Should Marijuana be Legalized?

The legalization of marijuana is a worldwide controversy.  Many ancient cultures used cannabis and grew it to get ‘high’, but also for herbal medicine. In 1925, it started becoming restricted and illegal; however, in recent years, some nations are changing their approach and believe it should be legalized as no one has ever overdosed on marijuana; therefore, people can make the case that if alcohol is legal and has caused many deaths, why shouldn’t marijuana be legal if its harmless in comparison?

There can be positives that can come from marijuana: people use cannabis prescribed by a doctor for pain relief; others enjoy getting the ‘high’ feeling. According to Peter Grinspoon, a teacher at Harvard Medical School, it can help people who have chronic pain, depression, and anxiety. Marijuana contains 100 different chemicals, and each one has a different effect on the body; however, medical marijuana can increase memory loss and the chances of certain cancers. In addition, inhaling a substance is not good for your lungs and can cause long-term damage.

One study showed that people who smoke marijuana have more medical visits due to respiratory problems than people who don’t. Cannabis has countless negative effects; it doesn’t just affect you physically, but also emotionally. Most people smoke to feel better because they are stressed or depressed, but the feeling you have when high will eventually pass and you will return to your original state and your anxiety and depression will return. Additionally, marijuana is not necessarily cheap, and an obsession with the ‘high’ feeling will likely cause you to waste money.

Teens believe marijuana won’t affect them and that it’s not dangerous, but they don’t know the real facts. People who start smoking under the age of 12 are twice as likely to get a serious mental illness. 

I strongly believe recreational marijuana should be illegal. Many can argue about the positives of marijuana, but there are plenty more negative effects. No one has ever overdosed on marijuana, but is that fact really comforting? You can’t escape your life forever. If you’re depressed or stressed, talking to someone will help you genuinely improve in a way that will not harm you in the long term. I believe the government should make it harder to get your hands on marijuana as in some places, it’s quite easy.

For more information, visit cannabis.info, leafscience.com, lung.org, drugabuse.gov

What do you think about this topic? Tell us in the comments section, and stay tuned in October for a counterpoint to this article by Alison Liang.