I cannot help but notice the other pot thread in the Deaf Education Forum. I felt the urge to bring this topic up. I want to know how everyone feel about marijuana and why? Most people think that cannabis is bad for you but I have a complex veiw about marijuana.
Montel Williams, talk show host, author and motivational speaker, was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1999. He and other victims of MS said it is the worst chronic pain anyone can ever experience. He had been prescribed many different medications for this which includes Oxycontin and Percoset which are proven to be ineffective and dangerous. The only prescribed medication that alleviates his chronic pain is medical Cannabis (marijuana).
Cannabis is the botanical name of the plant from which marijuana comes. It is also know as weed, hash, ganja, grass, draw, pot, herb, Mary Jane and chronic. Cannabis is an illegal plant and its possession, use, and sale carry heavy prison sentences and fines. It has been socially accepted by society for years. It is a dangerous drug when it is abused, it can cause some serious medical problems such has respiratory problems and infertility. Short term affects include dry mouth, dry eyes, increased heart rate and visible signs of intoxication such as bloodshot eyes and puffy eyes; anxiety attacks, impaired muscle coordination and judgment, impaired memory and learning ability are other short term affects.
Because of the amount of toxic chemicals found in marijuana, it was made illegal. I feel that it should be legal no matter how much damage it can do to a person. People are aware of the effects of using marijuana, it’s a human right issue, and freedom should apply even if the outcome is self destructing. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 25 specifically states that individuals are entitled to seek any medical help necessary. So therefore, depriving patients of medical marijuana is a crime against the patients. Laws against the use of medical marijuana should be changed.
There are thousands suffering from cancer, A.I.D.S, M.S, spinal cord injury, epilepsy, asthma, insomnia and stress related disorders. The only way of relieving their pain and symptoms completely for a long period of time is to resort to Cannabis. One advantage of allowing patients to use this effective drug instead of dangerous, ineffective pharmaceutical drugs is that the patient would save a lot of money.
Innocent and non violent people are being arrested everyday for the possession of marijuana. They are fined hundreds of dollars and years in prison which put a lot of stress on families. More than eighty percent of people have already tried or used marijuana so it is clear that the law is losing in this case. Legalizing cannabis can make a great difference in reducing crime. Police can arrest real criminals who violate real laws against human rights, such as murders, rapists and thieves. A lot of pressure on the government and prison systems will be eased.
As we all know, tobacco, cigarettes and alcohol are legal and once upon a time they weren’t. So why should these drugs be readily available to people and cannabis cannot, it is no more harmful than tobacco, cigarettes and alcohol should be readily available to patients. Yes, marijuana is addictive. But not as addictive as tobacco and alcohol. Recent studies show that a lesser percent of people who heavily used it than the percentage of people who used tobacco and alcohol, no matter how moderate it is used. Tobacco and cigarettes have long term effects and increase the risk of cancer, heart and many other diseases. They contain deadly, toxics chemicals and yet they are still legal.
Cannabis is more than a medical or recreational substance to some people. It is a source of fuel, food, building materials, plastic, paper and much more. A few people realize how useful this plant can be in other ways other than being used as a drug. Globally, cannabis hemp is the most prolific source of biomass and it replaces all high pollutant energy sources such as coal, petroleum and nuclear fuels. Replacing these fuels with this plant can help to preserve the earth and delay global warming and also save a lot of money.
I do not support the legalization of Cannabis for recreational purposes, but people have the freedom to choose what they want to do with their bodies, like they choose to consume alcohol and smoke cigarettes which pollutes their bodies and minds. We must be educated on the effect of these drugs. Legalization of cannabis for medical purposes will be a great benefit to those with serious medical conditions.
