Marijuana Should Not Be Legalized
Over the course of modern history marijuana has been stigmatized, associated with negative connotations and been blamed as the gateway to stronger moreaddictive drugs. Marijuana is the most commonly abused illegal drug around the world; the legalization or decriminalization of marijuana would make harmful, psychoactive, and addictive substances affordable,available, convenient, and marketable. The marijuana should stay illegal for many reasons concerning the health and safety of the people today. Also, marijuana is the leading cause of substancedependence. Increased use of addictive substances leads to increased addiction.
All types of marijuana are mind-altering drugs. They all contain THC, the main active chemical in marijuana, along withover 400 other chemicals. The use of these drugs should stay illegal because the harmful consequences of smoking marijuana include, but are not limited to the following: premature cancer, addiction,coordination and perception impairment, a number of mental disorders including depression, hostility and increased aggresiveness, general apathy, memory loss, reproductive disabilities, and impairmentto the immune system.
Marijuana is currently the leading cause of substance dependence other than alcohol. In 2008, only in U.S., marijuana use accounted for 4.2 million of the 7 million peopleaged 12 or older classified with dependence on or abuse of an illicit drug. This means that about two thirds of Americans suffering from any substance use disorder are suffering from marijuana abuse ormarijuana dependence. If the U.S. were to legalize marijuana, the number of marijuana users would increase. Today there are 15.2 million current marijuana users in comparison to 129 million alcoholusers and 70.9 tobacco users. Though the number of marijuana users might not quickly climb to the current numbers for alcohol and tobacco, if marijuana was legalized, the increase in users would me...
Regístrate para leer el documento completo.