Marijuana is a misunderstood drug. Many assume that the marijuana usage is dangerous, while in fact, marijuana actually has many medicinal and practical benefits. For years, the general consensus of the population was that marijuana, also known as cannabis, was a “gateway drug”, and the use of marijuana would only lead to the use of more dangerous drugs. Despite these negative connotations, marijuana reform has been happening effectively since about 1996, with California being the first U.S. territory to legalize its usage. When discussing the legalization of medical and/or recreational marijuana, the real question is “when will Texas pass measures to do so?”
The legalization of recreational marijuana in the United States is widely supported
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Biased views and loquacious laws prevent the advancement of marijuana in present day medicine. Stringent approval processes are hindering the ability to research such advancements (Medical Marijuana Research News). Now is the time for Texas to acknowledge the overwhelming amount of benefits and eliminate the stigma surrounding medicinal marijuana. It was not until the Food and Drug Act of 1906 that marijuana was required to be labeled as an over the counter herbal remedy (“Regulatory Information”). In 1944 New York Academy of Medicine issued an extensive research report and declared that marijuana did not cause criminal behavior or lead to addiction or additional drug use (Mayor’s Committee on Marihuana). Regardless of the findings of the study from 1944 affirming that marijuana was not a drug that would cause violent tendencies, congress passed the Controlled Substances Act in 1970. This act classified marijuana into a category named “schedule I narcotics” (“Regulatory Information”). All schedule I drugs are considered an illicit substance with high potential for abuse and no medicinal purposes. The effectively made marijuana illegal for both recreational and medicinal purposes. Texas must legalize medicinal marijuana in order for Texans with major health concerns to finally stop suffering – it is the humane vote to