Introduction
Marijuana, often referred to a pot or cannabis, is widely known throughout the world and has a long history of use for different purposes. People’s perceptions of marijuana have considerably changed over the years from prohibitions and warnings against its use to the increased acceptance for medical and recreational use. Shifts in public thought at large, caused by the change of social, cultural, and political backgrounds, have made the issue of marijuana use and it’s legalizing on the governmental level quite controversial. Moreover, the status of marijuana differs from country to country. In particular, while in the United States, marijuana is legalized and can be freely bought, in Canada, marijuana is illegal.
As the legalization of marijuana is a rather controversial issue, a student at universities or colleges is often required to write argumentative essays in this topic and develop persuasive arguments for or against it. One of the most significant parts of such essays is a strong and arguable thesis, which expresses one’s attitude to the issue from a medical, political, or economic perspective. This article provides important information on how to write a good essay about the legalization of marijuana focusing on the need to make marijuana legal in Canada.
Facts
First of all, it should be noted that over time, weed has proved to be rather beneficial and useful from the medical perspective. In particular, one of the earliest resources reporting the use of cannabis for medical reasons dates back to approximately 2,800 BC. It is the Chinese document called “Shennung Ben Ts’ao King.” The document provides a description of how the ancient Chinese used different parts of cannabis to treat illnesses and bring relief from pain. For example, the flowers of cannabis were used to help patients with open wounds and menstrual disorders. Besides that, the Chinese consumed the seeds of cannabis internally to treat aconite and vermillion poisoning, obstinate vomiting, and other illnesses and symptoms. In addition to that, the document includes important facts concerning the preparation of cannabis and the effects of its excessive use. In particular, it is noted that the excessive consumption of marijuana can lead to hallucinations.
Nowadays, the status of marijuana is rather controversial and differs from state to state. Even though in Canada, it is first of all viewed as a dangerous and addictive drug that can even cause deaths if consumed excessively, experts cannot deny its beneficial effect on people’s health in particular cases. Over time, marijuana has proved to be beneficial while used for medical reasons. The use of cannabis can not just bring relief from certain symptoms but also save lives. For example, one of the AIDS patients, Charles Pariseau, was saved by marijuana when he was constantly losing weight and could keep neither food nor medications in his system. Marijuana is said to have improved his immune function. What is more, it is often stated that marijuana is helpful in repressing HIV and AIDS. As a result, Pariseau has gained weight, and his overall state has normalized. This and numerous other examples prove that the effect of marijuana on patients’ state in certain cases can be beneficial.
The fact is that the legalization of marijuana remains a controversial issue as there are many pros and cons of it. The effects of marijuana are not studied enough to analyze whether the advantages of the use of cannabis for medical reasons outweigh its potential harm for addicts.
Why Marijuana Should be Legal Essay example
Even though in the past, weed was freely used to help people get relief from symptoms and fight illnesses, for some period of time, the use of marijuana has been illegal in numerous countries, and Canada is not an exception. However, with the shift in public thought and the tendency to be more open to new ideas and visions, experts now propose public policy change aimed to legalize marijuana.
Numerous experts claim that in Canada, the use of marijuana should become legalized due to its benefits from the medical perspective. People believe that the Federal Government should not take control over all their actions because they are responsible for their actions themselves.
The main argument for the legalization of marijuana is the fact that alcohol and tobacco, which are much more harmful and addictive, are in free use, while weed is forbidden. What is more, it is often said that the legislation on the use of this drug was created on the basis of the racist sentiment, and it decreases the law’s credibility. While analyzing the change in the status of marijuana, one can understand that marijuana was prohibited first of all because of social reasons and not because it was viewed as a dangerous drug. The matter is that other substances, such as alcohol and tobacco, are actually much more dangerous than marijuana.
Those viewing marijuana as a harmful and addictive drug emphasize its effect on the brain. The fact is that marijuana really influences people’s conscience and can make them addicted. However, tobacco and alcohol are much more addictive. In particular, nicotine, the substance present in tobacco, is proved to be the most addictive substance ever.
All of the above proves that the use of marijuana in Canada should be legalized. Similar to America, Canada should establish a law regulating the use of marijuana and allowing its legal status. Weed should be treated similarly to alcohol and tobacco as it is not more dangerous than these substances.
Conclusion
The use of marijuana has its advantages and disadvantages. As a result, its status and attitude to it are controversial. While some people view it as an addictive and dangerous drug that can lead to deaths, others emphasize its beneficial impact if used for medical reasons. It is important to evaluate all the potential benefits and risks thoroughly in order to decide whether to legalize marijuana or not. There, the question lies in the fact whether the Federal Government has to control people completely or they should be responsible for their actions themselves.
