Marijuana Legalization Essay -- Legal Illegal Marijuana Pot Law Weed

Marijuana Legalization As defined by The New American Webster Dictionary, marijuana is a hemp-like plant whose leaves are smoked in a cigarette as a narcotic. HOWEVER: Other than just an illict drug used for getting "high", Marijuana can also be viewed as: * A pain reliever * A stress reliever * A medicinal alternative to over-used processed drugs * An untapped source of income for the United States Government * A prohibited substance with many misconceptions Smoking marijuana has long been viewed as something that only produces negative outcomes. New studies are quickly changing these views. The following are some new results found on the true influence of marijuana ingestion. * "According to clinical trial data pulbished this past spring in the American Journal of Addictions, cannabis use- including heavy, long-term use of the drug- has, at most, only a negligible impact on cognition and memory" (Armentano, "Cannabis and"). * "Canadian researchers found that experiments on rats which were given a potent cannabinoid, showed the drug stimulates the growth of new brain cells. It appears that the drug caused neurons to regenerate in the hippocampus, an area that controls mood and emotions, after one month of treatment" ("Cannabis Boosts"). * "The Researchers from the University of Saskatchewan, Canada, say that most drugs, including alcohol, heroin, cocaine and nicotine, have been shown to destroy nerve cells in the hippocampus. This study suggests that cannabinoids are the only illicit drug that can promote adult hippocampal neurogenesis following chronic administration" ("Cannabis Boosts"). * An analysis of previous experiments as pre... ...na>. McVay, D. (1991). Marijuana Legalization: The Time Is Now. SAGE Publications Inc. 22 Apr 2006. "Medical Marijuana." 2006. Drug Policy Alliance. 7 Mar 2006. "Medicinal Marijuana Posters." No Date. Online Image. Wo/Mens Alliance for Medical Marijuana. 1 Apr 2006. . "Medical Marijuana Reports." 6 Sep 2005. NORML Foundation. 7 Mar 2006. "Small Marijuana Leaf." No Date. Online Image. Alexabebe.com. 1 Apr 2006. . Stimeling, Gary. "Straight Dope: The Research on Marijuana Safety." 2005. Psychotropics Cornucopia Inc. 7 Mar 2006.