STEPHANIE B.

MANILA

POSITION PAPER

“Should Marijuana be Legalized?”

Marijuana has been a controversial topic all around the world and has become more
controversial in the country during the war against drug use under former President
Rodrigo Duterte’s administration. It has raised a division of opinions on how to solve the
drug war in the Philippines some were against the method to win the drug war but there
were also a lot of Filipino people who support the method to solve the drug war. It can
stir strong emotions among doctors, scientists, researchers, policymakers, and the
public. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse Marijuana refers to the dried
leaves, flowers, stems, and seeds from the hemp plant, Cannabis sativa. The plant
contains the mind-altering chemical delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and other
related compounds. When smoked, THC and other compounds in the plant enter the
bloodstream, traveling quickly throughout the body and to the brain. The benefits start to
take action practically immediately. Many report feeling relaxed and in a pleasant state
of bliss. The debate over the legalization is complex because of the high probability of
marijuana being abused but there are also big advantages in the medical industry when
it’s legalized. In this paper, it will discuss why marijuana should be legalized.

Many countries have legalized marijuana because of its therapeutic effect. Studies
report that it can be a treatment for Alzheimer's disease, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
(ALS), HIV/AIDS, Crohn's disease, Epilepsy and seizures, Glaucoma, Multiple sclerosis
and muscle spasms, Severe and chronic pain, severe nausea or vomiting caused by
cancer treatment. In a Harvard Health Journal blog by Dr. Peter Grinspoon, he tackled
the many effects of marijuana as a medicinal drug. He reported that many patients have
shown many benefits of marijuana such as relieving insomnia, anxiety, spasticity, and
pain to treating life-threatening conditions such as epilepsy. One factor that gave
marijuana as a medicine is it is far safer than opiates such as Advil if a patient can’t take
them due to problems with their kidneys or ulcers or GERD however, if marijuana is
used as an alternative to opiates there is still a risk for addiction.

Another reason for marijuana to be legalized is that it can reduce crime on the streets. It
could weaken the drug's black market and lower related crime rates. The government
can give a high tax on marijuana an get funds from it and bring in money for the
government. They could also easily track what is happening in the trade and investigate
organizations that would do illegal business such as selling illegal drugs like heroin and
others. A study titled The Effect of Marijuana Legalization on Crime Rates has found
highly mixed evidence between marijuana use and crime rate. Though the United
States hasn’t legalized marijuana it has agreed to use marijuana for recreational
purposes only. In Washington, two years after the legalization it has found a decrease in
crime rates. It is revealed that there was a drop in property crimes and theft across the
state. Some studies highlight its benefits and reduction in crime, while others bring up
concern for drug use and increasing crime rates. Nonetheless, the legalization of
marijuana will keep profits out of the pockets of criminals and allow the youth to sell
illegal drugs.

Additionally, Canada has also legalized marijuana in October 2018 one reason or goal
for its legalization is to protect the Canadian youth from cannabis-related harms. Youth
is a crucial part of the narrative of drug use because it’s their curiosity and also fragile
addiction that could bring when they are adult. Under the Cannabis Act, there is a
minimum age for legal cannabis purchases at 18 years old, The act states that
underage individuals cannot legally possess more than 5g of cannabis. It also
implements a punishment for adults providing cannabis to a person under the age of 18.
By this, the government can regulate the marijuana and handle the retail sales.
However, the paper, reports that cannabis-related hospitalization visits among Canadian
youth may have increased due to Cannabis legalization because of mental and
behavioral effects.

Furthermore, The decision to legalize marijuana involves a careful consideration of both

potential benefits and risks. Nonetheless, it is still a big help for medical problems and a
groundbreaking alternative for many people who suffer from many diseases. If the
government decides to legalize marijuana there should be strict policy in retailing it. The
policies should include the age, the people who can only use it, the proper dose that a
person could only use, and the medical industry should also have a strict policy to
consider when giving it as a treatment. The government should be strict regarding
retailing and implement policies against corruption in retailing. To conclude, Marijuana
has both benefits and risks, legalizing marijuana will promote research and innovation
and would provide more legal jobs than illegal cartels but it should be barred from
children and made aware of the impacts of using and overusing it. Its legalization
involves careful consideration and policies to avoid addiction among the public.
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