Throughout history people have experienced altered states caused by various and innumerable drugs. As we have gained more information about their impact, some of the drugs have become illegal. One of such drugs is marijuana, though in recent years there were multiple debates on the topic of its legalization. So who are right, supporters or protesters?
Legalizing any drug should be a well-considered step. It requires a lot of effort, research and elaborated formalization to be truly comprehensive. Whereas marijuana is fully or partially legalized in a number of states or countries, it still remains a drug. It has its influences on our health, both physical and mental. It can be abused by adults as well as children, if legalized. We also are to investigate its structure deeper to be more knowledgeable about its effects.
First of all, supporters believe it is a healthy alternative to other drugs. One of proofs for this is that marijuana is sometimes prescribed by doctors, who consider it to relieve stress. It relaxes our nervous system, thus altering our mental state for some period of time. But if we see no harmful evidence at first, it does not mean that marijuana is not dangerous to our health.
So is marijuana beneficial to our body? If our nervous system is relaxed artificially, not naturally, it means that it can develop some sort of dependency. Moreover, if our nervous system is slowed down, it means our whole body works slower, being influenced by chemicals, which is never beneficial in the long run, as is the case with smoking or drinking.
The second point concerns marijuana abuse. As there are no recorded cases of marijuana overdose, supporters believe there is simply no such thing, in contrast to other known drugs. And if there are no cases of overdose or poisoning, why should marijuana be illegal?
Nonetheless, maybe it is limited access that prevents massive marijuana abuse. Even now, in 2011, which was not so long ago, “4.2 million had marijuana dependence or abuse” (HHS 2011) in the USA. Thus, we can assume that if marijuana were legalized everywhere, it would be consumed even more. This can eventually lead to marijuana abuse of a greater scope.
The last point concerns marijuana effects. Each drug has its stereotypical influence on human bodily systems and behavior patterns. Whereas alcohol is being associated with aggressive behavior, nausea and sleepiness, supporters claim that marijuana calms you down, changes the way of world perception and simply makes you crave sweet food.
On the other hand, our behavioral changes after using marijuana should not be looked at trough pink glasses. Marijuana “damages cognitive functioning” (Steinherz & Vissing 59), and thus it can affect our mental development in a harmful way. Moreover, there is a possibility of its influence being passed from mother to child or from active to passive smokers. It damages brain cells and relations between them, as marijuana smoke has immediate access to our blood system after its inhalation.
All in all, the topic of marijuana legalization should be tackled with utter concern. We are still to research its mechanisms and how to handle them. A lot of factors are to be taken into consideration, with health issues, abuse and behavioral changes being of the utmost importance. As for now, its legalization may contribute to our society negatively and lead to some rather unwanted results.
Works cited
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. “Results from the 2011 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: Summary of National Findings.” 25 June 2012. Web. 23 Feb. 2016.
Steinherz, Karen and Thomas Vissing. “The Medical Effects of Marijuana on the Brain.” 21st century Science & Technology, Winter 1997-1998: 59-69. Print.
