Argumentative Essay: The Legalization Of Marijuana

One of the most common political debates of recent years that should not be talked about as much as it is, is the issue of the legalization of marijuana. This issue has come up so much recently because many people believe that it should be legal after the discovery that it has medical uses. As of November of 2014, marijuana used for medicinal purposes has been legalized in eighteen states and D.C., while it has been legalized for medical and recreational use in four states (Fritz). Just over half of the United States have not yet passed a law that makes marijuana legal in any way. However, the federal government still views marijuana use/possession as a federal offense. You can probably see where the issue is. A lot of people have strong opinions

According to the United States government, marijuana is an illicit drug that is illegal to use and punishments include fines, probation, and jail time. Marijuana is a leafy green substance that comes from the Cannabis sativa plant. It is a psychoactive drug that is also classified as a hallucinogen because of the effects of the drug. Common effects after consuming the drug include a relaxed state, decreased coordination, slower thinking, difficulty solving problems, the “munchies”, hallucinations, paranoia, altered perceptions and mood, difficulty learning, and memory loss (Danovitch). The chemical that creates the mind altering effects is delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, otherwise known as THC. The way that THC alters the mind is by entering the blood stream after it is consumed and going to the brain and other major organs in the body. Then it acts on the cannabinoid receptors in the brain. These receptors mostly control feelings of pleasure, memory, thinking, concentration, sensory and time perception, and coordinated movement. THC overacts these receptors, causing the high and the other effects of the drug (Danovitch). To get these desired effects, users of the drug typically smoke the substance in several possible ways. One of the most common ways is to use hand rolled rolling papers in the form of a joint. Another way that people use is to take a cigar and

It is everywhere on college campuses these days and even back in high school, I saw a lot of its use. Multiple people that I know have gotten into some serious trouble with the police because of marijuana possession. Someone on my floor in my dorm this year just recently got busted by the police for having one gram of someone else’s marijuana in his room. He will have to pay fines and court fees close to about one thousand dollars as well as complete community service and he will also be on probation for six months with another six months after that before his charges will be expunged from his record. It is things like this that make me feel as if it should be legal because he did not even have a lot or was selling it or anything. My personal stake in the issue of legalizing marijuana would be that a few friends of mine have gotten in trouble for it with large penalty when it should be a smaller offense in my opinion. I also know some people who could benefit from the medical uses of marijuana and I wish that everyone that needs those benefits was able to get