Should Marijuana be Legalized in Colorado - Essay Example

Other (s) Should Marijuana be Legalized in Colorado? Introduction Nearly 2 years since the state of Colorado opted to legalize Marijuana for medical and recreational purposes in 2012, the debate of whether Marijuana should remain legalized or the State’s pot laws should be repealed is still raging and has remained contentious with Colorado residents highly divided on the issue (Briggs 5). Despite numerous arguments in support of the law, recent empirical scientific evidence indicates that the potential benefits of the drug to the residents of the State may be significantly outweighed by its numerous harmful effects. This paper argues that Marijuana should not be legalized in Colorado because the potential health risks associated with its use outweigh its benefits. Marijuana is highly addictive One of the reasons why I strongly believe that Marijuana should not be legalized the state of Colorado laws is that the drug is highly addictive and is generally difficult to stop once an individual begins to use the drug. Numerous studies indicate that up to 10% of Marijuana get addicted to the drug and are unable to stop its use despite the numerous negative effect of the drug on various aspects of their lives (Drug Enforcement Administration 7). This has been particularly evidenced by the recent reports that many of the homeless in Colorado are increasingly getting addicted to the use of Marijuana after its legalization in 2012 (Quelch and David 13). In most cases, cannabis addiction has always been linked to the occurrence of a withdrawal syndrome similar to that of alcohol or nicotine withdrawal, which makes it significantly hard to quit using the drug. In this regard, legalizing marijuana would not be smart public health safety move because it will lead to increased marijuana use as well as increased rates of addiction among the youths. Marijuana has Numerous Harmful Effects on Human Health Another important reason why Marijuana should not be legalized is attributed to its numerous harmful effects on human health. “Despite some of its potential medicinal value, empirical evidence suggests that Marijuana contains up to 33 chemicals that may cause cancer” (Drug Enforcement Administration 5). This is further compounded by the fact that unlike tobacco, the absence of filters increases the likelihood of deposition of marijuana tar into the lungs four times more than tobacco. Although Marijuana is currently considered illegal and is categorized as a schedule 1 drug under the federal laws, the 2012 legalization of the drug in Colorado attempts to treat it like other soft drugs such as alcohol and tobacco (Ingold 21). Other experts, suggest that long term use of Marijuana has also been associated with a host of other health problems some of which include permanent brain damage, impaired cognitive functions, mood/anxiety disorders and in extreme cases even death. Marijuana smoking comes with a lot of long-term burdens to the users. THC, which is the active ingredient of cannabis, remains in the body for two weeks or longer (Copeland102). The current illegal status of marijuana smoking is therefore important in creating a healthy society. A single cannabis joint, according to many scientific studies can result into much damage to the lungs as up to five regular cigarettes smoke encounters. Lung-cancer may result from this in extreme marijuana smoking incidences where the bronchitis, an inflammation of the respiratory tract is experienced. Cancer accordingly is a killer disease in the world over hence cancerous agents is not encouraged to be present in the ecology. Marijuana’s linkage to cancer even complicates its use further as it aims at shortening the lives of its users who are mostly the youths. This would reduce overall global productivity in cases where the young die leaving behind the old populace. Legalization might also cause school Dropout among Teenagers On the other hand, marijuana legalization might also cause school dropout among teenagers in Colorado Schools. This is particularly because Marijuana has also been known to distort perception, affect alertness and reduce motor skills. “There have been reports of forth graders in one of the schools in northern Colorado plains selling marijuana to classmates despite the State laws limiting Marijuana use to the age of 21” (Quelch and Lane 7).When marijuana is taken into the body system through smoking. THC steadfastly passes from the lungs and respiratory systems into the bloodstream. THC chemical substances are then rapidly passed to the brain cells and tissues. Marijuana may be absorbed more slowly to the brain tissues when it is ingested in food or drinks. The THC chemical may in the long-run course overall brain damage. In smaller quantities, the chemical is largely associated with impaired judgments. THC acts diversely on a specific molecular brain cell. This cell is called cannabinoid receptors. These receptor cells are simultaneously activated by chemicals such as THC that naturally occur in the body. Through marijuana intoxication, the normal brain development and function is ultimately ruined. Opposing Stance One of the major arguments put forward by proponents of the legalization of marijuana in Colorado is that marijuana has medicinal value and therefore its legalization will allow it to be used for a variety of recreational and medical purposes. Some of the commonly cited medicinal uses of marijuana include relieving nausea and stimulating appetite in AIDS and cancer patients. Another common line of argument supporting the legalization of marijuana is that legalizing marijuana will boost the economy of the State of Colorado by contributing billions of dollars in terms of taxes to the economy, creating job opportunities and increasing trade with marijuana producing countries. Rebuttal for the Opposition Although the legalization of marijuana may bring in some economic benefits to Colorado, it is worth noting that the cost of legalizing the drug in terms of its negative effects on both physical and mental health, increased road accidents and other effects outweigh any potential economic benefit of legalizing marijuana. Generally, majority of the supporters of the legalization of Marijuana argue that the additive nature of marijuana is not any serious than the other legal drugs like tobacco or alcohol. However, it is worth noting that marijuana one of the mainly abused illicit substances in major towns across the world. Legalizing the substance will just amplify addiction by making it readily accessible to the smokers and putting s non users into temptation to engage in its use. The vice will, therefore, lead to reduced efficiency in production and increased social tribulations in form of offenses since marijuana reduces inhibitions. For example, slightly more than year into legalizing the use and sales of recreational pot, the State of Colorado is now considering repealing its marijuana law because of a number of issues that have resulted from the legalization of the drug such as rising cases of mental health problems, increased crime rates and violent behavior. Maintaining the illegal status of marijuana will help lessen the negative effects of the drug. This is particularly the current legal barriers have significantly made it difficult for individuals to get addicted to marijuana. Lastly, Copeland (98) suggests that contrary to the beliefs of most of the people who advocate for the legalization of marijuana, the current restrictive and balanced drug policies are working fairly well and have contributed to significant reductions in the rate of marijuana and other drug use in the United States. In my opinion, there is no need taking the risk of legalizing marijuana since it will only negatively affect the teens, families and parents. This is because increased use of Marijuana normally leads to a number of negative health effects including depression, cancer of the lungs and respiratory infections as well as some anti social behaviors such as increased crime rates and violent behavior. Marijuana has also been known to affect adolescents and teenagers by negatively impacting on their ability to concentrate in schools while heavy marijuana using parents are also likely to abuse of neglect their children. Conclusion In conclusion, marijuana should not be legalized in the state of Colorado because the potential benefits of the drug such as its medicinal value are significantly outweighed by its numerous harmful effects some of which include its addictive nature, permanent brain damage, impaired cognitive functions, mood/anxiety disorders and distortion perception particularly among drivers who are regular users of the drug. In this regard, the state should repeal its current marijuana laws. Works Cited Briggs, Bill. “Were Not Amsterdam: Is Marijuana Tourism in Colorado a Myth? - NBC News.” 20 Apr. 2014. Web. 04 Dec. 2014. Copeland, Swift W. “Cannabis use disorder: epidemiology and management.” Int Rev Psychiatry (Review) 21. 2 (2009): 96-103.Print. Drug Enforcement Administration. “The DEA Position on Marijuana.” U.S. Department of Justice, 2006. Web. 30 Nov. 2014. Ingold, John. “World’s First Legal Recreational Marijuana Sales Begin in Colorado.” DENV. POST, Jan. 2, 2014. Web 04 Dec. 2014. Quelch, John A., and David Lane. “Marketing Marijuana in Colorado.” Harvard Business School Case 2.1. (2014): 515-609. Read More