--Original published at Emily Garvin's Psych Blog
Recently, several states have legalized recreational use of marijuana and even more are considering it. This has lead to both celebration and condemnation depending on who you ask. Medicinal use of marijuana is still controversial as well. In your blog post, take a position on both medical and recreational use of marijuana. Should they be legal or not? Make sure to point out pros and cons to both arguments.
The legalization of marijuana is a heavily debated topic among society today. Many people have varying opinions on the legalization of marijuana for recreational and medicinal use. I believe that there are pros and cons to each perspective. Those who support the recreational use of marijuana validate their claims with the physiological effects that it brings and the social benefits it reaps as well. For example, marijuana has been proven to heighten senses, increase creativity, and make people feel more energized. Supporters of legalization also advocate for the social aspect of the drug. They claim that the drug brings friends together and allows them to freely speak their mind. Contrary to these claims, those who do not support the legalization of recreational marijuana say that marijuana has detrimental effects on one’s physical and mental health. Some of the health risks include heightened anxiety, psychosis and delusions, red shot eyes, dry mouth, problems with balance and coordination, decreased sperm count in males, and menstrual flow disruption in females. Another controversial topic among today’s society is the legalization of medical use marijuana. Those who support the legalization say that marijuana can treat side effects of medications, greatly reduce pain suffered from chronic illnesses, and has a minimal risk of addiction. Cancer patients are often referenced as those who would greatly benefit from the legalization of marijuana. When a patient consumes marijuana their side effect of nausea that they experience from chemo treatments usually subsides. Those who do not support the legalization of medicinal marijuana say that the drug causes issues concerning vision, there are alternative drugs that are as just as effective, and only alleviates pain for a short period of time.
I am not very opinionated on the use of recreational marijuana, but I do support the legalization of medical marijuana. I believe that people should have the ability to choose if they want to take part in the recreational use of marijuana. Despite the legal status of the drug, marijuana is still going to be present in today’s society. Therefore, the legalization of the drug will just make marijuana easier to obtain. In my opinion, medicinal marijuana should be legalized because the benefits outweigh the risks. The people who are to be prescribed with this drug suffer immense pain on a daily basis and if this drug can relieve some of their constant pain I am all for it! The consumers however, should be made aware of the risks and they can decide for themselves if it is a drug they would like to try. Overall, our society is evolving and becoming more accepting of issues that were considered taboo so I think that it is good that it is being discussed.
References:
https://testcountry.com/pages/all-you-need-to-know-about-recreational-marijuana-use
https://medicalmarijuana.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=000141