Legalization Of Marijuana Essay

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Introduction In recent history, smoking marijuana (also referred to as weed and/or cannabis) has become a prevalent past time amongst college students of many majors, even students who aspire to become medical clinicians. According to the United States’ Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), approximately 38% of college students have claimed to have used marijuana recreationally in 2015. That statistic is nearly 10% higher than the number of students who claimed to be recreational marijuana users in 2006 (DEA). Marijuana is particularly popular amongst premedical and medical students for its ability to relax the body, cause hallucinations, induce psychosis, and enhance mood when used (Marijuana, drugabuse.gov). According to a 1991 study, nearly 21% of premedical students claimed to have smoked marijuana 10 times or more throughout their undergraduate studies, typically once a month (Schwartz et al.). This same study reports that 9% of doctors admitted to smoking marijuana 10 times or more while in medical school. It is safe to assume that this number has since risen, given the more recent, ubiquitous use of marijuana. Marijuana is legal for recreational use in 8 U.S. states for individuals who are 21 or older, while 30 other states have legalized marijuana strictly for medicinal purposes for individuals who are medical card holders (State Marijuana Laws in 2018 Map, governing.com). According to High Times Magazine, in order to obtain a medical card, in addition to being