Marijuana: The Legalization :: social issues

Marijuana: The Legalization Their Side: After the sustaining vote in November of 1996 and coming into effect the beginning of this year, marijuana is now legal to medical patients in California and Arizona. Proposition 215 reads as follows: The people of the State of California hereby find and declare that the purposes of the Compassionate Use Act of 1996 are as follows: (A) To ensure that seriously ill Californians have the right to obtain and use marijuana for medical purposes where that medical use is deemed appropriate and has been recommended by a physician who has determined that the person's health would benefit from the use of marijuana in the treatment of cancer, anorexia, AIDS, chronic pain, spasticity, glaucoma, arthritis, migraine, or any other illness for which marijuana provides relief. (B) To ensure that patients and their primary care givers obtain and use marijuana for medical purposes upon the recommendation of a physician are not subject to criminal prosecution or sanction. C. To encourage the federal and state governments to implement a plan for the safe and affordable distribution of marijuana to all patients in medical need of marijuana. (Proposition 215 Section 11362.5) Of course, it goes on and breaks into fine detail into which I choose not to venture. To summarize it all, if you're sick, or think you are, your doc can get you some pot. Just like that. So what's so great about this? It supposedly brings relief to those with terminal illnesses. (Such were listed in 215) Cancer sufferers who are inflicted with nausea due to chemotherapy have reported that a puff or two of a marijuana cigarette relieves the pain. (Theorized after study by psychiatrist Lester Grinspoon of Harvard Medical School) It has also been reported to relieve the pain suffered by AIDS patients. Despite all this great relief, one question remains unanswered, what about the side effects? Exactly how harmful and addicting is this stuff? MY SIDE: (the important stuff) My personal opinion: Marijuana should remain illegal because of the enormous side effects and addiction that results after using the drug. My first fact to back my opinion would have to be this, marijuana is what it is, a drug! You can't change that no matter how many people vote on it. Sure, there are prescription drugs on the market that are potentially dangerous but their effects are nothing compared to that of marijuana.