Chances are, you have probably smoked marijuana, or will, at some point or know someone who has. That’s because 50% of Americans have tried marijuana at least once in their lives (Drug). The legalization of Marijuana has been a popular topic for a large portion of time. Rappers Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre rapped their now infamous lines of “Smoke weed everyday” (Quotes). Willie Nelson was quoted saying “I think people need to be educated to the fact that marijuana is not a drug. Marijuana is a flower. God put it here…” (Quotes) whilst others ingrain into our heads that marijuana is bad, such as learning fun slogans from a young age like “a friend in deed won’t make you smoke weed.” A difference in opinion is one thing, but a blatant lack of awareness …show more content…
Medical marijuana has been proven to have health benefits, and helps with chronic pain, as well as improving other ailments. The National Academy of Sciences reports that medical marijuana can relieve the symptoms of cancer, diseases, and chronic pain (Anderson). The use of an inexpensive and easy to grow plant as an alternative to prescription painkillers is almost painfully obvious, yet sadly, medical marijuana is still illegal in many states, and relief from everyday pain and symptoms is denied to many (Anderson). According to the Drug Policy Alliance, medical marijuana is often one of the most effective pain relievers for seriously ill people, with the least amount of adverse side effects. The ban on medical marijuana affects people of all walks of life, and makes those who are terminally ill even sicker. Many people who do not have the physical capacity to tolerate harsh drugs, such as children and elderly, have shown significant signs of improvement from ailments while using medical marijuana (Drug). The Drug Policy Alliance also found research that concludes that marijuana alleviates symptoms of illnesses like AIDS, glaucoma, cancer, autoimmune disorders and other painful diseases. Marijuana can even be more effective than synthetic pain killers (Drug). Despite the growing support of legalizing medical marijuana, it is still incredibly difficult to obtain. The denial of a simple right to not live life in pain is a tragedy that should be fixed, and one of the easiest ways to fix it is to make medical marijuana