The cannabis debate
INTRODUCTION The cannabis debate has never been a straightforward one. At the beginning of the 21st century, perceptions and preconceptions about cannabis and its uses have never been more blurred. Some see cannabis as a menace to society whilst others see it as a useful source of fibre, food and medicine. Doctors and scientists spend millions investigating its medicinal value yet for every positive piece of research, there is a negative. (Brownlee, 2003) Cannabis is very widely grown and available, and is usually smoked with or without tobacco. It is obtained as dried leaves or as a resin. It induces feelings of well-being, relaxation and tranquility, though it may also give rise to apprehension, anger and depression. It is used both socially and for medicinal purposes. There are lots of words used in the debate of cannabis, which have different meanings, or different words with the same meaning. Here is a description of a few of them. The Oxford Dictionary of English 2nd Ed 2003 states that cannabis is "a tall plant with a stiff upright stem, divided serrated leaves, and glandular hairs (also Indian hemp). It is used to produce hemp fibre and as a psychotropic drug. It is also called Indian hemp, and Marijuana." It goes on to say " Cannabis sativa, family Cannabaceae (or Cannabidaceae): two subspecies (sometimes considered two species), C. s. sativa, which
cannabis case study
Introduction In this case study I'm going to debate the topic of cannabis legalization. I shall argue the advantages of cannabis such as it is a good pain relief and helps to relax. However, I shall also argue the disadvantages, such as it can lead to many medical conditions such as cancer, HIV, Multiple sclerosis and glaucoma. Personally, I feel Cannabis shouldn't be legalized, which I shall explain throughout this case study. Taking it Smoking is the most common way of taking cannabis. A judicious amount of the drug is mixed with tobacco and hand-rolled into a cannabis cigarette. The 'spliff', 'joint', 'doobie', or 'reefer' is then lit up, inhaled, and often shared amongst a group of people. It can also be ingested orally, either eaten 'raw' or mixed with food preparations or hot drinks. When eaten, however, the effects can be stronger, since the dosage is less controllable. There are two varieties of cannabis, which are: Sativa grows very tall with slender shaped leaves, and a long Flowering period. Indica has a bushier growth pattern with wider shaped leaves. Cannabis is available in several different forms: herbal ('grass', 'weed', 'skunk'): the dried flower buds of the Cannabis sativa or Cannabis indica plant. resin ('black', 'soapbar', 'hash'): a product made from cannabis buds in the form of a block. Resin can be of any colour, from dark brown to green.
What is Cannabis?
Cannabis What is Cannabis? Cannabis is part of a group of mind-altering product that derive from a busy plant that grows from 1-6 metres tall. There are three species of cannabis plants that produce mind-altering drugs: Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica and Cannabis ruberalis. The sativa species has been grown for many centuries and is used to make a variety of useful products including rope, cloth and paper. Most of these goods are produced from hemp, a strong fibre that comes from the stem of the plant. It is the leaves and flowers of this plant, as well as indica and ruberalis species, which are dried to produce intoxicating effects. Climate condition does it need to grow in? Cannabis usually grows in warm places that have great deal of sunshine. Many of the source countries for cannabis, including Colombia, Thailand and Nigeria- are places where it grows naturally and without any real need for cultivation. Also, because hemp was a valuable item in the 19th Century it was vital in the age of sailing ships, cannabis was widely cultivated across southern USA. Growing conditions there are favourable, and the plant has spread widely as a weed. Cannabis users in Europe and North America are constantly trying to find new varieties that can grow in greenhouses or which have more potency. Some of these varieties, such as skunk (so named because of it distinctive foul
Should cannabis be legalised?
Argumentative essay Scott Brown Topic: Should cannabis be legalised? Should cannabis be legalised? In the last couple of years the argument whether cannabis, a drug used by over 1.5 million people in Britain, should be legalised has raged on, and it looks unlikely to stop any time soon. Cannabis is a Class B drug (currently being downsized to Class C with no fine for small amounts for personal use). The maximum sentence for possession is five years and an unlimited fine, however police are increasingly turning a blind eye to possession of small amounts. Many MPs have voiced their opinions over the legalisation of the drug, many with contrasting views. Peter Lilley, the former deputy leader of the Conservative Party, has called for cannabis to be legalised and sold through special off-licences. However Anne Widdecombe disagrees, saying it is unlikely that legalising cannabis will get rid of any problems caused by it I personally believe that legalising cannabis will not solve the problems caused by the use of it and therefore I am against the legalisation of cannabis, and reading the evidence and arguments I have put together I am sure most people will agree. When arguing for legalisation, people point to the fact that reports from scientists claim that there is no evidence that long-term use causes lasting damage to
Should cannabis be legalised?
Should cannabis be legalised? For the past year cannabis (marijuana, blow, dope) has frequently been in the news headlines in the UK, and it was recently announced that the legal status of the drug is to be reviewed. This may come as welcome news to the many people who use the drug either for medicinal or recreational reasons. Cannabis can be smoked, usually with tobacco, eaten, drunk in a 'tea' or snorted as a snuff. Cannabis contains more than 400 chemicals, including 'cannabidiolic acid' - an antibiotic with similar properties to penicillin. However, the main psychoactive ingredient is delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, better known as THC. To simplify a very long and complicated story, THC mimics the actions of receptors in the brain called 'neurotransmitters' and interferes with normal functions. The cannabis smoke is inhaled into the lungs, where the THC is filtered into the bloodstream. Chemicals called cannabinoids block certain electrical signals inside the brain, interfering with the short term memory and co-ordination. Sounds may become distorted or hearing heightened. Pressure inside the eye decreases, causing the eyes to redden and the eyelids to become puffy. The air passage to the lungs expands and the mouth stops producing saliva, leaving a dry mouth. Cannabis increases the cardiovascular action of the heart. Blood pressure is altered and the pulse rate
Should cannabis be legalised
Should Cannabis be legalised? This issue is linked to citizenship because it is to do with the law and health. I am interested in this subject because it causes a lot of controversy. It has a chemical tetrahydrocannabinol which causes psychological and physical effects when consumed. Some of long term effects are : breathing problems , loss of coordiantion and weak immune system. Cannabis can be an addictive. Withdrawal symptoms are moodiness , headaches , lack of appetite and depression. It is used for recreational , religious reasons (Rastafarianism) and medical purposes for pain , asthma , eating disorders and many other health problems. David Cameron , the Conservative leader , admitted to smoking cannabis when he was 15. He said to GQ magazine "It achieved no pharmacological, psychotropic or any other effect on me whatsoever." Jack Straw said that cannabis was two to four times more dangerous than tobacco but was challenged by drug law reform campaigners , as reported in The Guardian. The article " Drugs are Illegal because Drugs are Dangerous" is against the legalisation of cannabis . I got this article from www.drugwatch.org. The title implies that there is no other reason that drugs are illegal and that all drugs are dangerous. Its about the bad effects of cannabis ,the culture around cannabis and about correlation between cannabis and crime The
Should cannabis be legalised
'Cannabis is harmful and leads to hard drugs. It should never be made be made legal' Cannabis is harmful and can lead to harder drugs meaning it should not be made legal as it's every parent's nightmare. Furthermore, it's the terror of drugs that means it should be kept illegal. Drugs are extremely expensive and a kilo of heroin in America costs as much as a Royal Royce due to great risks of distributing and selling. If one was to agree that cannabis should be legalised then it would make cannabis more accessible to the youth at a very cheap price. Therefore, whether a person is young or old more people will experiment and consume this product. This point can be addressed with other drugs such as alcohol and cigarettes. With the rise of drug taking due to cannabis people will become dependant on it because it offers pleasurable experiences. In addition this would create an addiction problem in British society meaning that crime rates will soar and affect those around them. Furthermore, the use of soft drugs leads onto hard drugs meaning the effects of drugs which was once a problem psychologically is now one in which your body can't cope and can lead to the death of a person. This means that the NHS will need more of tax payer's money to help rehabilitate people to a normal state only to find they may once again be tempted to take the legalised cannabis again. Poorer
Cold facts on cannabis
Cold facts on cannabis WITH the reclassification of 'soft' drug cannabis due in October, Owen Morris spells out the law on its use. The evils and merits of cannabis have long been a point of heated debate between politicians, parents and pot-heads throughout the globe. All one has to do is spend an hour flicking through some digital satellite channels and there is a very strong chance that a reference to drugs will crop up somewhere. Be it on the news, on MTV (the recent Afroman number one Because I Got High springs to mind) and even some obscure and not so obscure references on popular prime-time shows. On one admittedly hilarious episode of The Simpsons the police confiscate some marijuana from a blind man. "Is this medicinal?" asks Chief Wigham. "Yes, if I don't have it I could go even.. blinder!" says the man. After he is led off the police start a party in his house to the music of Bob Marley not too subtle. It is little wonder therefore that a recent survey of teachers has shown that many children in primary school in the UK believe that cannabis is a safe and legal medicine. Specialist teachers who promote drugs awareness in 2,000 schools across the UK were surveyed by the charity Life Education Centres. Almost three quarters of them said children thought it was less harmful to smoke cannabis than a cigarette and 79 per cent of the children thought that
Should Cannabis be legalized?
Should Cannabis be legalized? Cannabis has always been something that everybody looks at, there are many uses of this drug, however this drug also has a problem- it is highly addictive. Because of this, the question has been asked many times- should cannabis be legalised? By looking at different sides of the argument I will be able to decide for myself. . It may be safer than alcohol and tobacco because it doesn't block your airways. 2. Legalising the drug would mean that the government would save a lot of money. 3. There are also medical effects of cannabis. It can help stress. There has also been reports to say that it can help other illnesses such as asthma and arthritis. 4. Paranoia is something people can get from using this. This is a very negative experience. 5. Psychotic illnesses are more frequent in cannabis users after a lot of years. My sources are reliable because 2 of them come from BBC which is not biased. Also 4 and 5 are good because it is a good website giving general information about drugs. I think source 3 is a bit biased because it is trying to get people to do a campaign. If cannabis is legalised it means that people won't take it because its cool as much. People that need the drug for medication purposes would be able to get it easier which is beneficial for their health. This means that there will be less people going to hospital to it has
Legalization of Cannabis.
LAW ESSAY LEGALIZATION OF CANNABIS As drug war hysteria subsides it becomes increasingly certain that there must be a serious re-examination of the laws prohibiting marijuana. The decriminalisation of sort drugs has now emerged as an active political issue in Germany, Italy, Switzerland, France and Australia. The policies being considered range from 'decriminalization', or repeal of criminal penalties for private use and cultivation of cannabis, to full 'legalization', in which cannabis is commercially sold like alcohol, tobacco and other commodities. One of the obvious motive behind easing cannabis away from the criminal environments is to free up police time enabled them to stamp out serious drugs like cocaine, heroine and ecstasy, and with recent figures suggesting that almost half of all youngsters have dabbled with cannabis by the time they leave school, it's no shock that cannabis prosecution accounts for over two-thirds of UK drug offences. According to findings from a recent study by the UK's Transport Research Laboratory (TRL), marijuana appears to have less adverse impact on driving ability than does alcohol. However, adverse effects of cannabis use include respiratory damage, impairment of physical co-ordination, reduces memory and liability to learn, and links to some mental disorders such as schizophrenia, long-term effects can include increased risks and