Abstract
There have come many activists that have repeatedly stressed the usefulness of marijuana and the benefits that associate with the decision of having the drug legalized that many of the US states have followed in that decision, and we cannot blame them. The arguments that were presenting have always been very persuasive. The problem that we face now is that not only has the drug become legalized and hence widely available, rather the use of pot has also been made to be perceived as less harmful that it actually is. In this paper, we are going to study the reasons why we have actually lost in the true sense with the decision of legalizing marijuana and the statistics that we should factor in the next time we have to face the decision again.
We have been debating and in more cases than we might be comfortable with, we have also succeeded in making marijuana available very openly and for some of us, that prospect is concerning. Marijuana is increasingly becoming more and more popular, and if matters continue on the current course, there are a number of adults who worry that the drug may become, or some even say that it has already become more popular comparing to tobacco. The fact is concerning to us because we are not comfortable with the idea of cannabis being the gateway drug which people very frequently find themselves addicted to and also because it could have some less than reassuring impacts on the health of the brain over the long term. For these reasons and a few even more concerning than these, there is dire need for us to assess the darker side to the use of marijuana and finally, give a verdict on having the drug illegalized nationwide.
The first and foremost concern with the use of the drug is that it could have some pretty questionable impacts on the human brain. There was a time when we were under the impression that the process of brain development lasted only to the point of entering adulthood. The latest research, however, has led us in a different direction, and it says that the process of brain development continues even after a person turns into an adult. Research has also revealed that the use of marijuana could implicate on the cognitive functions of the brain. A study observed 50 chronic smokers of marijuana and concluded that where the use of the drug is initiated early on during the life, it could lead to increases cognitive deficiencies and also in some neurobiological alterations in the brain. (K.A. Sagar, p.91)
Another factor that advocates the criminalization of the drug is how much its is rising amongst the youth. According to a survey of 2013 published under the name ‘Monitoring of the future’, 36% of all 12th graders had used the drug in the course of the preceding year. As if that much consideration was not enough, the study further informed that 6.5 percent of the 12th graders use the drug on a regular basis. The problem here is that the risk that these youngsters perceive for the use of marijuana is at an all-time low and because these adolescents do not attach many negative implications to the use of the drug, they are more likely to try it out and also more frequently once they start. (K.A. Sagar, p.84)
Yet another reason why we should be worried is that the use of marijuana could affect many lives less than ideally. What we see in movies of the use of marijuana is a situation too optimistic and it does not in any way make us aware of the harsh reality which actually surrounds the use of the drug. It does not show that people who smoke pot on a regular basis face greater troubles like flunking school, not finding jobs and facing troubles in keeping together healthy relationships. All of this trouble reveal how damaging pot could really be for a healthy life.
All of this knowledge is critical to us because today, more than 23 states have taken the stand to legalize the use of medical marijuana and four have even gone ahead to legalize it for recreational purposes. (K.A. Sagar, p.84) This has led to increased accessibility to the drug especially amongst the young adults and because of that, its use is also increasing. In the midst of the situation, it is crucial that we inform and educate all of the people regarding the risks that have to be shouldered along with the benefits that come with the drug so that both sides of the situation could be weighed carefully before any person decides on using the drug whether medically or recreationally.
Works Cited
Hawkins, John. 5 Reasons Marijuana Should Remain Illegal. 21 January 2014. <http://beta.townhall.com/columnists/johnhawkins/2014/01/21/5-reasons-marijuana-should-remain-illegal-n1782086>.
K.A. Sagar, M.K. Dahlgrena, A. Gönenc, M.T. Racinea, M.W. Dremana, S.A. Gruber. "The impact of initiation: Early onset marijuana smokers demonstrate altered Stroop performance and brain activation." Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience (2015): 84-92.
