preview

Essay Recreational Marijuana Should NOT Be Legal

Decent Essays

The first law that regarded marijuana in America required farmers to grow hemp in the year 1619 for clothing, rope, and other materials, but “as early as 1840, doctors recognized the medical applications of marijuana, and the drug was freely sold in pharmacies for over a century.” (Rich and Stingl). In 1937, the use and possession of marijuana was made illegal, but “before 1937 marijuana was freely bought, sold, grown, and used.”(Rich and Stingl). In 1970 the congress decided to classify marijuana as a schedule one drug, which has made the legalization more difficult, “schedule one drugs are considered dangerous, addictive, and have no medical benefits.”(Rich and Stingl). Marijuana fits the schedule one drug classification because …show more content…

Doheny states that, “Smoking marijuana produces a nearly threefold increase of inhaled tar compared to tobacco, and for cigarette smokers who also smoke marijuana there may be an additive effect”. If there is more tar inhaled when using marijuana vs. cigarettes, why should marijuana be legalized for recreational uses if it is found to be worse than cigarettes? The level of carbon monoxide inhaled is three to five times greater in marijuana users vs. cigarette smokers. “Marijuana has been linked to lung infections caused by a mold called ‘aspergillus’, which can live on the marijuana plant. Infections from aspergillus can cause pneumonia and even death.” (Drake and Slatore). Aspergillus can live on the marijuana plant if the plant is not grown in the right setting, or molds are present in the place that the marijuana plant is grown at. Along with the negative effects marijuana has on the lungs, it also has many negative effects on the brain. Smoking marijuana causes negative effects on attention span, memory, and learning; which can last for days and even weeks after the acute effects of marijuana wear off.(“Marijuana Abuse”). Many people believe that attention span, memory, and learning are not import when they smoke marijuana. Attention span, memory, and learning are all very important in everyday life, school, and work. “THC (tetrahydocannabinol) produces

Get Access