Legalization of Marijuana in the United States - Essay Example

It is also believed that India was one of the few countries which pioneered the consumption of this plant as a tool for recreation and relaxation. The Sadhus and the Gurus who practiced the art of spiritual elevation found this plant to be extremely useful for their purpose. Ancient Hindu text Soma Veda refers to Marijuana as the “food of the thinking mind.” Indians call it Ganja. It has served millions of people over a period of time and has been acclaimed as a life saving drug. However, there are side effects of this plant and if consumed by the innocent it may drive one to an extremely negative frame of mind.

(ElSohly, Mahmoud) Marijuana comes from the plant known as Cannabis Sativa. The major psychoactive compound in the plant is known as THC, and this is the element which is responsible for the psychoactive effects in the human mind. The female plant of Cannabis Sativa is consumed by people as it is said to be more potent with THC than the male plant. (Rudgley, Richard) Marijuana has been used for medicinal as well as recreational purposes. Marijuana influences the human body and mind in many different ways.

It has the power of changing the mood to the perception of the human mind for a particular object. It enhances hunger when consumed and can lead to weight loss among those who consume it. It relaxes the muscles and also helps the mind calm down after the THC molecules hit the ‘cannabinoid’ receptors which are present in the human mind. In this regard thus, why should the plant not be legalized if it aims to serve the purpose of helping a man relax and find his comfort zone? This is because of the addiction that it causes among people due to the lack of being able to channel their energy in the right direction when ingesting the smoke of the plant.

For those who have tried and are not prejudiced towards it, it is very simple to explain them the benefit of legalizing the drug. However, there are arguments which come from this side of the people who say that let it be the way it is. They say that the law should not enter the domain of Marijuana and the status quo should be maintained for its use. Their reason is valid as they understand that no matter what the law says, they will still be able to find means to procure Marijuana and consume it for their relaxation purposes.

(Iversen, Leslie) However, they fail to understand that in spite of them consuming the plant in such a fashion, it remains a fact that this is not the legal way and they are going beyond the boundaries of law to procure and use this item. This is where the argument of legalizing Marijuana erupts, as those who want to smoke it and want it to be legalized raise their voice. These are the people who say that the boundaries of law have to be stretched to accommodate those societies which have been living on this plant for centuries now.

However, there is strong counter argument from the other camp, as they believe that it is a drug and has extremely volatile effects on the human mind and body, and therefore it should never be legalized. (Riedel, G., and S.N Davies) The topic is indeed compelling and timely. The argument of legalizing Marijuana will never run out of time. It has been a debate which has been going on for ages now and the whole process of societies opening up to it and accepting it the way they have accepted alcohol will take a lot of time and effort, from those who want