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Joe Schafer
Professor John Vance
English 102
February 14, 2013
Federal Legalization: Marijuana and Hemp
The legalization of Marijuana has been a pressing issue in our society for years, but it
seems as if the idea of the legalization of marijuana and industrial hemp has become more
popular in the past few months. Especially considering the recent legalization of marijuana
for recreational use in the states of Washington and Colorado. This recent change on a
statewide level I think may have sparked interest in people around the United States. But
before explaining why and where marijuana should be legalized I believe everyone should
be well informed of its long-term and short-term effects, along with eliminating any
common misconceptions about marijuana.
Marijuana is a plant that produces buds that can be smoked in order to achieve a “high.”
This happens because when it is smoked it releases cannabinoids, the most common is
Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) which is the chemical compound that allows you to get high
(Procon). The short-term effects, which is when you are still high, are a distortion in your
sense of time, sleepiness, redness of the eyes, increased appetite, relaxed muscles, and an
increase in laughter. The proven long-term effects of marijuana are nothing whatsoever. A
study was done to determine the effects of marijuana on your IQ and According to the US
National Library of Medicine along with the National Institute of Health, they stated “A
negative effect was not observed among subjects who
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had previously been heavy users but were no longer using the substance” (Fried). So
whenever someone says “weed kills brain cells” they are uninformed. Marijuana doesn’t
kill brain cells, but it may inhibit them while you are high, but when you aren’t it does not
effect you.
Marijuana is currently a schedule 1 drug. Schedule one drugs are “Substances that have no
currently accepted medical use in the United States, a lack of accepted safety for use under
medical supervision, and a high potential for abuse” (DEA). Right off the bat, the
government has already got the wrong idea about marijuana and they are being
hypocritical about it. According to the Drug Enforcement Association it blatantly states in
the description of schedule one drugs that they have “no currently accepted medical use in
the United States.” There are currently 18 states and Washington DC that have enacted
laws that allow patients to use marijuana for medical reasons, there are currently also over
