Buy an essay: Marijuana Shouldn’t be legalized

Beginning in the second half of the 90-es the issue of the legalization of marijuana in the United States and Europe has become very hot, raising a lot of controversy and attracting public attention. Dozens of community organizations, physicians and their patients began active campaign in this direction, stating the pros and cons of marijuana selling and consumption.
The main argument of opponents of marijuana legalization is that it affects individual life and nation by being medium for other hard drugs, being medium for health hazards, and being medium for crime and violence.

Marijuana is sometimes called “gateway drug” because most drug addict says that they started smoking marijuana before taking hard drugs. Even if marijuana causes minimal harm, it is still a dangerous substance because it leads to the use of heavier drugs such as heroin, LSD and cocaine.
The theory of ” gateway drug ” is not a theory – this is description of the typical sequence of events at which addicts are moving from consumption of a widespread drug to other, less common illicit drugs. Studies show that most people who have tried marijuana later have more experience in taking other drugs, that is, before trying cocaine, most of them have tried many other illicit drugs. (Rockvill 1994)
In another study, the object of which were adults who used marijuana in high school, it was found that over 80% of them later tried other types of illicit drugs, or were users of multiple drugs (multiple drug users). (Rockvill 1996)
Addicts can consume marijuana daily for many years, that that causes chronic disorders of cognitive functions, that was observed by most authors (Pope et al, 1995; Wert and Raulin, 1986).
A study by American Academy of Pediatrics demonstrated that intense and prolonged abuse of marijuana (an average of more than 7 times per week for 6 years) young people (mostly men) caused a marked deterioration in the reproduction of memorized material, oral language and mathematical abilities – compared to the well-harmonized controls. (American Academy of Pediatrics 2004)
Together with mental and nervous system, the greatest harm marihuana does to respiratory organs. The report, “Marijuana and Medicine …” made by the U.S. Institute of Medicine, that was published in March 1999, points respiratory complications : “smoking marihuana … leads to the uptake of health-damaging substances.” (Institute of Medicine , 1999)
Another important consequence of marijuana smoking is that it causes different social problems to the society, that brings crime and violence. As it was already mentioned, the consumption of marijuana with the purpose of entertainment is not harmless. According to the scientific evidence , marijuana can cause various types of physical and psychological problems, that leads to social problems in society. The first example can be that marijuana adicts begin to steal, rob, and rape in the influence of marijuana; the other example is that trading of marijuana brings about conflict with in dealer and customer that causes gun fights.
Anyway trading and consumption of marijuana leads to increase of violence and crime, but in fact are guilty are not strictly punished – only some violators of laws on marijuana are arrested, and almost none of them go to prison. Such a condescending attitude leads to the fact that marijuana continues to be sold and consumed, which again leads to the same increase in violence and crime. It is obvious that society and government should take strict measures to those who sell marijuana, that is to treat marijuana traffickers with the same rigor as dealers of heroin and cocaine.
The main argument of supporters of legalization of marijuana is that it differs from other drugs, brings less harm. Also an important argument is the use of marijuana in medicine: the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes is well documented in modern scientific literature. But there are also many studies on the negative results of marijuana use, so it can not be regarded as permissible remedy.
So the arguments are still going on, and it must be said that supporters of ideas of legalizing marijuana for medicinal purposes have made substantial progress in adopting legislation, in states where they have been approved by a referendum, for example in California or Arizona. But the other side does not give up: the White House with Congress and the Justice Ministry and Supreme Court stand against the legalization of marijuana.

 
Conclusion
Thus, the legalization of marijuana – at least controversial action. Apparently, the drug will still be allowed at least for medical use in some countries and states, but the main point is that the evidence against legalization is so strong: marijuana has always been an illicit drug and always will be illicit because it is a root cause for substance dependence, health hazards and crime.

Works cited:
Rockvill, M. National Household Survey on Drug Abuse: Population Estimates 1994. US Department оf Health and Human Services, 1994-1996
Janet E. Joy, Stanley J. Watson, Jr., and John A. Benson, Jr. “Marijuana and Medicine: Assessing the Science Base ”. Division of Neuroscience and Behavioral Health. INSTITUTE OF MEDICINE, 1999
Solowij Nadia. Event-related potential indices of cognitive functioning in long term cannabis users. National Drug and Control Research Centre, 1995
American Academy of Pediatrics, Committee on Substance Abuse. Marijuana: a continuing concern for pediatricians. Pediatrics №104, 1999
American Academy of Pediatrics, Committee on Substance Abuse and Committee on Adolescence. Technical report: legalization of marijuana: potential impact on youth. Pediatrics №113, 2004