Marijuana is a mixture of greenish-gray dried flowers of Cannabis Sativa. Recreational marijuana is intentionally used to cause a feeling of happiness by altering the conscious state of the mind. It is used for medical purposes and sometimes used for recreational purposes1. The marijuana plant contains 400 chemicals. The one that has a great effect on the human body is called, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol or THC. It can be taken in different ways the fastest and common way is inhalation. When Marijuana enters the body, cannabis acts on receptors called Cannabinoid Receptors causing a decrease in the release of neurotransmitters called Gaba and glutamate. Marijuana has its bad effects and good effects and due to this, it has caused a lot of debates on whether it should be legalized or not hence I propose that recreational Marijuana should not be legalized in the US because it has more negative effects.
Marijuana legalization leads to increase use by the youths. Approximately 9% of people who try cannabis meet the criteria for cannabis dependence at some point. This roughly doubles for those who initiate use before 17 years of age and are much higher for adolescents who use cannabis weekly or more often. Legalizing Marijuana will lead to an increase in use by youths. This can be very disastrous because it tampers with brain development, especially for young people. Increased use will cause changes in behavior by the youths this is because marijuana impairs the normal function of the body. A study that was done from following a cannabis user from birth to the age of 38 years show that for those who persist using cannabis had 6 point reduction in IQ compared to those who don’t use cannabis “Acute cannabis intoxication in healthy young people causes slower reaction times, impaired accuracy, and impaired response inhibition” studies show that excessive use of cannabis can affect the emotional state of the user.
The use of marijuana leads to road accidents. Although studies show that most accidents are caused by driving under the influence of alcohol than driving under the influence of marijuana, it is important to note that it still causes accidents. Legalizing Marijuana therefore will therefore mean an increase in road accidents. Studies show that legalizing marijuana can lead to 7-17% of accidents and other traffic fatalities. Studies show that drivers under the influence of THC overestimate their level of impairment. These drivers are likely to crash compared to those under the influence of alcohol.
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Marijuana causes health complications. THC has severe effects on the human body. In 2000, the content of THC in cannabis was roughly 15% but we are currently seeing an increase in the level of THC in the cannabis flower where its content is now above 15%. Some may argue that the THC content in the regular products we use such as oil and waxes have high content which is above 75% but most of these people titrate their THC consumption and very little is known about the health problem associated with the consumption of these products. Studies show that people who regularly use Marijuana are more exposed to more THC. A health effect associated with THC is a motivational syndrome. It is associated with a lack of motivation and performing poorly in school. A disease known as fatal neurodegenerative affects the motor neurons in the spinal cord and the brain. These diseases lead to muscle weakness.
Marijuana could cause profound consequences in the public health sector. Legalizing marijuana for non-medical purposes would mean making a decision on who would supply and produce it. Profit-making companies would always aim at expanding and targeting heavy users. This would therefore mean that it would weaken the regulation intended to protect the health of patients. One main effect of Marijuana is that it leads to the development of independence on the user. Just like any drug, marijuana users become addicted to the drug and would find it hard to stop using it.
In conclusion, illegalizing recreational marijuana may have its benefits but legalizing it could be beneficial as well for instance it improves the country’s economy. The marijuana economy in America is estimated to be worth twenty-four billion dollars by 2025. Marijuana is used for patients with bipolar disorder. It is also used to improve ASL symptoms. Marijuana can be used by people that have problems with their appetite, sleeping issues, and chronic pain.
References:
- Bakshi, Chetna, and Allison M. Barrett. “Impact of Recreational and Medicinal Marijuana on Surgical Patients: A Review.” The American Journal of Surgery, vol. 217, no. 4, 2019, pp. 783–786., DOI:10.1016/j.amjsurg.2018.10.053.
- Cole, Dylan. Recreational Marijuana and Traffic Fatalities … scholarworks.umt.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=12249&context=etd.
- Kilmer, Beau. “Recreational Cannabis — Minimizing the Health Risks from Legalization.” New England Journal of Medicine, vol. 376, no. 8, 2017, pp. 705–707., DOI:10.1056/nejmp1614783.
