Medical Marijuana

Your definition will probably say something like 'marijuana for medical purposes.' Then you would say 'medical' and digress on that. Throughout this debate I will show you that medical marijuana is bad and that there ARE alternatives. It is addictive. In the long term it can be addictive, the effects may take a while. It is estimated that 9 percent of people who use marijuana will become dependent on it. The number goes up to about 1 in 6 in those who start using young (in their teens) and to 25-50 percent among daily users. (1) So it can be addictive. It is talking about only dependency too, you can also be addicted to it socially. According to the 2008 NSDUH, marijuana accounted for 4.2 million of the estimated 7 million Americans dependent on or abusing illicit drugs. In 2008, approximately 15 percent of people entering drug abuse treatment programs reported marijuana as their primary drug of abuse; 61 percent of persons under 15 reported marijuana as their primary drug of abuse, as did 56 percent of those 15 to 19 years old. (1) Marijuana addiction is also linked to a withdrawal syndrome similar to that of nicotine withdrawal, which can make it hard to quit. People trying to quit report irritability, sleeping difficulties, craving, and anxiety. They also show increased aggression on psychological tests, peaking approximately 1 week after they last used the drug. (1) So that last part leads to my next argument, mental damage. Research has shown that marijuana's negative effects on attention, memory, and learning can last for days or weeks after the acute effects of the drug wear off (Schweinsburg et al. 2008). (1) That is not it, as I said above it causes withdrawal. This withdrawal causes all those things listed above, and that could lead to life in death situations. You may be quick to point out it says it peaks about one week later. Since marijuana gives you the munchies which make you hungry you would have to use it every day. So after one week you would be getting agitated, aggressive, sleep problems, anxiety, etc. Every day! I will make this more clear. If you do it this Monday, then you will be like this on Tuesday, if you do this on Tuesday then a week later on that Tuesday you will be like this also, and the cycle repeats. More psychology: someone who smokes marijuana daily may be functioning at a reduced intellectual level most or all of the time. Not surprisingly, evidence suggests that, compared with their non smoking peers, students who smoke marijuana tend to get lower grades and are more likely to drop out of high school (1) So it affects your learning too! Because marijuana impairs judgment and motor coordination and slows reaction time, an intoxicated person has an increased chance of being involved in and being responsible for an accident (O'Malley and Johnston 2007; Richer and Bergeron 2009). (1) SO now driving is a problem when using marijuana. Research has shown that some babies born to women who used marijuana during their pregnancies display altered responses to visual stimuli, increased tremulousness, and a high-pitched cry, which could indicate problems with neurological development. (1) Now pregnancy is affected! A number of studies have shown an association between chronic marijuana use and increased rates of anxiety, depression, and schizophrenia. Some of these studies have shown age at first use to be an important risk factor, where early use is a marker of increased vulnerability to later problems. However, at this time, it is not clear whether marijuana use causes mental problems, exacerbates them, or reflects an attempt to self-medicate symptoms already in existence.(2) Yes that says all of those terrible diseases. Time for other facts about marijuana: Marijuana increases heart rate by 20-100 percent shortly after smoking; this effect can last up to 3 hours. In one study, it was estimated that marijuana users have a 4.8-fold increase in the risk of heart attack in the first hour after smoking the drug.5 This may be due to increased heart rate as well as the effects of marijuana on heart rhythms, causing palpitations and arrhythmia's. This risk may be greater in aging populations or in those with cardiac vulnerabilities. (2) Numerous studies have shown marijuana smoke to contain carcinogens and to be an irritant to the lungs. In fact, marijuana smoke contains 50-70 percent more carcinogenic hydrocarbons than tobacco smoke. Marijuana users usually inhale more deeply and hold their breath longer than tobacco smokers do, which further increase the lungs' exposure to carcinogenic smoke. Marijuana smokers show dysregulated growth of epithelial cells in their lung tissue, which could lead to cancer;6 however, a recent case-controlled study found no positive associations between marijuana use and lung, upper respiratory, or upper digestive tract cancers.7 Thus, the link between marijuana smoking and these cancers remains unsubstantiated at this time. (2) Now medical marijuana cannot be used medically says the FDA. The Food and Drug Administration has issued a statement saying there are no scientific studies to support the use of marijuana for medical purposes. Also it is considered a poisonous plant. Look at the source number 3 for more details. Just in case you still don't understand my point check out my 4th source for more details. Sources: http://drugabuse.gov... (1) http://www.nida.nih.gov... (2) http://www.accessdata.fda.gov... (3) http://www.abovetheinfluence.com... (4)