Legalization Of Medical Marijuana

5 Pages 1261 Words

There are currently many controversial topics that are dividing our country and causing arguments and disputes amongst the people of our nation. The newspapers, magazines and other forms of mass media cover these many notorious subjects such as gay marriage, abortion, gun control, and the war in Iraq. All of these topics are significant, but they many times surpass and overshadow other issues that are just as important but don’t quite get as much exposure. One of the controversial topics that is greatly overshadowed is the legalization of medical marijuana. Although many oppose marijuana, I believe that the federal government should legalize marijuana for its many significant medical reasons. And since the debate is becoming more public, it’s important to examine all sides of the subject including who the problem is effecting and also why some people oppose the drug.
Although the use of marijuana has a long history in the United States, it wasn’t actually declared illegal until 1937. Marijuana has been used medically for nearly five thousand years. The first report of marijuana’s medical utility appeared in a Chinese catalog of herbal drugs, which was published in 2737 B.C., and was later recognized in the Middle East, Asia, and Medieval Europe (Randall 17). The Chinese recommended marijuana use for malaria, constipation, and rheumatic pains. In India, cannabis has been recommended to quicken the mind, lower fevers, induce sleep, cure dysentery, stimulate appetite, improve digestion, reduce headaches, and cure venereal disease (Grinspoon 3). It has been used in ceremonial rituals, as a treatment for pain, both physical and emotional, and as a recreational stimulant.
The historic medical marijuana initiative passed by California voters in 1996 authorizes physicians to approve the use of marijuana for a variety of different reasons (O’Shaughnessey’s 11). There are millions of people nationwide that suffer from ...