Should Cannabis Be Legalized? Essay

Submitted By Chilli2
Words: 4775
Pages: 20
Open Document
Section B
Cannabis is an illegal drug which has been used for many years. It not always was illegal and was used as medicine to treat illnesses. However, in this modern world, cannabis is no longer legal to use it or produce it. This essay will show how the usage of cannabis has changed over the years and why. It will also discuss whether the current legal classification of cannabis is appropriate and whether it should be changed or not.

Cannabis is an old fashioned Eastern tranquilliser. It creates muscular relaxation and decreases sensitivity to pain. In predisposed individuals it can precipitate a state of mental disorder, said to be similar to schizophrenia. The usage of cannabis usually can lead only to psychological dependences, similarly to cigarette smoking. Continued use of the drug leads to permanent lethargy and withdrawal from reality. Cannabis is used a lot in poor countries as a solace in hunger and is likely to replace food on the tight budget, thus increasing the secondary disease of malnutrition. However this is not the only danger of the drug. There is a possibility that people under the influence of cannabis may very likely to try some other dangerous drugs, because with the excitement produced by the cannabis comes also a diminishing of inhibitions. It has been suggested that traffickers sometimes mix opium with cannabis in order to lead a customer from one to the other.
Cannabis is the world’s most known and widely used illegal drug. It has many names, for example, ‘marijuana, grass, weed, blow, puff, wacky, dope, sinsy, skunk, ganja, hemp, tea, hay’ and many other. The use of cannabis is believed to go back 4000 years. Cannabis mainly was used as a herbal medicine over the world including countries like India, China and the Middle East. It was commonly used in Western medicine in the 1840s and was used as a treatment for range of problems such as muscle spasm, menstrual cramps and rheumatic complaints.

In the 1930s, a campaign led by the U.S. Federal Bureau of Narcotics (now the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs) wanted to show cannabis as a powerful, addicting material that would lead people into addiction. In the 1960s, cannabis was very popular between college students and ‘hippies’ and became a symbol of rebellion against authority.
In the United Kingdom cannabis did not reach popularity as a recreational drug until 1950s. Since the early 1970s cannabis has been one of the most widely misused illegal drugs. The Dangerous Drugs Act 1964 made it an offence to cultivate cannabis or to permit premises to be used for smoking or dealing in cannabis or cannabis resin. However, it still was prescribable as a medicine until 1973.
Government assigned committees in Britain, Canada and the United States to find the medical justification for the legal status of cannabis between 1968 and 1972. The Wootton Report said that:

‘Once the myths were cleared, it became obvious that the case for and against was not evenly balanced. By any ordinary standards of objectivity, it is clear that cannabis is not a very harmful drug’.

The US Schafer Report said:

‘There is little proven danger of physical or psychological harm from the experimental or intermittent use of natural preparations of cannabis…Existing social and legal policy is out of proportion to the individual and social harm engendered by the drug’.

The Wootton Report also concluded: ‘There is no evidence that this activity is causing violent crime or aggression, anti-social behaviour, or is producing in otherwise normal people conditions of dependence or psychosis requiring medical treatment’. Despite this, it is still illegal to grow, produce, possess or supply the drug to another person, even if you are a doctor. It is also an offence to allow premises to be used for growing, preparing, supplying or smoking cannabis.
More independent Commissions have investigated the effects of cannabis. For example, in 1894, an investigation by
Show More

Related Documents: Should Cannabis Be Legalized? Essay

Essay on Marijuana Issue mac evans

possession and use of cannabis that is also commonly known as marijuana is considered illegal. In fact, it can be noted that for many years, cannabis has been considered to an illegal drug in most countries. Nevertheless, mainly today, some countries have legalized cannabis while other countries have not. Small quantities of cannabis have been allowed in regions such as Europe, North America and South America. Moreover, in the United States, some states such as Washington and Colorado have also legalized the possession and…

Words 718 - Pages 3

Persuasive Essay On Legalizing Marijuana

marijuana should be legalized in every state. A few reasons why marijuana should be federally legal is because it can save the lives of our citizens (2), help our country get out of debt (5), and lower the unemployment rate for the whole country (5). There are millions of ill people in America. Marijuana could save the lives of our citizens (2). Studies have shown that patients who smoke cannabis tend to be healthier than other patients who have a certain disease but don’t smoke cannabis. Some disease…

Words 697 - Pages 3

The Plant of Controversy Essay

Controversy “Should medical cannabis be legalized?” a question that many have debated over the years. Much cannot even fathom the idea of medical cannabis and the word legal in the same sentence. But numerous amounts of people in our older generation have been swayed by propaganda on television or were not fully informed. Some states have legalized medical cannabis because they saw the massive beneficial side of this cash crop. A multitude of Americans fear that if medical cannabis was legalized that it…

Words 897 - Pages 4

Marijunana Debate Essay

Why Marijuana should be legalized? Cannabis, better known as marijuana, has been in The United States before The United States was an actual country. Since then, many lawmakers have opposed the plant contrary to scientific as well as statistical findings that point to legalization. Current laws and statutes that criminalize marijuana do not dissuade the general public from using it or adequately punish those who do use it. Marijuana should become decriminalized, regulated, and legalized for recreational…

Words 830 - Pages 4

Persuasive Essay On Legalizing Marijuana

today's world, one way the world has used it for centuries is for medical purposes. Medical cannabis is used in many ways and can substitute harmful drugs like morphine or opioids. Medical marijuana laws lowered the annual opioid overdose rate in the past years. More and more patients stop leading towards opioids after being introduced to medical marijuana. Medical…

Words 1382 - Pages 6

Essay Legalization of Cannabis

Legalization of Cannabis By far the most popular illegal drug of choice is Cannabis. Cannabis (also known as Marijuana, Weed, Grass, Maryjane, Pot, and Dope) comes from the naturally, earth grown plant knows as Cannabis Sativa. Today in America cannabis is allowed in a few states for medicinal purposes only and 2 states fully allow recreational use of marijuana. Unfortunately, even though your state law allows this, federally you can still be convicted of just the possession of cannabis. Despite that…

Words 2165 - Pages 9

Essay about Legalizing Marijuana

against legalizing it. However, there are good reasons for the sale and use of marijuana. For one, Cannabis has medicinal properties that can help people suffering from disease. If marijuana is safe enough to be used medicinally, why not also for personal and recreational use? Another strong reason for legalizing marijuana is the positive impact it could have on our economy. Cannabis should be legalized for everyone's use over the age of twentyone. According to popular belief, marijuana is extremely…

Words 1670 - Pages 7

Legalizing Marijuan To Legalize It Or Not?

Have you ever heard the word cannabis? What is your immediate reaction when you hear this word? Do you know its different uses? As soon as people hear the word “Marijuana” their first impression is a “stoner drug”. Some people do not agree with the legalization of Cannabis, but it has helped in many troubles before and it can provide more if we know how to use it. Hemp can be used in different fields or domains, such as medicinal or economics. Cannabis is a special plant with a fast and productive…

Words 1363 - Pages 6

Illegal Weapon Against Various Illnesses Essay

for the past few decades is marijuana also known as weed. Weed has various names as well as various medicinal purposes. On the street, weed is also referred to as pot and grass. In medicinal terms it is referred to as medicinal cannabis. Medicinal cannabis has been legalized in a variety of states. These states include: Alaska (1998), Arizona (2010), California (1996), Colorado (2000), Connecticut (2012), DC (2010), Delaware (2011), Hawaii (2000), Illinois (2013), Maine (1999), Massachusetts (2012)…

Words 1625 - Pages 7

Peter Lewis Legalizing Marijuana Analysis

it only became officially illegal in the early 1900s. Marijuana has well been recognized as one of the early crops recorded. The government should just legalize and regulate marijuana so people who want to do it, can do in peace and whoever doesn’t can keep on walking.…

Words 920 - Pages 4