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The Pros And Cons Of Marijuana

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Marijuana comes from Cannabis Sativa, an annual herbaceous plant in the Cannabis genus family. The pharmacologically active ingredient in marijuana is tetra-hydro-cannabinol, a chemical compound used to heighten perception, decrease anxiety, slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease, and can ease the pain of multiple sclerosis (Butterfield, 2017). It is estimated that about 30% of adults in the U.S. use marijuana because they assume it is harmless (that’s debatable). Signs of marijuana use include bloodshot eyes, lethargy, uncoordinated body movements, confusion, lack of focus, and increased cravings for snacks. The continued use of smoking marijuana increases their chance of developing cancer in places such as the mouth, tongue, larynx or pharynx. Legalizing marijuana is an extensive legal battle for several reasons. First, legalizing marijuana would make it available to individuals that genuinely need it. The objections of the federal government resisting legalization have nothing to do with how much harm it may or may not cause. Instead, their objections are based on pharmaceutical companies resisting legalization because their profits would decrease from the legal use of marijuana (Armand, 2016). Since marijuana is classified as a schedule one drug, scientist/doctors believe that the use of the drug has no medical purposes. However, former Surgeon General of the United States Jocelyn Elders states, that there is evidence the suggest marijuana can relieve specific

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