First Draft- Shanae

Shanae Mitchell
October 26, 2008
True life: I got high and nobody died. I also did not become a couch potato or an empty shell of my former self. I am still the same person I have always been, and when I look in the mirror, I recognize what I see. Some opponents to marijuana, namely the “Above the Influence” campaign, would lead you to believe that marijuana usage leads to disastrous, life altering changes in your appearance and personality. This is not always the case. The affects of marijuana usage are not set in stone. Marijuana, as a mainstream drug, is one of the least harmful and habit forming. As a medicine, it continues to receive positive remarks. It is a natural substance and should legalized.
The war on drugs is a huge American monetary expenditure. And, just like the War on Terror, it is also a huge monetary failure. But first, let us define the word “drug”. Merriam-Webster defines a drug as “something that causes addiction, habituation or a marked change in consciousness.” Marijuana is undoubtedly a drug. However, not all drugs are bad. And as an illegal drug, it is safer than some legal drugs, namely alcohol and cigarettes. Along with its known and proven cancer-causing affects, cigarettes are also highly addicted. 67% of people who smoke cigarettes become addicted. Alcohol is known to cause decreases in judgment and coordination; it also impairs hearing and vision. Consumers of alcohol are also known to get loud and violent, as alcohol loosens inhibitions. “Marijuana Laws” a report by Patrick Marshall states that on a seven point scale where seven is the most addictive and one is the least, marijuana is a 4.46. Legal substances caffeine scores a 4.64 and alcohol scores 5.84. While the affects of marijuana are no where near as set in stone, it can generally be agreed upon that users of marijuana are the complete opposite when under the influence. Most sources, scholarly and personal, would agree that marijuana usage encourages lethargy, hunger and laughter. Marijuana users are generally much more relaxed and docile than alcohol users. Yet alcohol is legal.
The war on drugs is a major priority for the American government. The government spends too much money regulating marijuana. they are harder drugs out there and much more pressing issues that could use attention. Our economy is failing, employment is at a low and school systems, especially inner city, are a mess. Hurricane Katrina happened four years ago and people are still misplaced.
Despite the enormous effort put into marijuana regulation, it is still the easiest to get. According to a survey issued by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration in 2005, 14,626,000 people smoke marijuana. the U.S. Census bureau reports that of people 18-24 years of age, in 2005 59% tried an illicit drug. Of the 59%, 52% tried marijuana.
One of the main arguments against the legal use of marijuana is that it will act as a gateway drug and lead users to other, harder substances. Now, granted, this does happen occasionally. However, any drug, illegal or not, comes with a chance of addiction, dependency and habituation. But marijuana, unlike other drugs, does not have a one time, all time high. The affect you get from marijuana is virtually the same no matter how many times you smoke. And, just like some legal, prescription drugs, though not addictive, marijuana can become a dependency. However, as the USA Today article entitled “CAUTION: Marijuana may not be lesser evil; 'Gateway drug' or not, experts say, it's not a benign path for teens” reports even though there may be a link between habitual pot smokers and harder drugs, that does not mean or show that marijuana is the cause of the addiction. The article also reports that users of marijuana go through a kind of withdrawal when they stop using. However, so do cigarette smokers and alcoholics.
From personal experience, I know that marijuana does not always lead to harder substances. Several family members and friends have smoked marijuana and never moved on to harder substances. I myself have smoked marijuana and I have never tried anything harder and never felt a need to. The USA Today article reports that “ … marijuana users are significantly less satisfied with their lives than non-users…” this could be due to many reasons. Maybe this people were already dissatisfied and starting using marijuana to feel better about himself or herself. Studies such as the one used to make that claim have to be taken with a grain of salt because it is hard to judge a person before they started smoking marijuana after they started smoking it. Because of ethical reasons and because of the general rule that participants in a study must be unharmed with no lasting effects, studies of before and after affects of marijuana are hard to judge. Marijuana undoubtedly has affects on the mind, I won’t deny that. However, I started smoking marijuana my freshmen year of college, and despite the studies that show marijuana usage causes memory loss and lethargy, I still finished my year with a 3.34 GPA, and I would say that my usage f it was quite habitual. I did not smoke because I was dissatisfied with my life, or because I was depressed. I just needed a lasting relaxant. It also provided good boning time with my friends. It is hard to gage the true impact of marijuana usage because the results are not typical. I know friends who use to smoke with me who are currently failing out of college. It depends on the individual.
Any substance can have life altering affects. however, unlike other mainstream drugs, it also has positive affects too. The usage of medical marijuana in cancer patients have proven positive affects. in this case, the use of marijuana aids in the treatment and recovery. Like I said, the affects of marijuana are not typical. It does not help everyone, but it does help many.
Marijuana has been I society for years. Once legal, it is now illegal but its use is at an all time high. Despite it’s classification as an illicit drug, it is relatively harmless. Sure, it affects your mental state and may encourage drowsiness, but so do Tylenol and Nyquil. Marijuana is a natural herb that has many positive attributes, both medical and practical. The amount of money and time spent regulating it is not only impractical but also ridiculous. It should be legalized.