijuana with Colorado having kicked off the race and others following suit. Up to date, nine states have legalized marijuana for adults over the age of twenty-one while twenty-nine states have legalized medical marijuana. This has put immense pressure on other states as well as Congress to legalize marijuana nationally. The decision to legalize marijuana is ill-advised. States are giving in to pressure without taking into consideration the effects of the drug and the consequences the society will suffer. Not only is marijuana being legalized for medical purposes but also for recreational purposes. It begs the question, what is the motive behind the legalization? Pro-marijuana groups are very loud in their support for the legalization of the drug ignoring the harmful effects, and the dangers it poses to the youth. Research has proven that marijuana has adverse effects on the bodies of human beings and legalizing it means that its use will put the lives and futures of the youth at risk. This paper makes a critical analysis of marijuana and its effects to make the case against its legalization. Definition of Crisis Marijuana is a harmful drug that has numerous negative effects, and its widespread use among the youth poses a danger to the society. Legalizing it means it can be sold like cigarettes and will be more accessible leading to its widespread abuse. The number of Americans who admit having used marijuana is high, and this is while it is illegal. With its legalization, the numbers will rapidly increase and negatively impact the society. Thesis Statement: The legalization of marijuana will lead to widespread use of the drug thus need for an intervention to stop its legalization Effects of Marijuana The dangers of using marijuana for recreational and medicinal purposes are adverse. Research has proven that marijuana can be harmful to the human body. Marijuana heightens alcohol effects on the body, interacts with medications leading to complications, leads to highness which hinders driving skills and may cause accidents. More importantly, marijuana affects the brain twenty-four hours after being administered thus affects learning and memory. Research has also shown that excessive use of marijuana may lead to testicular cancer although adequate research is needed to affirm this past research. Smoking marijuana causes constant coughing and phlegm suggesting that it may lead to asthma and pulmonary disorder. Other adverse effects of marijuana include social anxiety disorders, paranoia, hallucinations, heart damage, low testosterone, and risk of potency. Pregnant mothers who use marijuana affect their babies as it may lead to underweight babies, premature birth, and babies that require neonatal intensive care. What is very ironic is that the people vouching for the legalization of marijuana do not use it but are just being used to pass the agenda. None of them would want their children to use marijuana yet they are at the frontline in calling for the legalization of the drug. According to the report on the dangers and consequences of marijuana abuse by the US Department of Justice, marijuana use leads to impaired health, delinquent behavior, drugged drivers, use of other drugs, and mental health problems. This report shows the cost of legalizing marijuana which puts the lives of the youth at risk. It not only leads to negative effects on the body but also acts as a precursor to the use of other drugs such as cocaine and heroin. The dangers of marijuana are far more than negative effects on the body including effects such as increased crime rate, dropping out of school, poor performance in school and at work. The dangers and negative effects of marijuana cannot be ignored as it poses a risk, especially to the youth. If we legalize marijuana today, nothing will stop the next generation from legalizing other hard drugs such as cocaine (Marijuana, 2018). Shared Experiences of Marijuana There are documented cases of individuals who have shared their stories on the use of marijuana. These are individuals that were drawn to the drug and ended up abusing it which resulted in them being victims of the short and long-term side effects of marijuana. According to a survey done, more than half of Americans admit having used marijuana at least once in their lifetime. 55 million adults currently use marijuana with the numbers increasing due to the legalization of the drug which has taken away the stigma it had on its users One anonymous user of marijuana shares his experiences with marijuana stating that “My love of pot started when I was 14. The first time I did feel stoned from weed, I dropped the bottle and picked up the pipe. That was the beginning of 2 years of hell.” Use of marijuana among the youth is widespread as shown by this user who started abusing the drug while only fourteen years old. Since the youth depend on their parents for money, they are forced to steal from them to have enough to purchase these drug. It ends up affecting their grades in school, and their parents have to incur the costs of rehabilitation. The wife to an addict of marijuana shares her experiences claiming that her husband spends all his time smoking marijuana and has passed the habit to their son which has led to arguments and is threatening to end their marriage. Such spouses have support groups that have been formed for people who love addicts, and you wonder how many such groups will need to be formed when marijuana is legalized nationwide. As shown by this case marijuana affects those around us and may affect marriages and jobs. Legalizing it will fuel its use and lead to a reduction in the productivity of human labor. Such effects ought to be considered and the society evaluated before the legalization of marijuana (“Marijuana Anonymous,” n.d.). Marijuana has also been proven to cause psychotic cases. One user of marijuana explained one instance when he smoked marijuana, and he lost his mind. He was in the ninth grade and had been abusing marijuana for some time. On this fateful day, he smoked marijuana, and he developed paranoia, forgot where he was, did not recognize anyone around him. He was simply panic-stricken, and he fell on the ground with foam coming out of his mouth. He was taken to hospital where he was treated and lucky enough survived the ordeal. His life changed as he was mocked by his schoolmates and he started developing daily panic attacks. He describes the experience as “When an individual suffers an attack for the first time, he or she does not know what is happening. It is an intensely frightening and lonely experience.” This is what legalization will bring: exposing children to this dangerous drug by making it readily available to them. This case shows how marijuana is not a fun drug as portrayed by many but rather a dangerous drug that can have harmful effects on the body causing paranoia and mental diseases, especially when used by young children from unstable family backgrounds (Lindsay, 2015). In 2012 there were fifteen deaths that were attributed to marijuana which prompted further research to prove this cases. Research revealed that in only two cases were marijuana the main cause of death. One case involved a twenty-three-year-old man who had an undetected heart problem. When he used marijuana, it caused an increase in his heart rate and a rise in blood pressure which caused his heart to lose rhythm and led to his death. In the second case, a twenty-eight-year-old man died after using marijuana with traces of the drug found in his blood as reported in the autopsy report. This man was a user of alcohol, cocaine, and amphetamine but on the day of his death, he had abused marijuana which caused loss of rhythm of the heart and let to his death. These two cases show the extreme dangers of smoking marijuana. The research shows that patients with cardiovascular diseases are at higher risk of dying from the use of marijuana. In such cases, both medical and recreational marijuana are in play. These deaths are as a result of the direct use of marijuana without considering those caused indirectly caused by the drug such as accidents from driving. From these cases, we learn how dangerous this drug is and thus helps in the decision as to whether the drug should be legalized or not ("Marijuana triggered deaths of two men, study says," 2014). Why Do People Use Marijuana? With half of the population admitting to using marijuana it is important to know what drives them to use the drug. Some use marijuana to relieve themselves of stress and anxiety, others to relax, out of curiosity, pressure from peers or family or due to the belief that it has no harm. Peer pressure is one of the leading causes of use of marijuana for recreational purposes. This is most common in high school and colleges where smoking marijuana is perceived as cool and creates a sense of belonging forcing people to use the drug. There has also been a lack of adequate research on the effects of marijuana. This has led to the perception that marijuana is harmless especially as compared to smoking cigarettes. This has led to its widespread use. What is even worse is that some cultures promote the use of marijuana and even suggest that it is good for the human body. Stephanie who is a current user of marijuana says “It has helped me get over my deep depression and anxiety and so many other issues. I was suicidal, but luckily it changed my thinking. Smoking has opened my mind and heart. I am no longer judgmental or angry, and it most definitely stabilizes my mood.” This case is similar to that of alcohol addicts. When one drinks, they forget all the problems they had but once the effects of alcohol ...