Marijuana

5 Pages 1197 Words

Marijuana: The Friendly Weed

“Marijuana, in its natural form, is one of the safest therapeutically active substances known…” Contrary to what you may think it was not a user of the friendly weed marijuana who said this. Just the opposite; it was the (Drug Enforcement Administration) DEA’s chief administrative law judge, Francis L. Young in 1988. People around the world have been brought up to think that marijuana is this deadly, addictive, harmful drug that will turn you into a stoner at first puff. Of course, this is not true. Marijuana is a very beneficial substance that has been used to treat serious ailments for thousands of years.
The Marijuana Tax Act of 1937, was the first law that prohibited marijuana. Some protested it then and many more do now. Then, decades later, the Controlled Substance Act of 1970 placed all illegal and prescription drugs into five “schedules” or categories. Marijuana ended up in Schedule I, defining the substance as having: a high potential for abuse, no currently accepted medicinal use in treatment in the United States, and a lack of safety for use under medical supervision. This does not apply to marijuana at all. Unfortunately, at the time the act was put into action, marijuana had been prohibited for more than thirty years. Its medical aspects put aside, marijuana was considered dangerous and addictive. However, in the 1970’s, a considerable increase in recreational users helped rediscover the medicinal purposes of marijuana. Scientists studied the health effects of marijuana and uncovered its history of helping people. Also, those who used it for simple enjoyment, who had illnesses, discovered it’s therapeutic purposes. When word got out, people started to self-medicate. Distressingly with its Schedule I status, doctors cannot prescribe it, and medical research is severely hindered.
In 1972, a petition was made to legalize marijuana for medical patients. After sixteen years of c...