I support the Legalization of Marijuana

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I support the Legalization of Marijuana

• By Becky Beauchamp
• Section 621

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Introduction

• I support the legalization of Marijuana. I
  believe that it is not as harmful as other legal
  mind altering agents such as alcohol, and that it
  should also be legal for medicinal purposes.
• "Prohibition...goes beyond the bounds of reason
  in that it attempts to control a man's appetite
  by legislation and makes a crime out of things
  that are not crimes. A prohibition law strikes a
  blow at the very principles upon which our
  government was founded" -- Abraham Lincoln
  December, 1840 (Paranoia 1).

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What is Marijuana?

• Also called cannabis sativa or cannabis indica
• Contains a psychoactive chemical called
  tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in its leaves, buds,
  and flowers

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Similar PlantsTHC Amounts

• Marijuana 2-5
• Hemp (aka cannabis sativa L) 1
• Hashish 8-14

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Good uses of Marijuana

• Medicinal purposes for such diseases as
• Multiple sclerosis
• Glaucoma
• HIV/AIDS
• Epileptic Seizures
• Cancer
• Crohns Disease
• Alcoholism!
• 92 Northern Californian patients who used
  cannabis to treat their booze addiction reported
  very effective or effective results (Damuzi
  44).

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States Supportive of Medicinal Marijuana

• Alaska
• Montana
• Oregon
• California
• Missouri
• Michigan
• These states are trying to get marijuana made
  legal to have for adults 21 and over, medicinal
  marijuana made legal, or possession punishments
  lowered in their states.

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Myths About Marijuana
Its More Harmful than Alcohol

• Not a depressant
• A non-violent reaction ( test patients actually
  became non-violent and pacifistic)
• Impossible to over-dose
• User isnt a danger to others simply by doing the
  drug

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Myths About Marijuana
Its Worse than Cigarettes

• Marijuana and tobacco smoke are nearly
  identical (Exposing_04).
• Most cigarette smokers consume 10-40 cigarettes a
  day, marijuana smokers smoke 3-5 or less, so the
  lung damage is less.
• Marijuana users smoke less at a time, so theyre
  smoking less.
• You could eat it, and avoid this health risk
  altogether.

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Myths About Marijuana
Its Addicting

• In 1993, 34 of Americans 12 and over had used
  marijuana sometime in their life, only 9 the
  past year, 4.3 the past month, and 2.8 the past
  week.
• For a drug to be addicting, many users have to
  continuously fail in their attempts to quit
  this doesnt happen.
• Marijuana is less habit forming than either
  sugar or chocolate (Paranoia 1).

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Myths About Marijuana
It Can Kill You

• No one has ever died from marijuana, ever.
• THC is one of the few chemicals for which there
  is no known toxic amount (Paranoia 1).
• In a study, people were given 15-20 joints per
  day. The only symptoms experienced were
• disturbed sleep, restlessness, nausea, decreased
  appetite, and sweating.

You Can Overdose
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Myths About Marijuana
It Makes You Lazy

• Large-scale studies of high school students
  have generally found no difference in grade-point
  averages between marijuana users and non-users
  (Exposing 11).
• In a college study, marijuana users were found
  to have higher grades, and to score higher on
  "achievement values" scales than non-users (11).
  

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Myths About Marijuana
Its a Gateway Drug

• Most users of heroin, LSD and cocaine have used
  marijuana. However, most marijuana users never
  use another illegal drug (Exposing 13).

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How Marijuana Would Help Us if Legalized

• We would boost the economy by using more paper
  products, to plastics as tough as steel
  (Ratical 1).
• We would get fuel that can replace all oil,
  gas, coal and nuclear power consumption, to a
  rich source of vegetable oil and protein, to all
  manner and form of fabrics and textilesto 100
  non-toxic paints and varnishes, to lubricants, to
  building materials that can replace dry wall and
  plywood, to carpets, rope, laces, sails, . . .
  the list rolls on (1).
• It is estimated that methane and methanol
  production alone from hemp grown as biomass could
  replace 90 of the world's energy needs. (1).
• Hemp for Bio-Mass will produce ten to thirty
  tons per acre, or the equivalent of 1,000, to
  3,000 gallons of fuel (Hemp 1).

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Works Cited

• Cannabis Health. 9 November 2004
• http//www.cannabishealth.com/issue203-1/index.ht
  ml
• Damuzi, Reverend. (2004, October). Pot for
  alcoholism. Cannabis Culture, pp. 44.
• Marijuana.com. 9 November 2004
• http//www.marijuana.com/Exposing_04_1095.htm
• http//www.marijuana.com/Exposing_09_1095.html
• http//www.marijuana.com/Exposing_11_1095.html
• http//www.marijuana.com/Exposing_13_1095.html
• http//www.marijuana.com/pdf/factsheet-mj.pdf
• Marijuana Facts. 10 November 2004
• http//paranoia.lycaeum.org/marijuana/facts/10.thi
  ngs.to.know.about.mj
• Moore, Debbie. Resolving Our Energy, Paper, and
  Future Employment Needs With Hemp. 10 November
• http//www.hempforus.com/17.htm
• Renewables. 10 November 2004
• http//www.ratical.com/renewables/hemp.html