Legalizing Marijuana - Tayla

Once I have my day figured out, I can have a toke, go out to the studio and focus on exactly what I have to do for hours and hours. Everything has a flow. If it doesn’t, I’ll stop, have a coffee and a toke and go back to work, [asking myself] now do you have the flow – now is the perspective better? (Jacquette 55).

What is Marijuana? Marijuana comes from a hemp plant called Cannabis sativa; it is a mixture of the leaves and stems from this plant with a “greenish-gray” color (“National Institute on Drug Abuse”). “Cannabis contains 483 compounds” (“Medical Cannabis”). Marijuana’s most potent ingredient is delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol also known as THC (Gerber 2). Marijuana can also be called ganja, weed, chronic, pot, grass, etc. The controversy over legalizing marijuana has been on going. Can we as a nation ever decide or will it be an ongoing argument. It is either bad for you or it is either good for you, back and forth. There are always two-sides to a story or situation. Marijuana goes far back in history and the laws have changed. Also more and more states have been falling into legalizing medical marijuana. There have been incidents where the federal and states have bickered over people who own medical marijuana and the use of marijuana in general. What is the big deal? “The DEA’s fact sheet on marijuana states that other studies have shown smoked marijuana can cause ‘a variety of health problems, including cancer, respiratory problems, loss of motor skills and increased heart rate.’ It also can impair the ability of the immune system to fight off infections, potentially doing ‘more harm than good in people with already compromised immune systems. Marijuana is also considered a ‘gateway’ to harder narcotics use” (Marshall). This seems to be the big deal. There is so much of a health risk with using Marijuana. Also marijuana is put under a Schedule 1 of the federal Controlled Substance Act and its meaning is “no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States.”  (Fine xxii). The drugs listed in Schedule I are the ones that have no medicinal use, highly dangerous and highly addictive. They cannot be “legally possessed, prescribed or distributed” (Marshall). For the safety of the United States and other countries, marijuana should sustain illegal, right? Even past presidents like Reagan and Bush said marijuana should be “decriminalized” (Gerber xi). “Prolonged use of marihuana frequently develops a delirious rage which sometimes leads to high crimes such as assault and murder. Hence marihuana has been called the ‘killer drug.’ The habitual use of this narcotic poison always causes a very bad marked mental deterioration and sometimes produces insanity. Hence marihuana is frequently called ‘loco weed.’” (Gerber 5). Now that is an appalling statement. Let’s back track and figure marijuana out.

“In 1929, the Montana legislature began to amend its narcotics laws to include marijuana. On January 27, the Butte Montana Standards gave a progress report on lawmakers ‘fun’ during the deliberations: ‘When some beet field peon takes a few raves of this stuff,’ explained Dr. Fred Fulsher of Mineral County, ‘he thinks he has just been elected president of Mexico so he starts out to execute all his political enemies.’ Everybody laughed and the bill was recommended for passage.” (Gerber 8).

Using marijuana for medical reasons dates all the way back to 2737 B.C., from the Chinese. They prescribed marijuana for “gout, malaria, beriberi, rheumatism, and memory problems” (Earleywine 168). “We tried that experiment [with alcohol] and it didn’t work. We’re having the same thing now with marijuana” (Marshall). In America, marijuana has been around since the 1600s. The first law ever on marijuana was in 1619 when farmers in Virginia were required to grow hemp. Its stalks were very useful and needed back then. Our former presidents George Washington, Ben Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson grew hemp on their lands which today is considered a drug felony. Washington used marijuana for medical uses and today that is considered a crime. Also the Declaration of Independence was probably written on hemp paper and the first American flag Betsy Ross made was made of hemp fabric. “If the words ‘life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness’ don’t include the right to experiment with your own consciousness, then the Declaration of Independence isn’t worth the hemp it was written on” (Jacquette ). A century ago, hundred years, marijuana was sold legally by pharmacies to cure the casual migraines, rheumatism, and insomnia. Marijuana was widely and readily available. The medicinal use was recognized in the 1840s by physicians. From 1850 through 1942 marijuana was listed as an acceptable drug in the “United States Pharmacopoeia” (Gerber 2). The Eighteenth Amendment and the 1920 Volstead Act, banning alcohol caused marijuana needs to rise for recreational purpose use. That’s when marijuana really started to spread across the states and people started to notice marijuana’s “behavioral effects.” States started to make laws banning possession of marijuana and selling marijuana. (Gerber 3).

The first state to ban marijuana would be Massachusetts on April 29, 1911. On August 2, 1937 President Franklin Roosevelt banned the use of cannabis and the production and sales of cannabis even for industrial uses. He federally signed the banning of cannabis. Then in 1941 he signs and executive order to produce cannabis for industrial use during World War II. Soon as the war was over cannabis use was re-banned. As the years go on cannabis keeps getting removed and deteriorated throughout the states. “The Controlled Substance Act (CSA) becomes law and for the first time sets up a scheduling system for illicit and licit substances, classifying cannabis as a schedule I controlled substance with ‘a high potential for abuse; … no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States’ … [and a] lack of accepted safety for use under medical supervision.” This act becoming a law happened in 1970. In 1973 the first state to pass cannabis decriminalization legislation is Oregon (“NORML”). The laws of prohibiting marijuana in the 1900s to the laws now have changed a lot.

“In contemporary policy, almost anything involving marijuana carries penalties in the United States. Possession, transportation, cultivation, sales, offering to sell, and driving under the influence all qualify. Penalties vary dramatically from state to state and increase with repeated offenses and larger amounts of the drug.” (Earleywine 225). That was a big change, a complete 180 degree turn from a century ago. But why? What are other countries laws or bans? “The Netherlands, Australia, Italy, and Spain have removed criminal sanctions for possession of a few grams of marijuana.” In Dutch, you’re only allowed to have possession of so many grams. Same with Australia but only two out of its eight territories do not allow having more than 25 grams of marijuana. It is illegal though to use cannabis in public and to sell cannabis (Earleywine 232 233 234). Patients in Canada are allowed to possess marijuana legally but only with a doctor’s recommendation. Israel started to test certain ingredients in marijuana on the therapeutic effect on soldiers who suffer combat stress disorder (Marshall).

Now this is all starting to change for certain states. The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) files a lawsuit to re-schedule cannabis for medical use, the first time ever in 1972. After that eighteen states pass medical cannabis legislation. Those states were California, Alaska, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, Maine, Nevada, Colorado, Hawaii, Montana, Vermont, Rhode Island, New Mexico, Michigan, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Delaware, Connecticut, and even District of Columbia (“NORML”). These states had the right to make their own laws that they think best suits their people.   

“‘Penalties against possession of a drug should not be more damaging to an individual than the use of the drug itself; and where they are, they should be changed. Nowhere is this more clear than in the laws against possession of marihuana in private for personal use. . . . Therefore, I support legislation amending Federal law to eliminate all Federal criminal penalties for the possession of up to one ounce of marihuana.’ – US President Jimmy Carter, Message to Congress, 1977” (Jacquette 172).Who is in charge here? The federal government or state government? There have been cases where people are getting raided by the federal government, when they followed state laws. Chris Williams of Helena, Montana faces an 80-year prison sentence due to eight drug trafficking and weapon charges he faced. “Civil lawsuit claims he and the other providers were following Montana’s medical marijuana laws and the raids were an unconstitutional usurpation of local government and police powers by the federal government. When federal agents raided those operations to enforce the Controlled Substances Act, which lists marijuana as a Schedule I drug, the government interfered with the rights and powers given to the states by the Constitution’s 10^th Amendment, they claim” (“Medical Marijuana Provider”). If states are given the power to make their own laws, why does the federal government try to come in and control their laws? They must not understand marijuana’s effectiveness. The government doesn’t know the physical pain a person can be in, only their physicians have the slightest idea, so let physicians decide on what they should treat their patients with.

 “With pot, my reasoning becomes better, my anger calms down a lot, and it just centers me. I’m no longer swept up in depression as much because I’m able to think it through better. It sounds a little strange but I’m able to think with my soul, where it’s this more logical place . . . I might just be more connected to myself, more open . . . maybe because I’m not so trapped in fear and anxiety” (Jacquette 58). There are many reasons people chose to do marijuana, for pain or to become relaxed. A user sometimes was to get “buzzed,” “high,” or “stoned.” How do you explain this feeling to someone who has never tried marijuana before? To get “buzzed” can happen off of one or two hits of marijuana and can last up to an hour. “The buzz state is a calming, enjoyable feeling, somewhat lightheaded in nature with little impact on the user’s ability to go about like’s business.” Being “high” takes no more than six inhalations that last one to three hours. “This state makes objects and events in the social context seem funnier, with racing, unfocused thoughts, anxiety or paranoia, but in general a good feeling with sensory enhancement.  To be “stoned” can last almost all day if from continuous smoking or large amounts. “A full range of physical and mental effects are experienced, most prominently sedation, lethargy, sleepiness, a slowing of thought processes or unnatural though processes that influence thinking, and a dream-like state with random disciplined thought patterns.” A person becomes lazy and not wanting to do anything (Jacquette 69 70 71). Cannabis is able to affect ones thoughts. Cannabis is able to alter one’s mind which is usually “pleasurable,” “vibrant,” and “rewarding.” (Jacquette 2).

To claim marijuana is a “gateway” drug to harder drugs is false. The people who oppose of marijuana haven’t thought past the idea of marijuana being a “gateway” to harder drugs. “Most drug users begin with alcohol and nicotine before marijuana – usually before they are of legal age. There is no conclusive evidence that the drug effects of marijuana are causally linked to the subsequent abuse of other illicit drugs.” Marijuana is about just as addicting as coffee is. (Marshall). How many deaths have been caused by alcohol and tobacco? Tobacco has caused an outstanding 400,000 deaths a year and alcohol has caused 50,000 deaths a year. How many deaths caused by marijuana? Zero (Gerber ix). People can use aspirin, acetaminophen tablets, ibuprofen, naproxen sodium, and others, to treat mild pains and headaches. These over-the-counter drugs can be toxic; a person is able to over dose and die (Earleywine 174). There is also no known fatal dosage, meaning you aren’t able to overdose on marijuana, which is rare (Gerber 84).

The evidence of marijuana being good for you is outstanding. “The evidence is overwhelming that marijuana can relieve certain types of pain nausea, vomiting and other symptoms caused by such illnesses as multiple sclerosis, cancer and AIDS – or by the harsh drugs sometimes used to treat them. And it can do so with remarkable safety. Indeed, marijuana is less toxic than many of the drugs that physicians prescribe every day.” The US government officials’ views the evidence of marijuana being capable of relieving distress in sick people is true and has been accepted. Patients with AIDS who have been receiving cannabinoids had better immune functions than those receiving placebo and have also had an average of about weighing four more pounds (“Medical Marijuana ProCon”). Patients with glaucoma who received cannabis cigarettes said “marijuana kept their intraocular pressures down and preserved their vision for many years.” Even though marijuana can help with glaucoma it’s not the best treatment (Earleywine 172). Saying smoking marijuana causes a significant health risk is rather slim. Marijuana being smoked widely in western countries for a long time has showed no one suffering from lung cancer or emphysema from the smoked marijuana. “I suspect that a day’s breathing in any city with poor air quality poses more of a threat than inhaling a day’s dose – which for many ailments is just a portion of a joint – of marijuana.” “Marijuana, in its natural form, is one of the safest therapeutically active substances known to man. . . . One must reasonably conclude that there is safety for us of marijuana under medical supervision. To conclude otherwise, on the record, would be unreasonable, arbitrary, and capricious” (Gerber 102).

The safety of marijuana has been reviewed and reviewed. The only threat marijuana should pose as, is getting the munchies and having red eyes. For decades marijuana has been used, by our ancestors and past presidents. Why did growing and having cannabis become such a big deal? With the federal agents raiding people who have state rights to possess marijuana is unjust. With that happening, it seems like the federal government is afraid of letting the states have “too” much control. Unless they have tried marijuana, they should legally let the ill take and possess marijuana. Smoking marijuana isn’t a fashion statement or a “trying” to be cool statement; it is used to calm, relax and soothe you and in other cases ease pain. With the statistics of marijuana causing zero deaths, that should say something. All in all, for the well-being of others, medical marijuana should be legalized, in all states. “Its usage is so widespread, they say, that criminalizing it does more harm than good” (Marshall).

“Some pot is uplifting . . . it sparks more creative things and I have a lot of hobbies. . . . I think that’s important . . . to keep you level headed, just to balance out your ‘mind/body/soul’” (Jacquette 57).

Works Cited

Earleywine, Mitchell. Understanding Marijuana: A New Look at the Scientific Evidence. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2002. Print.

Fine, Doug. Too High to Fail: Cannabis and the New Green Economic Revolution. New York: Gotham, 2012. Print.

Gerber, Rudolph J. Legalizing Marijuana: Drug Policy Reform and Prohibition Politics. Westport, CT: Praeger, 2004. Print.

Jacquette, Dale. Cannabis: Philosophy for Everyone : What Were We Just Talking About? Malden, MA: Wiley-Blackwell, 2010. Print.

Marshall, Patrick G. Marijuana Laws: Should State and Federal Marijuana Laws Be Reformed? Washington, DC: Congressional Quarterly, 2005. Print.

"Medical Marijuana ProCon.org." Medical Marijuana ProCon.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2012. <http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org/>.

"Medical Marijuana Provider Finds Little Support For Challenge Of Federal Drug Raids." Missoulian. Associated Press, 25 Nov. 2012. Web. 27 Nov. 2012.

"Medical Cannabis." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 17 Dec. 2012. Web. 18 Dec. 2012.

"National Institute on Drug Abuse." National Institute on Drug Abuse. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Dec. 2012.

“NORML” Marijuana Law Reform Timeline. NORML, 2012. Web. 18 Dec. 2012