LEGALIZATION OF MARIJUANA 1
Majority of physicians advocate for national legalization of marijuana for medical
purposes. However, concrete evidence on the health benefits of marijuana are lacking due to
limited research on the substance. This is because marijuana has been labeled a ‘Schedule I’ drug
by the federal government; a title given to drugs considered to be very harmful with high abuse
potential. The Epilepsy Foundation advised the Drug Enforcement Administration to lessen the
restrictions placed against marijuana to allow adequate studies into the drug. The medical
fraternity is in support of marijuana usage as a prospective option for treating variety of medical
problems. However, health experts have not yet been able to establish the long-run impacts it
may have on the users. Medical marijuana can be used for treatment of seizure disorders, nausea,
cancer and sclerosis (Margaret, 2013). These will be the benefits of legalizing marijuana.
On the other hand, those of the contrary opinion that marijuana shouldn’t be legalized
argue that cost of legalizing marijuana outweighs the benefits of the drug. Legalizing marijuana
will certainly cause an inflated usage of the substance. This would imply millions more of spoilt
teens. Consistent use of marijuana can result permanent impairment of brain development. An
individual’s capacity to solve problems, to concentrate, memory and motivation are adversely
affected by the drug. Teens are likely to suffer depression and schizophrenia including
developing suicidal thoughts. The users are as well more susceptible to having several sex
partners while engaging in unsafe sex hence risk contracting STIs (Margaret, 2013).
In conclusion, DEA should allow for more and conclusive studies into the medical
benefits of marijuana and the long-term effects of the substance. Since the cost and the benefits
of legalization of marijuana are conflicting, there is need for open and wide range of research
and studies into the substance to develop a clear thesis on whether to ultimately legalize it
nationally or to declare it nationally illegal.
