"Legalizing Marijuana - Medical Uses of Marijuan

 "Legalizing Marijuana - Medical Uses of Marijuan

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LEGALIZING MARIJUANA

Introduction

Marijuana is a global psychoactive drug used for its narcotic effect. It is known globally by various names including Khat, pot, cannabis sativa, weed, and grass to name just but a few. Its psychoactive element is derived from the THC- which is the delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol ingredient found in Cannabis plant (Hager, 2002). The quantity of the THC influence the psychological and physiological effects of marijuana will be. In addition, the potency of marijuana is dependent on the type of cannabis plant, when the cannabis plant is harvested, the soil on which the cannabis plant was cultivated on among other elements (Connolly, 2006). The subject of marijuana cultivation, usage and its legalization has elicited as much debate as important social issues such as rights for different sexual orientations, health reforms, emission of green house gases, humanitarian crisis in developing countries, global warming among others (Gerber, 2004). The thesis for this report therefore, is to highlight the ethical issues and ethical problems of legalizing marijuana. The report will analyze how the classical theory utilitarianism would resolve the problems and then, contrast that with the perspective brought to legalizing marijuana by relativism. In addition, the report will highlight a reason to support legalization of Marijuana. Ethical Issues and Ethical Problems of Legalizing Marijuana The consumption of marijuana has been ongoing for years and universally, despite the fact that major economies across the world have prohibited its production, marketing , consumption, transfer, possession and usage (Hager, 2002). As a result, marijuana is an illicit drug. Although many have argued that marijuana should be legalized, marijuana poses ethical implications. Upon usage of marijuana, the user’s pulse rates quicken, their blood pressure decreases and the rates of heartbeat increases. Into the bargain, the drug weaken and diminish short term memory, it is attributed with altering the ability of the user to sense time and affect adversely the capacity of the user to perform motor skills or operations that need keen concentration, speedy reflexes, and dexterity (Linn, 1971). This includes chores like running heavy equipments and motor driving. Ethically, long duration use of marijuana turns into a marijuana addiction, which is particularly hard to get over. Most marijuana addicts find it hard to stop and for those who go for rehabilitation, without commitment, social support system and proper guidance and counseling, they eventually regress to usage (Connolly, 2006). With addiction comes lose of self. This causes the user to neglect themselves, and may more often than not, isolate themselves from their friends and family, get depressed, have suicidal thoughts, routinely hallucinate, are careless at work and may eventually neglect their work and families causing loss of work and family disintegration (Hager, 2002). The users are known to lose control of their emotions such as anger, fear, anxiety, psychosis, resentment and panic hence may result them to commit crimes, such as being excessively aggressive and violent to others. Upon stopping consumption of alcohol, the user experiences withdrawal effects, which are to say the least painful; it causes anxiety and may alter the physical, emotional, social and psychological states of the user (Linn, 1971). Marijuana is a type of drug that may seem harmless, but eventually harm the lives of young people. The marijuana drugs are easily and cheaply affordable for the young owing to the fact that, they can be packed in any amount in sticks, dependent on the type of marijuana and how much money the user has. Young people, who take marijuana for recreational purposes, eventually experiment with other, more lethal drugs. Habitual use of marijuana drugs causes the young people to lose focus on life, and will consequently neglect their schoolwork and drop out either because of indiscipline or due to poor grades attained (Leonard, 2007). For young schooling teens, the drug influences negatively on their ability to learn by impairing their reasoning abilities, they are unable to comprehend subject content and harm their oral and arithmetical proficiencies and easily forgets what they have learnt (Leonard, 2007). Just like cigarettes, marijuana drugs causes harm to the body and health. Marijuana affects efficient supply of blood and causes chest congestion from the inhale smoke. Marijuana effects on the user health wise are quicker than in users of tobacco (Connolly, 2006). The fact that the marijuana sticks are made without filters, means that smoke is not filtered and the deep inhales irritate and damage the lungs tissue (Sanghai, 2010). Marijuana has carcinogenic elements, which causes cancer and emphysema. Men and women who use marijuana experiences short term infertility. This is indicative of the negative infl