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Legalizing Marijuana in America

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Marijuana, also known as cannabis, is a flower that is indigenous, meaning it is produced naturally, with the compound chemical of tetrahydocannabinol, known as THC; which gives psychoactive and physiological effects. The plant was well known from the early 1600's and known uses go back to 7000 B.C, but the plant didn’t reach public awareness as a recreational drug until the early 1900's. Over centuries the plant was used for food, incense, cloth, rope, etc. George Washington stated “It is hemp season in Mount Vernon and I wouldn't miss that for all the tea in China.” He and Thomas Jefferson were two founders of marijuana, they farmed and dealt the plant in the early 1850's for economical reasons. They had three primary farms in Virginia. Washington used some of what he produced to create hemp clothing to be worn by his slaves, Jefferson cultivated hemp for recreational consumption, according to Washington's diary. Marijuana has never been legalized in all the fifty states, even though marijuana can be used for medical and economical reasons, and also create tax revenue for all of the United States. (Wikipedia 2)(The Diaries of George Washington) I have family members that are survivors of ovarian cancer. The active ingredient in marijuana (THC) cuts tumor growth and significantly reduces the ability of the disease to spread throughout the body. Marijuana increases the appetite, reduces the pain, reduces the vomiting and nausea, as well as helping depression in cancer patients. Over twenty major studies in the past nine years have shown that cannabinoids fight cancer cells. Marijuana helps a variety of different forms of cancer such as brain, melanoma, breast, ovarian, leukemic, and many other forms. The chemicals in marijuana have active components which are called cannaboid receptors. They expose the anti-tumor properties and subdue the tumor growth, and help regulate human pituitary hormone secretions. The THC in marijuana eliminated malignant brain tumors and prolonged the life of the patients. THC also suppressed the growth of thyroid, prostate, and colorectal cancer cells. Not only does marijuana significantly aid the growth and spread of cancer, it also helps hundreds of other health conditions. For example, Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), marijuana helps this virus in several ways. It increases the patients appetite, decreases nausea and vomiting, helps with pain, inflammation, breathing difficulties, constipation, and depression. Marijuana has been proven in clinical trials to reduce plaque build-up in the arteries; In this case, Arteriosclerotic Heart Disease involves hardening of arteries in or around the heart with fatty plague build-up. Dr. Donald Tashkin from University of California stated, “There's a reasonable possibility that THC interferes with the development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).” A natural plant relieves multiple symptoms, compared to a man-made drug that has a page long list of warnings and side effects of that particular drug.(DeNoon)(Medical Marijuana Blog)(Marijuana Doctors)(Harding) More than one in three people have tried marijuana at one time in their lives. The side effects from smoking or ingesting marijuana is: dizziness, shallow breathing, red eyes and dilated pupils, dry mouth, increased appetite, and slowed reaction time. The side effects of marijuana are far more less than many of the drugs that the FDA approve. Side effects associated with marijuana compared to all other current drug therapies are classified as “low risk.” The greatest danger associated with marijuana is it illegality. The U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that more than 37,000 annual U.S. deaths are attributed to alcohol use alone. The CDC doesn't even have a category for deaths caused by the use of marijuana. The official publication of the Scientific Research Society “American Scientist” reported that “alcohol is one of the most toxic drugs, what one would use to get the desired effect could lead to death. Marijuana is one of – if not the – least toxic drug.” There has never been a case of an individual dying from a marijuana overdose. According to the CDC, hundreds of alcohol overdose deaths occur in the U.S. each year. Tobacco smoke contains 700 deadly chemicals, hundreds of them are toxic, about seventy cause cancer, such as formaldehyde which is used to embalm dead bodies. Smoking cigarettes can cause lung cancer, lung damage, respiratory problems, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and other health problems. The CDC indicates, an estimated 443,000 deaths, that is nearly one in five deaths each year resulting from tobacco use alone. There are more deaths from legal drugs that are prescribed than there are illegal drugs in the United States. Melody Peterson, author of the book “Our Daily Meds,” offers the statistic showing more than 100,000 people die each year from prescription drugs which inc

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