The Marijuana Debate

          A popular debate in the United States is whether marijuana should be legalized, or in the bigger picture, if drugs as a whole should be closely regulated, not banned. By making something totally off limits, it almost entices people to give it a shot. See if they can get past the system and do something that is illegal. It has been debated that if something, such as marijuana, became legal, the fun and risk would be stripped away. Perhaps then, less people would feel the urge to experiment with something that is forbidden in America. 

   In America, there are strict laws under the Controlled Substances Act. Illicit drugs, such as cocaine, ecstasy, LSD, etc., are illegal and have harsh penalties if one is found to be in possession of or using any illicit drug. The United States has been trying to stop drug use before it even begins by educating children about the dangers of drugs. Programs, such as D.A.R.E., are able to inform children about drugs, the dangers, and the consequences of drug use. With a strong foundation of drug knowledge, children can then hopefully make wise decisions if they ever find themselves under peer pressure. Even with programs such as these, there are still drug problems in America’s schools and streets.

         A popular debate has been if marijuana should be legal under U.S. law. As of 2010, the legalization has not occurred. Even with the push from liberal states, such as California, the government stands strong in its decision to keep marijuana illegal. There is an entirely different side to this argument when observing the medical side of it. Medical marijuana has been proven to make the nausea and other side effects from chemotherapy more easy to deal with. It has also been proven to help with neurogenic pain, glaucoma, AIDS, arthritis, and stress disorders. With that said, marijuana also unfortunately contributes to short term memory loss, learning difficulties, poor judgment, problem-solving difficulties, and loss of coordination. Clearly, there are reasons to make marijuana legal and reasons to keep it illegal.