Reclassifying Marijuana as a Non-Deviant Substance
Marijuana has gone in and out of vogue for the past hundred years in the United States. The concept of marijuana legalization has been the subject of ongoing debate since the early 1930’s. While medical marijuana is now available in twenty-three states, is decriminalized in multiple states, and is legal for recreational purposes in four states, marijuana is still viewed as a deviant substance. However, marijuana should be legalized because of its overwhelming medicinal and economical benefits.
Marijuana was not always viewed as a deviant substance. In fact, in the 17th century, American production of hemp was encouraged by the government for the production of rope, sails, and clothing (“America’s …show more content…
After the Mexican Revolution of 1910, Mexican immigrants flooded into the U.S. and introduced the recreational use of marijuana to American culture (“America’s War on Marijuana.” 2014). The drug then became associated with the immigrants, and the fear and prejudice about the Spanish-speaking newcomers became associated with marijuana. Anti-drug campaigners warned against the encroaching "Marijuana Menace," and terrible crimes were attributed to marijuana and the Mexicans who used it.
This public resentment and fear of Mexican immigrants increased in the 1930’s as massive unemployment increased during the Great Depression, escalating public and governmental concern about the problem of marijuana (“America’s War on Marijuana.” 2014). This instigated a massive amount of research, which linked the use of marijuana with violence, crime and other socially deviant behaviors. These crimes were primarily committed by "racially inferior" or underclass communities. By 1931, twenty-nine states had outlawed …show more content…
Such health benefits include treating glaucoma (Welsh & Loria, 2014), reversing the carcinogenic effects of tobacco and improve lung health, controlling epileptic seizures, decreasing the symptoms of a severe seizure disorder known as Dravet's Syndrome, stopping cancer from spreading, decreasing anxiety, and even slowing the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. Marijuana is also gaining medical attention for easing the pain of multiple sclerosis, calming muscle spasms, lessening the side effects from treating hepatitis C and increasing treatment effectiveness, treating inflammatory bowel disease, relieving arthritis discomfort, helping users reach a healthier metabolism and improving symptoms of Lupus. Additionally, marijuana use has been shown to be effective at soothing tremors for people with Parkinson’s disease, helping treat veterans with PTSD, protecting the brain after a stroke, protecting the brain from concussions and traumas, and reducing pain and nausea from
Marijuana has gone in and out of vogue for the past hundred years in the United States. The concept of marijuana legalization has been the subject of ongoing debate since the early 1930’s. While medical marijuana is now available in twenty-three states, is decriminalized in multiple states, and is legal for recreational purposes in four states, marijuana is still viewed as a deviant substance. However, marijuana should be legalized because of its overwhelming medicinal and economical benefits.
Marijuana was not always viewed as a deviant substance. In fact, in the 17th century, American production of hemp was encouraged by the government for the production of rope, sails, and clothing (“America’s …show more content…
After the Mexican Revolution of 1910, Mexican immigrants flooded into the U.S. and introduced the recreational use of marijuana to American culture (“America’s War on Marijuana.” 2014). The drug then became associated with the immigrants, and the fear and prejudice about the Spanish-speaking newcomers became associated with marijuana. Anti-drug campaigners warned against the encroaching "Marijuana Menace," and terrible crimes were attributed to marijuana and the Mexicans who used it.
This public resentment and fear of Mexican immigrants increased in the 1930’s as massive unemployment increased during the Great Depression, escalating public and governmental concern about the problem of marijuana (“America’s War on Marijuana.” 2014). This instigated a massive amount of research, which linked the use of marijuana with violence, crime and other socially deviant behaviors. These crimes were primarily committed by "racially inferior" or underclass communities. By 1931, twenty-nine states had outlawed …show more content…
Such health benefits include treating glaucoma (Welsh & Loria, 2014), reversing the carcinogenic effects of tobacco and improve lung health, controlling epileptic seizures, decreasing the symptoms of a severe seizure disorder known as Dravet's Syndrome, stopping cancer from spreading, decreasing anxiety, and even slowing the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. Marijuana is also gaining medical attention for easing the pain of multiple sclerosis, calming muscle spasms, lessening the side effects from treating hepatitis C and increasing treatment effectiveness, treating inflammatory bowel disease, relieving arthritis discomfort, helping users reach a healthier metabolism and improving symptoms of Lupus. Additionally, marijuana use has been shown to be effective at soothing tremors for people with Parkinson’s disease, helping treat veterans with PTSD, protecting the brain after a stroke, protecting the brain from concussions and traumas, and reducing pain and nausea from