Say No to Marijuana Legalization Marijuana also known as cannabis sativa is
being used illegally by many Americans today of all ages. Before the 1960s, many
Americans had never heard of marijuana, but today it is the most used illegal
drug in this country. All types of marijuana are mind-altering drugs. They all
contain THC, the main active chemical in marijuana, along with over 400 other
chemicals. This drug should stay illegal for many reasons concerning the health
and safety of Americans today. Saying no one ever died from smoking marijuana is
like saying no one ever died from smoking tobacco. “Today research shows that
nearly 50 percent of teenagers try marijuana before they graduate from high
school”(Grinspoon, 92-96). Most young teens and children start using marijuana
for many reasons, they are curious, or want to fit in to a specific group of
kids. Most young people who already smoke cigarettes and/or use alcohol are at
higher risk for marijuana use. Most young people say they use marijuana to deal
with psychological problems such as, anger, boredom, depression, anxiety, etc.
As much as young people think marijuana is helping their problems, its only
making things worse for their bodies and minds. When using marijuana, some users
suffer acute anxiety and have paranoid thoughts, this mainly occurs with some
one new to the drug or in a strange environment. In some cases, a user who has
taken a very high dose of marijuana can have severe psychotic symptoms and need
emergency help.
Marijuana delay’s the user’s short term memory, which means they may have
trouble handling simple or complex tasks. Due to the effects that marijuana has
on the mind, the user my find themselves in a difficult situations such as they
could become involved in risky sexual behavior or take part in auto crashes.
When you smoke marijuana and then drive or even perform both, many of the skills
required for safe driving, may be changed such as, alertness, concentration,
coordination and reaction time. These effects can last up to 24 hours after
smoking marijuana. Marijuana may also make it difficult to judge distances and
react to signals and sounds on the road. “A recent study of patients in a
shock-trauma unit who had been in traffic accidents revealed that 15 percent of
those who had been driving a car or motorcycle had been smoking marijuana, and
another 17 percent had alcohol in they’re system”(Trebach 68 ). Marijuana can
direct the human mind to make wrong or a dangerous choice but it also can damage
our bodies. The body can be damaged, just as easy as the mind loses its control
over the choices it makes. While all of the long-term effects of marijuana are
not yet known, there are studies showing serious health concerns. Findings so
far show that the regular use of marijuana or THC may play a role in cancer and
problems in the respiratory, immune system, and reproductive systems. It is hard
to find out whether marijuana alone causes cancer because many people who smoke
marijuana smoke cigarettes and use other drugs. Marijuana smoke contains some of
the same cancer-causing compounds as tobacco, sometimes in higher
concentrations. “Studies have shown that five joints per week may be taking in
as many cancer causing chemicals as someone who smokes a full pack of cigarettes
a day”(Downs 1-4). Tobacco smoke and marijuana smoke may work together to change
the tissues lining the respiratory tract. Marijuana smoking could contribute to
early development of head and neck cancer in some people. Cases of cancer,
including cancer of the mouth, tongue, larynx, jaw, head, neck, and lungs have
been reported in young marijuana smokers.
