Marijuana. Legal or Not?

            In my opinion, I think that marijuana should remain illegal. The drug provides many health problems and is a danger to society. People can say that it is safer than tobacco and alcohol, however these two drugs have legal ages at which they can be used. These ages are for the protection of those who use the drugs. 21, which is the age when drinking alcohol is legal, is that age because 21 is said to be the peak of everyone’s growth. By 21, everyone has grown to their fullest and the alcohol will have less of a negative effect on the person. Also, you can control the amount you drink and control whether or not you get drunk. When a person is high from marijuana however, they cannot control the high that they get. Also, no matter what age they are, the drug will have major negative effects on their health.

            Firstly, one reason why I support the article of keeping marijuana illegal is because of how bad the drug is for your health marijuana intoxication can cause distorted perceptions, impaired coordination, difficulty in thinking and problem solving, and problems with learning and memory. Research has shown that marijuana’s adverse impact on learning and memory can last for days or weeks after the acute effects of the drug wear off. As a result, someone who smokes marijuana every day may be functioning at a suboptimal intellectual level all of the time. Research on the long-term effects of marijuana abuse indicates some changes in the brain similar to those seen after long-term abuse of other major drugs. For example, cannabinoid withdrawal in chronically exposed animals leads to an increase in the activation of the stress-response system and changes in the activity of nerve cells containing dopamine. Dopamine neurons are involved in the regulation of motivation and reward, and are directly or indirectly affected by all drugs of abuse.

            Furthermore, marijuana abuse can lead to addiction; that is, compulsive drug seeking and abuse despite its known harmful effects upon social functioning in the context of family, school, work, and recreational activities. Long-term marijuana abusers trying to quit report irritability, sleeplessness, decreased appetite, anxiety, and drug craving, all of which make it difficult to quit. When people are addicted to the drug, they spend huge amounts of money on it. Often times, the people run out of money and need to steal from other people in order to be able to smoke like they want to. Even people such as family and friends, just so they can get high. This not only gets them in trouble for smoking, but gets them in trouble for stealing as well!

            Lastly, I support the keeping marijuana illegal because it not only impairs you physically but it can mentally depress you as well. A number of studies have shown an association between chronic marijuana use and increased rates of anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts, and schizophrenia. Some of these studies have shown age at first use to be a factor, where early use is a marker of vulnerability to later problems. However, at this time, it not clear whether marijuana use causes mental problems, exacerbates them, or is used in attempt to self-medicate symptoms already in existence. Chronic marijuana use, especially in a very young person, may also be a marker of risk for mental illnesses, including addiction, stemming from genetic or environmental vulnerabilities, such as early exposure to stress or violence. At the present time, the strongest evidence links marijuana use and schizophrenia and/or related disorders.