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Defending Her Highness
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Happy 4/20 everybody!
This post is dedicated to showing a few of the benefits of marijuana and philosophies I've personally considered surrounding the drug. First, I would like you to listen to this song, called "Away". It details a world run by weed. Sounds far-fetched, but just ponder it for a few minutes. Also, subscribe to the channel if you like the music.
Now that we've taken a trip through Bluntville, we can go onto the actual research of the matter. I wrote this paper last semester in defense of Her Highness, Mari.
Saving Our Green
When the world’s last superpower has been destroyed economically from its own consumerism, challenged consistently by its own population, and rejected by countries who claim to be allies, it’s hard to see how salvation from a self-imposed doom could be possible on any scale. Many of America’s problems will only be confronted with war when negotiations have failed, as has been in the past. However, at least one of our gigantic problems can be solved without bloodshed. This paper will propose an effective method of dealing with the decline of American economy by legalizing marijuana. First, this paper will cover the myths, detrimental factors, and personal benefits of marijuana. Then the effect of legalization will be discussed in regards to American economy before reaching a proposition for getting the substance legalized.
For the past thirty-eight years, starting with Oregon in 1972, marijuana has been increasingly decriminalized in twelve states. In an article from the Social Science Journal, the main issues of decriminalization are outlined in this quote:
Generally, the debate regarding decriminalization of marijuana concerns the sensitivity of the demand for drugs to incremental changes in legal sanctions. This is because the benefits from decriminalization, such as fewer arrests of otherwise law-abiding users of marijuana, are contrasted against the harms from increased use of drugs, on the basis of presumptions such as: marijuana is itself a dangerous drug, marijuana use leads to use of dangerous drugs, or decriminalization of marijuana would lead to legalization of dangerous drugs. (Thies and Register)
The three presumptions of harmful outcomes of decriminalization shown above are based on nothing but flawed research.
Marijuana has more benefits than it does detrimental factors, so to say that it is a dangerous drug is at best naïve. There are many myths about the effects of marijuana, including but not limited to unfounded allegations that it is highly addictive, more damaging to the lungs than tobacco, causes mental illness, has no medicinal value, causes crimes and use of other dangerous drugs, kills brain cells, and impairs memory. These claims are based in anti-marijuana government propaganda from the late 20th century. The website www.drugpolicy.org uses information from the book Marijuana Myths, Marijuana Facts: A Review of the Scientific Evidence to create an amalgamated list of myths which represent popular views of marijuana as opposed to the reality of fact. The fact is that we have been deceived about marijuana and in reality, “A decade after the book was published, the latest scientific evidence continues to support the original findings” (Zimmer and Morgan).
Because of this distorted view of marijuana, marijuana’s lack of detriment is often overlooked. There are four main factors to consider when asked if marijuana is detrimental. The first is that it does cause “the munchies”. This symptom makes users want to eat junk food in larger quantities, which can lead to high cholesterol, high blood pressure and other related problems if not controlled. This could also be considered a benefit for people who suffer from eating disorders such as anorexia who normally have a hard time getting an appetite. Another factor is that it does irritate the lungs with carcinogens similar to tobacco. This means that theoretically, cancer and other such lung diseases may be connected with using the drug. However, no scientific evidence has been found which links people who solely smoke pot with lung disease. Marijuana smokers also inhale less smoke than tobacco users, thus the risk for lung related disease is significantly less than the average tobacco user. The third factor is that marijuana causes an increase in heart rate, so those with weak hearts should not indulge in smoking marijuana as it could increase the risk of heart attack with these people. If decriminalized, a warning would have to be put on the cannabis container in order to keep these people safe. The last and probably most condemning factor to consider would be that marijuana has been shown to affect hormonal changes in men and women. Although evidence has not been collected which demonstrates a reduction in fertility, it is not recommended for pregnant women or young children to smoke marijuana as it may cause lower birth weight in a baby or decreased attention span in a child (Fortgang). The list of detrimental effects of marijuana is short in comparison to its benefits.
Marijuana’s medicinal benefits have been known for centuries. The editorial The Age notes that “Between 1842 and 1900, cannabis was an ingredient of half of all the medicines sold in the United States.” Marijuana has been known to alleviate pain in many diseases, reduce epilepsy, lower stress, slow the progress of glaucoma, and increase a feeling of wellbeing in users. ("Marijuana and the moral high ground.") In recent studies, contrary to the myth that marijuana destroys brain cells, marijuana has actually been shown to encourage neurogenesis, which is the process by which a person’s brain grows new nerve cells (Brownlee). The aforementioned studies have put to rest the stereotype that pot smokers are “dumb” or destroying their minds.
Economically, marijuana has many other uses. Taxing the medicinal and recreational use of marijuana would slow down drug trade tremendously, as marijuana is the most popular drug in America. All revenue collected from taxing the plant could be generated throughout each year because marijuana is a plant which produces its own seeds and can be grown year-round. Just look at states such as California, who have already decriminalized weed. Their local economy has skyrocketed from marijuana profit. So much so that marijuana dispensaries are becoming a booming business. In Mendicino County for example, where pot has been considered a cash crop for more than thirty years, MSNBC broadcast in 2009 that “a county-commissioned study reports that pot accounts for up to two-thirds of the local economy” (“Pot growers thrive in Northern California”).
Marijuana also serves many other purposes in the form of hemp. Hemp can be used to make clothing, food, skin care products, ropes, paper, money, and all sorts of various items. This type of new commerce could encourage many businesses to sprout up which would help fix our economy. But with all these benefits, one might wonder why marijuana isn’t already decriminalized and legalized. There are quite a few logical reasons and none of them have to do with the direct effects of marijuana. Marijuana is mainly restrained for strategic political purposes. The legalization of marijuana would hinder many rich individuals and give new entrepreneurs a chance to gain wealth which only the rich grasped. This paper will not discuss the specific political maneuvering keeping marijuana illegal, but individual research on the subject is encouraged. In order to have some chance of decriminalizing weed, the medicinal effects will have to be touted to the fullest. But legalization is an entirely different thing, which must be addressed in mainstream media in order to become effective.
Have you seen the Above the Influence TV commercials, which send the message to people (primarily adolescents) that marijuana should be avoided? Have you ever wondered why each and every one of these commercials lacks any fact and rely heavily on sensationalist images? It is because the facts lean in favor of marijuana. With substances such as tobacco or alcohol, it is easy to promote Truth campaigns which pinpoint the facts of why these substances are bad. Every Truth commercial relies on statistics and convincing data, while Above the Influence commercials never do this. The propaganda against marijuana should be addressed for what it is: distortion. If mainstream media puts an end to the myth-based views associated with marijuana, then legalization may have a chance. Marijuana must gain open support from the educated citizens of America before it will become a viable solution.
Recently, marijuana was openly supported in California as Proposition Nineteen sought to legalize marijuana state-wide for recreational or medicinal use. Before the voting procedure, citizens of California were polled on whether marijuana should become legal. The approval rating was approximately ninety percent across automated polls. Sadly, this did not show in the voting results. Proposition Nineteen ended with fifty-four percent voting no and forty-six percent voting yes. This could be because voting was limited to those people above 21, who are largely still under the influence of distorted propaganda, while the younger generation raised up with access to limitless information, is a little more informed about the drug. It may also be because the percentage of voters in any given election is normally around forty percent of the population, which does not truly reflect the population’s intent. But no matter what the case was, Proposition Nineteen has legitimized the endorsement of marijuana on a much larger scale and introduced the possibility for another bid in the near future.
When 2012 comes around and a measure similar to Proposition Nineteen is introduced, hopefully people make more informed choices. Once all myths are dispelled, detriments acknowledged, and benefits are praised, marijuana will have a fighting chance at saving our country. Marijuana could help the American people in a countless number of ways and bring us out of the economic pit we have fallen into. Maybe this will only be achieved one state at a time, but eventually the United States of America will have to collectively look at possible solutions to our crises; legalization of marijuana will from now on be noticed as a viable alternative.
Works Cited
Brownlee, C. "High Times for Brain Growth." Science News 168.16 (2005): 246. Academic
Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 16 Nov. 2010.
Fortgang, Erika. "Is pot bad for you? Six questions answered." Rolling Stone 807 (1999): 53.
Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 16 Nov. 2010.
"Marijuana and the moral high ground." Age, The (Melbourne) 20 Nov. 2000: 14. Newspaper
Source Plus. EBSCO. Web. 16 Nov. 2010.
“Pot growers thrive in Northern California.” CNBC TV. MSNBC: 21 Jan 2009. Television. 6
Dec 2010.
Thies, Clifford F., and Charles A. Register. "Decriminalization of marijuana and the demand for
alcohol, marijuana and coc aine." Social Science Journal 30.4 (1993): 385. MasterFILE
Premier. EBSCO. Web. 16 Nov. 2010.
Zimmer, Lynn and John Morgan. Marijuana Myths, Marijuana Facts: A Review Of The
Scientific Evidence. New York: The Drug Policy Alliance. 1997, 241 pages.
This post is dedicated to showing a few of the benefits of marijuana and philosophies I've personally considered surrounding the drug. First, I would like you to listen to this song, called "Away". It details a world run by weed. Sounds far-fetched, but just ponder it for a few minutes. Also, subscribe to the channel if you like the music.
Now that we've taken a trip through Bluntville, we can go onto the actual research of the matter. I wrote this paper last semester in defense of Her Highness, Mari.
Saving Our Green
When the world’s last superpower has been destroyed economically from its own consumerism, challenged consistently by its own population, and rejected by countries who claim to be allies, it’s hard to see how salvation from a self-imposed doom could be possible on any scale. Many of America’s problems will only be confronted with war when negotiations have failed, as has been in the past. However, at least one of our gigantic problems can be solved without bloodshed. This paper will propose an effective method of dealing with the decline of American economy by legalizing marijuana. First, this paper will cover the myths, detrimental factors, and personal benefits of marijuana. Then the effect of legalization will be discussed in regards to American economy before reaching a proposition for getting the substance legalized.
For the past thirty-eight years, starting with Oregon in 1972, marijuana has been increasingly decriminalized in twelve states. In an article from the Social Science Journal, the main issues of decriminalization are outlined in this quote:
Generally, the debate regarding decriminalization of marijuana concerns the sensitivity of the demand for drugs to incremental changes in legal sanctions. This is because the benefits from decriminalization, such as fewer arrests of otherwise law-abiding users of marijuana, are contrasted against the harms from increased use of drugs, on the basis of presumptions such as: marijuana is itself a dangerous drug, marijuana use leads to use of dangerous drugs, or decriminalization of marijuana would lead to legalization of dangerous drugs. (Thies and Register)
The three presumptions of harmful outcomes of decriminalization shown above are based on nothing but flawed research.
Marijuana has more benefits than it does detrimental factors, so to say that it is a dangerous drug is at best naïve. There are many myths about the effects of marijuana, including but not limited to unfounded allegations that it is highly addictive, more damaging to the lungs than tobacco, causes mental illness, has no medicinal value, causes crimes and use of other dangerous drugs, kills brain cells, and impairs memory. These claims are based in anti-marijuana government propaganda from the late 20th century. The website www.drugpolicy.org uses information from the book Marijuana Myths, Marijuana Facts: A Review of the Scientific Evidence to create an amalgamated list of myths which represent popular views of marijuana as opposed to the reality of fact. The fact is that we have been deceived about marijuana and in reality, “A decade after the book was published, the latest scientific evidence continues to support the original findings” (Zimmer and Morgan).
Because of this distorted view of marijuana, marijuana’s lack of detriment is often overlooked. There are four main factors to consider when asked if marijuana is detrimental. The first is that it does cause “the munchies”. This symptom makes users want to eat junk food in larger quantities, which can lead to high cholesterol, high blood pressure and other related problems if not controlled. This could also be considered a benefit for people who suffer from eating disorders such as anorexia who normally have a hard time getting an appetite. Another factor is that it does irritate the lungs with carcinogens similar to tobacco. This means that theoretically, cancer and other such lung diseases may be connected with using the drug. However, no scientific evidence has been found which links people who solely smoke pot with lung disease. Marijuana smokers also inhale less smoke than tobacco users, thus the risk for lung related disease is significantly less than the average tobacco user. The third factor is that marijuana causes an increase in heart rate, so those with weak hearts should not indulge in smoking marijuana as it could increase the risk of heart attack with these people. If decriminalized, a warning would have to be put on the cannabis container in order to keep these people safe. The last and probably most condemning factor to consider would be that marijuana has been shown to affect hormonal changes in men and women. Although evidence has not been collected which demonstrates a reduction in fertility, it is not recommended for pregnant women or young children to smoke marijuana as it may cause lower birth weight in a baby or decreased attention span in a child (Fortgang). The list of detrimental effects of marijuana is short in comparison to its benefits.
Marijuana’s medicinal benefits have been known for centuries. The editorial The Age notes that “Between 1842 and 1900, cannabis was an ingredient of half of all the medicines sold in the United States.” Marijuana has been known to alleviate pain in many diseases, reduce epilepsy, lower stress, slow the progress of glaucoma, and increase a feeling of wellbeing in users. ("Marijuana and the moral high ground.") In recent studies, contrary to the myth that marijuana destroys brain cells, marijuana has actually been shown to encourage neurogenesis, which is the process by which a person’s brain grows new nerve cells (Brownlee). The aforementioned studies have put to rest the stereotype that pot smokers are “dumb” or destroying their minds.
Economically, marijuana has many other uses. Taxing the medicinal and recreational use of marijuana would slow down drug trade tremendously, as marijuana is the most popular drug in America. All revenue collected from taxing the plant could be generated throughout each year because marijuana is a plant which produces its own seeds and can be grown year-round. Just look at states such as California, who have already decriminalized weed. Their local economy has skyrocketed from marijuana profit. So much so that marijuana dispensaries are becoming a booming business. In Mendicino County for example, where pot has been considered a cash crop for more than thirty years, MSNBC broadcast in 2009 that “a county-commissioned study reports that pot accounts for up to two-thirds of the local economy” (“Pot growers thrive in Northern California”).
Marijuana also serves many other purposes in the form of hemp. Hemp can be used to make clothing, food, skin care products, ropes, paper, money, and all sorts of various items. This type of new commerce could encourage many businesses to sprout up which would help fix our economy. But with all these benefits, one might wonder why marijuana isn’t already decriminalized and legalized. There are quite a few logical reasons and none of them have to do with the direct effects of marijuana. Marijuana is mainly restrained for strategic political purposes. The legalization of marijuana would hinder many rich individuals and give new entrepreneurs a chance to gain wealth which only the rich grasped. This paper will not discuss the specific political maneuvering keeping marijuana illegal, but individual research on the subject is encouraged. In order to have some chance of decriminalizing weed, the medicinal effects will have to be touted to the fullest. But legalization is an entirely different thing, which must be addressed in mainstream media in order to become effective.
Have you seen the Above the Influence TV commercials, which send the message to people (primarily adolescents) that marijuana should be avoided? Have you ever wondered why each and every one of these commercials lacks any fact and rely heavily on sensationalist images? It is because the facts lean in favor of marijuana. With substances such as tobacco or alcohol, it is easy to promote Truth campaigns which pinpoint the facts of why these substances are bad. Every Truth commercial relies on statistics and convincing data, while Above the Influence commercials never do this. The propaganda against marijuana should be addressed for what it is: distortion. If mainstream media puts an end to the myth-based views associated with marijuana, then legalization may have a chance. Marijuana must gain open support from the educated citizens of America before it will become a viable solution.
Recently, marijuana was openly supported in California as Proposition Nineteen sought to legalize marijuana state-wide for recreational or medicinal use. Before the voting procedure, citizens of California were polled on whether marijuana should become legal. The approval rating was approximately ninety percent across automated polls. Sadly, this did not show in the voting results. Proposition Nineteen ended with fifty-four percent voting no and forty-six percent voting yes. This could be because voting was limited to those people above 21, who are largely still under the influence of distorted propaganda, while the younger generation raised up with access to limitless information, is a little more informed about the drug. It may also be because the percentage of voters in any given election is normally around forty percent of the population, which does not truly reflect the population’s intent. But no matter what the case was, Proposition Nineteen has legitimized the endorsement of marijuana on a much larger scale and introduced the possibility for another bid in the near future.
When 2012 comes around and a measure similar to Proposition Nineteen is introduced, hopefully people make more informed choices. Once all myths are dispelled, detriments acknowledged, and benefits are praised, marijuana will have a fighting chance at saving our country. Marijuana could help the American people in a countless number of ways and bring us out of the economic pit we have fallen into. Maybe this will only be achieved one state at a time, but eventually the United States of America will have to collectively look at possible solutions to our crises; legalization of marijuana will from now on be noticed as a viable alternative.
Works Cited
Brownlee, C. "High Times for Brain Growth." Science News 168.16 (2005): 246. Academic
Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 16 Nov. 2010.
Fortgang, Erika. "Is pot bad for you? Six questions answered." Rolling Stone 807 (1999): 53.
Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 16 Nov. 2010.
"Marijuana and the moral high ground." Age, The (Melbourne) 20 Nov. 2000: 14. Newspaper
Source Plus. EBSCO. Web. 16 Nov. 2010.
“Pot growers thrive in Northern California.” CNBC TV. MSNBC: 21 Jan 2009. Television. 6
Dec 2010.
Thies, Clifford F., and Charles A. Register. "Decriminalization of marijuana and the demand for
alcohol, marijuana and coc aine." Social Science Journal 30.4 (1993): 385. MasterFILE
Premier. EBSCO. Web. 16 Nov. 2010.
Zimmer, Lynn and John Morgan. Marijuana Myths, Marijuana Facts: A Review Of The
Scientific Evidence. New York: The Drug Policy Alliance. 1997, 241 pages.
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