Marijuana: An Unbiased Approach to a Critical Issue

The legalization of marijuana is an interesting current event at the moment because of the heated debates between pro-legalization organizations,like NORML, and the DEA and other Anti-drug policymakers. Both sides have their arguments, but not all of them are logical or are based on facts. In this blog/"article" I will address the factual pros and cons of each argument (and provide cited sources of course) and then illustrate my personal opinion on the topic at hand.

Pros
1. Marijuana cures diseases such as cancer and glaucoma-No, it simply does not cure these diseases. Marijuana does however relieve some of the grueling symptoms these diseases and their treatments cause to the patient and is therefore considered a medical benefit. Marijuana does have medical purposes despite what the opposition says. Marijuana can help with joint pain or arthritis and acts as a perfect substitute for those who cannot take advil or tylenol. Chemotherapy produces numerous symptoms that make life agitating for the patient. Marijuana can relieve some of these symptoms such as nausea, giving the patient a few hours of "the munchies," to invoke their nutritional needs.

Cons
1. Maijuana has no medical benefits and cannot cure diseases such as cancer or glaucoma-Of course it can't cure those diseases. Scientists can't find a cure for cancer, did you really think a little bit of weed in your system solves all of humanity's cancer problems. No you would have to be stupid to believe that. Marijuana does have medical benefits as explained in the Pros under #1. See above!

2. Marijuana is a gateway drug and will lead students to experiment with harder drugs.



Opinion
Marijuana should be legalized or at least completely decriminalized. Where to begin, where to begin...lets start with the most important aspect, the value of human life that is being disregarded and tossed out by the war on drugs. We may not see these effects at home but by classifying this plant as an "illegal drug" has produced violent consequences south of our border. The demand for marijuana has not subsided in our country, despite the efforts of the war on drugs, and that demand is met with dangerous cartels ready to supply the American public. The Mexican Drug Cartels have gained substantial power in Mexico and already have the means to support their staff with weaponry capable of taking on police. Decapitated bodies and dead police officers are sprouting up along cities in Mexico. It is hard to believe but this is an ever growing strain on the Mexican government and could eventually lead to its collapse. "An assessment by the United States’ Joint Forces Command, published last month, concluded that the two countries most at risk of becoming failed states were Pakistan and Mexico," (Economist, Dealing with Drugs:On the Trail of Traffickers; March 2009) Mexico! When I read this I could not believe it. I mean Pakistan i could believe yeah, a country that is on a tilt between Western Ideals and Islamic Law sure, but Mexico? If Mexico fails then the United States will have a southern neighbor spurring more and more problems that we will have to deal with. We don't want to be fighting with drug militants to our South along with the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. The war on terror is, in my opinion, a futile war and adding drug cartels to the list will only plunge our country into more debt and troop loss.


WORK IN PROGRESS!!!!