The Cons
It's a drug that's easily abused, it poses health risks, and the potential benefits of taxing and regulating it are overstated.
Health
A Dutch study, explained by USA TODAY, shows that marijuana use as a juvenile can raise the risk of having psychotic problems later in life. The study showed that juveniles that used marijuana doubled the risk of psychotic problems such as hallucinations. The more common the marijuana use, the more common the issues were.
The reality that pot users are forgetful even when it benefits their lifestyle.
According to an article by TIME magazine, the use of marijuana also raises the possibility of mental illnesses such as depression, schizophrenia, and anxiety, especially if there is a history of mental illness in the family. TIME magazine also states that science and regulation hasn't found an acceptable reason to legalize the product. For most of the symptoms for which marijuana is used, the medical industry has a solution that can be just as, if not more, effective and better regulated.
TIME magazine continued to report that a doctor named Mark A.R. Kleiman says that it is most likely a form of marijuana based spray that can be given in measurable doses will come out on the market. The article continues on explaining that a cannabis based spray has been approved for use in Canada and the UK. This spray is used to relieve pain from MS spasms and cancer treatment, but does not give the high sensation that comes from normal marijuana use. This treatment can be effective and regulated in the normal medical industry. Dr. Kleiman predicts that this drug could and will eliminate the need for medical marijuana caregivers and dispensaries.
Legal marijuana use is permitted for medicinal reasons however many doctors disagree with its use. One of these doctors is to Dr. Sheila Kar. She is the clinical chief of cardiology at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. She states that marijuana use can create many short and long term health risks. Some of these include a rise in heartbeat of 20 to 30 beats per minute. The increase workload of the heart also causes an increase in blood pressure. She also states that marijuana is contains more carcinogens than tobacco and is shown to be related to cancer in the head, neck, and lungs area. The effects it has on the brain can also cause short and long term memory loss. Use also affects the taste and smell senses and is an irritant to the lungs. The worst effect she says is that the effects of marijuana lower the inhibitions of the person and that while under the influence a person may not make wise choices and harm them.
Another doctor that has a stance against marijuana use is Andrea Barthwell, MD, she is the former Deputy Director at the US Office of National Drug Control Policy. In a speech she gave her qualified opinion by stating "It is not a medicine. You don't know what's in it. If there were compelling scientific and medical data supporting marijuana's medical benefits that would be one thing. But the data is not there."
The same Dr. Andrea Barthwell in a different speech made a claim to protect the youth of the nation by keeping them from the influences of marijuana.
She stated “By characterizing the use of illegal drugs as quasi-legal, state-sanctioned, Saturday afternoon fun, legalizers destabilize the societal norm that drug use is dangerous. They undercut the goals of stopping the initiation of drug use to prevent addiction.... Children entering drug abuse treatment routinely report that they heard that 'pot is medicine' and, therefore, believed it to be good for them."
Socioeconomic
In an article found in CNBC the author Dr. Robert L. DuPont is quoted by saying “A useful analogy can be made to gambling. Legalized gambling has not reduced illegal gambling in the United States; rather, it has increased it.” He reasons that making marijuana use legal will not bring all marijuana related use off the black market, but increase it because of its increased availability. He also continues on saying the increase of marijuana use will also lead to greater public incidents while the users are impaired, such as driving while under the influence.
An article in MSNBC refers to a national poll that was conducted about the public’s opinion concerning the legalization of marijuana. One of the concerns expressed by those polled is the effects that legalization will have on society. His concern was that society doesn’t need another substance that will affect people’s decision making abilities. He also reasoned that prescription drugs although controlled and legal still get abused by society and cause problems. By legalizing marijuana it will only add more to these
In another article in TIME magazine a doctor share his beliefs for why he doesn’t think marijuana should be legalized. He says while marijuana use has the possibility of a little health benefit those that want it legal are just the ones who want to get high legally. He worries mostly about the increased effects society will see from increased legalized marijuana use, such as driving while intoxicated.
The US Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services has also stated that marijuana is a gateway drug for minors. In their report they said "A new federal report released today concludes the younger children are when they first use marijuana, the more likely they are to use cocaine and heroin and become dependent on drugs as adults...
The US Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services has also stated that marijuana is a gateway drug for minors. In their report they said "A new federal report released today concludes the younger children are when they first use marijuana, the more likely they are to use cocaine and heroin and become dependent on drugs as adults...
Increases in the likelihood of cocaine and heroin use and drug dependence are also apparent for those who initiate use of marijuana at any later age."
