GE 252
Should Marijuana Be Legalized For Both Medical and Recreational Use?
Marijuana should not be legalized for medical or recreational use. There are about 4.5 million people addicted to marijuana in the United States alone. There are medical reasons why people should not smoke marijuana, also. Smoking marijuana impairs attention, judgment, cognitive functions, coordination, balance, and increases heart rate. Marijuana can be addictive and can impair learning skills and cause sleep impairment. It also increases the risk of chronic cough and bronchitis. There is no difference between ‘’medical grade’’ marijuana and ‘’street’’ grade marijuana; it carries the same medical risks.
Marijuana should not be legalized because “stoned” driving and other dangers would be increased. The police in the US arrest someone for marijuana every 42 seconds. Marijuana use isn’t truly a “victimless” crime, especially when you consider all the crimes that may be committed when the user is under the influence of the drug. Marijuana has history of being linked to crime in the US. Sixty percent of arrestees test positive for marijuana. Marijuana usage is highly associated with cocaine and other hard drugs, along with murder and assaults. The LAPD reports that areas surrounding marijuana shops have seen a 200% increase in robberies and 130.8% increase in aggravated assaults.
Marijuana should also not be legalized because it is stated that marijuana may have healing