Why People Should Not Be Allowed To Smoke Marijuana Freely (Speech Presentation Sample)

THE MARIJUANA CONTROVERSY
Name
Institution
Introduction
Proposition: People should not be allowed to openly smoke marijuana because it is a highly addictive psychoactive drug whose negative consequences are glaring at us in the face. Whereas medical marijuana has been hailed for its enormous ability to relief chronic pain that is associated with terminal illnesses such as cancer, the drug has a far-reaching negative impact that is oftentimes overlooked. There are a few states that have legalized the recreational use of weed and as it turns out, it is a transitional drug that offsets the abuse of opioids such as heroin. Many have theorized the euphoria that is associated with this drug but here are some of the reasons why people should not be allowed to use the drug for recreational purposes:
Definition of the key terms: Psychoactive drug-any substance that manipulated the central nervous system by altering brain functioning
Working memory-A part of a person’s short-term memory that is tasked with linguistic functioning and immediate perceptions.
Addiction-The patterned use of a substance that leads to dependence and eventually becomes habitual
Arguments
* The medicinal benefits of marijuana are not accrued from smoking
1 One of the reasons that have been advanced to advocate for the use of weed is the fact that it is used to treat diseases such as glaucoma. However, a deeper look at the medical benefits of the drug indicates that it is ingested in measured dosages and the method of administration is not smoking (Hajizadeh, 2016). Contrary the popular hype, therefore, smoking this drug will not in any way treat most of the hidden illnesses within a person’s body.
2 The therapeutic level that is required to provide medical relief cannot be attained through smoking and as such, recreational usage will only result in the occasional side effects associated with drug and substance abuse such as poor perceptions of reality and temporary feelings of euphoria.
* Regular use of the drug lowers dopamine levels
1 To showcase how dangerous this drug is, scientific research has found out that it lowers the amount of dopamine in the brain, an aspect that compromises major body systems. Decreasing levels of dopamine in a person’s striatum compromises systems such as the working memory, attention and impulsive behavior (Brooks et al., 2017). With a compromised working memory, the subject is vulnerable to learning difficulties, problems with maintaining attention and behavior-related difficulties.
2 Studies have also indicated that enthusiasts who use this drug for a period of four years or more risk serious anatomical alterations of their brain system, with typical examples being a massive reduction in the brain’s grey matter. A person’s grey matter plays a crucial role in balancing the nervous system and a reduction of the same will lead to serious effects on muscle coordination, speech, self-control, emotional control, memory and sensory perception (Brooks et al., 2017). With all these negative consequences, there is no reason as to why the use of recreational marijuana should be legalized.
* It affects the lungs
1 Whether it is tobacco or weed that is the subject of debate, it is obvious that smoking harms the lungs in some way and this is one of the reasons why people should not be allowed to use the drug. Combustion releases a lot of carcinogens ...