Why Marijuana Should Be Legalized Essay Example

Eight years ago when my dad was 32 years old, he began to suffer from extreme pain in his back. He would go to bed feeling fine, however by the time morning came he couldn't get out of bed, because his back was stiff and pain was shooting through it. At the time, my dad had a very physical job so he assumed the pain was from pulling a muscle while at work, but what wasn't the case. A month later, while my dad was at work, he felt extreme pain in his left eye like someone was stabbing his out and he could hardly keep his eye open. He ended up seeing an opthamologist and the doctor thought the symptoms he was experiencing was odd for someone his age. Upon examining his eye, the doctor noticed extreme inflammation his that same eye, and perscribed him prednisone drops for the inflammation. Shortly after, my dad had a yearly check up, and his physician ran routine blood work, and my dad showed high signs of inflammation.

This raised red flags as he began to see numerous doctors, but during this time my dad suffered severe pain still. He was later diagnosed with Ankylosing Spondylitis which is an autoimmune disease that attacks the spine and causes extreme inflammation.  My dad had to go on several different types of drugs to try and figure out what would help with the pain and the inflammation so they he could contain living a normal life. If medical Marijuana would’ve been legal, my dad may not of had to go through the pain that he went through. Along with my father, medical marijuana can help many patients who have all different conditions. Medical marijuana should be legal in all 50 states for the purpose of helping patients with medical issues such as ASD and therpurent conditions, and boosting the economy. 

Marijuana, or cannabis, has been used by humans since Asia in 500 BC, and people during this time used it for herbal medication. In 1611, a settler brought the plant to North America, and settlers were required to produce this plant. Later in 1850, marijuana was included in the United States Pharmacopeia, and was used as a treatment for pain and suffering. Decades after, this substance became illegal for both medical and recreational uses, and today is a major political topic on whether marijuana should be made legal again. 

Reason to Legalize

One reason medical marijuana should be legalized in all 50 states is to help medical patients who have therapeutic conditions or ASD. In adults with chronic pain, patients who were treated with cannabis said that there pain was reduced.  Patients who suffer multiple sclerosis used oral cannabis to improve spasticity symptoms. Patients who are being treated with chemotherapy will use marijuana in order to improve their nausea and vomiting (The National Academies Press). The use of marijuana for these patients helps to reduce their symptoms and pain in these therapeutic conditions.  Another medical reason this drug should be legalized is the effect that it has on patients with autism spectrum disorder, which patients have shown benefits with the use of cannabis. For example, a boy named Dylan from Rhode Island who suffers from ASD has behavior issues at home and at school. His parents and doctors have tried to help this by gluten and dairy free diets, but neither worked until they tried the use of cannabis. After his used cannabis oils, his family noticed his behavior changed.

He behaved with a better attitude, and was not his angry self. His mother noticed that when he would wake up in the morning, he was in a good mood. This allowed Dylan and their entire family to live an easier life because his symptoms of ASD were decreased with the use of oils (Gigen Mammoser). This family was able to receive cannabis oils because the state of Rhode Island legalized marijuana, and was willing to find new ways for patients with ASD to become better as a patient. Although marijuana doesn't cure their condition, it helps the child. Families with kids who have severe autism try to find different options to better their child, and this drug is one that helps. 

The second reason that marijuana should be legalized is for the benefit of the economy and the revenue that can be made off this drug. In states that marijuana is legal in, they are able to tax this drug, whereas in most states the drug is sold illegally and there is no revenue off it.  Saying that, the United States could do the same as a country if cannabis was legal on all 50 states , and this would benefit our country as a whole economically. The state of Colorado has made marijuana legal for the use of medically and recreationally, and they are taxing all sales on it. In 2015, a study collected that their state has collected $9.7 million in taxes just from marijuana sales in June, and in June of 2016 the state collected approximately 15 million. At the end of the year in 2015, the state of Colorado had a revenue of 88 million just in marijuana sales (Justin Worland). No matter what the law is in the United States, people will still find a way to use marijuana. Therefore, the logical answer is to make it legal, and make buyers pay taxed which is exactly what Colorado did.   

One main argument that goes against the legalization of cannabis is driving under the influence.  Just like alcohol, there are laws if a person is caught driving under the influence, and when using alcohol a person's senses are altered and reaction time decreases. While operating a vehicle under the influence has caused many accidents and 10, 874 people have died due to their blood alcohol content above the limit, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Saying this, one may argue that driving under the influence of marijuana may cause the same damages, and one cannot measure the BAC levels of marijuana. However, a company called Hound Labs has created a device that can measure the levels of marijuana and alcohol. This device can be carried by policeman, so that they are able to test both levels at once. Since this device has been created, it goes against the argument that there is no way to measure the BAC levels of marijuana in a system. Since our technology is advancing rapidly, legalizing marijuana is able to happen just like the legalization of alcohol change in the United States. 

The legalization of medical marijuana is a hot political topic in our world today, and there are many pros and cons in this debate, but the pros outway the cons. Medical marijuana decreases the pain and suffering in many therapeutic patients, and can help patients with ASD function easier. Also, taxes of medical marijuana will help the United States economy significantly, just like it did in the state of Colorado. For people who are worried about others driving under the influence, there is now a device to test the BAC level just as officers do with alcohol. Medical marijuana should be legal in all 50 states due to all of these reasons.