The legalization of marijuana is a popular topic of debate recently. Colorado and Washington state passed legislation in 2012 legalizing small amount of marijuana possession and distribution; this has created an open dialogue among people of the United States. As communication on this topic becomes more prevalent in daily life, opposing sides to the argument develop. One group sees this drug as nothing more than a harmful narcotic, with detrimental side effects. Others argue that this natural resource provides many benefits, medically and legally. There seems to be no clear answer as to what is right and what is wrong. 

The first stance is a clear opposition to marijuana's accessibility to the public. The drug is currently classified as Schedule I, meaning that it is high risk for recreational abuse and it has no legally accepted medical use (Hoffman 1453). Supporters of this school of thought worry over the healthy effects of this drug. Many studies have been conducted to measure the brain as well as motor and respiratory function of habitual users. A study conducted in 2002 by Bolla, Brown, Eldreth, Tate, and Cadet found that 'heavy' marijuana users had decreased performance on memory, psychomotor and dexterity tests compared to those who smoked less frequently (1337). A second study conducted in 2005 attempted to find the parallels between the symptoms of marijuana and tobacco use. The results of the study confirmed the hypothesis that the respiratory effects of marijuana are just as detrimental to one's health as smoking cigarettes (Moore et al. 35). A more recent article reviewed an experiment conducted by Volkow, Baler, Compton, and Weiss that concluded that marijuana use led to cognitive and motor function impairment, addiction, and changes in overall brain functioning (2225). A multitude of studies such as these have been conducted on this subject. While reviewing the data provided by these studies, one should take a critical look at the experimenter's definitions varying degrees of use. 'Heavy use' for one individual could be one joint per day, but for another individual 'heavy' could mean smoking every other day. Another factor the reader should be aware of is the time frame between the patients' last use and when the experiment was conducted. For instance, if the drug remains in the patient's system then the functioning of the patient will be more affected than a patient who has been sober for several days. 

The counter-argument for this case details several positive effects that the legalization of marijuana would provide. Some socialists argue that legalization would lead to a decreased crime as well as death rates associated with the drug (Block 433). Making the drug available in a safe atmosphere would decrease the risk associated with such a mild drug, as compared to other Schedule I drugs. Many people are pushing for the reclassification of this drug into Schedule II, this would allow for further research to be done into the potency of the drug. In a TEDTalk, Zachary Walsh argues that with medical advancements, the drug could hypothetically be used to replace many synthetic pharmaceuticals ("Making Peace with Cannabis"). This comes with some mixed reviews, big companies are reluctant to allow these medical advancements to be made for this would cut into their prophets from big pharma. Others urge for progression, believing a natural resource to be more beneficial and less expensive than the man made alternative.  

I am arguing for the legalization of marijuana, not only for the minimal risks involved to users, but also on behalf of those with diagnosed medical conditions. Studies have proven that the drugs does have some side effects, as with any drug. Marijuana can be habit forming, and lead to decreased motor, mental and respiratory functioning. But these results, like any other, must be taken with a grain of salt. Any drug, when overused, will lead to serious consequences. Put it this way, if you have a bag of candy once in a while, you will not gain a substantial amount of weight. Now if you ate a bag of candy everyday for years and years, there is a likely chance that you will get diabetes. The main point; moderation is key. This is of course for cases of patients who have no medical afflictions to begin with. Other studies have been conducted on the alleviating powers of marijuana on those with serious medical conditions such as glaucoma, nausea, chronic pain, inflammation, multiple sclerosis and epilepsey (Volkow et al. 2224). Having the drug more readily available to these individuals would be more beneficial to those afflicted. 

While marijuana has been proven to be a potent drug with some serious symptoms, it is more beneficial to individuals with medical concerns. Decreasing the availability of the drug will not prevent its abuse, only make it harder for individuals who actually need it to get their hands on the drug. After reviewing the evidence, I believe that the concerns of those in need outweigh the concerns of the abusers.

