"Throughout the ages, marijuana has been extolled as one of man's greatest benefactors - and cursed as one of his greatest scourges." (Abel) Either way, marijuana appears to be on the brink of being sanctioned in the United States for human use. For the first time in our country's history, the decision as to whether to allow a drug for use by the public is not being made by the FDA; rather it is being decided at the ballot box. Voters in several states have already voted to legalize medical marijuana, and the issue is pending in many others. Well-organized lobbies on both sides of the issue are flooding the country with studies and testimonials from respected individuals and groups to support their cause. The issue is a controversial one, to be sure. To understand the issues, I will first describe what marijuana is and take a look at its history. Then I will present some of the arguments for legalization of marijuana, and finally consider some of the arguments against its legalization. .
Marijuana is the common name for a drug made from the hemp plant cannabis sativa. This hardy annual grows up to sixteen feet tall and requires little care to grow. Its primary active ingredient is delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinio, and it contains more than 400 other chemicals, most of which are considered unsafe. ("Basic Facts about Drugs: Marijuana"). Most often, marijuana is prepared using the dried flowers and leaves of the hemp plant, and it is usually smoked as a cigarette, better known as a "joint". It can also be used as an ingredient in brownies or brewed as a tea. Common slang terms for marijuana are "weed", "grass", and "dope". .
Marijuana has been around for a long time. Greek, Egyptian and Persian history document marijuana use as far back at 1090 A.D. (Anslinger). Even before that, there is evidence of marijuana for medical use. As early as 2700 B.C. Chinese Emperor Shen-Nung used marijuana for medical purposes ("Medical Marijuana").
Many of the characters from the novel Moth Smoke by Mohsin Hamid seem to be heading on an incendiary path to destruction. ... Moth smoke lingers. (151. ... He'll end up as nothing but moth smoke. ... This is the only time Ozi realizes something is up with Mumtaz. ... He ends up being involved in a hit-and-run, leaving a little boy dead. ...
However, in watching the movie Smoke Signals, a movie that depicts the modern Native American culture, I learned many other things. ... The movie Smoke Signals was set in 1998, with reoccurring flashbacks to the 1980's on the Corde'line Indian reservation. ... After seeing this movie I realized that even if my dad could recover from alcoholism, it could never make up for all the years we lost together. ...
Have you ever been in a restaurant crowded with people, and reeking of smoke? ... I think the statement, "If there is a smoking section in a restaurant, then there should be a peeing section in a pool," pretty much sums up how disgusting smoking is. ... It amazes me how ignorant some smokers really are, and maybe it's time for them to wake up. ... One of the saddest things I read was that 43% of American children, ages two to eleven, are victims of second hand smoke. ... If 2,000 people a day want to start smoking then that is up to them, but just remember tha...
I just smoke to ease the pain.aE This has been heard many times on television interviews of people giving a reason why they smoke marijuana. ... These statements back up the fact that smoking marijuana has no health benefits.To begin with, the active ingredient in marijuana (THC) is already available in pharmaceutical capsule form by prescription from medical doctors, so why not just get a medication legally if it helps to ease the pain? ... With all the studies linked to tobacco smoke, marijuana smoke cannot be that much better.In conclusion, marijuana should not be legalized for med...
Theory of Smoke Detectors A smoke detector is a device used in homes and other buildings to warn people of smoke or a fire. ... History of Smoke Detectors In the 1960s the average U.S. citizen had never heard of smoke detectors. ... Electric smoke detectors with a battery back up are the fastest. ... Both types of smoke detectors must pass the same test to be certified as UL smoke detectors. ... Back-up batteries may be used for photoelectric detectors. ...
There is no one who smokes that has not heard of this warning. ... Governments through out the world should make up plans to reduce smoking among teenagers and by making teenagers aware of the harmful effects of smoking, under age smoking can be reduced. ... Furthermore, minors who smoke nowadays, when caught are only given a citation. ... When teenagers are given adequate advices on whether to smoke or quit and explained the health effects, they would rather want to live than to die. ... When the definition of being "cool" is not to smoke, teenagers will adherently give away from smoking....
It is Immoral to Smoke Smoking is immoral. ... We live in a society where it is normal for a person to smoke. ... No one really thinks before they smoke. ... He smoked on a regular basis for 10 years. ... The CDC (center for disease control) states that, "American-made cigarettes such as Marlboros contain up to twice as much of a cancer-causing chemical as foreign brands. ...
Environmental Tobacco Smoke is made up of both a gas phase and a particulate phase. ... In a recent article produced by the Iowa Medical Society it states that side stream smoke contains five times the carbon monoxide, three times the tar and nicotine, and up to fifty times the number of carcinogens found in mainstream smoke. A study reported by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences confirms that second-hand smoke contains up to fifty times more carcinogens. ... Doctor Ameron of Atlanta Georgia writes that six out of ten non-smokers will end up with reduced lung functioning a...
So why do so many people smoke? ... This link between smoking and stress is also available in teens that smoke also. ... Also noted, was that regular smokers report adverse mood swings when they have not smoked recently, with feelings of stress and irritability building up during periods of nicotine withdrawal. ... Cigarette smoke contains over 4,000 known chemical compounds (U.S. ... So if a smoker already has a lot of stress in their life without a cigarette, then decides to smoke. ...
Because second-hand smoke is harmful to children, parents who smoke within the child's environment are guilty of child abuse. ... Parents who smoke in their child's environment may believe that their smoke is not child abuse when in reality, it is abuse. ... He decided to go against the industry because he was concerned about the large amount of health evidence building up. ... Parents who put their children in this situation are "failing to live up to the duty which is imposed upon them" (Canadian 1). ... For instance, a child cannot pick up a blanket or toy in the evening and deci...