Amphetamines, also known as Speed or Uppers, stimulate the bodies nervous system and also increases their blood pressure, making the user feel alert and more confident, however high doses can cause delirium, panic and paranoia symptoms. Tranquillisers are supplied legally on prescription, however LSD, which comes in a pill form, is illegal, and causes hallucination and also leads to depression, panic attacks and dizziness.
Ecstasy, most commonly said to be used in nightclub, also known as “E” or the “Disco Biscuit”, produces an increase of energy, it can lead to heatstroke and this can be fatal. Long-term use can also lead to liver damage in some people.
Up until a few years ago it was said that long-term use of Cannabis could cause lung disease and psychotic illnesses, however recent tests have proven that regular use of cannabis causes no lasting damage to one’s physical and mental health. Whilst Cannabis does not produce a physical dependency, some users report to have short-term memory loss. Of course it is a bad idea to smoke any substance over a long period of time and frequent inhalation of Cannabis smoke can also lead to bronchitis and other related chest disorders and may cause lung cancer. Besides all of this, Cannabis does have some positive effects, tests have shown that it is an effective reliever of multiple sclerosis symptoms and hypoglycaemia and can be used as a medication for the terminally ill.
It is for these reasons, that out of all the drugs, cannabis is the one which has seen most debate over whether it should be legalised or at least decriminalised, as it has already happened in Holland, Germany and in some parts of the USA.
Many people in society are aware of the harmful and long-term effects of Cannabis, and therefore are strongly opposed to such a drug. However, there exists a number of opinions of which are focused heavily on the benefits of Cannabis in the medical industry, as well as the pleasurable benefits that Cannabis may bring to many individuals. Although cannabis is now being recognized for possessing a few medical benefits, I believe that it also creates an even greater harm to its users. Historically, cannabis has been used in the aid of treating such illnesses as anorexia, asthma, depression, and cancer. Yet, extensive research has proven that cannabis causes damage to major organs such as the brain, heart, lungs, and immune system.
Those in favour of legalisation believe that if we remove drugs from the criminal law, the economic bass of the traffickers will be undermined, therefore drug taking will be less risky and possibly less attractive to some, and at the same time because the prices will fall they believe drug related crimes will also drop. Others believe we need to reduce the harm of criminal punishment, thereby decriminalising the use of drugs. The argument to this is that it will create an illicit black market for cannabis that is neither regulated nor taxed. Hence some governments suggest that these problems can be avoided with legalisation under which cannabis can be sold, taxed and regulated like alcohol and tobacco, thus eliminating the need for an illegal market, which brings the question of decriminalisation back into the picture.
Today, drugs seem to play an enormous part in the corruption of today’s youth. If Cannabis were to become legalized, it would just present a greater reason for the children to become more involved in the usage of drugs. I think that if society cared anything about its youth, legalization of such a drug would not even be an issue as it is the responsibility of society to set standards, morals, and guidelines for today’s youth.
Not only does cannabis possess harmful effects on the body, but it also acts as a gateway to many other drugs. So it makes sense that the government wishes to guide the younger generation in the right direction, by not legalising cannabis. They believe that access to drugs would encourage use of drugs. With legalisation the number of people dependent on drugs would increase, which will lead to severe personal health consequences, including death.
To conclude, we should not lose sight of the fact that although cannabis may serve as a mild painkiller, or act as some other remedy, its negative side effects greatly outweigh the positive. Effects ranging from the harmful physical damage that cannabis creates, to the possible long-term medical problems, and the influences it has upon the youth of today, clearly show the answer to the present debate of the legalization of cannabis. It should not be legalized for the sake of ourselves and for the children of the future.
I personally feel that if you make it acceptable for people to have drugs, they will find it acceptable and move from soft drugs to harder drugs, and it is for this reason that I am not in favour of decriminalisation. As despite the legal situation at present, it is estimated the regular user of drugs consume 800 tonnes every year in the UK, spending a total of £3.5 billion. Figures also show that the past decade the number of people aged between 16-59 has doubled to 4 million. Most of these regard the use of soft drugs as a normal part of growing up, therefore although there is apparently little danger of a fatal overdose, I do believe that cannabis is a gateway drug, that will lead to the use of harder drugs. With regards to cannabis being used as a medical drug, I do believe that the laws should be changed or looked into more and possibly grant doctors the authority to prescribe cannabis to their patients for special circumstances.
Although there exists some evidence that Cannabis could serve as a useful drug in the industry of medicine, I believe that the benefits are greatly outweighed by the vast evidence that states the numerous harmful and long-term effects of Cannabis. And due to the evaluation of the advantages and disadvantage of Cannabis, I think legalization of such a drug should not be considered.
