Tuesday, July 29, 2014

The effects of legalization so far


There is plenty of reasons why Marijuana should be legal, but it all comes down to abuse and why the risk of abuse is so high to young kids and teenagers or even any other age. Below are some small examples of what is already happening in the states that have legalized Marijuana. 

Grades

Grades and academic achievement are almost always associated with drug abuse in college students, reports the Higher Education Center for Alcohol and Other Drug Prevention. Students who smoke pot are more likely to spend there time at parties and less time studying. Students who use marijuana are less likely to spend any more than two hours per day in studies and typically carry a B average or less. Students who use marijuana tend to have difficulty concentrating, poor judgment capabilities and diminished long-term memory. Long-term use leads to depleted motivation and concern about the future and their careers.

Risky Behavior

Marijuana users also gravitate toward other high-risk behaviors out of personality tendencies and the released inhibitions that accompany marijuana users. Nine out of ten college-aged marijuana users also drink alcohol and smoke cigarettes. They become involved in risky sexual behaviors that put them at an increased risk for sexually transmitted diseases. Because marijuana slows reaction times, driving under the influence puts students at greater risk for being involved in an automobile accident.









Health

Marijuana smokers of all ages are at a high risk for developing respiratory diseases such as bronchitis and emphysema. College students who are still in the developmental stages also face delays in sexual development and a decrease in sperm production. Pot smoking can disrupt menstrual cycles and lead to a decrease in ovulation. Marijuana use damages the immune system, leaving students at higher risk of developing infection and having slower healing rates from common illnesses like the cold or flu.


Personality Changes

The immediate effects of marijuana use in college students are almost always apparent. Upon inhalation of the THC chemicals in marijuana, students experience increased heart rate, dry mouth and blood shot eyes. They lose coordination and have difficulty speaking and listening, interrupting class work and social relationships. The altered states of being high make it more difficult to acquire and retain new information and comprehend new ideas and information. Marijuana is psychologically addicting, which can lead to the need for treatment and loss of time that could be spent towards a degree.


Some facts on why Marijuana is a bad choice to legalize

Cons for Legalizing Marijuana:
  1. A State cannot be involved with the distribution of substances considered immoral by relevant lots of the population. A substance considered unhealthy cannot be produced and distributed with the help of the state, because the goal of the state is to protect citizens’ health and not to expose them to risk.
  2. The easy availability of drugs would create new consumers rather than rescuing current ones.
  3. Drugs are addictive. They rob the user of free will. A drug user cannot make an informed and rational decision to continue using drugs because the use of the drug eliminates that user’s ability to think logically. Nor can they disseminate themselves from drug taking.
  4. Drug use is dangerous to other people besides the user. In the rise of health care costs, violence associated with the use of drugs, neglect of children by drug-addicted parents, and other third party effects.
  5. The use of soft drugs, such as marijuana, leads to the use of hard drugs (the Gateway Theory).
  6. Legalizing drugs will send a message to children that drug use is acceptable







Some other facts to take into account


Marijuana is an addictive, gateway drug. It significantly impairs bodily and mental functions, and its use is related to increased violence. These are facts.
Yet proponents of legalizing the drug studiously deny or downplay the well-documented dark side of marijuana trafficking and use. Instead, they promise benefits ranging from reduced crime to additional tax revenue.