Preview

marijuana vs alcohol

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
939 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
marijuana vs alcohol
Marijuana vs. Alcohol. Why is it still illegal ?

“In any civilized society, it is every citizen’s responsibility to obey just laws. But at the same time, it is every citizens responsibility to disobey unjust laws.” -Martin Luther King Jr.

The topic of legalizing marijuana is a very conversational issue in American politics today. Marijuana is a very popular drug that many people have used. Over 98 million people over the age of 12 in the United States have smoked marijuana. It is known under many different names such as: weed, bud, ganja, hashish, doobie, reefer, mary-jane and grass. It plays quite a substantial role in modern day pop culture and almost everyone over the age of 16 knows what it is. Although many malicious claims have been made about marijuana, the truths are slowly beginning to resurface. Unfortunately, these truths are under heavy criticism due to the stereotypical view of what people view as a typical “pot smoker”. This is the problem with society. As read in Dictionary.com. Marijuana is a psychological phenomenon that occurs within groups of people. It is the mode of thinking that happens when the desire for harmony in a decision-making group overrides a realistic appraisal of alternatives. Group members try to minimize conflict and reach a consensus decision without critical evaluation of alternative ideas or viewpoints. Some of us are better educated in some areas more than others. Those who don’t know enough facts or realizations about the topic, automatically go with what everyone else believes is right without even learning about it. This results into misinformation spread by those who don’t even necessarily know exactly what they are talking about. Marijuana can be used for medical purposes, but it is no less harmful than alcohol or Tabaco if used in moderation. Medical marijuana emerged as a mainstream medicine by the 19th century mostly in the West. According to URI.edu, the use of medical marijuana continued

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Marijuana vs. Alcohol

    • 1120 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Everyone that lives in California knows that there is a drug war going on in our state. In America today, marijuana is the most commonly used illegal drug. On the news or newspapers you see stories being done on the raided medicinal marijuana clinics. Even though pot is legal to the state, the FDA doesn’t approve of it, and will tear down any major clinics they find. I feel as though this is unfair. There are multiple people with green cards, and need marijuana for illnesses such as, glaucoma, depression, anorexia, and cancer; and they’re getting it taken away, and a lot of the reason they need it, is because their original prescribed medicine is costing them too much, and they need a cheaper alternative.…

    • 1120 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The argument of legalizing pot has been in question for years now. William Bennett, who served as the Secretary of Education under Ronald Reagan and a Drug Czar under H.W. Bush, wrote an article called “Legal Pot Is a Public Health Menace”, that is full of hard hitting facts. Though all his facts go against the legalization of pot, not all of them are trustworthy enough to decide whether or not to legalize pot. Most of Bennett’s facts are unrepresentative, unclear, or insufficient for the claim he wants to get across to his audience.…

    • 650 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Marijuana and alcohol are the two most threatening drugs used in America today. Marijuana is the most illicit drug while alcohol is the most abused. Both were illegal during the prohibition but when the constitution was ratified in 1933 alcohol was made legal while marijuana remained illegal. It does not mean that because alcohol is still legal it’s less dangerous than marijuana. Both drugs lead to serious risks and should be taken with caution if used.…

    • 842 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    English 121

    • 1945 Words
    • 8 Pages

    Introduction: In today’s society, there are many views on the legal status of marijuana. Some people are supporters, others are opposed and there are those who have a neutral view on the issue of marijuana decriminalization and legalization. The following contains a wide range of views, with us living in the United States; we have the right to freedom of speech to express our views and site facts on controversial issues.…

    • 1945 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Marijuana is the growing topic in Americans daily lives; shockingly people are blind to realize that this substance will probably be one of the deadliest drugs in the next decade. “History repeats itself” a wise man once said, and this isn’t the first time or the last time America will use the excuses to make illegal substances that kill. The generations of the 20th century where blind and medically illiterate to the dangers of cigarettes in fact they believed it was health approved. Only a few decades later people started to realize the demons of smoking and plagued America with 5 million deaths a year ever since.…

    • 568 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Political culture is the sum total of the politically relevant values, beliefs, attitudes, identities, and orientations in a society. A society’s political culture sets the outer boundaries for what is and isn’t acceptable political behavior. Currently in Canada and the United States, political culture has caused many complications involving marijuana. “The status of marijuana in Canada dates back to 1923. Marijuana then was banned under the Opium and Drug Act and its possession or use was deemed illegal” (Graham 23). As the drug has been illegal for so long, many citizens are fearful of negative effects. Many propose that since it hasn’t been legal for so long, there must be a valid reason for it. Though there may be some proven negative health effects from the usage of marijuana, there are also positive ones. For negative effects, teenagers and youth can be victims of marijuana. “Studies show that teenagers’ use can lead to negative physical, psychological, and behavioral consequences, such as chronic cough and Bronchitis, memory deficits, and a loss of up to 8 points in IQ” (Hickenlooper, 246). Marijuana doesn’t just affect the youth though. “Although middle-class users may develop dependency problems, generally, “heavy users” tend to be poor and socially marginalized, using drugs regularly as a means of regular escape, and consequently running a greater risk of developing serious drug problems” (Osborne 562). The problem with the legalization of marijuana is that members of society may become dependent on the drug, as well as children may be able to obtain the substance through their family members. This gives the idea of recreational marijuana a bad reputation as some members of society will view it as a detriment to people’s livelihoods. On the other hand, supporters of marijuana will argue that alcohol and tobacco have negative effects on society as well, but it is still being sold…

    • 655 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Marijuana is one of the most controversial topics in the U.S today. Many associate the substance with some of the most highly addictive and dangerous drugs used in our society. While others claim marijuana to be the safest substance to use to date. One of the biggest debatable topics amongst marijuana use is the legalization of the substance medically. Many people believe marijuana should be accessible to those with terminally ill diseases. While others believe the drug should be illegal at all cost. Medical marijuana presents many negative issues in our society emotionally, medically and socially. Due to the negative effects from the substance, the use of marijuana should remain illegal in the United States.…

    • 1079 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    It is Friday night, and you are getting ready to get your weekend stated. What to do is the question; to roll one or pour one. Marijuana is the most commonly used illegal drug in the United States, whereas alcohol is legal and can be purchased anywhere. Marijuana and alcohol are two of the most commonly used recreational substances. Although using marijuana is not as dangerous as drinking alcohol.…

    • 845 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Legalization of Marijuana

    • 1557 Words
    • 7 Pages

    The topic of legalizing marijuana has been a topic of controversy for quite some time now not only throughout our local streets, but throughout the local and into the state government. The legalization of marijuana is such a controversial topic because some are for it and some are against it. People are for the legalization because of the great uses it has towards medicine, the money that could come from the taxation of legalized marijuana, and the emptying of prisons because of the releases of marijuana offenses. The list could go on and on. Other people are against the legalization because it is considered a “gateway drug”, or because the legalization of marijuana would eventually lead to the legalization of harder drugs such as heroine or cocaine. Despite the negative comments about the drug, marijuana should be legalized because it would give the U.S. a huge amount of money from the taxation and regulation of the drug, its uses would greatly impact our health throughout the medical field and throughout our own well being, and would help our fight with the war on drugs and our overcrowded prisons.…

    • 1557 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Legalization of Marijuana

    • 3597 Words
    • 15 Pages

    Several topics in modern day society cause controversy, but one topic that out ranks them all is the legalization of marijuana. The main argument is whether not marijuana should be treated the same as already legalized drugs, such as tobacco and alcohol. Many Americans use marijuana illegally; the people using the drug range from the age of teens to even adults in their eighties. Marijuana is considered by most, especially in legal terms, as a dangerous drug. Although the drug is seen as such, many still continue to use it and argue it should be legalized for several reasons. Both citizens and government officials alike debate this topic. To successfully develop and argument for the legalization of marijuana the topic must be defined, the history of the topic must be unveiled, an argument must be made, and a good solution should be proposed. Yes, both sides of the argument both have well supported positions, but marijuana should be legalized by the United States government because the facts supporting legalization far outweigh the arguments keeping the drug as it is.…

    • 3597 Words
    • 15 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Better Essays

    Medical Marijuana

    • 1773 Words
    • 8 Pages

    Marijuana is a very prominent and controversial issue in society today. Although many slanderous claims have been made about cannabis in recent history, the truths are slowly starting to resurface. Unfortunately, these truths are under heavy criticism due to the stereotypical view of what people view as the typical “pot smoker.” This skewed perception of a lazy and unmotivated American is the result of over seventy years of propaganda and misinformation spread by private interests who relied on illegal cannabis illegal from their own personal gains. As a marijuana consumer and a current medical marijuana patient, I strongly believe that marijuana should be legalized for all users. Currently in the United States today, marijuana is prohibited by federal law and has been a topic of controversial debate since the start of the prohibition. There are several, important reasons for the legalization of marijuana, including research concerning these issues are beneficial in understanding both sides of the debate. The result of abolishing our country’s marijuana prohibition by supporting legalization will stimulate the economy, to show the medical properties, and lower the crime rate.…

    • 1773 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    classify marijuana as an illegal drug and will arrest any person in possession of it.…

    • 2135 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    The history of recreational marijuana usage goes far back, to thousands of years ago. Even today, despite being illegal in most countries, it is widely used.…

    • 605 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Former Surgeon General Jocelyn Elders said that “Marijuana is not addictive, not physically addictive anyways” (Balancedpolitics.org) showing her support for legalization. Studies even show that marijuana is not nearly as dangerous as alcohol, when used in moderation. The current problem is, almost half of Americans still traditionally view marijuana as bad. Although countless studies prove them wrong, many people still hold on to the belief that marijuana is “addictive” and that it has no general health benefits. In spite of this, according to the Huffington post, 56% of Americans now believe that it should be legalized. The ideal that “maybe marijuana isn’t quite as bad as I thought” is spreading, and marijuana has already been legalized for medical use in multiple states, and recreational use in two. The social issue of marijuana legalization has left the nation divided, but with today's generation, there seems to be hope in the future for a nation-wide green…

    • 1289 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Recently, the controversial debate over legalizing marijuana has become more relevant than ever before. In the states of Washington and Colorado marijuana is currently legal for recreational use. In Michigan the cities of Detroit, Flint and Grand Rapids have decriminalized the drug. Also, in the cities of Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti the penalties for marijuana are closely related to receiving a speeding ticket. I will be researching the legalization of marijuana in the United States. As I began to research this topic I realized just how uneducated many people are when it comes to marijuana. Cannabis, or marijuana, as it is more commonly referred…

    • 1150 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays