Why legalizing weed will do more good than harm

Why legalizing weed will do more good than harm

Legalize Weed!!

Legalize weed, we've all heard it, both sides of the argument that it's a gateway drug, and that it causes permanent brain damage, or that its safer than alcohol and cigarettes. Here's my viewpoint (and what I figure is a good percentage of readers on this blog post) on why legalizing weed will do more harm than good, health wise, and economically.

Weed would overtake cigarettes and alcohol 

Marijuana has its downsides (very few) but not to the same extent that drinking too much alcohol has, or even that smoking cigarettes has on the human body, lungs, and human brain. Cigarettes are one of the most addictive drugs in existence due to their high nicotine content and hellish withdrawal when use of them is ceased. Marijuana produces none of these effects, has less tar and adverse substances in it, yet it remains illegal. If Marijuana were legalized, it would overtake cigarettes, allowing people to decide for themselves that it's really not that bad.

It's not really addictive.......

Addiction refers to an actual, physical addiction, one in which someone feels sick and needs the drug to function properly. Although Marijuana can be psychologically addictive, cigarettes, alcohol, and caffeine are all both psychologically and physically addictive, and not only are they legal, but they are promoted, and heavily taxed. Caffeine is used by 90 percent of the American public without a second thought, and carries with it a withdrawal (when used on a regular basis) that significantly inhibits ones ability to function. Depression, hypersomnia, increased anxiety, and even the shakes are common effects of caffeine withdrawal.

Even if it is addictive and can be "abused" anything can be abused. Also, we have FAR more addictive substances than weed that are already legalized. 

In the words of Joe Rogan "So what it can be abused. Shit you can abuse cheezeburgers too, we gonna outlaw burger king." We have substances legalized that are actually addictive (physically) and that are heavily abused (namely alcohol and cigarettes, carrying with them some of the most hellish withdrawals known to drugs and alcohol when abused.) Like ANYTHING, if used in excess, of course Marijuana is not healthy, but it is far healthier when used in excess when compared to cigarettes or alcohol. Plus, most Marijuana usage is through casual bearers of the drugs effects. No one chain smokes Marijuana joints at work now, and no one will do it when it's legalized. If people haven't already smoked Marijuana, they're not going to try it once it's legalized.

It's safer than medications already used to treat depression and pain (SSRI's and Opiates). 

So many people are hooked on anti-depressants in this country alone that do not actually have a chemical imbalance (brains inability to produce an adequate amount of Seratonin or Norepinephrine, resulting in a depressed and slowed down state of being) the thing anti-depressants are prescribed for. How many of them actually have a chemical imbalance, and how many just got a divorce or are dealing with problems at home? Add in the number of people addicted to opiates in the form of prescription painkillers that fake pain to get them, and you have a few GIGANTIC reasons to legalize Marijuana. There's no reason it should be illegal, we have opiates that are LEGAL that on a per milligram basis are stronger than HEROIN (dillaudid and opana 2 name a few-_-). Marijuana would help people get out of the slump of using opiates and SSRI's, and  people would wake up to the fact that PRESCRIPTION DRUGS ARE THE REAL GATEWAY DRUG!!!

We can use it to fund something......like education:)

Just another pro to legalizing Marijuana. If you have an argument against legalizing Marijuana, please, put it in the comments box and I will tear you apart in a debate for it;) Anyways, Marijuana could be taxed (like cigarettes, alcohol, junk food, caffeine, candy etc.) in a much heftier way, in order to fund education. 

Why there's so much ignorance about marijuana

Pharmaceutical Companies, Government Officials, and ignorant parents who have a set stigma that "all drugs are bad, lead to other drugs, and cause permanent brain damage." This is IN NO WAY a statement of fact, and if you ask any addictionologist they will tell you that no brain damage that Marijuana will do, let alone any other drugs (with the exception of maybe CHRONIC meth, heroin, or prescription drug abuse, and by chronic I mean decades) actually cause permanent brain damage. They do TEMPORARILY temper with your neurotransmitters and down regulate them, but they do not put holes in your brain, or make you stupid forever, blah blah blah, etc. With respect to Marijuana, the change in neurotransmitters that results in a type of "high" is barely enough to cause any change, and the brain is normally recovered, in casual or even moderate use, by the time the user wakes up the next morning. Winning:)!!

Final Thoughts

Post your viewpoint, I WILL DEFINITELY get back to you on this one fast, as this is one of my favorite topics/arguments:)