There are many assumptions about marijuana and how it can affect people. Many people believe that the consumption of the drug can lead a person to permanent mental illness, that weed is worse on the lungs than tobacco, that the substance is a gate way drug, or that the drug is highly addictive.
Most people who smoke marijuana smoke it only occasionally. A small minority of Americans, less than 1 percent, smoke cannabis on a daily basis. An even smaller minority develop a dependence on marijuana. Some people who smoke marijuana heavily and frequently stop without difficulty. A moderate smoker of marijuana shows to have less damaging lungs than a tobacco user would. Tobacco and marijuana are similar in a way that they do both contain a number of irritants and carcinogens, however the amount in tobacco is significantly more than cannabis. Marijuana smokers unlike tobacco smokers inhale much less smoke. Since the risk of serious lung damage is less there haven’t been any reports solely based of lung cancer based on the use of marijuana. In a large study presented to the American Thoracic Society in 2006, even heavy users of smoked marijuana were found not to have any increased risk of lung cancer. Unlike heavy tobacco smokers, heavy marijuana smokers exhibit no obstruction of the lung's small airway. That indicates that people will not develop emphysema from smoking marijuana.
The myth that most people seem to hear all the time is that marijuana is a gateway drug. People believe that the substance is very dangerous because it leads users into using other drugs and abusing them. Marijuana is not a gateway drug. Cannabis is no more dangerous than the consumption of alcohol. People who consume alcohol are just as likely to try other drugs as to someone who was smoking marijuana. Alcohol can impair someone’s judgment making them just as accepting to other drugs.
People need to stop listening to myths and realize that marijuana is not as harmful as many portray it to be. If the society began to understand the drugs true effects they wouldn’t be so negative and against the idea of legalization. As time passes more people are becoming more informed and open to the idea.
http://www.drugtext.org/sub/marmyt1.html
http://www.druglibrary.org/special/goode/mjsmokers2.htm
http://www.drugpolicy.org/marijuana/factsmyths/
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Differences in marijuana compared to harsher drugs
Marijuana is considered a drug however it should be looked at more closely to see the differences in its effects compared to more harsh drugs such as cocaine, crack, heroin, and mushrooms. There are many drugs that are illegal and should stay illegal however marijuana is not one of those.
Methamphetamines are serious drugs that are harmful to anyone who uses them. These drugs can be taken a number of ways. Some take them orally, many snort the substance while others may smoke it or inject it. Other names methamphetamines are meth, crank, crystal, and ice. These dangerous drugs can cause effects such as addiction, irritability, aggression, hypothermia, stroke, paranoia, psychosis, convulsions, hallucinations, arrhythmia, and also the feeling or sensation of insects creeping under ones skin.
Another popular drug that is used by many college students is the drug ecstasy. Places where these students go to are underground parties also known as raves. Psychiatric disturbances, depression, anxiety, nausea, muscle tension, increase heart rate, blurred visions, and hallucination are some of the effects this substance has on the human body.
Marijuana’s effects on the other hand are not as sever. Marijuana is not injected or snorted it is only smoked or can be eaten. Impaired or reduced comprehension, alter sense of time, reduced ability to perform tasks requiring concentration and coordination, listening, and memory are of the worst effects one can have with the substance. The parts of the brain that control emotions, memory, and judgment are affected by marijuana. None of these effects put harm in a person ways when using the drug at home responsibly. If one were to relate the effect of alcohol and marijuana one would notice that alcohol has the worst. With alcohol one can die with high doses. Some similarities between the two substances are impaired judgment or perception such as driving under the influence. These behaviors however can be watch by the law. Unlike marijuana alcohol had been known to make people have violent behavior, and or be depressed. With alcohol use 25 percent of children in the 8th grade have admitted to being intoxicated at least one time. The average age for marijuana use is at 14 which in most cases the student is in his freshmen year of high school.
It is apparent that marijuana is not as harmful to humans as other drugs. If having alcohol be legal for humans to consume at the age of 21, why can’t marijuana? After one looks at the effects of alcohol, one will see that marijuana is the least harmful.
http://www.yic.gov/drugfree/drugeffects.html
http://www.brainsource.com/brain_on_drugs.htm
Methamphetamines are serious drugs that are harmful to anyone who uses them. These drugs can be taken a number of ways. Some take them orally, many snort the substance while others may smoke it or inject it. Other names methamphetamines are meth, crank, crystal, and ice. These dangerous drugs can cause effects such as addiction, irritability, aggression, hypothermia, stroke, paranoia, psychosis, convulsions, hallucinations, arrhythmia, and also the feeling or sensation of insects creeping under ones skin.
Another popular drug that is used by many college students is the drug ecstasy. Places where these students go to are underground parties also known as raves. Psychiatric disturbances, depression, anxiety, nausea, muscle tension, increase heart rate, blurred visions, and hallucination are some of the effects this substance has on the human body.
Marijuana’s effects on the other hand are not as sever. Marijuana is not injected or snorted it is only smoked or can be eaten. Impaired or reduced comprehension, alter sense of time, reduced ability to perform tasks requiring concentration and coordination, listening, and memory are of the worst effects one can have with the substance. The parts of the brain that control emotions, memory, and judgment are affected by marijuana. None of these effects put harm in a person ways when using the drug at home responsibly. If one were to relate the effect of alcohol and marijuana one would notice that alcohol has the worst. With alcohol one can die with high doses. Some similarities between the two substances are impaired judgment or perception such as driving under the influence. These behaviors however can be watch by the law. Unlike marijuana alcohol had been known to make people have violent behavior, and or be depressed. With alcohol use 25 percent of children in the 8th grade have admitted to being intoxicated at least one time. The average age for marijuana use is at 14 which in most cases the student is in his freshmen year of high school.
It is apparent that marijuana is not as harmful to humans as other drugs. If having alcohol be legal for humans to consume at the age of 21, why can’t marijuana? After one looks at the effects of alcohol, one will see that marijuana is the least harmful.
http://www.yic.gov/drugfree/drugeffects.html
http://www.brainsource.com/brain_on_drugs.htm
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Smuggling drugs into the United States has been with us for many years. Mexicans growers and drug traffickers were the United States main source of marijuana. The drug was smuggled into the united stated mostly by car or truck however the drug was also flown into the United States. The Mexicans monopoly on drug trafficking ended in 1975 and eradicated the crop all around the boarder and spraying a chemical called paraquat, a potent herbicide toxic to humans. It was used widely in the eradication program, and contaminated much of the Mexican crop. By 1979 Mexico supplied only an estimated 11 percent of the marijuana available in the United States and by 1981 that figure dropped to 4 percent. When the 1970’s hit, Mexico and Jamaica, two of America number one suppliers had very little drug to export and Columbia came in and took over the drug trafficking of marijuana.
There is a major difference in the amount of drugs produced in other countries such as Mexico, Jamaica, and Columbia than the United States. With the United States being one of the largest consumers of marijuana it only produced about 12 percent of the total amount of marijuana that users consumed. Hawaii, California, and Oklahoma are among the few states in the country that produce the majority of its own marijuana, however there is more production beginning in other states as people begin to realize that marijuana is not as serious of an issue as it once was. For example in the past marijuana use was considered a felony however in today’s society one may just receive a small fine. Also in today’s society applications for employment exclude cannabis as a drug.
Marijuana users who grow their own are known typically as landowners, people who live at home and grow their own recreational drug. Squatters however operate independently or in small groups. Most of these are known as drug dealers and try to make profit off of the drug they grow. Different locations they grow their crops in are federal fields, forest lands, private clandestine plots, or green houses, and scattering the drug near other plant or trees to hide its presence.
This short history of marijuana trafficking demonstrates how much other countries are distributing drugs into the United States and how they are making a major profit off of it. If the United States were to legalize the growth of marijuana in its own countries, other countries or drug traffickers’ demand for drugs would decrease significantly putting many drug smugglers out of business.
http://www.libraryindex.com/pages/2362/Drug-Trafficking-MARIJUANA.html
http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/govpubs/amhab/amhabc3a.htm
http://www.justice.gov/dea/agency/penalties.htm
There is a major difference in the amount of drugs produced in other countries such as Mexico, Jamaica, and Columbia than the United States. With the United States being one of the largest consumers of marijuana it only produced about 12 percent of the total amount of marijuana that users consumed. Hawaii, California, and Oklahoma are among the few states in the country that produce the majority of its own marijuana, however there is more production beginning in other states as people begin to realize that marijuana is not as serious of an issue as it once was. For example in the past marijuana use was considered a felony however in today’s society one may just receive a small fine. Also in today’s society applications for employment exclude cannabis as a drug.
Marijuana users who grow their own are known typically as landowners, people who live at home and grow their own recreational drug. Squatters however operate independently or in small groups. Most of these are known as drug dealers and try to make profit off of the drug they grow. Different locations they grow their crops in are federal fields, forest lands, private clandestine plots, or green houses, and scattering the drug near other plant or trees to hide its presence.
This short history of marijuana trafficking demonstrates how much other countries are distributing drugs into the United States and how they are making a major profit off of it. If the United States were to legalize the growth of marijuana in its own countries, other countries or drug traffickers’ demand for drugs would decrease significantly putting many drug smugglers out of business.
http://www.libraryindex.com/pages/2362/Drug-Trafficking-MARIJUANA.html
http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/govpubs/amhab/amhabc3a.htm
http://www.justice.gov/dea/agency/penalties.htm
History of Marijuana
History of Marijuana
Marijuana has been among people for centuries yet many people don’t understand where the drug originated how it was used in the early times and how it was perceived at that time. It grows as a weed and is a cultivated plant all over the world growing any many different environments, climates and soils. For thousands of years cannabis has been used for a variety of remedies. In the past the substance has been used as to heighten a person’s capability to feel, their creativity side, and provoking mystical expressions.
Marijuana was discovered in the Chinese manuscript as early as 2700 BC. Since then it’s made its way through Northern Europe, the Romans, and the Jewish. In the 13th Century the Arab traders brought Cannabis to the Mozambique coast of Africa. It wasn’t until 1545 until European settlers coming to the new world discovered the plant. Marijuana was listed in the United States Pharmacopeia from 1850 until 1942 and was prescribed for various conditions including labor pains, nausea, and rheumatism. As time progressed later into the 20th century the Federal Bureau of Narcotic conducted campaigns to portray marijuana as a powerful, uncontrollable and addicting substance that would lead others into more serious narcotics. There are different debates on whether the substance is a gateway to other drugs.
After the prohibition in 1933, marijuana was still widely used all around the nation as well as other drugs such as heroin, cocaine, and morphine. In 1937, 46 states prohibited the uses of marijuana along with other narcotic drugs. As marijuana became more popular the demand for the drug rose attracting new users. In the 1950’s and 1960’s college students and hippies were the most common users resulting in many riots and protests. From the 80’s to the 90’s a war on drugs was declared with a zero tolerance on drugs resulting with strict laws and mandatory sentences for the who smoke, posses, or traffic in marijuana. Since then many users have been teenagers who are in high school or in college who experiment with the drug. In 1994 an estimation of about 17 million people used the drug, however only 1.5 million of these users were reported to be regular recreational users. Even though marijuana is illegal in the United States, there were laws passed by eight states after 1996 that allowed the use of marijuana for medical purposes. Unfortunately medical users and doctors can still be punished by the federal law.
http://science.jrank.org/pages/4128/Marijuana-History.html
http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/sci/A0859487.html
http://www.concept420.com/marijuana_cannabis_history_timeline.htm
Marijuana has been among people for centuries yet many people don’t understand where the drug originated how it was used in the early times and how it was perceived at that time. It grows as a weed and is a cultivated plant all over the world growing any many different environments, climates and soils. For thousands of years cannabis has been used for a variety of remedies. In the past the substance has been used as to heighten a person’s capability to feel, their creativity side, and provoking mystical expressions.
Marijuana was discovered in the Chinese manuscript as early as 2700 BC. Since then it’s made its way through Northern Europe, the Romans, and the Jewish. In the 13th Century the Arab traders brought Cannabis to the Mozambique coast of Africa. It wasn’t until 1545 until European settlers coming to the new world discovered the plant. Marijuana was listed in the United States Pharmacopeia from 1850 until 1942 and was prescribed for various conditions including labor pains, nausea, and rheumatism. As time progressed later into the 20th century the Federal Bureau of Narcotic conducted campaigns to portray marijuana as a powerful, uncontrollable and addicting substance that would lead others into more serious narcotics. There are different debates on whether the substance is a gateway to other drugs.
After the prohibition in 1933, marijuana was still widely used all around the nation as well as other drugs such as heroin, cocaine, and morphine. In 1937, 46 states prohibited the uses of marijuana along with other narcotic drugs. As marijuana became more popular the demand for the drug rose attracting new users. In the 1950’s and 1960’s college students and hippies were the most common users resulting in many riots and protests. From the 80’s to the 90’s a war on drugs was declared with a zero tolerance on drugs resulting with strict laws and mandatory sentences for the who smoke, posses, or traffic in marijuana. Since then many users have been teenagers who are in high school or in college who experiment with the drug. In 1994 an estimation of about 17 million people used the drug, however only 1.5 million of these users were reported to be regular recreational users. Even though marijuana is illegal in the United States, there were laws passed by eight states after 1996 that allowed the use of marijuana for medical purposes. Unfortunately medical users and doctors can still be punished by the federal law.
http://science.jrank.org/pages/4128/Marijuana-History.html
http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/sci/A0859487.html
http://www.concept420.com/marijuana_cannabis_history_timeline.htm
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Possible Solution to State Deficit?
The United States has a major problem with its budget. With the country out of money many people are hurting and are resorting to desperate measures. Some people who are losing their jobs are turning to unemployment while other are resorting to crime; theft, robbery, or embezzlement. The legalization of Marijuana would help bring the country up out of its hole.
In the beginning of the year the governor said that California is in a state of emergency and that it was our number one priority of things to do for the people. He stated, “The $42 billion deficit is a rock upon our chest and we cannot breathe until we get it off”. California's budget deficit is expected to soar past $40 billion over the next year and a half, the financial and construction industries have been decimated by the housing collapse and unemployment is on the rise.
Taxation of marijuana would help take the country out of its hole. Marijuana is California’s number one cash crop, according to federal estimates, worth double the state’s vegetable and grape crops combined – or about $14 billion a year. In 2005 there were more than 20 million users. As time progresses there will only be an increase of users. The US should at least take advantage of its situation and make something beneficial out of it. The US taxes people on Alcohol and tobacco, why not marijuana? Both alcohol and tobacco are more harmful to the body than marijuana.
Like previously stated in the post “Inmate Overcrowding”, the United States is spending too much money on inmates for non violent offences such as drugs. If legalization of marijuana was passed the state would not have to pay for the holding of a drug offender in prison. As a substitute of throwing a person in prison for possession of marijuana they should have to pay a fee or do community service.
Instead of looking at marijuana as an illegal substance it should be looked at as a possible solution to help bring the economy back on its feet.
1. http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2009-01-15-schwarzenegger-california-deficit_N.htm
2. http://www.drugpolicy.org/news/pressroom/pressrelease/pr022309b.cfm
3. http://www.taxpolicycenter.org/taxtopics/index.cfm
4. http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5819a2.htm
In the beginning of the year the governor said that California is in a state of emergency and that it was our number one priority of things to do for the people. He stated, “The $42 billion deficit is a rock upon our chest and we cannot breathe until we get it off”. California's budget deficit is expected to soar past $40 billion over the next year and a half, the financial and construction industries have been decimated by the housing collapse and unemployment is on the rise.
Taxation of marijuana would help take the country out of its hole. Marijuana is California’s number one cash crop, according to federal estimates, worth double the state’s vegetable and grape crops combined – or about $14 billion a year. In 2005 there were more than 20 million users. As time progresses there will only be an increase of users. The US should at least take advantage of its situation and make something beneficial out of it. The US taxes people on Alcohol and tobacco, why not marijuana? Both alcohol and tobacco are more harmful to the body than marijuana.
Like previously stated in the post “Inmate Overcrowding”, the United States is spending too much money on inmates for non violent offences such as drugs. If legalization of marijuana was passed the state would not have to pay for the holding of a drug offender in prison. As a substitute of throwing a person in prison for possession of marijuana they should have to pay a fee or do community service.
Instead of looking at marijuana as an illegal substance it should be looked at as a possible solution to help bring the economy back on its feet.
1. http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2009-01-15-schwarzenegger-california-deficit_N.htm
2. http://www.drugpolicy.org/news/pressroom/pressrelease/pr022309b.cfm
3. http://www.taxpolicycenter.org/taxtopics/index.cfm
4. http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5819a2.htm
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Inmate overcrowding
The prisons in California have had a serious problem with overcrowding in the last decade. Currently California has a population of approximately 36 million while the prison population is at 166,556 and growing. The United States has the highest prison population rate in the world. Drugs make up at least 20 percent of inmates who are incarcerated.
To hold a person in prison can be very expensive and that money is coming from the tax payers. In 2005, the average yearly cost per inmate was $30,929. Since then it has gone up at least another $15,000. Do tax payers really want to be spending this amount of money on each inmate because he was arrested for the possession of marijuana?
With marijuana becoming legal it would makes a difference with the three strikes problem as well. As most people know the three strikes law locks up a criminal for life after three felonies. For many at least one of those strikes is drug related.
New approaches to the problem of crime are needed, but instead, our political leaders keep serving up the same old strategies.
Instead of the state spending their money on building more prisons for the inmates they should be paying more attention on an alternate route because the current one is not working. Marijuana’s legalization would solve a big portion of the overcrowding in prisons. If the state would legalize marijuana and put restrictions on it the government could still keep an eye on those who abuse the drug.
http://www.theinmatelocator.com/California.html
http://skeptically.org/recdrugs/id8.html
http://realcostofprisons.org/blog/archives/2005/03/la_times_overvi.html
To hold a person in prison can be very expensive and that money is coming from the tax payers. In 2005, the average yearly cost per inmate was $30,929. Since then it has gone up at least another $15,000. Do tax payers really want to be spending this amount of money on each inmate because he was arrested for the possession of marijuana?
With marijuana becoming legal it would makes a difference with the three strikes problem as well. As most people know the three strikes law locks up a criminal for life after three felonies. For many at least one of those strikes is drug related.
New approaches to the problem of crime are needed, but instead, our political leaders keep serving up the same old strategies.
Instead of the state spending their money on building more prisons for the inmates they should be paying more attention on an alternate route because the current one is not working. Marijuana’s legalization would solve a big portion of the overcrowding in prisons. If the state would legalize marijuana and put restrictions on it the government could still keep an eye on those who abuse the drug.
http://www.theinmatelocator.com/California.html
http://skeptically.org/recdrugs/id8.html
http://realcostofprisons.org/blog/archives/2005/03/la_times_overvi.html
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Is Marijuana a Serious Health Issue
The legal use of marijuana has always been a major controversy among people. Should it remain illegal or should it be legalized? Marijuana is known by people as weed, pot, ganja, or grass. What most people don’t realize is that marijuana is also known to be used as a medicine. Many people just see marijuana as a harmful drug. Marijuana has been used to help those with AIDS, cancer, multiple sclerosis patients and glaucoma which can lead to blindness.
Currently cigarettes and alcohol are legal and are used by millions of people in our country. If one were to compare marijuana with tobacco or alcohol one would soon realize that marijuana is the least harmful. Cigarettes can lead to strong addiction, cancer, heart problems, birth defects, emphysema, and liver damage. Marijuana can be used properly if one has the right equipment. Vaporizers can be used which eliminate harmful toxins from the smoke. Therefore the lungs are not exposed to as many harmful toxins.
According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, Jan. 19, 2005, Vol. 293, No. 3, p. 298, during the year of 2000 there were a total of 435,000 deaths related to tobacco, and 85,000 deaths related to alcohol. In that same year the total deaths related to marijuana was 0. Cigarettes have more dangerous chemicals than marijuana. For starters cigarettes have nicotine, a chemical which causes people to become addicted and also known to cause heart disease. Tar, carbon monoxide, ammonia, hydrogen cyanide, and DDT are just a few ingredients in cigarettes. Marijuana also contains many chemicals. Its main chemical is THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol). Although it decreases attention span, desirable side effects are the alleviation of nausea and vomiting. If marijuana were legalized the same laws should apply to this drug as they apply to alcohol. No one should be behind a wheel while under the influence of any drug.
Literature is very controversial. If one did more research they would find two opposing sides. Ones side showing marijuana as a drug that should stay illegal. The other side however shows it as a drug that can be used as medicine, a drug that any US citizen should have the right to obtain. If US citizens have the right to smoke tobacco and drink alcohol shouldn’t they be allowed to smoke marijuana? Unlike tobacco marijuana has been proven to help certain people with medical conditions.
http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/hemp/mjleg1.htm
http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/exchange/node/1808
http://www.healthcentral.com/drdean/408/60640.html
http://drugwarfacts.org/cms/?q=node/30
Currently cigarettes and alcohol are legal and are used by millions of people in our country. If one were to compare marijuana with tobacco or alcohol one would soon realize that marijuana is the least harmful. Cigarettes can lead to strong addiction, cancer, heart problems, birth defects, emphysema, and liver damage. Marijuana can be used properly if one has the right equipment. Vaporizers can be used which eliminate harmful toxins from the smoke. Therefore the lungs are not exposed to as many harmful toxins.
According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, Jan. 19, 2005, Vol. 293, No. 3, p. 298, during the year of 2000 there were a total of 435,000 deaths related to tobacco, and 85,000 deaths related to alcohol. In that same year the total deaths related to marijuana was 0. Cigarettes have more dangerous chemicals than marijuana. For starters cigarettes have nicotine, a chemical which causes people to become addicted and also known to cause heart disease. Tar, carbon monoxide, ammonia, hydrogen cyanide, and DDT are just a few ingredients in cigarettes. Marijuana also contains many chemicals. Its main chemical is THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol). Although it decreases attention span, desirable side effects are the alleviation of nausea and vomiting. If marijuana were legalized the same laws should apply to this drug as they apply to alcohol. No one should be behind a wheel while under the influence of any drug.
Literature is very controversial. If one did more research they would find two opposing sides. Ones side showing marijuana as a drug that should stay illegal. The other side however shows it as a drug that can be used as medicine, a drug that any US citizen should have the right to obtain. If US citizens have the right to smoke tobacco and drink alcohol shouldn’t they be allowed to smoke marijuana? Unlike tobacco marijuana has been proven to help certain people with medical conditions.
http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/hemp/mjleg1.htm
http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/exchange/node/1808
http://www.healthcentral.com/drdean/408/60640.html
http://drugwarfacts.org/cms/?q=node/30
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