Promoting the Use of Marijuana

For millions of people around the globe, marijuana has been and continues to be a significant source of euphoria.

The item is an extract made from the flowers of various Cannabis species trees. Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica, and Cannabis ruderalis are some of these species. Although the plant species are now found all over the globe, they originated in southern and central Asia. Better, stronger, and highbred species have grown and been produced through cross-breeding and growth under specialized circumstances.

The major classifications of marijuana use are medical, economic, religious, and recreational. According to Piomelli, Daniele, and Ethan B. Russo (32), Cannabis contains over 483 compounds and at least 65 Cannabinoids. The major component of Cannabis is Tetrahydrocannabinol, commonly referred to as THC in short. Its THC that is proven to be responsible for most of the psychoactive reactions associated with the use of Marijuana.

Marijuana Consumption

Marijuana may be consumed in a number of ways and forms. While some people prefer smoking, others incorporate it in some foods such as cookies, cakes, tea among others. Vaporization is also a new invention as one of the ways of consuming marijuana. Sale of vaporizers is rapidly rising as it produces higher concentrations of THC which are safe and pure from contaminants such as soot.

Effects of Marijuana

The effects of Marijuana may kick in in a matter of minutes when smoked, in seconds if vaporized and in a span of 30 to 60 minutes if ingested in cooked forms. These effects last between 2 hours to 12 hours depending on the concentration of Tetrahydrocannabinol and amount consumed by the user. Some of these psychoactive reactions and effects include a high (stoned) feeling, euphoria or enhanced moods, paranoid feelings, anxiety and a significant increase in appetite. Hence this paper seeks to promote the use of Marijuana by establishing the problems behind its prohibition and offering argumentative solutions.

Establishing the Problem

Despite the widespread use of Marijuana coupled by its huge economic impact, religious importance, and recreational value, its use and sale were prohibited by the Marijuana Tax Act of 1937. The prohibition was further strengthened by the Controlled Substance Act of 1970 which ranked Marijuana among substances that were considered dangerous and addictive.

The effect of this legislation led to the widespread criminalization of Marijuana possession and consumption all over the world. The breach of the Act meant heavy penalties of up to years of jail time. In some parts of Asia, it was punishable by death. Some of this adversity against Cannabis use was attributed to some of the negative side effects that are associated with its use. Users of Marijuana often suffer from short term memory loss, impaired motor ability, paranoid feelings, anxiety, heightened mood, red eyes, addiction, cardiovascular complications from the soot and behavioral issues among children and teenagers.

Over the 20th century up until now, Marijuana related legislations have been quite controversial. Several countries and states have taken different routes in terms of the legality of the cultivation of the plant, possession, transfer and use of the substance. In the United States alone, 23 States including Washington, Colorado, and California have decriminalized and legalized use of Marijuana for medical purposes. However, it is still illegal according to the federal law. Other countries such as Uruguay, Australia, Czech Republic, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Portugal, and Canada have endeavored to decriminalize the use of Marijuana and legalized the cultivation of Cannabis. These legislative differences regarding Marijuana indicate that more countries are starting to take an objective view while discussing cannabis production and use. This begs the question: Should Marijuana still be illegal in the 21st Century?

Establishing the Solution

Despite the few negative effects of cannabis use, it has some positive impacts in the society. The importance of Cannabis and Marijuana consumption is packaged in three main categories which are economic, social and religious impacts.

Economically, according to Joshua, Davis Clark (29), marijuana cultivation and production earns huge financial income in the market. Marijuana sales and the sale of by-products made from cannabis extracts have skyrocketed in countries and states where it is legalized. Socially, marijuana is a periodic social lubricant that relieves depression, heightens moods, increases appetite, is a muscle relaxant and is used to manufacture pharmaceuticals that have significant medical impacts for patients. Religiously, cannabis is sacredly valued in parts of India and Nepal. According to the Greek, cannabis is associated with a myth that described a powerful drug that eliminated sorrow. In the modern world, the Rastafarians use cannabis as a sacrament and a meditational tool that enable them to get in tune with their deepest thoughts and religious incentives.

Therefore, marijuana cultivation, transfer, and consumption should be legalized and decriminalized to allow the public to enjoy its benefits. The government, contrary to current legislative approach, should concentrate more on managing the negative side effects of marijuana production and consumption.

Conclusion/Call to Change

In Conclusion, cannabis has been criminalized for a long period. Despite the prohibition, several individuals have been consuming marijuana on a regular basis, and while this has been happening, no death has been directly linked to its consumption. The thought process behind marijuana prohibition was wayward and has become obsolete in the current world.

The positive economic, social and religious impacts of marijuana significantly outweigh the negative side effects and in making its usage illegal is curtailing the public wellbeing. The campaign for the legalization of cannabis is rapidly on the rise, and more countries and states should come aboard the bandwagon.

Works Cited

Davis, Joshua Clark. “The Business of Getting High: Head Shops, Countercultural Capitalism, and the Marijuana Legalization Movement”. The Sixties, vol 8, no. 1, 2015, pp. 27-49. Informa UK Limited, doi:10.1080/17541328.2015.1058480.

Piomelli, Daniele, and Ethan B. Russo. “Thecannabis Sativaversuscannabis Indicadebate: An Interview with Ethan Russo, MD”. Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research, vol 1, no. 1, 2016, pp. 44-46. Mary Ann Liebert Inc, doi:10.1089/can.2015.29003.ebr.