Marijuana also known by the street names weed, pot, hemp, and herb, refers to a psychoactive drug obtained from dried leaves, seeds as well as stems of the cannabis plant that is commonly used for both medical and recreational purposes. Concerning this, the main mind-altering chemical in marijuana is referred to as tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) among other compounds which together cause not only mental but also physical effects among them general change in perception, increased appetite, heightened mood, as well as a “high feeling” (Madras, 2015).
Over the years, legalization of marijuana particularly for medical purposes owing to its numerous therapeutic benefits has emerged as one of the most controversial debates not only among policy makers but also medical researchers, the criminal justice system, inclusive of the general public. Following the contentious debates, only a few US states have active laws on medical marijuana, and as a result, the federal US government continues to classify the drug as a “Schedule 1 controlled substance”.
While research clearly indicates various therapeutic benefits directly associated with medical marijuana such as in relieving severe/chronic pain, nausea and vomiting in cancer patients, as well as relieving muscle plasticity, use of medical marijuana “does more harm than good” therefore, should not be legalized for both recreational and medical purposes. This paper
Arguments against Medical Marijuana/Supporting Ideas/Cons
Addiction
Perhaps one of the strongest arguments against legalization and the consequent use of medical marijuana is the fact that it is highly addictive; hence, leads to addiction. According to research conducted by Volkow, Baler, " Compton, et al., approximately 9% of the people who experiment with the drug become addicted, this number further goes up to about one in every six individuals who begin using marijuana during teenage years to more than 50% among those that use the drug in a daily basis (Volkow, Baler, " Compton).
Health Complications
There are numerous health problems which range from short term health effects associated with the use of marijuana. Some of the short term problems associated with marijuana use include altered senses, impaired memory, loss of coordination, hallucinations, delusion when used in high doses, altered senses, difficulty in thinking as well as problems solving and impaired body movements (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2018). Some of the long-term effects include decreased cognitive abilities, risk of developing psychosis, increased heart rate; hence, risk of hypertension, risk of cancers such as lung and testicular cancers.
Learning Associated Problems
According to research, apart from having negative effects on brain development, the use of marijuana has adverse effects on the overall human brain (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2018). Concerning this, some of the parts of the brain affected include those responsible for memory, problem solving, attention as well as learning. Consequently, use of marijuana results in reduced attention, learning, and memory functions which leads to immense difficulty in problem solving and thinking; hence, poor academic performance and achievement among young adults (Volkow, Baler, " Compton).
Increase in Road fatalities/Crimes
According to research, use of marijuana is associated with increased in road fatalities due to impaired thinking, poor problem and decision making skills as well as altered perception and low reaction time. On the other hand, it is associated with rise in crime due to impaired thinking as well as the need to maintain addictions.
References
Volkow, N., Baler, R., " Compton, W. et al. (2016). Adverse Health Effects of Marijuana Use”. The New England Journal of Medicine. 10.1056/NEJMra1402309
Madras, B. (2015). Update of Cannabis and its Medical Use. 37th Expert Committee on Drug Dependence (ECDD). Retrieved from; http://www.who.int/medicines/access/controlled-substances/6_2_cannabis_update.pdf
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). (2018). Marijuana. NIDA. Retrieved from; https://d14rmgtrwzf5a.cloudfront.net/sites/default/files/1380-marijuana.pdf
