Should Cannabis be legalized?
Should Cannabis be legalized?Origin of the species:The drug itself is derived from ‘Cannabis Sativa’ or ‘Cannabis Incida’,a plant related to nettles and hops that grows wild in many parts ofthe world. Cultivation dates back thousands of years. The firstwritten account of Cannabis use can be found in Chinese records datingfrom 2800 B.C. However, experts widely accept that Cannabis was usedfor medical, recreational and religious purposes for thousands ofyears before that.Cannabis is available in several different forms: Herbal (grass, weed,skunk): The dried flower buds of the Cannabis Sativa or CannabisIndica plant. Resin (block, soapbar, hash): A product made from theCannabis buds in the form of a block. Resin can be of any colour, fromdark brown to green. It is heated and then crumbled before use. Powder(pollen): The same as resin, but in a powdered form. Oil: A thickconcentrated oil made by dissolving, filtering, then evaporating theresin. This is much stronger than all of the above and is classifiedas a Class A drug in the U.K, the same as heroin or cocaine. Cannabisis known by many different names including: blow,
blunts, bush, dope,ganja, grass, hash, hashish, hemp, herb, marijuana, pot, puff,northern lights, resin, skunk, smoke, spliff, wacky backy, weed andmany others. The high’s of Cannabis:Getting ‘stoned’ on Cannabis can make the user relax, the desiredeffects by users are talkativeness, cheerfulness and greaterappreciation of sound and colour. Marijuana users often describe theexperience of smoking marijuana as initially relaxing and mellow,creating a feeling of haziness and light-headedness. This is known asbeing ‘high’ or ‘stoned’. Cannabis also heightens the senses,especially when it comes to colours, taste and music. Depending onexternal influences such as expectation and atmosphere, using it caneither produce sociability, talkativeness, hilarity ...
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blunts, bush, dope,ganja, grass, hash, hashish, hemp, herb, marijuana, pot, puff,northern lights, resin, skunk, smoke, spliff, wacky backy, weed andmany others. The high’s of Cannabis:Getting ‘stoned’ on Cannabis can make the user relax, the desiredeffects by users are talkativeness, cheerfulness and greaterappreciation of sound and colour. Marijuana users often describe theexperience of smoking marijuana as initially relaxing and mellow,creating a feeling of haziness and light-headedness. This is known asbeing ‘high’ or ‘stoned’. Cannabis also heightens the senses,especially when it comes to colours, taste and music. Depending onexternal influences such as expectation and atmosphere, using it caneither produce sociability, talkativeness, hilarity or episodes ofintrospective reflection.But as with every high there also comes a low:As well as the risk of nicotine addiction, the deep inhalationassociated with Cannabis smoking does affect the lungs, and can leadto cancer and other smoking-related diseases. Cannabis use does affectshort-term memory, the ability to concentrate, and co-ordination, allof which could increase the risk of an accident. As a consequence, itis extremely dangerous to drive a car, ride a bike or operatemachinery if you are ‘stoned’. Depending on your experience of thedrug, the use of Cannabis can make you feel paranoid or anxious, and asensation of dizziness or nausea can occur, especially if taken incombination with alcohol. It is also an offence to allow your house(or any other premises you have responsibility for) to be used forgrowing Cannabis or smoking it. Cannabis contains more tar thantobacco, and has a higher concentration of carcinogens (cancer-causingagents). Cannabis became a controlled substance in Britain in 1928.Cannabis is controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act and iscategorised as a Class C drug, of course it was a Class B drug but thepresent Government decided to lower it to Class C drug. The maximumpenalty for supply, dealing and production (including cultivation) andtrafficking remains at 14 years imprisonment. The maximum penalty forpossession has been reduced from 5 years to 2 years imprisonment.Is Cannabis harmless? Yes:· Cannabis is less addictive than amphetamines, tobacco or alcohol,and does less damage to the body.· A Government report found that high use of Cannabis isn’t associatedwith major health or sociological problems, unlike most other harderdrugs.· Its effects are beneficial to sufferers of various medicalconditions, including Cancer, HIV, Multiple Sclerosis and Glaucoma.· Cannabis has an effect on the heart, similar to the effects ofexercise. It may be just as good for you as going to the gym.Is Cannabis harmless? No:· It may be psychologically addictive.· Heavy users can display aggressive impulses if their supply suddenlystops, a side effect similar to that of anabolic steroids.· Cannabis may be a ‘gateway’ drug to more harmful substances likeheroin and cocaine.· It has higher tar content than tobacco, so smoking Cannabis presentsthe same health problems: Bronchitis, Emphysema and Lung Cancer.· It can disrupt the control of blood pressure increasing the risk offainting.· Even occasional use is bad for people with heart and circulationdisorders, and for those predisposed to Schizophrenia.Perhaps the strongest argument for the legalisation of Cannabis lieswith its medical uses. Clinical tests performed by the MultipleSclerosis Society showed that most patients responded positively toCannabis. The drug especially alleviated Spasms, pain, tremor andincreased bladder control. In addition, a postal survey was conductedamong patients self-medicating with Cannabis in the U.K and U.S.A.More than 90% reported a beneficial effect on their condition.Unfortunately, many patients end up obtaining Cannabis illegally.In my opinion Cannabis should stay as a Class C drug, it is a littlemore harmful than smoking, but the same as smoking you have a choicewhether or not you want to do it. Of course many people now areneglecting to notice that Cannabis is still illegal. Although a surveyin America concluded that smoking Cannabis was more popular thansurfing the net. I do not think it should be legalised at the moment,many people feel strongly about younger people trying it. And that itwould lead to an increase in other drug use. As for Cannabis being a‘gateway’ to harder drugs, again it is the user’s decision whether ornot he/she wants to try the harder drugs. In some situations, the sameas smoking there might be ‘peer pressures’ and other factors thatmight cause you to take harder drugs such as heroin, LSD etc. Butthese situations can be combated, if your friends are doing somethingyou don’t want to do, it’s up to you to make a decision about yourfuture relationship. So it is my final verdict that Cannabis shouldremain a Class C drug for the time being.
