420 Friendly!

Let’s be blunt. If a substance is referred to as a “drug,” it is often thought of as something illegal, dangerous, and addictive. The term is often used negatively, as people tend to approach the topic with a fixed mindset and ignore all the possible benefits. The truth is, many people are just misinformed. Contrary to popular belief, there are numerous advantages of marijuana that many people don’t know about.

One of the main reasons that marijuana should be legalized is because no one has ever had an overdose. In 2010 alone, almost 40,000 people died from drug overdoses, over half of which were prescription drug overdoses, and around 25,000 died from alcohol consumption (Huffington Post). Not only does alcohol cause harm to its users, but it also causes harm towards others. Every day, around 30 people in the United States alone die from vehicle crashes involving drunk drivers (CDC). So, if alcohol is readily available for purchase for people aged 18 or above in almost every country in the world yet it kills thousands of people every year, why is marijuana the drug that is illegal?

Another reason marijuana should be legalized is that it has a very low risk of addiction and abuse. Only around 9% of adult users become addicted to marijuana, but even for them, the withdrawal symptoms are nothing like those of heroin, cocaine, alcohol, and other common addictive drugs. Compared to other drugs, 15% of alcohol consumers, 20% of cocaine users, 25% of heroin users, and 30% of tobacco users become addicted (CNN). All of these drugs also come with numerous other medical concerns, such as liver damage, lung cancer, and more.

Medical marijuana is the use of cannabis as a medicine, prescribed by doctors. While medical marijuana is legal in some places, there are far too many countries where it is illegal. Marijuana has been shown to be extremely effective in relieving nausea, which is a common side effect for people who have cancer and go through chemotherapy. It also increases appetite in people who suffer from diseases that cause appetite loss, such as AIDS. It even helps soothe chronic pain and muscle tension, which can be caused by numerous chronic conditions (Huffington Post). While medical marijuana is legal in 17 states, there are still 33 states and many countries without any access to marijuana. If this changes, people who suffer from these pain-causing conditions can finally be alleviated of pain without having to take prescription drugs, which can be highly addictive and cause any number of dangerous side effects.

One of the biggest misconceptions about using marijuana is the idea that marijuana could cause a lack of motivation and “laziness”. Martha Stewart, Morgan Freeman, Ted Turner, and Michael Bloomberg are only a few of many successful people who use marijuana recreationally. They are perfect examples of people who use marijuana but are not “stoners” or “potheads”. While there are people who do categorize themselves as “stoners”, it is important to know that it’s not a valid reason for marijuana not to be legal, as there are many users who use marijuana moderately rather than daily.

Of course, there are still some disadvantages of marijuana use. Rahul’s article shows the opposing opinion of why he believes marijuana should not be legalized. While there are a few reasons marijuana could have negative effects, the advantages definitely outweigh the disadvantages. If drugs that are currently legal can kill tens of thousands of people every year yet marijuana kills zero and has numerous other benefits, why is it illegal?