We Can Benefit from the Legalization of Marijuana

We Can Benefit from the Legalization of Marijuana

Krysti Barbour

Rogue Community College

We Can Benefit from the Legalization of Marijuana

The legalization of marijuana is a highly controversial topic that has a lot of people confused as to where they stand. There are some people, who are completely against the legalization of an herbal remedy that, by most standards, is safer than the majority of available over the counter medications. Marijuana has been around for a very long time and has been used for its healing properties: therefore the knowledge of possible side effects is just as recognized as the possible relief one could receive. The legalization of marijuana for medical purposes could not only help a lot of people manage their pain better, but it could also help the police concentrate on the more violent criminals, and it may help lead our country to a balanced budget.

Marijuana, also known as cannabis, is mentioned in numerous herbal and healing writings all throughout history. The earliest known documentation of marijuana used for medicinal purposes, dates back to around 2737 B.C., where the Chinese Emperor Shen Neng introduced the pharmaceutical uses for cannabis (Earlywine, 2002, p. 10). Earlywine goes on to state that Emperor Shen Neng prescribed cannabis in a tea for many ailments, including rheumatism. The Chinese allegedly recognized the powerful effects of this popular medicine. The physicians would advise against using the medicine in large quantities, which would lead to “seeing devils” and “communicating with spirits” (Li, 1975).

Even back then, more than four thousand years ago, people were dealing with arthritis. Arthritis, which is known to be a very painful and debilitating disease, comes in many forms; however, the two most commonly diagnosed forms are rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis, or rheumatism, is an autoimmune disease that can cause persistent swelling to the joints and other various parts...