Legalization of Canibus Sativa
The debate over the legalization of Cannabis Sativa, more commonly known as marijuana, has been one of the most heated controversies ever to occur in the United States. It's use as a medicine has existed for thousands of years in many countries world wide and documented as far back as 2700 BC where the plant had been grown for fiber. Common slang names for this drug include ganja, cannabis, dope, grass, bung, rasta, weed, pot, or tree. Unfortunately many critics' opinions may vary on this topic. Yet, regardless of whether or not you think marijuana should be legalized for medical use it's important to understand both sides of the argument. Dennis Petro says, "There is no compelling evidence now that marijuana is a necessary treatment" for the conditions for which some want it legalized-pain, muscle spasms and glaucoma. Many doctors say that in the past, without a doubt, smoking pot was a good way to treat certain problems, but today other drugs make pot smoking for medical purposes unnecessary. Lester Grinspoon, a marijuana guru and Harvard psychiatrist argues that marijuana certainly seems safer than many other drugs even aspirin, which causes bleeding and kills hundreds of people a year, there has not been a single known death
Sullum, Jacob. " Drug Trial" Reason March 1998: pp22-25(SIRS) Marijuana has also been used to reduce the damaging pressure inside the eye caused by glaucoma, shown by a California study. But Dr. Pulifito, chief of ophthalmology at New England Medical Center, says, "Of all the therapies looked at for glaucoma, THC has some activity in decreasing intraocular pressure, but compared to other standard agents, it's very minimal." Despite these observations, the only confirmed negative effects of marijuana are caused by smoke inhalation. The smoke from marijuana contains three times more tars and five times more carbon monoxide than tobacco cigarettes. Therefore, many cannabis users prefer to eat it (Foreman). Sullum, Jacob. "Snow Job" September 27, 1999: pp30-32. (Proquest) Peron, Dennis. "Is Total Legalization Next?" Baltimore Sun Jan. 19, 1997: p6E
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