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Molly Siroki

ENG 1201

Dr. Hellmers

13 April 2021

What are the pros and cons of marijuana?

Marijuana has been around for many years, stirring up numerous conversations about if

this substance is good or bad for us to consume. 91 percent of American adults believe that

cannabis should be legal for recreational and medicinal use and only 8 percent of adults believe it

should not be used at all. Through multiple different experiments and trials, doctors and

scientists have worked to try and give us an explanation into what using cannabis does to our

mind, body, the environment, and the economy. Marijuana legalization in various parts of the

United States has given other portions of our country a look into the results of legalization and

the results it can have on those areas both positive and negative. Some categories that have been

seen to be highly impacted by legalization are the environment, economy, crime rates, as well as

both mental and physical health. For example, cannabis can help with many things such as

seizures, anxiety, eating disorders, and can even provide an extreme revenue in taxes, but can

also cause issues such as depression, brain development, and respiratory issues.

Since cannabis has been around there have been debates over if the Government should

make it legal or not. As far back as 1619 there have been legal tenders over the use of cannabis.

Between the late 1960s and early 2000s, those in favor of legalizing marijuana went up from 12

percent to 27 percent, and from 1990 to 2019 it had gone up 1.5 percent each year. Cannabis was
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a part of the “Three Strikes” sentencing laws, which stated that if a person were convicted of a

serious drug offense they would be sentenced to life in prison (Thomson Reuters). There have

been many studies conducted considering the reasons of why there has been such a spike in

support of legalizing the substance. Through the studies, researchers found that there was a

numerous number of reasons for this increased support. Some of those reasons were a decrease

in religion, an increase in news coverage, less fear of the side effects, and less fear of the

criminal justice system (Weedmaps).

“Cannabis refers to a group of three plants with psychoactive properties, known as

Cannabis sativa, which is identified as the “upper” strain, Cannabis indicia, known as the

“downer” strain and Cannabis ruderalis, which is a CBD heavy strain causing a much more

uplifting high” (Kimberly Holland). Within these strains of cannabis there are more than 120

components known as cannabinoids that make up this substance. Cannabidiol (CBD) and

tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) are the most common talked about ones. CBD is a psychoactive

cannabinoid and is the part of the plant that does not get you “high” but is intended to help things

like nausea, migraine, seizures, and anxiety. THC is the component in the plant responsible for

the “high” you hear people associate with cannabis. There are many ways to consume cannabis

and cannabinoids, such as, smoking, eating, vaporizing, ingestible oils, and topical creams, but

smoking is the most common way people decide to use it (Kimberly Holland).

Some very common short term side effects of consuming cannabis are relaxation,

giddiness, increased sense of sights and sounds, “munchies” or increased appetite, a feeling of

time slowing down, and increased focus and productivity. While those can all be viewed as

positive or fun side effects when using cannabis, there are also some long-term effects that have
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been proven harmful to our bodies and minds. The most common of these are nausea,

drowsiness, anxiety, spiked heart rate, decreased blood pressure, and paranoia. How you react to

cannabis mainly relies on how much and how often you consume it.

Today, marijuana is one of the most used substances in the U.S., and a survey revealed

that 94 million people admitted to using cannabis at least once in their life. There are many

reasons why this substance is so popular medically and recreationally. Medically it gives you

relief from pain, anger, fear, and regret. Recreational use is more popular than medicinal use,

stemming from individuals believing it is a soft and natural drug and the ability to consume it

and still function in your day-to-day life. Recreational use has many benefits just like medicinal

use. It has been known to help people open up and have more intimate conversations, opens your

mind to new ideas and information, stimulates your senses of food and music, gives users more

creativity, makes you laugh more, helps mask negativity so you have a more positive outlook on

life, and enables you to relax and be more stress free (Cynthia Barillas).

A big debate around medical marijuana use is the effect it has on mental health. Some

will say it helps improve mental health while others just do not feel we have enough information

about it to advise people to use it. Researchers found that pharmaceutical THC has reduced

symptoms of anxiety and depression better than a nonactive placebo (Shawn Radcliffe).

Medicinal Cannabis can be used for many adverse health effects such as PTSD, anxiety

disorders, depression, ADHD, bipolar disorder, chronic pain, insomnia, opiate dependence,

schizophrenia, seizures, and multiple sclerosis. It is also used to help individuals going through

chemotherapy reduce their nausea and improve their overall mood and outlook on their situation.
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The effects this substance gives off creates a barrier between their pain and improves

neurological issues in those patients with seizures.

Even though there are many positive aspects of consuming cannabis there are also quite a

few negative effects for frequent users. The main concern is brain development. When people

start using marijuana at too young of an age it can hinder their ability to think quickly, to

remember information, and determines how the brain builds connections between the areas

necessary for memory and quick thinking. Several tests were done with individuals ranging in

age from birth to 38 to see if frequent cannabis use caused cognitive impairments. It was

recorded that those who used marijuana the most had an eight-point drop in their IQ score. The

areas where the cognitive impairments were the highest were executive functioning, processing

speed, attention, and memory. Individuals that reported not using cannabis until later in their

adulthood had no report in IQ drop, and little to no cognitive issues (Feeney and Kampman).

Frequent users have also reported respiratory issues, increased heart rate, increased risk of poor

child development during and after pregnancy, digestive issues, temporary hallucinations, higher

risk for relationship problems, poorer physical and mental health, withdrawal symptoms after

quitting, and many believe it is a gateway drug for more intense substances (NIH). Marijuana has

also been linked with psychosocial effects such as lower academic achievement, job

performance, driving ability, and social functioning in relationships (Feeney and Kampman).

Another common debate around the use of marijuana are the withdrawal effects that are

linked with quitting the substance. Many report feelings of anger or aggressiveness, extreme

nervousness or anxiety, insomnia, disturbing dreams or nightmares, decreased appetite, and the

onset feelings of depression within the first 7-10 days after stopping. While the withdrawal
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process is not considered to be life threatening, there is always potential for individuals to have

poorer judgement, be more accident prone, and even develop suicidal thoughts, so it is

recommended that you stop using with the help of a doctor (Marisa Crane).

Cannabis has more to it than just personal and physical effects. There is also a huge

debate about how marijuana dispensaries can help the economy. As of this year 34 states have

legalized marijuana medically, recreationally, or both. In 2019 in Colorado there was more than

$302 million in taxes and fees on medical and recreational marijuana, with $1.7 billion in total

revenue. In that same year, there was a $12.2 billion total revenue in the United States. Reports

show that by 2024 total sales will increase to $31.1 billion a year, resulting in a total of $105.6

billion in aggerate federal tax revenue by 2025. In California from 2018 to 2019, it was reported

that cannabis sales had increased $411.3 million in excise tax, $98.9 million in cultivation tax,

and $335.1 million in sales tax.

In 2018 there were more than 663,000 marijuana-related arrests, with more then 608,000

being for marijuana possession only. Arrests cost between $1,000 and $5,000, which means that

between $300,000,000 and $600,000,000 was spent on recreational marijuana users arrests only.
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Marijuana is also a part of the War on Drugs costing around $47 billion a year. Many believe

that we should be using this money and our police resources much differently. In Colorado there

has been over 1 billion dollars in tax revenue since the state opted to legalize the substance. The

profit from this business could be used for police agencies, correctional facilities, drug

rehabilitation centers, crime prevention programs, homeless shelters, and education facilities

(Cody Jorgensen).

Many believe that legalizing marijuana will increase crime rates in the area, but studies

found that it has actually helped reduce crime rates where the substance has been legalized. In an

article on Marijuana Moment they state that “in areas where there are marijuana dispensaries

there was a reduction of 17 crimes per month per 10,000 residents which corresponds to roughly

a 19 percent decline to the average crime rate over the recorded period.” In Denver between

2013 and 2014 there was a 1.7 percent increase in crime except in the neighborhoods that had

dispensaries (Kimberly Lawson). While studies have found positive effects of legalizing

marijuana many are worried that the tax rates will cause those of lower incomes that cannot

afford to pay those taxes to still buy from the black market.

Not only does the legalization of marijuana create copious amount of revenue for the

U.S., it also creates more jobs and income opportunities. It is the fastest growing job market in

America. Leafly, a cannabis information hub, calculated that there are more than 300,000 full-

time workers in the cannabis industry. In 2018 there was 64,000 marijuana related jobs added

across the United States, with Florida adding the most. As of January this year we have added on

21,000 more jobs. All in all, there is a projected growth of 32% year to year.
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There are many different areas you can work in with cannabis, ranging from $25,000-

$70,000 a year. There are sales associates, budtenders, security guards, harvesters, edible

makers, delivery drives, dispensary managers, marketing managers, laboratory managers, and

production managers. This industry creates job opportunities for individuals of all academic

backgrounds. Glassdoor provides data stating that the median pay in the cannabis industry is 11

percent above the median salary of other jobs across the U.S, and that those obtaining jobs in

higher levels of cannabis reported earning well over six figures a year. Most individuals with a 4-

year college degree never see what individuals working in the cannabis industry see (Jeff Cox).

Cannabis is many different things for many different people. To some it brings relief

from chronic pain, brings ease to cancer patients, helps individuals cope with eating disorders,

lowers anxiety and stress levels, and boosts serotonin. But to others it can bring worse anxiety

issues, slow brain development, cause respiratory issues, and even cause paranoia. The facts

show that though there are many adverse side effects of marijuana on mental and physical health,

one thing it does bring is an abundance of tax revenue for states who have legalized the

substance, and the industry creates so many job opportunities with livable income.
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Works Cited

Barillas, Cynthia. “Benefits of Using Marijuana for Recreational Purposes by Mercy Wellness

Center.” Mercy Wellness of Cotati, 15 Oct. 2019, mercywellness.com/positive-effects-

using-recreational-marijuana/.

Felson, Jacob, et al. “How and Why Have Attitudes about Cannabis Legalization Changed so

Much?” Social Science Research, vol. 78, 2019, pp. 12–27., doi:

10.1016/j.ssresearch.2018.12.011.

Grenoble, Ryan. “Colorado Weed Revenue Exceeds $1 Billion” HuffPost 13 June 2019

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/colorado-weed-revenue-1-billion

Guercio, Danielle. “Study Analyzes Why U.S. Attitudes Moved in Marijuana's Favor.”

Weedmaps News, 7 Jan. 2019, weedmaps.com/news/2019/01/study-analyzes-why-u-s-

attitudes-moved-in-marijuanas-favor/.

Holland, K. (2020, July 23). What is Cannabis? Facts about its Components, effects, and

hazards. Retrieved April 13, 2021, from https://www.healthline.com/health/what-is-

cannabis

Krishna, Mrinalini. “The Economic Benefits of Legalizing Weed.” Investopedia, Investopedia, 9

Apr. 2021, www.investopedia.com/articles/insights/110916/economic-benefits-legalizing-

weed.asp.
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Lawson, Kimberly. “Crime Rates Drop After Marijuana Dispensaries Open Nearby, Study

Finds.” Marijuana Moment, 28 Aug. 2019, www.marijuanamoment.net/crime-rates-drop-

after-marijuana-dispensaries-open-nearby-study-finds/.

“Marijuana Withdrawal - Symptoms, Timeline, and Weed Detox.” American Addiction Centers,

7 Apr. 2021, americanaddictioncenters.org/marijuana-rehab/withdrawal.

NIDA. "Marijuana DrugFacts." National Institute on Drug Abuse, 24 Dec. 2019,

https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/marijuana Accessed 14 Apr. 2021.

Radcliffe, Shawn. Can Cannabis Help Your Mental Health? What We Know, 2019,

www.healthline.com/health-news/does-cbd-help-your-mental-health-heres-what-we-know.

SR;, Volkow ND;Baler RD;Compton WM;Weiss. “Adverse Health Effects of Marijuana Use.”

The New England Journal of Medicine, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2016,

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24897085/.
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