|
Marijuana legalization has been a topic of debate for many
years, with proponents arguing that the legalization of the drug will bring
numerous benefits, including economic benefits, while opponents argue that
the legalization will lead to increased consumption and adverse health
effects. This essay argues that the legalization of marijuana can cause
increased and unintentional consumption of the drug, leading to acute
intoxication and addiction. Moreover, the adverse health benefits of
marijuana use surpass the damaging effects of consuming the illicit drug on
the brain and the user’s mental health. Additionally, marijuana
authorization in different countries may result in a poor state of overall
health, increasing the prevalence of some lifestyle illnesses linked to drug
use.
Legalizing marijuana makes it more accessible, leading to increased
consumption and unintended use of the drug. Studies have shown that the
legalization of marijuana reduces the costs of using it by eliminating the
fear of punishment, enhancing availability, a lack of social acceptability,
and an innate desire to abide by the law. The elimination of these fears
increases the number of people unintentionally consuming the drug. The
increased advertising of the product also causes other people, especially
youths, to try the drug. A study carried out in Washington State University
found that recreational marijuana legalization enhanced the frequency of use
and the proportion of undergraduate learners using the drug. Hence, the
legalization of marijuana may lead to the emergence of a community with
impaired brain development and other psychological issues.
Marijuana use has both short- and long-term impacts on the brain, affecting
a person’s functionality. Using marijuana for leisure and medical purposes
causes mood alterations, impaired body movement, hallucinations, delusions,
and psychosis. The constant use of marijuana also affects brain development
for teenage users, impairing learning functions, thinking, memory, and the
connection between the brain parts. Marijuana products also lead to
arteritis, lung cancer, and an enhanced risk of fatal motor vehicle
collisions. The consumption of marijuana products could also lead to
breathing issues, increased heart rate, problems with child development,
intense nausea, and vomiting. Therefore, the legalization of marijuana
products can cause a higher prevalence of lifestyle diseases and a weak
society that cannot function without illicit drugs.
The proponents of marijuana legalization attach numerous medical and
economic benefits to validating the use of the drug. They argue that the
authorization of medical marijuana reduces the probability of opioid use,
chronic opioid consumption, and high-risk opioid use, a severe challenge in
the US. Economically, the legalization of marijuana can cause higher
employment rates, generate more significant tax revenues, create a
profitable industry, lower law enforcement costs, reduce overcrowding in
prisons, and reduce the price of marijuana products. However, opponents
argue that violent crimes in the US surge when marijuana is legitimately
ample, and the economic costs of the validation outshine the benefits.
In conclusion, legalizing marijuana can cause increased and unintended
consumption of the drug, leading to acute intoxication and addiction. The
adverse health benefits of marijuana use surpass the damaging effects of
consuming the illicit drug on the brain and the user’s mental health.
Additionally, marijuana authorization in different countries may result in a
poor state of overall health, increasing the prevalence of some lifestyle
illnesses linked to drug use. Therefore, recreational marijuana should
remain illegal worldwide to avoid a community with impaired brain
development and other psychological issues. |
